We diverge when you say "creature comforts are heavy."

I take creature comforts and never have a heavy pack. I sleep well and warm, all night, where I did not with heavier gear. 25 lbs for three days, through rain and sometimes light snow. I'm not cold, wet or at all uncomfortable - you don't get me out if it's going to be a death march.

You did ask a lightweight backpacking board if your gear was okay. In the context of the board? It's pretty heavy, and some of it has limited use, but it's an okay place to start. From my perspective, knowing what I do about comfort in the wilds, it's not really necessary. You can easily read some reviews, do a little research, shop sales, and get lighter gear that will work as well or better than the heavy stuff. The weight of the pack has a huge impact on how you feel at the end of the day - I've learned that the hard way. So have a number of first timers who show up to backpacking outings with my hiking group.

I leave you with Mark Verber's backpacking for cheap. Mark's other pages feature a lot of information and links to more information than you could possibly need or want. Some great info from a guy who went from traditionally heavy to ultralight, and then back to lightweight - balancing those creature comforts with comfort on the trail.