My experience is much as you describe, Bear - when I'm out there, days away from civilization, it's not about the gear. When I'm with people, we learn things about each other even if we were lifelong friends or family. When I'm alone, I sometimes have profound, almost religious experiences. The wilderness is about centering one's self, leaving all the schedules & cellphones behind. Or at least turned off.

What I've found is that the gear "fades into the background" much more readily if it weighs less. Plus, it gives me something hiking related to focus on during the winter months; that's when I finetun my gear for the upcoming spring.

The commercializm of all that gear also gets to me. I used to shop at REI & Cabela's all the time, but now I find myself ording gear online from lesser-known places, manufacturers of niche products that fit my needs better.