The "lose body weight" argument is a non sequitur. I really have no weight to lose, yet I'll ruthlessly pare weight away anywhere and everywhere I can.
BUT, there are intelligent ounces to lose and unintelligent ounces... the latter ounces are those lost to a performance detriment.
Primary examples:
Packs with compromised suspensions... this is the latest fad, and generally a pretty bad one. A decent suspension requires some weight. The added comfort of an extra pound+ of suspension doesn't translate directly to fatigue being heavier. In fact, and more to the point, the better suspension offsets its extra weight by less fatigue due to superior comfort and better ability to carry weight.
Rifles... The entire discussion on this thread is not about heavy or even midweight rifles... it's about LIGHTWEIGHT rifles (sub 6.75lb all-up). To me, the Kimber Montana 308 is right at the ragged edge of too light, and losing a few more ounces off an already incredibly light rifle could be viewed as a fools errand. At the end of the day a rifle has to settle-down for the shot. Further lightening an already light rifle, and that at a substantial price, decreases its performance in my view.
So, long way to say, not all ounces are created equal... in some areas, added ounces can even be advantageous.
