I fell off the light train this summer. Why? I had packed several little packets of "light alternative" clothing and gear but never used them. Trip 1: still winter although July - throw in the down vest (and never left it out the remainder of the summer). Used my lighter pack and hung food. Next trip I remembered the miserable evening trying to get the stupid hanging line on the right tree branch while mosquitoes were swarming, so the bear cannister now became part of my gear (never to leave my pack for the remainder of the summer). Also throw in another bottle of DEET. Trip 3 - darned- had to walk 10 extra miles on the last trip because I really needed an ice axe and crampons. This time I threw in the ice axe and crampons - Murphy's Law of the uncertainty of gear - if you throw it in, you will not need it. Trip 4 time for lighter pants - darn-- still mosquitoes well past when those little critters should be wiped out - skeets can bite trough my light pants. Trip 5- leave out the ice axe (lucky me- I did not need it) but am out for 8 days - that odd amount of food that overloads my light pack - switch to the bigger pack. Trip 6- nice to have a partner for a change- but I have been out 3 weeks and am fully aclimated - he is not. Guess who carries all the food? Switch to external frame and my experimental pack - add an extra half pound. We also are fishing - add the frying pan and lures. Throw out the down vest? - no way - snow is predicted for the day we go in! Trip 6 - going to the most remote part of the range - throw in an extra days food. Good move - got pinned down in a 3 day storm at the most difficult palce to get out of. Big rain before snow. Solo tent leaks like a seive. Just plain worn out. Trip 7 - man it is cold - freezing solid every night. Switch the one-man for the 2-man tent - cannot afford to go buy another one-man tent on the spur of the moment. So it goes. Well, I sure am in good shape now! Oh my aching back.