I have different gear for different scenarios. While I love my Nikon gear, I have Micro 4/3 gear for when I need to go light. You can cover the range you want with a much lighter set of gear. There are obvious compromises; the Olympus camera I use focuses fast enough for most animals but too slow for airshows. The pixel resolution is less. But it sure is a lot easier to carry!
I have different gear for different scenarios. While I love my Nikon gear, I have Micro 4/3 gear for when I need to go light. You can cover the range you want with a much lighter set of gear. There are obvious compromises; the Olympus camera I use focuses fast enough for most animals but too slow for airshows. The pixel resolution is less. But it sure is a lot easier to carry!