I do not like these broad surveys. Exactly what is base weight is not defined. Do you exclude stuff carried in your pockets? If you exclude the clothes you wear, what exactly is counted as "worn". I change clothes all the time during a trip based on the temperatures. Climate makes a huge difference. I use a 5-degree sleeping bag because I camp near 12,000 feet elevation and often encounter low-20's even in August. And there are no trees up there for hammocks or tarps. If I am out for 20 days in a very remote location, I am going to take some repair gear that I do not take on a weekend trip. Where I hike, a bear cannister is almost always required so it is part of base weight. What about your GPS- these are about 6 ounces or more and I do not think the UL people count this (supposedly because it is attached to their belt or shoulder strap. A lot of us fish. Do we count our fishing gear?

To me base weight should also include the clothing you wear because although it is not on your back you have to haul it uphill too. And what about water? Most people always carry at least a half liter of water. I am probably one of the few here who actually do not carry much water.

All said, my base weight in my pack excluding consumables ranges from 18-20 pounds. This allows me to be safe in 2 weeks, remote areas, at high altitude in crappy weather - not a usual condition, but a very plausible one that I have been in more than once. I do not think I have been through a season without getting snowed on several times. I have certainly done less for a short weekend trip, but that is not my normal trip.