Quote Originally Posted by Slugger View Post
It will be hard to part with something I've grown to love using. But never say never!
It's always a tough call even when starting from scratch as you hover around the 250 border... Around 225 is where I say the debate gets tricky.
I usually say that if you prefer a soft mattress to go Luxury.
If you prefer a firm one- go with the Big Guy.

In your area... these bridges seem to be migrating to the Carolinas with some frequency so you might run into a Luxury, but I probably sell 5 Big Guys for every Luxury so hard to say.

Sleep position changes things too. I have some hip issues to begin with, so on my side (at 235ish) I have a hard time using the Big Guy, it's just too firm. On my back or belly... bit of a coinflip.

When I'm not testing though- I sleep in a Luxury and though I built this bridge with tossing and turning in mind... I'm often surprised how frequently I drift off on my back and wake up in the same spot. Most happy hangers on this site will not find that shocking... but I never found that magical experience in a gathered end. My general understanding of customer feedback is that most tend to settle into their own similar sweet spot. I don't actually personally own a Big Guy, everytime I get a little backed up I end up selling any demos or personal ones I set aside. So I guess that ultimately tells you where my preference is.

One of my great joys in life is when I'm finishing a Big Guy and do final testing... the instant back pain relief in the Big Guy is quite a nice way to wrap up a few hours stuck sitting at the sewing machine. That is more apparent in the Big Guy vs the Luxury, even 'hot off the presses'. The Mountain 1.7 fabric doesn't wear in quite the same as other fabrics over time, but it does relax a hair as it breaks in. So for those with back pain on the fence, I tend to suggest the Big Guy so that they get the same experience even a year or two down the line as they did the first night.

It's a hard call, especially given all the different aches, pains, wear, tear, and sleep positions that find their way into these bridges.

But if it ain't broke...
Unless you find yourself with some hip pain (similar to that felt when ground sleeping on a decent pad) then I'd stick with the Big Guy.

As you get into the sub 225lb range... the only real compelling reason to jump ship would be to drop the weight for backpacking.
At 225lbs- you can upgrade to a Carbon Fiber pole set (7.25 vs 12 ish) even without jumping to the Luxury.
But going from a full Big Guy with AL poles down to the Luxury UL (with CF poles) you shave a full 15 ounces and some pack space.

One final thought though- if you haven't tried it... spin around in the bridge and sleep with your head in the foot end.
The foot end of the Big Guy is the same width as the Happy Medium. (basically) So if that is doable (and you can stand the loss of the space) then that is the compelling reason to go Happy Medium over Luxury.
You not only get down to a roughly 17 ounce bridge... but you drop down to a 10' ridgeline and get the cascade savings of the shorter tarp and bugnet(when carried). Pack volume drops, pack size shrinks, pack weight drops, miles hiked per day goes up, food carried between resupply decreases... and that sweet spiral of UL upgrades begins to drive down the waistline, pack weight and empty your wallet.