I had to laugh a bit at Jim's last post, because my base weight is also about fifteen pounds. Of course, that includes a bearvault, a water filter, and some Crocs for camp. Take those out and I closer to ten or eleven pounds. Then again, without my UL tent and bag, I probably wouldn't want to carry the extra weight of those things sometimes. It all depends on how long the trip is, how long the hike is, and what the weather is like.

But I will also say that I can tell the different between my wife's pack and mine, just by picking them up. Hers is usually about 8-10 pounds lighter at the beginning of a trip..and there are days when I am envious!

Chris--I think you are angry about this in a way that says more about you than it says about Jim. Relax. We're all here to have fun.