That's true. If you're leading a hike you should feel fine about telling someone they'll be carrying something for the team.

I just weighed my Big 3. It comes in at 12 lbs on the nose. That's not too bad and it includes my blue foam sleeping pad and a full size bubble foil warmer pad.

The Camp Coleman Outlet store was selling my same pack, a "Peak 1" for $50.00 last December. (I paid closer to $70 or $80 probably eight or ten years ago for mine).

3-4 years ago I got my 32º sleeping bag, a Coleman exponent Canyon" for $40.00 there too.

The Wal-Mart blue foam pad was $6-7 bucks. The bubble foil was given to me for free by my neighbor, but wouldn't cost more than $10 if you had to buy it.

I use a $39.00 Byer hammock and an 8'x12' visqueen tarp. The tarp, and all my rigging for it and the hammock I use, cost around $30.00

So, added all up, I have around $200 in all that. Not bad for a 12 lbs base weight. But I won't be carrying that on my next trip...

On the "Ultimate" trip I mentioned I'll be taking next Fall, my little burro, Lewis, will be carrying all my gear. He weighs in at about 350-400 lbs