I was thinking about what Lori said in a previous thread where, "shedding ounces adds up to pounds." While it's particular true that ounces can add up to pound of weight loss, but my thought took a different spin at it. See, in accounting a error of say, 5 bucks is highly immaterial to have a significant impact on a financial statements, therefore, no need to disclose the error to investors. So, in backpacking say you can shed 16 ounces of miscellaneous, such as the plastic case for Pocket Rocket, a stuff sack for a tarp, taking less toilet papers, smaller first aid kit, etc but the entire weight of the items you shed is now 1 pound. Your weight has drop from 18 pounds to 17 pounds. (just throwing random numbers out for simplicity.) Is the one pound decrease in weight such a material impact on your body when hiking? Are you really going to noticed a 1 pound lightness to your pack without looking at a scale? Is looking at the decrease in weight on a scale cause a placebo effect in thinking your pack is lighter on you?

Granted if the weight decreased by 5 pounds or more you could feel your pack being lighter without a scale. If it just small items such as no stuff sack, the plastic case, etc I don't see how anyone can feel a material impact. I'm not laughing at Lori's comment or anyone else with the same philosophy in being a gram counter, I'm just curious/fascinated by people shedding 1 ounce of items in hoping to achieve a total pound of items shed, if you can truly feel a difference.

I plan to get lighter hammock down the road, lighter tent, a titanium mug, etc and I believe those could cause a material difference in pack weight. I just find hard time noticing difference between no plastic case for my Pocket Rocket, no stuff sack for my tarp and et cetera.

This might thread might be entertaining.


Edit: I just realized I did buy a solid fuel stove as a backup, so I wouldn't have to carry an extra fuel can. While there is a 4 ounce weight difference in a full fuel can and 4 cubes and the pot support, I still cannot feel the difference on my back. I just noticed a decrease in volume since a fuel can is bigger than solid fuel stove.