I finally gave up on my old sleeping pad after a talk with a ranger in Yosemite

I was at the Tuolumne Meadows campground last fall, struggling to get comfortable on my thin, 15-year-old foam pad. A park ranger named Mark saw me and just said, 'You look like you're sleeping on a rock pile.' He told me he used to do the same until a cold night on a patrol near Tenaya Lake convinced him to upgrade. He showed me his simple inflatable pad, which he said added maybe 8 ounces but let him sleep through anything. I bought a similar one the next week and my back has thanked me ever since. Has anyone else had a simple piece of gear advice completely change their comfort level?

3 comments

3 Comments

hannah_davis22d ago

My old car had a broken seat that I just lived with for years. Getting it fixed felt silly for such a small thing, but it changed my whole commute. We put up with so much daily discomfort just because we're used to it.

kim37322d ago

My 2008 Civic had a seat that leaned way back. I used a stack of old textbooks to prop myself up for three years. Finally spent $80 at a local upholstery shop and it was like getting a new car. We normalize the ache in our back or that weird noise because fixing it seems like a hassle. But that small fix pays you back every single day you drive. It's never silly to make your daily life a little easier.

robertgreen19d ago

Man, my old truck's seat was so busted I had to drive leaning sideways like a cartoon character. Put up with that for two years before I finally got it fixed. Felt like an idiot for not doing it sooner, my back was basically shaped like a question mark.