I don't have any problem with people carrying everything they might need to survive I just feel that it's not necessary. Just because you can carry the weight doesn't mean it's not allot easier to carry 10 less pounds. I've spent hundreds of days wandering the Sierra and the only time I have ever felt I actually needed rain gear in general safety terms is in October of last year. My rain gear had shredded to the point that it no longer worked at all and I got snowed on which soaked through my gear and got my down jacket wet. I had two more weeks in remote country before I would be out so I was indeed worried about having a lack of gear.
