The responders to this topic have been all over the map. The tone of some of them is telling much more than the words used. We have 12 pages so far which proves that some people are passionate about this topic.

Opinions seem to fall into 3 general groups. The first group is thoughtful about the topic, and agrees with the idea that mental toughness is important. These are people with SAR experience, career outdoor professionals, or people with a serious approach to being in the backcountry.

The second group seems to be very defensive about the topic, possibly because they are forced to look at their own shortcomings or lack of experience.

There is a third group that seems to have difficulty in grasping the topic altogether.

From the discussion of topics like this, I would not hesitate to sign up for a trip with the likes of Oldranger, Tom D, or wandering daisy.