As I get back into backpacking, I'm quickly discovering the rational behind ultralight backpacking. Lugging a 40 lb pack makes a trip a lot less enjoyable. Most ultralight fans will aim for a pack weight of 15 to 20 lbs, and that is for a long weekend to a week long trip. Now, I'm not suggesting we are going to get family camping gear down that low. Far from it. But, as I have been researching ultralight concepts more closely, I have made a personal commitment to extend them into the realm of family camping. I'm not exactly sure what this means just yet, but I'm committed to figuring it out and talking about it. Before that, lets start with the top 5 reasons to practice Ultralight Family Camping.

1. Ease of packing. Going ultralight means a combination of less gear, and smaller gear. Because of this, you'll be able to keep all of your camping gear in fewer, smaller, and lighter tupperware bins. As a result, your total time from urge to camp to packed and heading down the road should drop substantially. If you suddenly find yourself with a free afternoon, you'll be more likely to throw the gear in the car and head out to your favorite camping spot. And anything that makes it more likely to get outside is a good thing.
2. Ease of unpacking. Now that you are at the campsite, you need to unpack all of that gear. While needing to keep an eye on excited kids running wild all over the, well, wild. Having less and lighter gear means you can empty the vehicle and setup camp quicker; leaving you more time to spend having fun with your kids. Also, should the weather turn, you'll be able to pack up and get out faster too.
3. Less space. When we first had kids, I was convinced there was a global marketing conspiracy being waged against families. Baby gear these days is huge. Need to fit a stroller in the trunk of a Honda Civic? Unless its an umbrella stroller, good luck. Pack and plays; huge. It was like they were trying to force you into buying the largest SUV you could find. Family camping gear is much the same. Family tents these days seem to be of the 8 bedroom, 3 bathroom, hot tub in the back vestibule variety. The carrying bags are big enough that the mafia could use them to transport bodies to final resting places without ever arousing any suspicion. And if you need to get them up into that huge SUV, I hope you tightened your vintage 80's weight lifting belt nice and tight over that mid-life belly. They are designed to fit king size air mattresses, tables, etc. And don't forget the 'collapsable' kitchen set. This all takes up huge amounts of space, both in terms of storage at home, and for transportation purposes. Downsizing to less and smaller gear means you get part of your garage/basement back, and don't need to buy a small land yacht to get around. This also has a direct correlation to points one and two.
4. Inspire creativity. Leaving all of the extra entertainment options most kids have today (Nintendo DS, Game-boy, portable DVD players) is a good thing. It saves space, makes un/packing easier, and will increase your family's creativity. Without all of those distractions, you'll find things to do in nature. Go for a hike. Create your own version of horseshoes with a couple sticks shoved into the ground and some rocks. Race sticks down a river. See shapes in the clouds. You'll be amazed at what you can come up. Kids are especially great this. They don't need anything to have fun. We often lose this ability as adults, it would be could to get it back. Even if just for a little while.
5. Experience Nature. Less distractions means you'll experience nature more, and isn't that why we go camping in the first place? If your tent is a palace, you (and your kids) are more likely to stay inside. Yes, its nice if it rains out to have a fun place to hang out. But guess what? Unless its lightening, why can't you get out and play in the rain? Remember how much fun that was as a kid? I'll bet your kids do. Get out there with them, your clothes will dry out!