The current trend towards LW's actually seems to be a reversion to the early FRN models back in the 90's.
Also, if you look at the data, the LW models really aren't all that much lighter than the non-LW models. So, to me, it just seems a way of marketing the same knives in different ways to potential buyers.
Nothing wrong w/that. It is what it is but, if you are a collector, like I am, you're looking for something really "different;" not just a variation on something that they've already done before.
Of all the major knife makers (other than perhaps Kershaw and CRKT at the lower end of the market), Spyderco has lead the way in making/selling a broad selection of distinctively different knives but it seems that they have reached a point of diminishing returns in the sense they are are NOT really coming out w/many truly "new" or different models any more but mostly creating variations of what already has been offered before.
That said, I've already purchased 10 Spydercos this year but almost of them were knives that back filled my collection because they were variations or companion pieces to Spydercos that I already owned.
Again, nothing wrong w/that but this just means that my Spyderco collection is basically static in terms of the models owned but is becoming just a bit more diversified within those models with the purchase of additional variations.
And, for me, the main reason for this is because there really have NOT been many (if any) truly new and different knives offered by Spyderco that have attracted my attention enough to motivate me to buy them.
Here's hoping for some renewed innovation in this regard, not only from Spyderco, but also other knife makers.