Paul,
You have plenty of gear (as you mentioned) that you can drop to get to sub-5. It doesn't look like you "want" to. And that is an angle I want to explore. Is there really a reason to drop that last pound or two to get to sub-5? You probably won't notice the difference in pack weight on shorter trips. So, why give up those few extra comforts - is it worth it? My GUESS, is that I'll enjoy the challenge of sub-5-ing over the next few months. It'll be an interesting challenge to see what SUL gear works best. But, after the experiment is over, I won't be surprised if some luxuries creep back into my pack and bring it back up above 5 lbs. I'm also open to something different happening. Maybe the simplicity of sub-5 will be so enthralling, and the experiece so much more pure, I'll continue sub-5-ing. Maybe, as when I went from an 11 to 8 lb baseweight, I'll shift my paradigm and realize I didn't really need all those items I thought were essential in my 8 lb pack. I don't know, and that's what makes it so interesting! Can't wait to get out there!