Good post, Jim. I'd agree with you on everything - I especially like the succinct definition of ultralight: for most of us, it's only an appropriate choice when failure is an option.

Lucky for me, I live in that part of the eastern US where failure is almost always an option. I'm in a temperate forest, where high wind and elevation are not issues. Due to urban sprawl and intensive agricultural activity, our backcountry tends to be in smaller pockets - it's almost impossible to hike out more than 5 or 10 miles from the trailhead or some other contact point. Accordingly, I use ultralight gear, after a fashion: MSR's ultralight offerings. For my area and my use, they fit right into a sweet spot between ultralight and bombproof. I'll never take less than 15 pounds out, even in the summer, but I'll never take more than 25 even in what passes for winter here (think Phat in about September or October.)

I'm lucky, and know it. But I fully agree with everything you said, and my gear kit would be a lot heavier if I lived and hiked in mountains.