Latest flight - hours of deviating. Due to radar/non-radar areas we continually cruised 500-1000' above OPT ALT. Picking our way around significant weather at 370, 390, then 410. If we used "4000' lower than OPT ALT" we would have been at 310, 330, and FL 350.
We were MUCH better off at 370/390/410 instead of 310/330/350.