Some of the things that John carried in his pack where supplies and gifts for the Indians. He also carried a gun. Some of the things that Tom carried where a large down coat, a stove, large tarp, water bottles, sack of food, and some mittens, large headlamp and lastly a emergency kit.
They did not have very similar shelters. Toms was an eight foot tarp tied together with a rope and on a twig and next he put a sleeping bag and slept on that. Johns was very different. His was a log fort he made. Tom had a log fort he built.
Lastly the weather. They both where traveling in the winter.