View Full Version : Light foam pad
mcskinney
01-04-2011, 00:49
Who sells the equivalent of the gosamer gear 1/8 in. thin light pad?
They charge $9 to ship a $10.00, 2 oz. item and I'm not pay exorbitant prices to ship something that light and cheap. I don't even jack my ebay charges up that high when I sell something! Crazy!!
Who else sells something comparable in weight and value? Or am I being overly sensitive?
I know how you feel. I've experienced this with a number of items (with a variety of vendors). It's no fun thinking we're getting screwed.
Look at it this way....
What if GG advertised the pad at $19, with free shipping? How would you feel about paying 19 bucks for a pad?
Is it the overall price that bothers you, or is it that shipping costs nearly as much as the item? I suspect the latter.
What would you say is a fair price to ship the pad? Five bucks? Six bucks? It's probably fairly bulky.
Let's say it costs $6 to ship the pad. Are you wiling to pass-up this pad over 3 bucks? How often do you blow $3 without blinking an eye?
4eyedbuzzard
01-04-2011, 04:50
If you drove 9 miles and back to a store to buy it you'd be out roughly $9 in costs of ownership and operation of your car.
That said, USPS Prioirty on that package is $5.20 or so from TX to CO, so I can relate to your gripe. I hate paying high shipping prices as well, especially on smaller purchases.
mcskinney
01-04-2011, 05:28
I guess I am freaking out about $3. I realize now its kind of silly but it's the principle of the thing.
I imagine I'll end up buying it from Gosamer but I'm going to research a bit more and see if I can't find it elsewhere for cheaper, hence this post.
Two alternatives I've used have been to (a) have a close look to see if there's anything else (including more pads) I might want from GG in the not-too-distant future, or (b) connect with friends and relatives who might want something there in order to do a sort of mini group order to spread out the postage hit.
The closest competitor I'm aware of is the plastazote pad from BPL (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/diad_plastazote_foam_pad.html), a 3/16" pad that's 20" x 40", but even if this turned out to be a reasonable alternative for you in terms of padding, R-value, whatever, perhaps you would have the same issue there. Or maybe there are other things you would want to buy on the BPL site ...
FWIW, I think many if not most of us understand exactly how you feel, it bugs the heck out of me to pay a large percentage of the item cost in S&H and perhaps taxes. I just did something similar buying 50' of conductive thread when I couldn't find a local source (this to sew a little patch on fingertips of various gloves so my touchscreen phone works when I have gloves on).
Blissful
01-04-2011, 10:10
Gossamer pads are great though. I did buy two since I had to pay the shipping anyway. One for me one for hubby
bigcranky
01-04-2011, 22:03
In addition to the UPS charges, GG has to buy a box and pay someone to pack it.
Who sells the equivalent of the gosamer gear 1/8 in. thin light pad?
They charge $9 to ship a $10.00, 2 oz. item and I'm not pay exorbitant prices to ship something that light and cheap. I don't even jack my ebay charges up that high when I sell something! Crazy!!
Who else sells something comparable in weight and value? Or am I being overly sensitive?
www.owareusa.com (http://www.owareusa.com) used to sell a 1/8"thick evazote pad which was 40"X60", I think. I just checked the site and can't find them now.
www.owareusa.com (http://www.owareusa.com) used to sell a 1/8"thick evazote pad which was 40"X60", I think. I just checked the site and can't find them now.
This?
http://www.owareusa.com/foampads.html
It doesn't say it's evazote, but I would think it is if it's used in slippers. I've never seen it sold in sheets in any color but grey, but Crocs are EVA and made in other colors.
sparky2000
01-05-2011, 07:33
Call ur nearest outfitters - ours (Appalachian Outfitters) will order the item free of shipping costs. Maby.
This?
http://www.owareusa.com/foampads.html
It doesn't say it's evazote, but I would think it is if it's used in slippers. I've never seen it sold in sheets in any color but grey, but Crocs are EVA and made in other colors.
Nope. They used to have it in 40"x60" sheets.
It was grey.
Megapixel
01-06-2011, 23:06
just bought the same pad. it shipped fedex ground i believe in a rather rectangular box to keep it rolled up in it's natural shape. It got here in pristine shape and super quick.
I guess you could call and ask if there is a cheaper shipping alternative as there is not one on the site.
Bags4266
01-06-2011, 23:25
It is what it is. Sometimes when I order stuff online w/ shipping I justify it by saying I would have to drive x amount of miles there and back (gas) and then my time for what, to save $5-8 dollars in shipping. Send it, done!
I paid the shipping and I am glad I did. Plan on buying some of their other stuff too, and probably another pad...
Bags4266
01-06-2011, 23:48
Yea I do the same thing, buy more to justify the shipping. I always need Aqua Mira or cord, misc. bullcrap there is always something extra to get. And thats their thought too!
Just make it simple and buy a new set of trekking poles while you are at it... :)