>>415418I've always thought that REI doesn't sell guns because guns are scary to their core target demographic... hipsters and well to do suburbanites.
The 10 essentials are a useful starting point for beginners, but not everything is essential in all scenarios. The 3, 5, 10 essential things all sources try to sell to you don't even include a poopin-inna-woodz kit. I would argue a well stocked poopin-inna-woodz kit is the 3rd or 4th most essential thing to take /out/.
If I go for anything more than a day hike, I bring at least a handgun. And I live in Southern California. We still have some places to worry about mtn lions and such. If you're hiking Catalina, you have to be careful of wild boar and bison even. Although I agree that other humans are likely to be the most dangerous animal inna woodz. And similar to a first aid kit, you take it hoping that you never need it.
