As I am packing up for a BP trip, I've been thinking about a post written about being dissed for having a tiny pack.

I think we need to straighten out something right now.
1) Smaller does not mean lighter.
2) Lighter may be better because you carry less.
3) Smaller means that you have to compress your gear which is bad for it.
4) Large {pack} and light makes much more sense than small and light

I know part of the problem is the perceived idea that small packs are lighter than large packs, which has a tiny bit of merit, but since my huge pack weighs 29 oz in stripped mode and 48 in the modular mode that I use it in, my huge pack is not much heavier than the smallest pack I cold get my gear in.

HOWEVER THE ATITUDE THAT SMALLER IS BETTER is that attitude that makes more traditional camper think that ULers are affected by their own tiny packs and that they are only concerned about showing off with their tiny packs, which may or may not be lighter in fact. SIZE HAS BECOME TOO IMPORTANT.

I carry a 6500 cubic inch spectra pack that looks like 65 pounds easy even when it weighs 16 pounds. Some people like my white pack, some are impressed by my big pack, some are impressed by how light it is, some are impressed by the price tag, but frankly I don't care, I just hate to compress my gear. Heck I don't use stuff sacks - that can save a pound... But mainly - I can easily locate anything in my pack and it is not compressed or packed away so all my gear is available for use when I need it.

While I'm on this - besides my tent, pad, bag, warm clothes, and cooking gear. The total of my other gear consists of a pocket knife, tiny first aid kit, TP, led headlamp, GPS, spare bats, food hanging cord, camera, two small screwdrivers a flat and a phillips, and about 4 BIC lighters.

I carry about 1.5 pounds of cooking gear, titanium and compressed gas. It also is simply swallowed by the huge pack, so folding it up has no effect.

Lighter = better maybe
smaller = ? - depends, don't get hung up on it, I'd rather be lighter than smaller.
Jim YMMV