I came into hunting later in life, after doing a fair amount of backpacking and canoe camping. I learned early on that spending some money to reduce significant amounts of weight was the right move. I purchased a WM Alpinlite years ago - it saved me 2.5 lbs over what I had been using and it's still worth every $$ when I crawl into it at the end of the day.
In Canada there are some good websites to find overstock items or "last year's" models for a greatly discounted price. Every dollar saved can, theoretically, be used to lighten something else on your gear list (or, as I've found, can go to keeping my kids in sports...) The classifieds here or on some of the other backpacking sites might help you find that perfect bag or pad and you'll never regret carrying a few extra pounds on your back, provided you can still sleep well.
Lots of good advice above, particularly in regards to conditioning, but I found that using a cat food can alcohol stove saved plenty of weight. (The price is right too.) It works at altitude or in below freezing temperatures.
In Canada there are some good websites to find overstock items or "last year's" models for a greatly discounted price. Every dollar saved can, theoretically, be used to lighten something else on your gear list (or, as I've found, can go to keeping my kids in sports...) The classifieds here or on some of the other backpacking sites might help you find that perfect bag or pad and you'll never regret carrying a few extra pounds on your back, provided you can still sleep well.
Lots of good advice above, particularly in regards to conditioning, but I found that using a cat food can alcohol stove saved plenty of weight. (The price is right too.) It works at altitude or in below freezing temperatures.
