Originally Posted by
andrewclaus
On the physical side, I think lighter pack weight and a simpler load leads to increased happiness. On that last tour, I halved my previous load and at least doubled my contentment.
For me the simplicity of living with a very few, but well thought out, gear and clothing items greatly enhances the touring experience.
On the other side of the coin I met a guy who was carrying 10 times the gear weight I was (literally 10 times) and apparently enjoying the trip very much. That was before I went as light as I have recently have, now it would be more than 20 times as much. So there is a really wide range of what folks find acceptable.
I do recommend folks trying going ultralight if so inclined though, but acknowledge that it isn't for everyone.