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# Is light equipment overrated?
- URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/is-light-equipment-overrated/
- Published: 2025-03-04T21:32:59.000Z
- Updated: 2025-07-01T13:19:27.000Z
- Description: No, a -1% in weight can mean +5% in speed. Here's how to figure it out.
- Author: Scott Semple

Last week, [I tested three different equipment setups](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-much-faster-is-skimo-race-gear/) and their impact on uphill speed. The verdict? **Every 1% removed from the feet increased uphill speed by 5%, with no speed penalty on the descent.**

Here's the formula you need to make weight changes relevant to you:

1. **Calculate your total system weight:**
  1. Weigh and sum your body weight, clothing (including helmet and gloves), and equipment (skins, skis, bindings, boots, and poles). For example:
    1. Joe's total system weight is 75 kg; while
    2. Sally's is 50kg.
2. **Multiply your total system weight by 0.01** to find what 1% means for you.
  1. For example:
    1. Joe's 1% is 750 grams: 75 kg x 0.01 = 0.75 kg; but
    2. Sally's 1% is 500 grams: 50 kg x 0.01 = 0.50 kg.
3. If changing your total system weight, **divide the increase or decrease in weight by your 1%**.
  1. If Joe and Sally are both thinking about upgrading their equipment and dropping their total system weight by 1.5 kg:
    1. Joe's speed adjustment factor is: 1.5 kg / 0.75 = 2; but
    2. Sally's speed adjustment factor is: 1.5 kg / 0.5 = 3.
4. **Multiply 5% by your speed adjustment factor** to get your speed adjustment percentage.
  1. For example:
    1. Joe's is: 5% x 2 = 10%;
    2. Sally's is: 5% x 3 = 15%.
5. **Multiply your estimated time trial time by one minus your speed adjustment percentage.**
  1. For example:
    1. Joe's time would be adjusted by: 1 - 2 x 0.05 = 0.90;
    2. Sally's time would be adjusted by: 1 - 3 x 0.05 = 0.85.

If Joe and Sally were competing, and their time trial pace before the upgrade was 60 minutes, then after the upgrade, Joe's would be 54 minutes, while Sally's would be 51.

### Note that:

- This is a fudgy formula. The real-world effects likely reach a point of diminishing returns, but those diminished returns usually occur much later than most people realize.
- **The important thing is not the geekery but the big-picture principles:**
  - Weight has a much more significant impact than most people realize;
  - Weight has a more substantial effect on smaller people.

Thanks for reading. For even more geekery, [read the full article](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-much-faster-is-skimo-race-gear/).