As everyone here has said, you need a practice pad if you want to get better and be the best you can be. Now, if you want another idea, real feel hq pads are great and run about $20. The one i got brand new for that price had two sides a gum and hard, work-out side so it kind of is like 2 in 1 for $10 each side. Either way, the time spent on a practice pad won't annoy anybody too much, will build your chops like no other, and honestly is probably one of the things that doesn't get old day after day. if it does, well your on your own there. That's not to say it should be the only thing you do, but a daily drum workout is a good thing.

A really good pad is well worth the money!
cliche: take the invader
It may be $60-80, but it's insanely durable and feels just like a drum
It's not just a pad, in the long run, a good pad is an INVESTMENT!

The pad you get also depends on the type of player you are. If you're not a hardcore snare player, a pad like the Invader may not be necessary for you.

For instance, I'm a tenor player. Now I've got a tenor pad, but I really wanted something I could put in my backpack and take with me. I've tried out several pads, including the Invader, but I went to Guitar Center last weekend and bought a rather generic Vater two-sided practice pad for $30, and I love it.

Finding the pad you like is almost a matter of trial and error. It's like you're trying out different mattresses until you find that one with the sweet spot - the one you'll just fit right into. Get what I'm saying? Make sure you find the right one. You will be spending a lot of time with your practice pad, believe me.

Whaaaaa? Genius!

Can anybody give me a good DIY for a tenor practice pad? I really don't want to spend $100+ on a Heavy Hitter.
I see the mouse pad idea but I think it would slightly more complicated for Tenors and I'm looking for the most realistic thing I can get a hold of for my Spirit tryouts.

for a cheapest DIY tenor practice pad in my country, we used an old rubber slipper and a plywood. 1st, we cut a plywood than we shaped it follow our likeness shape. then we cut the rubber slipper and we stick it at the plywood by using super glue.

my wife actually used to work for a company called zymox percussion. it is the company that was the original supplier of vic firths tenor pads, they also maked the vega tenor pads and the dynasty tenor pads. if you go online and spend ten minutes on google you can find hundreds of places that sell just gum rubber sheets you could get enough to make your tenor pad for about 20 dollars. then all you would have to do is trace the rims of a set of tenors or just do half circles if you wanted to save rubber and you can either glue it to a couple peices of wood or for potability leave them loose and just lay them out on a table.

did glue will make the mouse pad become hard? i mean i can get the bounce from it