Short boxes are lighter per box but you end up with more of them, so the total weight of the same collection stays about the same. A short box holds maybe 150 to 175 bags and boards depending on how thick they are, and a long box gets you around 250 to 300, so you are basically trading one heavy box for two slightly less heavy boxes. The real win in Portland was probably making two trips instead of one. Three flights is three flights no matter what size the box is.