And stae, to me the key thing is that it's easier for those of us who had self supported, ie self propelled, outdoor experience already. That said, on my first big trip I took way too many tools, weighed a ton, but learned quickly. Should have done a smaller first trip, but oh well. C'est la vie.
True, but even if you make packing mistakes on a long tour, there is the option of mailing stuff home and buying things or having things sent from home. So it isn't like you can't learn and adjust during a long tour.