I think base weight is pretty meaningless. Who cares what the pack weight is the hour you leave the trail and step into your car! To me it is what you have to haul up the hill the first day out. That includes the clothes you wear and what you carry.

And every trip and every location has different gear required. Also, why are you out there? I carry a camera because that is one of the reasons I am out there. I carry a bear can because it is required. I carry fishing gear because that is another big reason I am out there. I carry a 10-degree sleeping bag because it is the only one I have and it has to work in shoulder seasons with temperatures in the low 20's. I use trekking poles because I am now using a tent that needs trekking poles to set up. If snow conditions require it I add microspikes.

Here is my 11-day/91 mile trip in the upper Kern (almost exclusively above 11,000 feet), this August. I had to carry microspikes on this trip due to snow conditions:

Total weight (everything!) 37.3 pounds
starting weight on my back 32.1 pounds
"base weight" 19.2 pounds
Clothing worn, camera, trekking poles 5.1 pounds
Gas 1.5 pounds
food 11.5 pounds

I rarely carry more than 1/4 liter of water because it is always available. I carry the "mini" water filter- 3 oz.

I loose some weight over the backpack season, and this was a later season trip, so I was down to 110 pounds; ended the season (two more trips) at 105.

So my ratio is: 34% for total starting day, 30% on my back, 17% meaningless "base weight".

Yup- it's NOT comfortable the first 3-4 days.