Shoutout to the guy who told me my sleeping pad was way too thin

Last month a random guy at the campsite in Shenandoah saw me setting up and asked if that pad was for summer only. I was like nah it's a 3 season. He laughed and said man that R value is probably like a 1.5 at best. I checked when I got home and he was totally right. I swapped to a 3.5 R value and slept warm the whole night on my trip last weekend. Has anyone else gotten gear advice from a stranger that actually saved them?

2 comments

2 Comments

jesse_burns88d ago

Trust a stranger at a campsite before you trust the box the gear came in. That guy saved you from a miserable cold night, and he didn't even want anything for it. Always happy to hear a story where someone's unsolicited advice actually helped.

the_barbara7d ago

You said 'he didn't even want anything for it' and that's exactly what bugs me sometimes... unsolicited advice is still unsolicited, and not everyone has thick skin for a stranger laughing at their gear. I get that he was right in this case, but it could have just as easily been wrong and left someone feeling embarrassed for no good reason. Good outcome doesn't always mean it was the right moment to butt in.