I see a lot of posts regarding "comfort" vs. "lightweight." I've posted on this subject before; I went lightweight precisely because I wanted to keep those comforts -- if not expand upon them.

When I was young I usually humped a fifty or fifty-five pound pack into the wilderness. I carried a heavy two-man tent in a heavy pack and slept in a heavy down bag on a ridge rest pad. Around camp I sat on logs or rocks. In addition to the essentials I carried a fishing rod, tackle, a book to read at night and a small flask of booze.

Thirty years later, I couldn't possibly carry that kind of weight; my knees would give out after two or three miles. Today, my base weight is a tad over 14 pounds, which allows me to still carry my fishing gear, book and booze, as well as a chair kit and an inflatable sleeping pad. My total weight on a five-day trip, including food and luxuries, is around thirty pounds.

In other words, I carry about twenty fewer pounds than before but actually enjoy more comforts -- I sleep better and lounge more comfortably around camp.

In short, I believe lightweight backpacking doesn't have to be a trade-off between weight and comfort, but is instead a means to continue to be comfortable, particularly as we grow older.