I think amongst experienced campers the difference in weather, altitude, humidity, snow depth, angle of incline, etc, creates need for different specific equipment.

HOWEVER

I think there is a constant. Simplicity and efficiency. In really bad weather you simply cannot spend your time fussing with gagety stuff that requires removing your gloves and wastes energy, especially at altitude and extreme low temps. That goes from zippers to tents and stoves and bindings.

Talking with phat on our camping trip I was struck by how much our gear was alike yet different, largely dictated by use and weather. phat is a hunter used to extreme cold, I'm a recreational ski camper. Regardless of what "system" you use, it has to deploy easily and keep you warm in all conditions.

Over the years my pack weight dropped 50% not so much by buying gear, but by leaving gear at home. Not that I am unprepared, but now I know exactly what I will need and take no more. While I am very conservative and want a comfortable trip, I know I can use my experience to make up for lack of gear.

I don't want to talk about ten essentials nor gear list, but about equipment needs. I rely on a small set of extremely reliable bomb proof gear. Just a few pieces that I can easily locate in the dark. I mean I don't have even one color coded stuff sack! That went out 40 years ago.

In my large pack I have a bombproof tent, goretex shelled winter bag, down air mattress, balaclava and 4 ounce foam pillow stolen from an airline years ago, which makes up my shelter/sleeping needs.

I have a very hot reliable, heavy 14 oz, easy to start stove that can be lit with a spark in ANY weather. I have a heavy headlamp, and a photon on my pack harness where I can locate it by feel. I like a big fat heavy BPA nalgene with OR insulating jacket so I have liquid water all night long. And I carry a 3 ounce towel to wipe up spills and to use spread over my knees as a dinner table.

My clothing consists of ski clothes - long underwear (preferably montbell) with packlight full zip pants and jacket over a fleece jacket with pitzips that match the shells zips, and a warm hat that can cover my ears and is snow proof. Skiing is aerobic and staying dry and warm is a trade between venting and keeping in some warmth. When I stop I pull on a REAL winter down coat(39 oz), again goretex shelled down. When I get to camp the goretex pants are replaced with goretex down bibs (32 oz). I may take my mukluks which I can walk with in deep snow, as a treat to my feet after wearing ski boots all day.

The top pocket of my pack has 2-3 BIC lighters, a small collection of pills, maybe a light pair of fleece "sleeping gloves", batteries for my GPS, and some tp, Ti Spoon.

This isn't a gear list of course - I carry more - but the majority of my gear is a handfull of heavy rugged dependable items that I put my complete trust in. I know I can get in and out and stand up to any storm that can come at me, cause I've tested it in the real world.

My luxuries are a coffee cup, pillow, down air mattress, sleeping gloves and maybe mukluks. My tent can be set up from the inside in a couple of minutes (still gotta pack down a platform though). I could burrow into the snow (in my snow suit) without a shovel tent sleeping bag or pad and be a bit cold, but survive the night. After spending a night out in the open at -40F in the ALPS I learned a lot about the difference between being cold and "freezing".

Final thought - tight clothing cuts warmth and comfort. 4 layers sucks, 3 is more comfortable, 2 is better but requires specialised gear with weather proof shells built in, like goretex shelled down bibs over long underwear.

You might explore the concept of making a gear list with 12 items, or 18. How simple can make you it? A bag of small stuff weighing a pound or two can count as one.

I do not have an axe, repair kit, first aid kit, snowshoes, bivy sack, tent footprint, layering clothes, cell phone, spot and generally not a shovel. All of this weighs around 25 pounds less my ski gear.
Jim