I don't carry as much stuff as I did ten years ago. I always used to carry 2 quarts of water, even if the next source was a mile away - "They" said that's what you were supposed to do - now I carry only 1 quart - or even part of a quart. I've learned that a 1-quart kettle replaces the cup, bowl, and 2 pots I used to carry. I've simplified my menus, after realizing that at home, I ate uncooked food for breakfast and lunch, and that a quick-cook freeze-dried entree is just as good for supper as the chicken-and-noodles I used to cook. High-tech fabrics make spare clothes (duplicates, not what's needed for warmth) unnecessary. When I realized that darkness was nature's way of saying "Go to sleep," I quit carrying a candle lantern. All of that has cut a lot of weight.

But another big factor has been that gear weight has generally decreased. Titanium pots v. stainless, 2-pound packs v. 7-pound packs, 5-pound two-person tents v. 3 pound solo tents, 800 fill down, silnylon, LED lights v. Mag Lites - it all adds up (or down, I guess.)