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Weight question?

B

Boone04

New Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2020
Messages
11
So I dont post much and am about to ruffle some feathers I'm sure but here it goes. So everyone on here wants to cut a pound or 2 from there gear and pay twice as much as it probably should. Wouldn't it be easier to lose 10 pounds off the stomach then 1 pound of gear?
 
Boone04 said:
So I dont post much and am about to ruffle some feathers I'm sure but here it goes. So everyone on here wants to cut a pound or 2 from there gear and pay twice as much as it probably should. Wouldn't it be easier to lose 10 pounds off the stomach then 1 pound of gear?
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Nope...nope

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I can go for a few less pounds of the soft stuff on me and a good workout routine might but a some more muscle on too. I gotta say just thr initial drop of weight of going to a saddle instead of a hang on makes me not sweat a few more ounces of gear.
 
Some people are already in good shape and so lightening equipment to get a few more miles out of your body pain free is the only way to go. Some folks have injuries (back or otherwise) to take into consideration as far as gear weight (stuff compressing their back is bad) or ability to work out (but of course they can diet). Some folks think that if they are going to be making gear choices, then if they keep the budget within reason and shave weight everywhere practical then they can end up with a much lighter set of gear without spending much more. For instance, if I want to walk further, I can carry my Tree Suit platform with my amsteel daisy chain attachment and that weighs under 2 pounds or you could bring a ring of steps for long walks. It's not an either or and you can do both (lose weight and buy light gear where easy enough) and not spend a crazy amount.
 
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Why do you assume those pounds haven’t already been cut? Have you considered what in your life makes you blindly judge a whole forum?


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Dexter said:
Why do you assume those pounds haven’t already been cut? Have you considered what in your life makes you blindly judge a whole forum?


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Another assumption might be that we are all walking a mile or less on flat land. I hunt areas where going from a 24 lbs to an 18 lbs pack makes things much easier. Also, as we age, we can all benefit from lighter gear. Seems silly to tell someone in their 70s to just lose weight instead of spending some cash to make his hunting experience better via technology (as a for instance).
 
One could argue that cutting weight on the body would result in the need for added artificial insulation, forcing the need for a jacket whilst us fat guys have that insulation built in. So, the weight loss in negated...
Also, skinny people are naturally weaker making the lighter gear more attractive and beneficial to them.

Besides, lighter gear allows for more snacks.

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Blacksmith said:
I was told by a beefier good friend that only the folks who are the same diameter as height, will survive if captured. Skinney guys can't cut it...
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Yep. Plus, with a 40" waistline but a 30" inseam...one can roll faster than he can run, conserving energy and staying low. Thats just good math.

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Nothing is easier than spending money on new gear. Try it, you’ll see.
 
Loose 10 lbs....hunting cloths don’t fit....saddle doesn’t fit....good excuse for the spouse.
 
I'm sure most of us it wouldn't hurt to drop 10lbs. If you want to hunt light, and not carry the weight, stay on the ground. It would also be way cheaper, safer, and easier.
 
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Trade off on safety issues, though. I’ve seen bullets trace through trees on pressured public. A major factor in my decision to hunt elevated.

I’d say my success from the ground and the tree are on par with each other during gun season. I’ve let bucks walk hunting from the ground with a bow, but haven’t logged much time archery hunting this way so I don’t know how that would pan out.
 
Plebe said:
Trade off on safety issues, though. I’ve seen bullets trace through trees on pressured public. A major factor in my decision to hunt elevated.

I’d say my success from the ground and the tree are on par with each other during gun season. I’ve let bucks walk hunting from the ground with a bow, but haven’t logged much time archery hunting this way so I don’t know how that would pan out.
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It depends on the topography. In hilly areas, you might be safer on the ground as the hills cover you. Also, it depends on the season. A squirrel hunter with a 22 lr shooting up into trees is pretty dangerous. I've heard the bullets whistling in the air above me before. The nice thing about a saddle (compared to a hang on stand) is if you find yourself in a bad situation you can get the tree between you and the threat before plotting your next move of getting down, yelling at the person, etc.
 
I don't have 10 lbs to lose and I'm not getting younger. Would like to have the guys that are always questioning weight savings hunt in some of the more difficult terrain and circumstances for multiple days in a row, that 30lb setup weighs more every day in those circumstances.
 
I'm no spring chicken (turning 59 this year) and I have lost right around 35-40 pounds over the last three seasons. The weight loss has made my life easier in all aspects of my life but the biggest change I've noticed is it makes walking on my worn out knees much less painful.

I'm going to give a lot of the credit for the weight loss directly to the use of lighter hunting gear. Once I started using lighter gear I found myself willing to walk in farther to hunt. Before, lugging the climber, I would drive around to the nearest access and park and hike in from there. Once I wasn't carrying all that weight I was willing to walk further and the truck now rarely leaves camp. Therefore I end getting more exercise. This helped not only from a exercise standpoint but it improved my hunting as I now am more willing to walk in a more circuitous route to achieve a cleaner entry t my spots than I might have been before.

I also find I don't burn out as quick as I did when I was carrying more weight. I find that saving more energy keeps me willing to hunt hard later into the season. While I have always hunted in the second Michigan archery season I have never hunted all that hard. Since dumping weight off my setup I have averaged 80 sits a year. That's likely a 20-25% increase for me. I just don't find myself getting physically burned out as fast.
 
I think physical fitness in general and eating right is something we should all pay attention to. Hiking, climbing, and dragging are all physical activities which are a lot easier if you're in shape.

I'm in my late thirties and it's definitely something I have to pay attention to and make an effort for. I've always been pretty active, but I can't just eat whatever I want like when I was 20.



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I'm fit and consider myself "strong"....working with heavy tools and moving heavy weld projects, stooping, bending, outta position welds etc keeps u in good shape. Climbers and hang on stands suck to carry IMO because u get caught in all the vines and bushes more than the weight of the stand. Having that extra drag thru the woods and stooping extra far to hopefully clear the branch wears u out fast. Switching to a saddle was good but switching to mini sticks that I didn't have to worry about snagging and eventually losing sticks all together I feel I can hike all day long. The swamp and coastal marshes I like to hunt are really difficult to walk thru no matter who u are or what ur carrying. Could I have reached that distant island with my hang on? Sure I could.....but there is always that voice in the back of ur mind saying "u gonna have to lug this heavy thing back later in the dark thru the marsh that was low tide walking out but will be high tide coming back..then I second guess and hunt an easier spot. With the really light equipment I'm more gung-ho to head in deeper.

With a little skill and patience u can make all the expensive equipment yourself and save lots of money or be patient and look to the classified. It's ok if ur saddle setup doesn't have the latest ultralite whiz bang gizmos but having a streamline, easy to carry, hunt system makes my time in the woods more enjoyable and I can hunt more and.... fidget, adjust, strap, lash, gear tie, clip, fruit roll up.....less.
 
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