This is actually the easiest scenario for me because I've done this. A lot. When I was younger and of less dubious character, my friends and I would try to outdo each other and see who could stay out the longest with the least amount of stuff. And no, I never even came close to winning.
But fritos emerged as the clear winner when it came down to weight vs energy, durability, multi use capability and flammability. Don't buy expensive "camping food" when you can find most dried and prepacked dinners right down the grocery isle. They're invariably lighter and cheaper. Buy a Swiss Army knife. Make sure it has tweezers, toothpick, scissors, and magnifying glass. Two metal cups. One for drinking, one for cooking cornbread or soup in. Plates are invaluable for fish, but the cup is the camp king. Make sure one of yours is a wide, shallow "sierra cup".
B.C. powder over Advil, but whatever is handy. No...B.C. powder for the win. You really will need some. Boiling water will eliminate the need for filters and pumps. Straining the boiled water though a handkerchief full of charcoal will sweeten the water right back up. So have a big plastic lightweight mug too. The ones with screw top lids get dirty and will make you sick after a while if you're not careful.
Peanut butter kicks ass. It's heavy, but it disappears pretty quick. A loaf of sammich bread does too. A paperback book about woodcraft is handy. ( It makes it a lot easier to find wild onions and roots.)Those lil' black thin soled Chinese slippers work great around camp and cost about a buck a pair. Guitar strings are lightweight and handy. Small crimp clamps are cheap and light and easy to use the leatherman with. You can make a bow out of green wood that will last about a day. Long enough to shoot any rabbits that come sniffing around the frito bait.
But if you can fish and have corn meal and some oil, you can last a surprisingly long time.
Blisters are inevitable, buy blister patches.
Coleman and others make cheap sturdy light up watches if you really need to poke around at night. My nephew has a ball cap with tiny lights built in the brim. I think it was six bucks. But cold will kill batteries.
Foot powder, or baby powder or gold bond, just get some.
Make a chess set.
Everything gets hung up in a tree at night.
Sugar packets, salt, pepper, jams, hot sauces and crackers from restaurants is also the way to go.
Don't forget the toothbrush or extra boot laces. Or hat. You being a Texan most likely already have a nice broad brimmed one. I'm stuck with a Top hat for a while myself, but hope to someday graduate up to one of those Sherlock Holmes dealies...maybe a big fur Shako like those guys in London wear.
Throw some of those office clamps and paper clips in the backpack and some Silly Putty too. (No more spilled mugs balancing on rocks. Stick it on the putty.)
And so on. It's a near endless list of tips and tricks. Just go out and practice making camp somewhere so when you finally bug out, it's routine.
Ah, and zippos are expensive, can leak and have fiddly bits. Advanced survivalists only.
