Bushwalk Australia

Well one of the reasons we now cook on stoves rather than wood fires is that in many cases a stove is simply easier; also it is now not politically correct to carry that little rifle and the wallabies we used to shoot for stew are all protected
I probably carry gear that isn't "essential" because of that comfort factor.
But I will say that the gear weighed less only when talking about walking in mild conditions, if we start talking about Alpine country and snow then there is simply no comparison with modern gear