View Full Version : Pillows
MDhiker1967
01-04-2009, 19:36
What is your favorite pillow to take on a week or less backpacking trip and why?
My fleece vest or jacket stuffed with other garments.
Why? I carry them anyway, why not make them do double duty. Adding a pillow just adds unnecessary weight.
I use a POE inflatable pad. I slide my shoe underneath the pad to prop my head up. works perfect. No extra gear to carry.
Mrs Baggins
01-04-2009, 20:00
I use my clothes bag, just sort of fluff it out. If I have it along my Patagonia Down Sweater (jacket) makes a very nice addition to the bag pillow-wise.
Use a down vest or jacket in my clothes stuff sack.
Blissful
01-04-2009, 20:18
Cocoon travel pillows from campmor. Used them my entire hike, two of them. Well worth the weight for me.
Montbell U.L. Comfort system pillow --- I like this coupled with (literally toggled to) their smallest torso-length inflatable pad. I had to wait (backordered) to get mine last year, but after it arrived I used this daily for nearly 4 months on the PCT. Worked great.
http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=33&p_id=1124290
Oops, I forgot the "why" part ...
Light at 2.3 oz for the pillow, and the U.L. 90 is a 35" (torso) length pad listed at 10.2 oz. (mine weighs 10.9 oz though, FWIW). I like how these connect together and stay together. They appear to be lasting pretty well. I like inflatable, both pad and pillow, for comfort in the former case, and for a consistent pillow at low weight in the latter case.
This Thermarest pillow, medium size, works a lot better for me than just jamming clothes in a sack, although I do that too, then put this on top of that. You can also double it over and jam it behind your neck to elevate your head enough to read. It weighs 9 oz. but compresses down to basically nothing if you roll it up inside your sleeping bag. Also good in summer when you often don't have any clothes other than shorts and t-shirt.
http://www.thermarest.com/product_detail.aspx?pID=93&cID=4
Roll it up in your sleeping pad, I meant to type.
windy city
01-04-2009, 21:06
Patagonia Micropuff pullover in its stuffsack with a Buff as a pillow case.
Hikes in Rain
01-04-2009, 21:13
Campmor inflatable pillow, propped up and amplified with whatever clothes I'm not wearing stuffed into my sleeping bag's stuff sack.
i sewed a piece of fleece to one side of my sleeping bag stuff sack. i fill it with whatever i'm not wearing (pants, shirt, jacket, whatever.) i like it because it's no added weight.
Plain old Dollar General pillow case, stuffed with all the clothes I'm not wearing and not expecting to need that night. I usually wrap said clothing in a large fleece sweater, then jam it all in the pillow case.
Caveman of Ohio
01-04-2009, 22:13
During my hike I ran across a full sized pillow laying on the side of the Approach Trail. Looks like they took it straight out of the Lodge.
Ramble~On
01-04-2009, 22:21
During my hike I ran across a full sized pillow laying on the side of the Approach Trail. Looks like they took it straight out of the Lodge.
Sorry about that...but we had our hands full dragging the mattress.:rolleyes:
Pillows - Long ago I picked up a blue fleece pillow case thing that doubles as a stuff sack for a Thermarest...not much bigger than a bandana and I stuff it with clothes...works great.
adventurousmtnlvr
01-04-2009, 23:29
I'm going with those blow up "U" shaped travel pillows from either AAA or Walmart and such places. Why ... I have neck disk problems and require a neck roll but don't want to wad cloths up because I turn constantly and that "U" shape with fit on my neck once and turn with me literally without me adjusting it each time. I'm more of a side sleeper so it's more comfortable but if I were on my back, it would work that way too :)
I swear on my life I take the one from my bed. My wife hates it but I cant sleep in the back country without it.
Kelty pillow - I'll be ok adding the few ounces
I use my fleece shirt with my lumpy clothes bag stuffed inside as well. Tried an inflatable one but my head kept turning side ways when sleeping(no positional support). It was kind of like sitting on a ball, it holds you up but the balance is more interactive(not great for sleeping).
Whem I tested Hammock gear for sevear cold weather use in my back yard I take a real pillow out and marvel at how comfortable it is.
theinfamousj
01-05-2009, 01:27
Don't know where I learned this trick. Probably here.
Fleece top stuffed into one of its sleeves.
Why? Firm (I like my pillows firm). Has a surprisingly good shape. Oh, and since I'm a wee little thing and by the feet-of-height-times-five rule have to carry very little weight to begin with, it provides me with a weight-saving double duty item.
Downhill Trucker
01-05-2009, 05:17
Whatever clothes I'm not wearing. For me thats the only option. Why carry something that I don't have to.
If really needed I could fill a stuff sack with leaves or grass but in 20 years of exploring (a few times with literally NO equipment overnight) I have never needed to do that once. My first trip in the woods at age 11 I used my soaked blue jeans as a pillow. Been hooked ever since...
NCYankee
01-05-2009, 11:47
I used to just stuff clothes into a stuff sack and use that as a pillow, but at this point I just don’t feel well in the morning when I do that and unless I’m popping a bunch of Nyquil. At this point I rationalize that almost a pound of weight is worth a good night sleep and carry a LARGE Thermarest Pillow with me. It expands nicely once uncompressed but best of all it can be folded on top of itself and give me a really nice at home feel. It works for me and I’m willing to carry it.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
Compass said: "Tried an inflatable one but my head kept turning side ways when sleeping(no positional support). It was kind of like sitting on a ball, it holds you up but the balance is more interactive(not great for sleeping)."
I wonder if adjusting the inflation level would help? My sense from reading that is that you might have had it fully inflated. My Montbell pillow might not be as comfortable as a "pillow from home", but I sleep well enough on it.
The problem I have with the idea of sleeping on spare clothes is that if/when it gets to the colder range of anticipated temperatures, I don't have much in the way of spare clothes (I'm wearing them in the bag). I tried one of BPL's ultralight inflatable pillows, but it didn't last long, wore out after just a few nights of use.
This is yet another topic like shoes or "what is the best tent" where there isn't consenus; for me the Montbell setup is a great tradeoff in terms of weight vs. comfort, and the cost isn't too bad.
I've always used clothing inside a stuff sack. However, I recently read at Backpacking Light forums that water wings make a great pillow. I have not tried it yet, since they seem to be a seasonal item, and can't find them anywhere at the moment. It does look like a great idea.
Here's a pic posted by a forum member there (James Pitts) that show the water wings. I hope it's ok to link a picture from another forum here. If not, then please remove it from my post. Click here (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=7104) for full thread.
http://cache.backpackinglight.com/backpackinglight/user_uploads/1175289439_01744.jpg
Chance09
01-05-2009, 22:28
I swear on my life I take the one from my bed. My wife hates it but I cant sleep in the back country without it.
LOL you may see me doing the exact same thing. I found one that's only 6 oz tho if it counts. I have so much trouble falling asleep sometimes in a bed that I can't imagine falling asleep on a sleeping pad without one. The way i see it is if it comes down to sleeping and carrying a little extra weight or not sleeping and saving weight. Might as well carry the weight.
Hikes in Rain
01-06-2009, 06:47
Compass said: "Tried an inflatable one but my head kept turning side ways when sleeping(no positional support). It was kind of like sitting on a ball, it holds you up but the balance is more interactive(not great for sleeping)."
I wonder if adjusting the inflation level would help? My sense from reading that is that you might have had it fully inflated. My Montbell pillow might not be as comfortable as a "pillow from home", but I sleep well enough on it.
The problem I have with the idea of sleeping on spare clothes is that if/when it gets to the colder range of anticipated temperatures, I don't have much in the way of spare clothes (I'm wearing them in the bag). I tried one of BPL's ultralight inflatable pillows, but it didn't last long, wore out after just a few nights of use.
This is yet another topic like shoes or "what is the best tent" where there isn't consenus; for me the Montbell setup is a great tradeoff in terms of weight vs. comfort, and the cost isn't too bad.
My thought, as well. My inflatable looks almost flat until I lay my head on it. I usually futz with it for a little while to get the inflation level "just right".
Rain Man
01-06-2009, 10:52
I use a POE inflatable pad. I slide my shoe underneath the pad to prop my head up. works perfect. No extra gear to carry.
What is a "POE inflatable pad"? And if you carry one, why isn't that extra gear?
I agree with the comments that if I can't sleep, then that justifies extra weight to carry a "real" pillow. I sleep on my side and have to have my head supported. I recently found a good inflatable pillow at Academy Sports for about $5. It inflates bigger (higher? taller?) than any I've found so far. Many inflatables aren't worth the bother for me, they are so flat even when inflated and inflated all the way, they are too hard.
I agree that I cannot not inflate inflatables all the way, or else they are too hard and too much like a ball (my head wants to roll off).
Even with a good inflatable, I sometimes cover it with a t-shirt or fleece.
Now, if I could just keep the pillow from sliding all over the slippery nylon sleeping pad/bag while asleep!
Rain:sunMan
.
chance09, I got the ideas from one of my hiking buddies. He brought his when we hiked mt. princeton and I couldnt believe he brought it. He said he sleeps much better in the back country with it. I tried it the next time I went out and man did I sleep good. Now I never go with out it. I even took it with me when I was on the A.T. in 2006. I slept sooooooo good.
2Questions
01-06-2009, 13:42
In winter I use this fleece tube stuffed with my down jacket, in summer, typically clothing stuffed up a sleeve.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/5/3/0/img_7163_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=30565&c=666)
I like a firm pillow so extra clothes works great for me.
rusty075
01-06-2009, 20:11
Lately I've been using BPL's FlexAir (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/flexair_plus_ultralight_pillow.html) pillow. I don't always have enough extra clothes with me that I'm not wearing to make a proper pillow, but I just can't seem to sleep well without one. At less than an ounce (0.85) it's hard to beat.
water wings make a great pillow. I have not tried it yet, since they seem to be a seasonal item, and can't find them anywhere at the moment.
Freeze,
Sports Authority usually has water wings year around. They work fine for a pillow.
Dan
Freeze,
Sports Authority usually has water wings year around. They work fine for a pillow.
Dan
Thanks Dan. There's one not too far from my house. I don't know why I didn't think to check there. I'll definitely check it out.