My Heavy Weight (1980s) -vs- My Lightweight (2004) Gear
The following is a comparision of what I took on a week long trip in the  80s (heavy weight)  -vs- what I bring now. I expected the nights would likely get down to 20-30F, with the daytime ranging 50-70F.  The 1980s list was created partially from memory, and partially from archeology in the garage. My memory is that my packs tended to run between 70-90lbs for a week... so some items are missing or under-reported on weight. Items which have a hot pink background are more "comfortable" or I enjoy using more.
Solo Trip 1
Notes about what I am using these days and why can be found at  http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/gear/
Old New
Skin Out Weight Lbs 72.456 29.9875
Clothing Worn and Items Carried Clothing Worn and Items Carried Comments
Cotton Tee Shirt 6 6 CoolMax long sleeve shirt
Cotton Briefs 2 2.7 Ex Officio Boxer Briefs
Wool Slacks 18 9.7 Cloudveil Rodeo Pants
Wool Socks + Liners 4 1.1 WrightSocks
Vasque Light Hiking Boots 46 28 New Balance 803 Shoes Much easier on the feet
Tilley Hat 7 3 OR Seattle Sombaro Tilley more comfortable except in rain storms
14 Leki Poles How did I live without poles
Whistle, Spartan Knife, Sheath Knife, Compass 16 2.4 Whistle, Knife, Small Light, Compass Heavier knives more capable of woodcraft
Carry Weight Lbs 66.269 25.80625
Food for 7 days (plus extra day just incase) 288 168 Food for 7 Days used to take more interesting food (lazier now)
3L Water 109 62.4 1.8L Water
Base Weight Lbs 41.456 11.40625
Extra Clothing Packed Extra Clothing Packed
Wool Button Up Light Weight Shirt 13 3.5 Patagonia Dragon Fly Pullover+Hood Original "softshell" -vs- modern DWR windshirt
Extra Cotton Tee-Shirt 7 Don't need because nylon dries on me quickly
Extra Wool Pants 18 Don't need because nylon dries on me quickly
Patagonia Medium Weight Top 7 10.5 Patagonia R.5 Zip Top R.5 is warm, softer, dries quicker
Patagonia Medium Weight Bottom 6.5 Typically don't need them.  If I get cold I get active
Patagonia Fleece 22 5 Montbell Thermawrap Vest Fleece warms arm, vest better when active
TNF Grizzy Peak Gore-Tex Parka 28 5 Rainshield O2 Cycling Jacket Propore more breathable and lighter so I don't overheat
Gore-Tex Rain Pants 20 7 Red Ledge Rain Pants
Spare pair of wool socks + 2 liners 5 1.1 Spare pair of WrightSocks
wool watch cap 2 1.8 Polar Buff
boiled wool gloves 4 1.1 PowerDry Gloves
nylon stuff sack + ziplock bags 4 1 silnylon clothing stuff sack
Pack - Shelter - Sleeping Pack - Shelter - Sleeping
JanSport D3 88 34 Granite Gear Vapor Trail vapor trail carries like a dream
Therm-a-rest Original 3/4 Air Mattress 24 22 Max-Thermo Full Air Mattress  max-thermo warmer, more cushion, full length
Sierra Designs Tent (1/2 with other) 119 26 Tarptent Squall, Ground sheet SD tent nicer in bad weather, tarptent nicer in good
North Face 20F Cat's Meow (first edition) 51 16 Nunatuk Ghost Down Quilt
Standard Stuff Sack + garbage bag 5 1 SilNylon stuff sack
Kitchen Kitchen
Seva 123 stove 19 3 Snowpeak Canister Stove Easier to light, no flame-up, easier to control and simmer
Full MSR Fuel Bottle (someone else carries if ~solo) 18 7 Snowpeak Fuel Canister Used to bring way more fuel than I needed
Lots of matchs in original packages + plastic bag 1 0.4 Box of wooden matches in Ziploc
MSR Alpine Cookset (1/2 with others) 22 4.6 .9 litter pan cleans easier than the alpine set
Sierra Cup 5 0.1 12 oz sytrafoam cup
Plastic Plate 5 Eat out of the pot
OR Cook's Kit (extra utensials, sponge, etc) 12 0.1 cleaning tool Kit has more extras like seasonings, wisk, etc
Stainless Steel Fork and Spoon 2 0.4 Lexan fork and spoon No taste, doesn't scratch pan
bea bag & 50' nylon rope 8 2.5 bear bag  & 50 triptease rope
Hard plastic canteen + nalgeen water bottle 10 4 1.8L Platypus bag, hydration tube easier to drink on the trail
PUR Explorer Filter 15 3 Aqua Mira repackaged and 2L platypus hard to say if the no-pumping or immediate water better
Miscellany Miscellany
Duracell AA Flashlight + extra batteries 6 2.3 Petzl Zipka Plus longer running, better light,  hands free,more durable
100% DEET 4 1 Noseeum mesh headnet
sun-tan lotion 6 2 sun-tan lotion had to bring extra suntan because arms exposed
Sunglasses 0.5 0.5 Sunglasses
folding tooth brush 0.5 0.5 folding tooth brush
baking soda 1 0.5 baking soda
hand towel 3 1.5 hand towel
blistex 0.8 0.8 blistex
Dr. Bronner's soap 4 1 Dr. Bronner's in dropper bottle
0.4 Alcohol hand gel in small bottle
TP, shovel 10 3 TP: Cut up baby wipes easier to use a shovel than stake,wipes more effective
First Aid Kit 19 4.4 Adventure Medical UL .5 + extras Old and new equally effective
Mesh bag stuff sack 2 0.5 Small stuff sack for organizing these essentials
Minolta CL + 2 lens + film + filters + etc 34 4 Pentax S4 Digital Camera Minolta  higher quality images, S4 more convenient
Binoculars 32