It's all about ultra, as in light and compact, these days

   You name it. From golf clubs to skis, the term is "ultralight." Compact could be another catch-phrase as well.
   These days, boats-like small kayaks-are taking the place of their larger cousins, those high-powered water craft.
   Rods, reels, even line and tackle, in a lot of instances are downsizing. Records have been on the books for the largest fish taken with the lightest in tackle.
   Cameras are small and compact but still able to do most of the operations the larger-bodies ones do. Since the advent of digital, cameras have been getting smaller and even easier to use.
   Camping gear is not to be left out of the lightweight or ultra equation either. These days sleeping bags keep you warm while weighing less thanks to technology that combines fabrics that are lighter but do a better job of insulating.
   So, is smaller and lighter better? That depends. Stay tuned, as they say.