I think of backpackers as folks who are backpacking for its own sake. There are a lot of people who will go to see a particular place, climb a particular mountain, etc. who don't enjoy the backpacking part. Then there are the rest of us who go backpacking and do other stuff sometimes while we're out there. We care about the gear we take enough to comparison shop and select it for rational reasons that make sense, and we don't always wait for a string of sunny days to go - some of us go every available opportunity, rain or shine, and enjoy the challenge of managing to be comfortable regardless of the weather.
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"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

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