While I'm definitely drawn to the light end of the spectrum out of necessity (age and decrepitude), I always take what keeps me warm, safe and comfortable. I've experienced enough truly nasty weather, especially in the Rockies, that I won't risk going without what's needed to cope with it.

I certainly will never get to the "ultralight" level (base weight under 10 lbs.) category, nor do I even intend to try. I am down to 12 lbs. base weight (that includes camera and fishing gear, items noticeably absent from "ultralight" gear lists) and I'm happy with it.

I do own an alcohol stove and have tried it--it's really not that inconvenient. However, for some reason, when I'm packing for a trip, I invariably grab a fuel canister and my little Primus Micron. Force of habit, maybe. For a longer trip (like a week or more) the combination of stove and fuel are actually lighter for the canister stove.

At my age, I absolutely must have a nice thick, cushy, well insulated air pad if I'm going to get any sleep at all. Otherwise my nights are spent in constant pain. One thing my experience with the NeoAir (horrible!) reminded me of is that what works for one person may not work for all.

While I enjoy Mike Clelland's cartoons, there are a lot of areas in which I disagree with him. The same is true for a lot of other "experts." On the other hand, I've learned lots of good ideas for reducing pack weight and just for enjoying my trips more from Mike and other lightweight backpacking advocates. The important thing is to try any new techniques or gear out in the back yard, car-camping or on very short backpacks close to the trailhead to be sure they work for you before committing to a longer trip.

My original foray into lightweight gear started with a three-week car-camping trip from Ohio back to Oregon, spent mostly on the trail of Lewis and Clark with a few side trips. I encountered enough weather extremes on that trip to know that most of the new lightweight gear was going to work just fine. The few items that didn't have now gone, such as the 32* sleeping bag with silk liner. The silk liner was gone after two nights of getting thoroughly tangled up in it; the sleeping bag was sold and replaced by a 20* bag (heavier but warmer). A few of my original items have been replaced by lighter items--the fleece jacket by a puffy jacket, the aluminum pot by titanium (which actually didn't save that much) and the 2-lb. tent by a 1-pounder (and a much lighter wallet ). My sleeping pads have gotten thicker--and actually lighter--as my hip and shoulder joints have become more sensitive, and I think the next step is to a down-filled pad so I no longer have to worry about warmth in marginal temperatures. That's going to up the weight several ounces over my current pad, as is extra down fill for my sleeping bag, but since my body's thermostat is becoming less functional as I get older, I need more warmth.

On the other hand, I wouldn't be backpacking at all if it weren't for the articles and information on this site and others. While in my 40's I was able to stagger around the North Cascades with a 50-lb. pack for a 9-day trip, those days were gone forever after a severe knee injury. It wasn't until I discovered this site that I was once again able to backpack more than a mile or two. Now my 9-day pack weight is less than half of what it was back in the "bad old days." It's about half the bulk, which also makes it easier to carry. Even if I were still able to carry that weight, it wasn't fun then and it would be even less fun now!

I strongly believe that (within reason, and up to a point), lighter is definitely more comfortable and more fun, but normally I just refer folks to the home page of this site, add a "YMMV" or two and leave them to decide. At least people starting out backpacking should know that they have the option of lighter stuff if they want it. In many cases, the lighter stuff (unless it's cuben fiber) is less expensive, too. If someone specifically asks for a gear list critique and something on their list jumps out at me, I'll give it, but it's up to them if they want to accept the suggestions. I've been through a couple of these myself. I originally said "no way" to most of the suggestions but, after a while, tried them and found some of them just fine.

Conclusion to all this rambling: We are never too old to learn and to try new ways of doing things! We just need to make sure they fit in with what keeps us safe and comfortable!