My neighbor saw my $300 sleeping pad and asked why I didn't just use a foam roll
I was loading up my car for a trip to Shenandoah last month and my neighbor Dave walked over and saw my sleeping pad strapped to my pack. He asked what I paid for it and when I said $300 he just laughed and said he used a $15 blue foam roll for 20 years of backpacking and never had a bad night. I kind of brushed it off at first but then I got to thinking about it on the drive down. I love my pad, it's warm and comfy, but Dave is 62 and has done way more miles than me. So I took his advice on my next trip and brought both, the foam roll under my pad just to see. Honestly the combo was the best sleep I have had in a tent, but the foam alone was fine too. Now I'm wondering if I have been spending money on gear to solve problems that a $15 roll handles. Anyone else had a moment where someone with older gear made you rethink your whole setup?