Selecting The Best Backpacking Pillow For You
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I don’t know about you but I like my sleep. If I go on a trip and don’t sleep that well I get grumpy and will eventually want to take a nap. If you are going to be going on a backpacking trip you will want to make sure that you bring an ultralight backpacking pillow to help you sleep better at night. There are a few different types and styles to choose from so be sure to take all those factors into consideration before choosing one over the other.
Best Backpacking Pillow Reviews
Trekology Ultralight Inflating Backpacking Pillow
This pillow is an inflatable backpacking pillow that can be inflated or deflated in seconds. This pillow weighs 2.75 ounces so it is lightweight, and can be compressed via an included compression sack for storage.
This pillow also comes with a lot of different color options if you want to go with a backpacking pillow that has a more unique color. One option (that I’m not a really big fan of) is blue camo.
Sea To Summit Aeros Pillow Premium
This Sea to Summit pillow is a hybrid pillow, it’s designed to be inflatable but has a synthetic fill layer between the inflatable bladder and the pillowcase.
This makes this one of the more premium backpacking pillows on this list but it should also be one of the more comfortable ones.
This pillow is also designed with a polyester pillowcase for extra comfort. There aren’t many colors to choose from but there are a couple of different sizes to choose from. This pillow weighs 3.2 ounces.
Therm-a-Rest Compressible Backpacking Pillow
This Therm-a-Rest backpacking pillow is the first compressible backpacking pillow on this list. This pillow comes in a few different sizes so depending on what size you go with the more or less it will weigh in your pack.
The Small size measures 12” x 16” x 4” and weighs 7 ounces. In contrast, the XL measures 16.5” x 27” x 4” and weighs 15 ounces.
I think that the large would be overkill and would recommend with going with a small or normal to keep down on the weight of your pack. This backpacking pillow does come with a few different color options and different designs.
Memory Foam Backpacking Pillow
If you want the ultimate in comfort for your backpacking pillow look no further. This compressible backpacking pillow is filled with memory foam to provide the ultimate in backpacking pillow comfort.
The pillow is somewhat large at 19” x 14” uncompressed. It still takes up a decent amount of space compressed as well at 11” x 16”. It also weighs the most out all of the backpacking pillows on this list coming in at 36 ounces.
This pillow may not be the most ideal backpacking pillow, because of the size and weight but if you want the ultimate in comfort this is the one that you would want.
Klymit Pillow X Inflatable Backpacking Pillow
If you are looking for a really lightweight backpacking pillow this one would be the one for you. It only weighs 1.95 ounces making it the lightest backpacking pillow on this list.
This backpacking pillow is a bit different in shape though so if you are used to a normal shaped pillow this may bother you a bit.
It also doesn’t provide much in the way of padding for comfort as it doesn’t look to come with any sort of pillowcase. If you are looking for a barebones minimalist lightweight pillow though look no further.
Types of backpacking pillows
1. Inflatable
These are going to be the most common type of backpacking pillows because of their weight advantage that they will offer over compressible backpacking pillows. Inflatable pillows will be lighter because they will be filled by air at your campsite.
Inflatable backpacking pillows can be deflated while not in use so that they do not take up much room in your pack and do not weight that much because all of the weight will be in the outer portion of the pillow.
Usually, inflatable pillows will not offer much in the way of padding so keep that in mind. If you are wanting a really comfortable pillow and are willing to put up with carrying more weight in your pack you would want to go with a compressible pillow.
2. Compressible
The second type of backpacking pillows is compressible backpacking pillows. Compressible backpacking pillows like their name suggests can be compressed via a compression sack so that they do take up as much room in your pack.
Compressible pillows will be heavier than inflatable pillows because they will typically use some type of foam to fill up the pillow. Compressible backpacking pillows will typically be more comfortable than inflatable pillows though as the foam that they use has a nicer feeling than an inflated pillow.
3. Hybrid
The third type of backpacking pillow is a hybrid between inflatable and compressible pillows. These pillows will allow you to inflate the pillow so that they weigh less than a traditional compressible pillow but will also offer additional padding that is typically not offered on inflatable pillows.
Because of this they are light to carry and are also comfortable to use at your campsite. Just keep in mind that you would still need to give up more space in your pack than if you went with an inflatable pillow but less than if you went with a full compressible backpacking pillow.
Weight
The biggest consideration that you should make with your pillow that you are going to be backpacking with is going to be the weight of the pillow. On backpacking trips keeping your weight as minimum as possible is key to a successful backpacking trip.
You wouldn’t want to take a pillow that weighs 5 pounds and is not easily compressible into your backpack. You want to choose a backpacking pillow that is going to be easily folded or compressed into your backpack and that is lightweight.
Comfort
The second biggest consideration, in my opinion, is the comfort of your pillow. If you don’t care about the comfort that much you could just sleep on your extra clothes in your backpack. I care about how comfortable the pillow I use is because if my pillow isn’t comfortable then I’m probably not getting a good night’s sleep.
If you too care about how comfortable your pillows are I would recommend a hybrid backpacking pillow. These pillow types will usually offer some foam padding on one surface but are also easily able to be compressed into a ball for easy storage and transport.
Shape
The shape of the pillow should also be taken into consideration depending on what type of sleeper you are. Hopefully, you will know which type of pillow you would like to sleep on. Most are a traditional rectangular pillow shape but some are curved to be better able to contour around your neck.
I would recommend going with something similar that you are used to using at home in your bedroom, that way your body feels more at home when you are sleeping. Take a look at all the different shapes and see which one you think you would like best.
Thickness
Personally, I’m a side sleeper so I like to sleep with a thinner pillow so that my neck isn’t all jacked up the next day. If you like sleeping with a thicker pillow then look for one that is a bit thicker when it’s fully inflated or uncompressed.
If you like to adjust the size of your pillow you would want to look at getting an inflatable or hybrid style backpacking pillow as the thickness of the pillow can be adjusted. If you want your pillow to be thinner you just wouldn’t inflate it as much.
If you want your pillow to be really thick you could inflate it fully. Take care to look at the dimensions of the pillow fully inflated to make sure that it will be thick enough to your liking fully inflated.
Size
The size of your backpacking pillow can also affect how well you end up sleeping at night. If you are used to sleeping with a normal size pillow and go backpacking and sleep on a tiny little pillow you may not sleep as well.
To me, the physical size of the pillow does not bother me as much as the other criteria listed above but some people like to sleep on a really big or small pillow. Choose your backpacking pillow according to your preferences.
Inflation Method
If you end up going with an inflatable pillow you will want to look at how the pillow is meant to be inflated. Most can be inflated by blowing into it by mouth with a few breaths. If the pillow requires a pump to be inflated you would probably want to steer clear as that would just be more to carry in your backpack.
Who Makes The Best Backpacking Pillow?
I think that the Trekology inflatable backpacking pillow is the best backpacking pillow in my opinion on this list. Because the pillow is inflatable you can either inflate the backpacking pillow more or less depending on how you like your pillow to feel.
Is it not providing enough support? Fill it up more. Is it too firm for you to sleep comfortably? Let a little bit of air out of it and that should help. Trekology also has six different colors to choose from so you should be able to find one that fits your style.
If you are interested in checking out the current prices on Amazon of the Trekology inflatable backpacking pillow click here.
Related Questions
Do you need a pump for an inflatable backpacking pillow? Most backpacking pillows are small enough that you should not need a pump to inflate. You should be able to inflate your backpacking pillow by blowing into it. If you have a hand pump that you can bring along on your camping trip it would make the process a bit quicker.
Who makes a backpacking pillow for side sleepers? If you are a side sleeper I would recommend going with an inflatable pillow. With an inflatable pillow, you are able to inflate or deflate depending on your preferences. That means you can adjust how tall or short the pillow is to allow you to find the optimal height that is comfortable for you.
What about if I sleep on my back? What kind of backpacking pillow should I get? I would still recommend an inflatable backpacking pillow. They will be lighter than a pillow that is stuffed with memory foam and will provide plenty of adjustabilities to allow you to get comfortable no matter how firm or soft you like your pillow.
Conclusion
There are a lot of different backpacking pillows to choose from. When picking the best backpacking pillow for yourself it ultimately comes down to what do you want from your pillow?
Are you looking for a lightweight backpacking pillow or do you want your pillow to be as comfortable as possible? Hopefully, this guide was able to give you a few ideas on what to look for when choosing a backpacking pillow for your next backpacking trip.
If you are just going to be tent camping for the majority of your time in the wilderness you may just want to go with a memory foam pillow that you like. That way you will sleep almost as well as you would at home.
If you are in the market for a backpacking sleeping bag you may be interested in checking out my other article about the best backpacking sleeping bags under $100.
