Felt Weight

[slowelk]

I know the saying, ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain, but how much weight do you have to cut before you actually feel the benefit in the field?

I've been pondering this as I have added a 10lb 1oz rifle into my stable that I plan to carry at least half the time. I think I could shave half a pound for about $1k. Seems insane to consider, and I don't plan to do it, but it has me thinking about my earlier stated question.

Thoughts?

 

[bsnedeker]

It depends on the type of hunt I think. If I'm hunting bears in the spring I spend most of my day sitting on my ass so it would take quite a bit for any weight difference to be felt by me.

When I'm hunting elk in September I'm spending the entire day hiking around the mountains through nasty country and in that situation I feel every ounce by the end of the day.

 

[mlgc20]

This is a great question. The answer to your question depends on a few things:

• How good is your pack and how well does it fit? Since a high quality pack that is well fit to you carries weight better, you need to cut more weight to "feel the benefit".
• How hard is your hike? Are you are hiking at sea level, on a flat trail for a mile. Or are you at 8K feet, with lots of elevation change where you are doing some bushwhacking and going 10 miles. If it's the later, it will take less weight change to feel the benefit.

As a very general rule, I have found that it takes about a 10% change in your pack weight to really "feel" a difference. Try filling your pack with 50 pounds of stuff. Walk around the block a few times. Then do the same thing with 45 pounds. You will be able to tell the difference. Same with a 20 pound pack, and reducing it to 18. Do this exercise up a mountain and you will certainly feel a difference in weight.

There isn't much value (IMO) to just cutting a few ounces on one item. To really see the difference, you have to examine every single item in your pack. And the best way to save weight isn't to find the lightest version of something. It's by leaving stuff at home. For me, I don't need a chair for camp, or an extra headlamp, or a backup knife, or a wood stove for my tent.

I have cut my pack weight by half over the years. And I can definitely feel the benefit of that. I have a 70 mile backpacking trip (non-hunting) coming up this summer in Wyoming. My base weight (without food, water, and what I'm wearing) will be 15 pounds, which includes a 3 person tent. I did similar trips 20 years ago, and my base weight would probably been closer to 50 pounds. All that weight didn't get cut at once. There was a lot of trial and error. For example, I tried cutting weight by eliminating my sleeping pad. That was just stupid. Other weight cuts have been pretty painless. And some cuts have come from just spending some $$$.

 

[Apollo117]

If you're looking for a rule of thumb, I've read that you start feeling the weight when your pack exceeds 20% of your body weight.

My base weight ranges from 15-20 pounds depending on the weather, trip length, or which pack I'm using. My philosophy is to cut weight on non-comfort items so that I can add heavier comfort items if desired. E.g. a thicker, warmer, and heavier sleeping pad or bag.

You mentioned a 10lbs gun. A 10lbs gun is often easier to shoot farther than a 7lbs gun. At least it is for me. I would cut weight if it meant I can carry the rifle I shoot best.