I don't discount a lighter pack at all. And you guys would fall out of your chairs knowing how much my pack generally weighs (45-50 lbs) as I have to carry my daughter's gear as well.

I used to be the type to carry EVERYTHING I may possibly want while I'm out for the weekend. SWMBO convinced me to begin paring down and lightening what I can. I carried a lot of stuff that I NEVER used. I also quit packing an ice chest so I could eat cereal for breakfast (I LOVE cereal!!!).

I've been going through our gear to see what can be downsized, if not weight reduced, and I've come up with very little.

Our sleeping bags are not light weight, and that can be considerable. My pack isn't light (~5 lbs, but none are that are big), but when we replace SWMBO's it'll likely be lighter than what she has (~4.5 lbs for 58 lit).

But we've replaced the tent with a Big Agnes Copper Spur.

Our cookware seems a little large, but I cannot seem to find better (shopping at REI), which is an Optimus Terra Lite HE cook set. It has a ~1.5 qt pot, which seems a little more than we generally need (I had in mind boiling drinking water).

I'm not sure about our Thermarests, but they don't seem excessively large or heavy.

I just don't see much that can be replaced, and if so we are talking about a minimal difference. Things add up for sure, but that brings me back to 1/2 a pound.

There are a couple of things that come to mind that I often take along that have not been needed such as my Estwing hatchet, my Leatherman tool, a tarp, and a few small bungees. This here might be 3 pounds, but were I hiking along the CD trail I might just want all of this.

And this had made me consider that maybe it's not about making mileage, but just doing what's comfortable. I'd be happy hiking 2-3 days and sticking around on the third and enjoying what we have if need be. It's not about hurrying, but enjoying what there is.

I'm not as young as I once was, nor in the shape I was in, but I've just always been the type to do what has to be done regardless. I don't give in or give up. Now that I'm older and not getting younger, maybe this in't quite the mindset to have.

I concern myself with numbers quite a bit, such as brewing beer, and so I can appreciate those who care to an extreme. I've been laughed at and mildly ridiculed as I want to know exactly what's going on and what I should expect, and I check it to see. Does it really matter? maybe not, but I just gotta know!