Tried a cheap foam pad from a yard sale in Bend, and it actually worked

So I was at a yard sale in Bend last fall and grabbed this old, blue foam sleeping pad for two bucks... figured it was a total gamble. It looked thin, maybe half an inch thick, and had some dirt stains. I finally took it out on a quick overnight trip near Mount Hood a few weeks back, expecting a cold, miserable night. I was shocked. That old pad kept me way warmer than I thought it would. It wasn't super comfy, but it did the job. I guess the lesson is that sometimes the simple stuff works fine if you just need a basic barrier from the ground. Anyone else have a piece of gear they wrote off that ended up surprising them?

3 comments

3 Comments

susansingh2mo ago

My old green wool sweater from a thrift store in Portland is like that. I almost left it because it was itchy and had a small hole. But it's the warmest thing I own when it gets damp. That cheap gear can really pull through when you aren't expecting much from it. Makes you wonder why we spend so much on fancy stuff sometimes.

sanchez.mary2mo ago

Ever have that moment where you feel kind of proud of a cheap find? Like you beat the system? I get that feeling with my old rain jacket... it was a clearance rack special and leaks a little at the shoulders, but it's been on so many hikes with me. It's like the gear knows it has something to prove. Your pad story totally makes sense.

smith.nancy1mo ago

Yeah totally... my old backpack is like that. Got it for almost nothing at a yard sale, and the stitching is coming undone in one spot. But it's been everywhere with me, and it just fits right, you know? @sanchez.mary I get what you mean about the gear having something to prove... it's like these cheap things try harder because they know we didn't pay much for them. That makes them special in a weird way. My fancy stuff just sits in the closet while the old beat up bag gets all the real use.