After participating in this forum for a few years, I pick up the idea that for a number of the fellows, your female significant others do not like backpacking or the out-of-doors. Since I have been hiking, climbing and backpacking since a kid, this puzzles me, particularly now that the lighter weight equipment really allows women to carry a reasonable portion of their body weight. (That was a problem in the old days - a 60 pound pack is daunting for a 110 pound person). I am curious, what are the major reasons that the women you know do not like backpacking? or even car camping? Or even being out-of-doors?

My guess at reasons would be:

1) too dirty (I wash every day and stay quite clean)
2) too cold (solved by the proper clothes and sleeping bag)
3) cooking is hard (well, fellows, you do the cooking if that's the problem)
4) "bathroom" chores (I prefer the woods - can pee anytime I want and do not have to wait in line!)
5) boring (not if you plan enough time to explore, bring a good book or have an entertaining backpack partner)
6) hard (women who spend 2 hours a day at the gym still say this)
7) too scarey (those of us who grew up running in the woods as kids do not feel this way)
8) like to look nice (nothing says you cannot have stylish backpack clothes)
9) no shopping malls (well, yes, that is true)
10) too wet, lousy weather (a lot of areas have delightful weather)
11) bugs (I get more bugs in my garden)
12) dangerous (yet they drive - a more dangerous activity)