Or they didn't notice how old it was.

FWIW, I noticed a lot of people in this thread underestimating the weight of panniers and racks (on the order of thinking a rack weighs half a pound!). Most racks weigh at least a pound; many weigh more - unless you buy a tiny titanium one, you're not going to have a half-pound rack. A pair of Ortlieb Back Rollers is 4 pounds. That's over five pounds just for a rear rack and panniers, leaving out handlebar bags and front rack/panniers if present.

All this to say, the weight difference between pannier and trailer setups isn't as extreme as some might think.

All the replies I saw in the thread were also just as relevant today as they were five years ago - it seems touring luggage technology hasn't changed all that much.