Cost to save an ounce

No it is not worth the price.When it get’s cold, wear more clothes. I wear a Base layer and you probably going to have it on or will when you wake up..

“…is 950 down that much better then 800 in general?”  Good question!

Has any independent agency measured a loft difference between 800 and 950 down using the same methodology under the same conditions?

Pictures, or it didn’t happen.

recent thread – 950 down loses loft more when damp so maybe not much better than 800

good question though, how much does it cost to save an ounce

My particular conundrum was just an example of what I am up against to decide. The more research I do the less likely I am to pay for that upgrade.

I would like to know if others have a sweet spot for savings? Perhaps your last purchase of an upgraded item hit your sweet spot. Would love to here about it.

Most of the upgrades I look at seem to fall in the $10-15 per oz saved.  Less than that I get without much thought, more than that I’ve really got to want it.

My opinion is that saving a few ounces isn’t worth it whatever the cost, unless the replacement item has improved function or increases efficiency.

For example a modern 800 fill jacket is lighter and takes up MUCH less space in the pack than a 1980’s 600 fill jacket with a bomber shell.

When I switched from a poncho/tarp and bivy combination to a 8′ X 10′ cuben tarp and Marmot Essence I lost weight but gained a tremendous amount of living space and could stay dry in a downpour when setting up my shelter, because I no longer had to take off my rain gear when setting up.

Moving from that combination to a Hexamid and cuben poncho saved a couple ounces, but gave me quicker time to set up and rain gear that wasn’t a sweat box when hiking.

That all depends on what the item is. Sometimes it is, given improved function for the same weight or less. Other times, it isn’t. I pay for ti shepherds hook stakes and carry 7 of them. I could just whittle a few when needed. It is worth it to not have to fiddle with making stakes to carry an ounce and a half of them. Sometimes volume is very important. It is worth an extra ounce to save the decreased 25% volume…say a sil tarp vs a heximid. The tarp doesn’t save weight, it is just a lot smaller to pack.

Anyway, 900fp down is exceptionally good for cold weather. Low humidity, not a lot of rain and wet snow. If I was to head out at ~32F/0C I wouldn’t want it, though. 800fp down will be about the same warmth as 900fp. And it depends on where you hike. If you hike in a dryer area, go for the 900, but, if it is in a wetter region, you are just wasting your dollars because the extra will be humidity loss.

I was in a similar situation, but I was more concerned with packability than weight. I was upgrading from a RevX 800 fill. I was curious how much better 950 fill would compress and got this back from EE:

“950 fill will compress roughly 10-15 percent more than 800 fill.
Let me know if you have any other questions.”

I ended up going with an Enigma 850 fill and saving that extra money for something else.

Also consider the quilt’s shell material… 10D is much lighter and less bulky than 20D and IMSO (in my subjective opinion) 10D also permits the quilt to dry out a lot more quickly than a heavier, less permeable shell.