How much is a pound worth to you?

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If you could keep your exact set up, and you could pay $______ amount to lose 1 pound, how much would you pay? No changes in durability, no changes in usability, no changes in the way anything rides or carries, just magically lose 1 pound, what you would you pay?

Joe
 
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Well I say it wouldn't be worth very much at all. But with that said I spend thousands of dollars every year upgrading my gear to shed a few pounds, what the heck, I guess it's worth a lot
 
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$25/pound, for sure! $50/pound, probably! $100/pound, maybe! I'd pay $100/pound to drop 3 or so pounds off of my rifle if there was no sacrificing shootability or durability!
 

Aron Snyder

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Whenever I give seminars or classes on backpack hunting, I always say "$100 per pound is what it's gonna coast"!

The wives/girl friends in the room don't like hearing that!

I've actually found that the $ amount grows as your gear gets better. So if you have cheap gear, it won't cost more than $25 for each pound saved, but once you get into top dollar gear it can cost $100 per ounce!!!! Dang it
 

slim9300

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If you could keep your exact set up, and you could pay $______ amount to lose 1 pound, how much would you pay? No changes in durability, no changes in usability, no changes in the way anything rides or carries, just magically lose 1 pound, what you would you pay?

Joe

I would pay at least $250 per pound. The problem I have is that my gear is to the point that I can't drop a pound without sacrificing more than I care to. I have truly hit a 'gear plateau' and it cost me a lot to get here.
 

a3dhunter

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For me, it comes down to what item it is.
I think it is easier to spend a hundred or couple hundred to save more than a pound than to spend the same to save ounces.
We all know the ounces add up, but it's easier for me to spend when I see lbs coming off total weight.

It seems with anything decent it is $100-125 per pound to cut weight anymore.
 
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Discovered eight months ago I would have several months to myself after concluding a large work project. Resolved to jump back into my favorite hobby and upgrade gear. I recently got to the point of diminishing returns - another pound would cost $$$$.

New ultralight pack, shelter, sleep system, clothes, rifle, boots, and miscellaneous gear (titanium pot, lightweight knife, etc). Did a ton of research and learned some new stuff on Rokslide. Only carry a couple "frivolous" items including wood burning stove, iPod Shuffle, and sat phone. IMHO those items are worth carrying.

Edit: The $ would not have been worth it, except I got to backpack hunt or fish about 9 times this year.
 
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luke moffat

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Feb 24, 2012
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At this point time in the field is more critical in the field than +/- 5 pounds. I have my gear dialed in pretty light these days (certianly not as light as some), but my focus is on days afield more so than gear. The more hunts I am able to go on and spend time afield will far and away make more of a difference. Having 10 days to hunt vs. a week will likely make a larger difference in success on game then if I started my week long hunt with a 50 or 65 pound pack IMO.
 

Jager

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... after a long stomp out of the weeds, i'd pay a lot more than the beginning of the trip.
 

mtnkid85

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Like has been said. It costs less to drop a pound when your kit weighs 50lb then it does when the same thing weighs 25lbs.
Road bikers used to say one dollar per gram, so perhaps $453 per lb once your down to "as light as possible".

Kind of a fun question though, I would probally pay a pretty big chunk to get a few items lighter. Spotter, rifle, boots.
 

RosinBag

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It could cost nothing if you take the pound off your body. Working out and eating better is just a decision.

On the other hand, it could be about 5k a pound if you get rid of current wife for a younger and lighter version.

It is all in your perspective...
 
OP
S
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I dont even know what I would pay, I honestly think that IF I am completely happy with durability/usability/quality/size of my current equipment, weight is something I have never really worried about. I think the only time I have ever shopped by weight was for my for my tent. Other than that I carry a 85mm diascope, wyoming saw, big first aid kit.... all sorts of stuff I am really happy with that could easily be POUNDS cheaper.

I am weird I guess.

Joe
 

a3dhunter

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Want to loose a pound? Go on a diet! It's free and your equipment remains the same.

Speaking as someone who has lost 65-70 lbs in the last eighteen months, losing five pounds off your body isn't the same as losing five pounds off your pack.
The five pounds off the pack is roughly the same as losing 25-30 pounds of body weight IMO.
 
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I was in a outdoor store the other day and saw they were selling individually packaged skeletonized titanium tent stakes for $4.99 each. Actually savings over my normal aluminum ones would have been on the order of 0.3 oz per unit. A little math on my handy calculator showed me I would be spending around $266/lb. I elected to pass. :)

A couple of years ago, I worked out that most of my gear could be upgraded to a equivalent spec, but lighter version at an average cost of $10/oz. I guess you could say that was above my comfort threshold. After considering that scary number, I made the decision to upgrade primarily as I wore stuff out. I'm sure now the cost would higher now, as I have replaced some items over time with the lighter versions "as needed".

I've also looked for other, cheaper, ways of dropping weight. Modifying existing gear or just leaving more stuff at home has been my most effective moves of late.

I could probably afford to upgrade more items, but have learned over time that it's far more effective to put the money towards actual hunting expenses. My sheep trip this year cost nearly enough to pay for a Kimber Montana..... but I suspect that sitting at home with a sweet new rifle in the safe wouldn't have been nearly as fun.

Yk
 

bowuntr

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Lots of great perspectives posted here....I've been from one end of the spectrum to the other. I need to have the will power to leave out the gear I usually take that I think I might need, but have never used. That would shed a lot of weight... for free. Ed F
 

cj baum

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For me I like to think that i wouldnt pay anything except some hard work in the gym and other physical activity to get in shape before hand, but when it comes time and im hiking up a mountian at a steady climb, with less oxygen levels, and a heavy pack my thought about it usually changes.
 

dotman

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Hard to say, the value per pound will vary depending on the item. All I can say is it isn't cheap. Crap I just added 3lbs trading my KU for a T1.
 
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I was in a outdoor store the other day and saw they were selling individually packaged skeletonized titanium tent stakes for $4.99 each. Actually savings over my normal aluminum ones would have been on the order of 0.3 oz per unit. A little math on my handy calculator showed me I would be spending around $266/lb. I elected to pass. :)

A couple of years ago, I worked out that most of my gear could be upgraded to a equivalent spec, but lighter version at an average cost of $10/oz. I guess you could say that was above my comfort threshold. After considering that scary number, I made the decision to upgrade primarily as I wore stuff out. I'm sure now the cost would higher now, as I have replaced some items over time with the lighter versions "as needed".

I've also looked for other, cheaper, ways of dropping weight. Modifying existing gear or just leaving more stuff at home has been my most effective moves of late.

I could probably afford to upgrade more items, but have learned over time that it's far more effective to put the money towards actual hunting expenses. My sheep trip this year cost nearly enough to pay for a Kimber Montana..... but I suspect that sitting at home with a sweet new rifle in the safe wouldn't have been nearly as fun.

Yk

Im right there with you. I really want to get a lighter weight custom rifle as my current custom is around 13 or so lbs and its gets heavy on my packing trips. But now I have come across a bc bear hunt and am really finding it hard to say no. I keep thinking that man I could buy that custom rifle for the price of this hunt but really the gun would be for hunting and I would just end up sitting at home with a super cool gun and thinking about how cool a bear hunt would be.
 
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