[GOOD_LIFE]

And for the guys hauling weight in their truck as a solution.

I also notice a significant improvement when I have my snowmobile in the back of my truck. It weighs 470 pounds. Also, I just took a trip and got 350 miles to my tank. It was 150 miles each way and 50 miles of driving around in 4X4 w/o the sled. It was about 20-25 degrees out and I averaged about 55-60 on the highway and mostly used 2-wheel drive. The computer said I got almost 18mpg on the way there and 16.5 at the end of the tank. So, in conclusion, I don't think the weight affects gas mileage too much. When the temperature drops, snow hits the ground, and people use sandbags and 4X4 for traction their mileage usually drops about 2 mpg. If weight in the bed is the only difference, I don't think it is a big deal. Hell, I dropped 2 mpg when the temp went from 25 down to 0.

Good luck