Ok I am new here.
I would like to start out by saying I have started out my light weight backpacking journey about a year ago. I have read all the sites and forums. I have gone from 45 lbs to 20lb for a 3 season weekend pack with food.
It has cost a bunch but at this point in life it is easier to afford.
some gear is:
a big Agnes fly creek 2 2 lbs
Montbell down bags 1.2 lb
down jacket 5 oz
2.3 lb pack. osprey exos 48
light weight filters, light knife,
Big agnes chair ( used with Air mattress) 6 oz
Biggest thing I have learned is to look at every item and say realistically do I need to take this.
gone are the following
- first aid kit. Is now 2-3 oz from 1.2 lbs. I can not do -surgery in the field now but I doubt I would ever need to.
-camp shoes - gone
-high end rain gear - replaced with frog toggs ultra lite 10 oz
-Dana Designs pack gone 6lbs
-unnecessary cups, utensils, cookware not needed for meals
-msr water filter
-tent lantern
-extra knife
- more medicines than I could realistically take during the timeframe of my trip
-water bladders, replaced with Vitamin water bottles

So I would like to hear feed back on my following feelings.
It seems that the pursuit of light weight packing gets to a point of How light can I go with total disregard for any sort of comfort in the backcountry. I am totally onboard with carrying a light pack. But do I really want to sleep under just a tarp? when I can have a full shelter for less than 2 lbs.
or use an alcohol stove and carry 10 ozs of fuel when I can use a jetboil or other canister for the same weight or a few for 3 oz more. By time some of these people pack the stove fuel windscreens and other apparatus the need to fire up an alcohol stove is it worth it??. I can have hot water for drink or food in 4 minutes from the time I grab my jetboil from my pack and I do not pay a huge weight penalty.
Same foes with a sawyer fuel filter. My mini weight 1.9 oz.
Versus maybe .8 oz of chemical treatment and bottles I would carry. Plus My water is filtered not just purified, ( no particles or floaters).
I see some gear lists and YouTube videos and wonder is it worth the 1-2 lbs of weight savings to give up so much comfort.
At 20 lbs with food for three days I am very comfortable, eat well, stay warm and sleep well.
SO what is the attraction of going to the extreme other than I can say My pack is 12 lbs and yours is 13?