IMHO the primitive fire making skills ARE important, but not for foot travel. I have redundant systems and do not get separated from them.

However, it seems like about once a year a skier goes out of bounds and gets stranded in deep snow for a couple of days. Canoe/kayak/raft travel is likely to separate you from your redundant systems, but not foot travel.

Useful skills, but not for hiking.
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"In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not."
Yogi Berra