We all love rankings of the "top 3" or "top 10" or whatever. All our backpacking gear and skills are inter-related and have lots of feedback responses. If you have poorly performing "big 3" your first trip may just be so miserable that you are hesitent to repeat the experience, or worse, get seriously injured. Your "big 3" can be the best on earth, yet if you do not have the skills to use them properly, you may be miserable, and, guess what - not go out again. Every piece of gear I take out is important, otherwise I would not take it! The beginner needs to learn what is important (and necessary) and what can be left home. And this "list" is different for each environment we backpack in. A few have related how they started out with make-shift gear. You probably were in a fairly benign environment and lucky (also helps to be stupidly young and invincible). Paul Petzoldt climbed the Grand Teton as a 16-year old in cowboy boots and with only a pocket knife. He made it back, just barely. He hever "boasted" about that as "getting out there". Rather he recognised it for what it was - stupid and he was lucky to be alive. He never went ill-equipped on a climb again. Nature has her own rules; those with too much huburis sp?? may get stung or may luck out - for a while. Be safe.