Inspired by an earlier post here, this last weekend I took to compiling a spreadsheet of my gear and the weights. I first entered everything I could find the published weight for, then grabbed the bathroom scale for the larger items and the kitchen scale for the lighter ones.

When I started weighing the items I was able to find the published weights for, there was A LOT of variation.

As an overall observation - I found the less expensive gear was heavier than the published weight. For example, my Sanborn Gunflint paddle weighed to the ounce the published weight. Three bending branches paddles were all about 10-15% heavier than published. My down sleeping bag came in slightly under the published weight. My Kelty synthetic bag was slightly over and my REI synthetic was a full 1/2 lb heavier than published.

I would not be surprised to see sleeping bags varying in weight. For one, down is not all the same. As a natural substance there is some variation and the fill power rating is just an average. Secondly, a sleeping bag can take in dust just like a mattress. Washing should help, but to see that an older bag is heavier than a new one seems normal to me.

The first point could also be said about wood paddles. Denser grain, or more porous wood absorbing more varnish or oil would mean more variation in the finished product. Carbon fiber paddles probably have much less variation.

It definitely doesn't surprise me to see cheaper products under exaggerating their weight. They probably take their lightest prototype, without any optional items like a case. I always take the weights as a general figure, not an exact measurement. Remember that they are trying to sell you something, you can't take everything at face value.

Interesting exercise! I'm pretty obsessive about weighing everything that goes into my pack, but I've never done a comprehensive (or even casual) comparison of published weights to actual weights.

In general, I'd have guessed that published weights would be on the "optimistic" side and would have hoped that higher end gear would be less "optimistic", but in truth I did not know if this was the case or not. Thanks for sharing.

My Northstar Northwind Solo came under advertised weight. Canoes can be tough to get exact. Someone might be heavy on the resin one day. A person who worked for Wenonah told me that a guy returned his Racing canoe because it was a few ounces over the advertised weight. Which is ridiculous. They did some creative removal of material to make it right for the guy.

A few simple scales go a long way to answering many questions. Actual versus listed or even assumed weights surprise many.
I got into a discussion with another member about weights they posted listed and some assumed, I had actual scaled weights.I applies to lots from how much water weight is gained in leather vs synthetic boots (varies but is virtually the same), canoe weight, s-bags, tents, on and on.
Scales are good and useful tools.

butthead

Good for you - scales are fun, and the whole process has let me enjoy myself more in the wilderness.
I also have scientific weights - allows you to make sure your scale is accurate...

You are spot-on...cheaper brands are less likely to be accurate and are more commonly heavy. Premium brands, especially cottage manufacturers, tend to be very dialed in to weights.

Once I even learned I had been sent the wrong item (months after getting and using it) because the weight was off-spec.

There's no rhyme or reason for it and I'm actually surprised when manufacturer's specs are not crooked one way or another. Recently I contacted Granite Gear advising that on their web site Zippsacks specs in inches show twice as much volume as the same specs in centimeters. Their reply was: thank you, we are aware of this issue. Literally.

Another point to consider is different scales are being used. Just because the manufacturers scale weighs something at a pound doesn't mean the consumers scale is going to. I don't usually weigh my individual stuff. I just try to buy as ultralight as I can and maybe weigh my bag at the end.