I'd definitely agree that cutting essentials is a just plain bad idea, but I kind of get the ounce thing. Things really add up. As a preparedness kind of guy, I frequently load up packs that are tough to carry. 50lbs of gear for a 3 day hike probably isn't reasonable. I've had to eliminate some redundancy, carry a little bit less clothing than I'd like etc. just to make it work. There's got to be some kind of balance between preparedness and practicality. Not saying I know what that balance is, but I definitely understand cutting ounces.

For example, I bought some new gear this past summer:
Sleeping bag: 12 oz lighter than old one
Pad: 8 oz lighter
Raingear: 9 oz lighter
Pack: 15 oz lighter
Stove: 10 oz lighter
Headlamp: 3 oz lighter
Tent: 24 oz lighter
New Jacket: 9 oz lighter

Which amounts to about 5 and a half pounds of savings. Going from a 35 pound pack to a 29.5 pound pack makes a huge difference.



Not to get on your case but a lot of the ultra lighters I've met on the trail are in incredible shape. In the case of "through hikers" (those doing a major trail like the PCT, CDT, or AT from start to finish in one hike), they're doing back-to-back 20 mile days for weeks on end. They really do have to strip it down. (having said that, no I have not drilled holes in my toothbrush and exchanged my knife for a razor blade)