Jenny,

I think Bill's analytic reply is right on. There certainly are some stereotypes as noted, but usually any one individual will represent a mix of several, so it's difficult to isolate.

I think the nearest I can come is the football player type who carries lots of heavy food in a big pack and spends the evening talking about miles, how many today, how many tomorrow, etc.

Not sure where I fit in, but my first thru hike, when I was sixty, virtually every item I wore or carried was at least 20 years old, some items much older than that. The young ones gave me the trail name of "Antiques Roadshow".

At one point one of the football player types needed to move my pack and tossed it to his friend who said "wow, that weighs less than my food bag."

best, jcp