Yeah I was looking for something pretty hefty. Maybe a 2 day trip out in woods/winter area. I generally favor really durable stuff. I'm really mean to my equipment.
Then your equipment will be mean back to you.
For me, I don't see a need for durable gear unless there is combat, climbing, or heavy loads, or heavy bushwhacking involved. It's also possible to lighten up some by just not taking some things, but that depends on the what you take already and the goals of the trip. The best thing to do is to go into a store with as wide of a selection as possible and try on all of the packs with a load, preferably all of your actual gear. If you try to narrow it down based on someone else's idea of comfort, you might not investigate some good options. If you can find them cheaper online, buy them there, but preferably from a place like REI or EMS with a liberal return policy who might accept returns on obviously used gear. This is probably the only way you can be sure of fit without wasting money. I'd be straightforward and make a point to the salesperson that you likely won't buy there so that they don't waste their time. I returned a pair of 1 year old snowshoes I had tested out in the backyard several times for a full refund.
Ballpark how much do lightweight sleeping bags and (1-2 person) tents cost? I have a sleeping bag and a tent but they are bulky and I don't think I'd want to haul them around.
For bags, look for an "EN" rating. That's the only rating which has been empirically verified. Generally, due to metabolic rate differences, females need a bag rated 10-15 degrees F colder than men to be comfortable. A typical EN-rated 30F bag might only keep you comfortable down to 45F. To be comfortable down to freezing, you might need a 15F-rated bag. Here's an EN rating tag for a 25F bag which indicates the comfort limit is 36F for women:
(Source:
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/sleeping+bag+backpacking.html)
Down will be lighter, more compressible, and more expensive, but needs to be kept dry at all costs. A 15F or 0F down bag is about $240-$350, while synthetics can be found for around $100 sometimes. A synthetic bag this warm will take up lots of pack space though. Consider the down "fill power" also, which is the quality of the down. A 600 fp 0F down bag will be heavier and bulkier than a 800 fp 0F down bag, but cheaper. For example, my winter bag is a 0F Marmot Never Summer which is 650 down. It weighs 4 lbs, and I paid around $250 for it on sale. You may not need a bag that warm if you don't mind wearing all of your clothing to bed, including a coat, hat, and gloves.
Another option is to sew your own synthetic quilt. They're around 2 pounds and $100 for a kit. I did that and still use it sometimes. It's a little too drafty below 40F though.
The cheapest and lightest shelter is a tarp, around $100 and 1 pound. If you need bug or wind protection of a real tent, those run around $150-$280. Look at the options at
www.tarptent.com for some examples, although there are plenty of other great manufacturers too. Another option is a Big Agnes Fly Creek 1, 2, or 3 person tent. Not much headroom though. I have an 8x10 foot silnylon tarp, and a few Tarptents, some of them for use with the whole family.