Topic: The Best Backpacking pil*ows of 2022 (Read 36 times)
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Why It Made the Cut
If you prefer a stiffer, taller pil*ow that still cushions and conforms to the shape of your head, then the NEMO Fillo is the right choice for you.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Product Description
Of all the pil*ows I tested, this is the one I have the most mixed feelings on. Its co*paratively bulky packed size and significant weight addition raised my eyebrows, but when I put my head down, it was far and away the closest to the memory foam pil*ow I used at home. The knit fabric against my face was also co*fortable for my skin, unlike some of the clammy polyesters and nylons used by the ultralight set. Not bad for just over half a pound.
The problem was when I woke up in the middle of the night with a stiff neck—I deflated the pil*ow some to try to create some “give,” to minimal effect. When I gave the NEMO Fillo to fellow campers to try, reviews were mixed—some found it incredibly co*fortable throughout the night; others had the same experience that I did. I reco*mend having another individual check your neck alignment when lying down to ensure it isn’t at an angle before co*mitting to a purchase.
Why It Made the Cut
The Aeros Down is nearly as big as a standard bed pil*ow for only a couple of ounces more than my best overall pick.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Product Description
Like my best overall pick, the Sea to Summit Aeros Down pil*ow uses a layer of down to add both warmth and a bit of cushion. Unlike my best overall pick, the Sea to Summit Aeros Down pil*ow is huge—easily one of the widest in my test. If you are the kind of person who tosses and turns at night, waking up to find your pil*ow anywhere other than under your head, this could be the solution you have been looking for. That goes double if you tend to stack two pil*ows on top of each other at home, as the 4.7-inch height of this pil*ow is fairly significant.
Why It Made the Cut
This 2-ounce pil*ow packs up small and uses a knit polyester that is co*fortable to the touch.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Product Description
This is the classic backpacking pil*ow—lightweight, low profile, and filled with nothing but air. It’s far from the most co*fortable pil*ow I tested, but it would be my first choice for a longer backpacking trip, where I expect to spend most of the day on my feet, and I’m so exhausted that I’m asleep by 9. On those days, I’m a lot less likely to appreciate the creature co*forts of a down or memory foam pil*ow anyway.
Something I liked about the Air Head Lite is that it is one of the slimmer models (4 inches) I looked at, and it had a flat profile. Other pil*ows I tried, such as the EXPED Ultra pil*ow, are thicker at the base of the pil*ow—to support your neck—but this can be distracting, and I find my head tends to slide off or rest at an unco*fortable angle (more often than not I just swap the side I’m sleeping on and use only half the pil*ow). The streamlined profile of the Therm-a-Rest Air Head Lite pil*ow means that it will be co*fortable for the widest range of people.
Why It Made the Cut
This budget backpacking pil*ow is only a hair heavier than other top lightweight pil*ows, while co*ing in at a significantly reduced price.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Product Description
This pil*ow, while not as co*fortable as the other picks on this list, gets the job at a significantly reduced price. If you’re curious to see how a backpacking pil*ow can improve your sleep but wary about the price point of the higher-end models, then the Outdoor Vitals Ultralight Stretch pil*ow is a good place to start.
Unlike the other backpacking pil*ows I looked at, this one was slightly higher at the bottom of the pil*ow than it was at the top, with a slight depression in the middle. Some people enjoy the neck support this type of design provides, but it can be unco*fortable for others.
Why It Made the Cut
The soft fleece side of this pil*owcase felt great to the skin on cold nights. The adjustable height is best suited for stomach sleepers.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Product Description
I’ll admit that I didn’t get to test the Rumpl Stuffable pil*owcase as much as I wanted because the second my three-year-old tried it, she claimed full ownership. But I see her point: the fleece-lined side was significantly nicer to the touch than the cold nylon or polyester of the other models I tested (even if these did warm up quick enough), and she could choose the exact height that the pil*ow would be when she laid down on one of the best backpacking sleeping pads. In her case, the puffer coat was much too tall, but a single long sleeve shirt gave her just the height she needed.
Weight
Backpacking pil*ows can vary in weight considerably, from two ounces to over half a pound. Your goal when choosing a backpacking pil*ow is to pick the option that optimizes your sleep without overly weighing down your backpack.
Packed Size
While there are a number of high-quality foam pil*ows built for the outdoors, few pack down as small as the NEMO Fillo, making them a no-go for backpackers.
Insulation
The smallest backpacking pil*ows are simple inflatables. While this helps to keep the cost, packed size, and weight down, these pil*ows do not retain much (if any) heat. While this can be offset by a sleeping pad with a higher R rating, light sleepers may find that shifting to a cold part of the pil*ow causes them to wake up more often than they would like.
Height
The reason that a pil*ow can help to improve your sleep is that it helps to keep your neck at an even angle, something known as neutral alignment. The right height varies by person, but you can get a sense of your natural preference by looking at the height and number of pil*ows you currently use at home.
I tested backpacking pil*ows on a series of summer overnights and shared them with the people I was camping and backpacking with in addition to using them myself. I looked at how co*fortable the pil*ow was, whether it was clammy or soft to the touch when I first laid my head on it, and if I woke up in the middle of the night for any reason (neck pain, pil*ow shifted, etc.) While everyone agreed that a pil*ow—any pil*ow—was better than balling up one of the best puffer coats, not everyone agreed on which pil*ow was the most co*fortable—or even co*fortable at all. If you have the option to test out a number of pil*ows before making a purchase (such as at an outdoor retailer), that will help you make the right choice for yourself.
In addition to field testing the backpacking pil*ows, I also considered their price, packed size, and weight—all important considerations for backpackers.
Yes, they are worth it.
If you’re balling up your puffer coat to serve as a “pil*ow” in the backcountry, that’s the first sign that you need to get a real backpacking pil*ow. The next time you’re out, count the number of times you wake up in the middle of the night and adjust the jacket so that it’s still co*fortable under your head. If the answer is more than “I never woke up” then you should strongly consider getting a backpacking pil*ow.
If you consistently sleep on your stomach, it’s possible that you won’t benefit from a backpacking pil*ow. One way to determine if this is the case for you is to swap out your regular pil*ow at home for something low profile or ditch it all together—if you sleep soundly through the night without it, then you can probably skip the pil*ow in the future.
After looking at a number of backpacking pil*ows, the Therm-a-Rest Air Head Down pil*ow is the best balance of co*fort and weight, while the two-ounce Air Head Lite is ideal for gram counters. Those looking for even more co*fort appreciate the wide profile of the Sea to Summit Aeros Down pil*ow or the memory-foam NEMO Fillo.
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