I know what you're saying when you talk about feeling like you "need" a certain piece of gear. My basement is full of gear I used to need. Small coffee pot, lantern, gerber axe, saw, maglites, radios, impressive looking knives, and an assortment of nalgene bottles. My filter also had an attachment for a nalgene bottle but I got rid of it and just put the hose in the bottle (if i carry the filter).

We all have our luxury items that we carry and I'm sure that some of the guys on this forum would go through my pack and start chucking stuff.

-Skippy