A place for you to pick a nuanced issue in light weight backpacking that you just "don't get" and have people that "get it" offer some perspective. No trick/cynical/rhetorical questions or "my way is better than your way" or "you're doing it all wrong" type thing. Just honest questions and concerns about something that you don't do or use and a chance to learn from those that do–maybe change your mind about something and end up improving your backpacking experience, who knows?
I'll start.
I recently saw a thread on one water resistant mitt vs. another (Zpacks WPB vs. MLD eVent) and after skimming the thread realized this was something I really don't get. I have never used them, in fairness, but have never felt the need.
When it rains, I don't care if my hands get wet, and I don't see the big deal. In the summer, they don't get cold from being wet because, well, it's summer and warm. In the spring/fall my hands rarely get cold and wet because either I am hiking (and hence, blood is pumping, and I'm warm) or if I am at camp I am under my shelter for the night (and hence fairly dry). Also in the spring/fall I usually wear a pair of thin wool or alpaca gloves to keep my hands warm, and when they get wet, they still keep my hands warm–not as warm when dry, obviously, but warm enough.
In the winter I wear synth or wool liners and either leather or wool over gloves, and they don't get wet often. Though there have been times in the winter that both my gloves got soaked (e.g. two months ago, slipped while walking over a small frozen stream and the ice broke). But my hands were still warm enough, and eventually dried out as I hiked and I was fine.
Plus, in climbing around on rocks or holding on to trees as is done when out in nature at times, or if you slip and/or fall (which is more likely when it is raining and slick, after all) wouldn't it be more likely for over mitts to get damaged or worn out? And when you need to blow your nose or use the bathroom or something where you need/want to take off your gloves/mitts, your hands are going to get at least a little wet eventually, right?
I live in an area that gets a fair amount if not a lot of rain, and have done plenty of trips out in the rain during all 4 seasons, and can't remember a time when my hands were wet and/or cold enough for me to wish I had a pair of water resistant over mitts. Maybe it's because I don't use hiking poles? Do I just have good circulation? Or what am I missing here?
