I hate to do this - what's your favorite pillow?..

[Secondmouse]

ugh.. as if we didn't have enough "what's the best?" threads... :rolleyes:

but I find myself being in the unenviable position of hating my pillow. I'm a back and/or side sleeper and I don't carry enough spare clothing to reliably make a comfortable pillow using a stuff sack. and the ones I have tried are either uncomfortable, too heavy, or slide out from under my head all night long.

so what do you use that you like?..

[ggreaves]

I'm a hammock hanger so a pillow really isn't required... however, I do like this one...

http://www.mec.ca/product/5042-895/mec-down-pillow-unisex/?q=pillow

It's quite small, down filled and just perfect for a hammock.

[nsherry61]

This one (http://www.seatosummit.com/product/?item=Aeros+Pillow+Premium&o1=1&o2=1&o3=571-30) is my current favorite and the only inflatable pillow I've found that I like.

[Poedog]

Montbell UL pillow ftw

[RockDoc]

MontBell down sweater in a stuff sack

[Christoph]

I use my pack but when it's wet, I just the sleeping bag stuff sack and a sweatshirt. Never used/tried a "real" pillow on hikes. Interesting tho, I might try one mentioned here some time.

[daddytwosticks]

Children's flotation water wings. Seriously. Got the tip from a poster here on Whiteblaze. I cut then in half and use both "arms" in a stuff sack with some spare clothing for more cushioning/padding. My head stays in place due to the water wing's shap. Since my head is anchored, the makeshift pillow is not trying to squirt out from under my head like so many other inflatable football-shaped pillows I have tried in the past. :)

[Secondmouse]

This one (http://www.seatosummit.com/product/?item=Aeros+Pillow+Premium&o1=1&o2=1&o3=571-30) is my current favorite and the only inflatable pillow I've found that I like.

oh yeah, I forgot to add "too damn expensive" to the list above...

but thank you. this one seems to get good reviews and recommendation...

[Secondmouse]

I'm a hammock hanger so a pillow really isn't required... however, I do like this one...

http://www.mec.ca/product/5042-895/mec-down-pillow-unisex/?q=pillow

It's quite small, down filled and just perfect for a hammock.

wow, that's only $29CAD.

what's that in real money, like a buck two eighty?... :D

[Rocket Jones]

I use the Exped Air Pillow (https://www.rei.com/product/830617/exped-air-pillow) combined with a small piece of 2" thick firm foam underneath. I need the extra height because I sleep on my side. I originally thought that I'd have to use a stuff sack or pillowcase to hold them together, but they work just fine as is. I've used a lot of different pillows over the years, and this setup is by far the best for me.

[Secondmouse]

Children's flotation water wings. Seriously. Got the tip from a poster here on Whiteblaze. I cut then in half and use both "arms" in a stuff sack with some spare clothing for more cushioning/padding. My head stays in place due to the water wing's shap. Since my head is anchored, the makeshift pillow is not trying to squirt out from under my head like so many other inflatable football-shaped pillows I have tried in the past. :)

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s141/BlackedOutSRT4/interdasting.jpg

[Bronk]

This pillow is 3 ounces and is sold at Walmart in the aisle with the other pillows...they also sell zippered pillow covers for these:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Travel-Pillow/17047745

[MuddyWaters]

ugh.. as if we didn't have enough "what's the best?" threads... :rolleyes:

but I find myself being in the unenviable position of hating my pillow. I'm a back and/or side sleeper and I don't carry enough spare clothing to reliably make a comfortable pillow using a stuff sack. and the ones I have tried are either uncomfortable, too heavy, or slide out from under my head all night long.

so what do you use that you like?..

Stick toes of shoes under inflatable pad to incline and cradle head

Any amt of clothes is enough added to this. Even single pr spare socks.

[kayak karl]

i use my Packa as a pillow in the hammock

[Heather_VT]

I love my Big Sky Dream Sleeper pillow. It's inflatable, which allows me to adjust the firmness (I always use mine partially deflated as that makes it softer).

[scrabbler]

Children's flotation water wings. Seriously. Got the tip from a poster here on Whiteblaze. I cut then in half and use both "arms" in a stuff sack with some spare clothing for more cushioning/padding. My head stays in place due to the water wing's shap. Since my head is anchored, the makeshift pillow is not trying to squirt out from under my head like so many other inflatable football-shaped pillows I have tried in the past. :)

WHAT?!?! It's not $30 and doesnt have a gear outfitters logo on it. I dont believe for a second it could work. Too light also. ;-)

[nsherry61]

Has anyone used one of these (http://www.amazon.com/Graham-Professional-Medical-FlexAir-Pillow/dp/B004C2RKHS%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJTPIVJ2YO5JU25ZA %26tag%3Dpricab-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165 953%26creativeASIN%3DB004C2RKHS)? I'm just curious. The price is certainly good!

[Jack Tarlin]

if I don't use a stuff sack that contains whatever clothes I'm not wearing at the time, for twenty years, my pillow has been my food bag. And bears haven't got it yet. I sleep like a little lamb.

[DuneElliot]

This pillow is 3 ounces and is sold at Walmart in the aisle with the other pillows...they also sell zippered pillow covers for these:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Travel-Pillow/17047745

I have to thank you for this. I have been debating and researching for weeks about a camping/backpacking pillow. For the price and weight, you can't beat it...went to pick one up on my lunch hour. It might not pack down as small as some of the others, but I know it will give me a good night sleep and I can still squish it pretty flat under my food bag.

[Secondmouse]

Stick toes of shoes under inflatable pad to incline and cradle head

Any amt of clothes is enough added to this. Even single pr spare socks.

I do. I use shoes, my pack, etc. to raise the pad but it doesn't work when I lay on my side I need something to make a "step" up from my shoulder. I'm gonna invest in a real pillow...

[nsherry61]

I probably blow up my 2L platapus bladder and/or use my shoes more than any other item(s) for my back country pillow. When not being used for a shelter, I will use my shelter/rain-gear as a pillow. I used to use extra clothing in a stuff sack as my pillow, but these days, when I crawl into bed, the only things I have that I'm not wearing or using as shelter are my pack, my cooking gear, my food, my first aid/emergency kit, and my shoes. On an unexpectedly warm night, I might have some warm cloths, but they usually get put on before morning if I planned well. I find my food bag to be too lumpy and I don't like to squish it with my fat head. My stove and pots aren't very comfortable, and my backpack is often under my legs/feet.

[C-shell]

My husband and I used the SeaToSummit Aeros inflatable pillow last year. Super comfortable and lightweight. Pretty expensive, though, and about 4 months into the hike both pillows started losing air. tried to patch them but there were many, many small holes in the part where your head touches the pillow. That being said, I still think I would buy another one.

[Wülfgang]

I just bought the Sea to Summit Aeros UL pillow. Used it a couple times--I love it. 2.5 oz. Totally worth it for a good night's sleep, IMO. Beats fiddling with your jacket trying to get it in the perfect sleeping configuration.

[Glacier]

When I'm not hammock hanging I use this http://klymit.shopgate.com/item/353735

[msumax1985]

ugh.. as if we didn't have enough "what's the best?" threads... :rolleyes:

but I find myself being in the unenviable position of hating my pillow. I'm a back and/or side sleeper and I don't carry enough spare clothing to reliably make a comfortable pillow using a stuff sack. and the ones I have tried are either uncomfortable, too heavy, or slide out from under my head all night long.

so what do you use that you like?..

Here's what I use, Exped UL: http://www.exped.com/usa/en/air-pillow-ul-m

I'm a side sleeper, tried all kinds of variations of stuff sacks, clothes bag, pack, etc. I finally bought this on sale for around $26 a few years ago and love it. The consistent thickness makes it much more comfortable than a makeshift sack stuffed with various clothing/food items. I tend to roll over a lot during the night and it stays put on my pad and makes my sleep so much better. It is also contoured to fit your head. When I sleep on my back (1% of the time) I don't need a pillow. But because I'm a side sleeper I really need one to keep my neck/spine straight. For such a small item the price seems like a ripoff. But in hindsight I would gladly purchase this again. I see these are around $45 now at retail. I would purchase it at this price, as well. Mine is 1.9 oz, they are now listed at 1.6 oz. It packs up so small I almost lose it amoungst my other gear. Not even two full breaths to inflate.

[daddytwosticks]

When I'm not hammock hanging I use this http://klymit.shopgate.com/item/353735

I tried this on a couple of hikes so far. I under inflate it and put it in a stuff sack with some spare clothes on top for more cushioning. It was just OK, nothing special. If you use it alone fully inflated, it still kept squirting out from under my head when sleeping. I'm going back to the water wings. Way more comfortable for my sleeping style. :)

[Secondmouse]

the Klymit X-pillow is on Amazon for $19 in red or $22 in camo. I ordered the red, will let you know how I like it...

[Greenlight]

I'm another hammocker, and the collar and hood of my 0 degree winter bag is substantial enough that I don't need a pillow. I'm due an upgrade for a summer bag and don't know what I'll be getting yet. When I was a tent-dweller, I always improvised a pillow with clothing and a small fleece bag I keep in my dry sack. Some on here have spoken of small down pillows...that sounds intriguing. I'd prolly still stuff it in the fleece bag, tho.

[Secondmouse]

astounding I say! I ordered the Klymit PillowX this morning, right before I posted above at 10:23AM. I wanted to try it out for a trip this weekend and was counting on Amazon Prime's free 2-day shipping. however, I saw this qualified for free 1-day shipping so I thought what the heck...

anyway, I was out in my yard digging a trench for corrugated pipe when someone comes driving up my driveway. I wave, he waves, he gets out of the car and walks over to me and hands me an Amazon box with this pillow in it. I about fell on the ground.

I just ordered it THIS MORNING!!! astounding I say...

[DuneElliot]

Well, while the Walmart pillow was cheap and really light, there's no way I'm going to be able to fit it in my pack, even in a compression sack. Back to the drawing board.

[Singto]

Mine is the Cush.

[Trance]

The stuff sack full of my extra clothes is.

[Funkmeister]

At home, I buy a box of wine. Then I drink it. Then I rinse it out. After that I have a pillow. When it pops a leak, I repeat procedure. Sorta free pillow.

[capehiker]

I did a review of my favorite pillow combination last week:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oQvMufkO7o

[Turk6177]

Everyone is going to say use your clothes in a stuff sack. Personally, my pillow is my luxury item. I carry an LLBean self inflating seat and use it for a pillow on top of my backpack and some clothes. I also use it to sit around the shelters. It is hard to describe how nice it can be to not sit in cold hard wood at the end of a day. I also have a sea to summit UL pillow that I blow up and put between my knees since I am a side sleeper. All this extra weight and I am still under 19 lbs base weight. Sometimes comfort is just too important to cut out of your gear.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Secondmouse]

ok, I tried the Klymit Pillow X last night in my bed. Survey says: not as nice as my normal bed pillow but comfortable enough to let me sleep all night.

it took a few minutes adjusting the amount of air and getting used to having my head positioned in the center of the X but after it occurred to me that this might be similar to have my head cradled in someone's ample bosom, I drifted right off into dreamland... :D

[Abi]

Cocoon Aircore Hyperlite 13x17 - 2.4oz

or go plush

Cocoon Aircore Ultralight 13x17 - 3.7oz has fleece on one side (either nice on your face, or flip to keep from sliding off the mat)

can be had for about $20 shipped.

[Greenlight]

Whenever we go traveling in the car, inadvertently I'll see possums and raccoons sleeping on the side of the road with these soft little red pillows under their heads. The look so comfortable, I'm thinking about maybe trying one of those. Not sure where they get them, though.

[show me the monkey]

I roll up my frameless pack and put it in a stuff sack. In the past I've used my food bag, clothes in a stuffsack, inflated a water bladder with air or any combination of those.
The pack in the sack is the firmest pillow of all.

[wornoutboots]

I just bought on of these Sea to Summits are REI for @ $35 here it is for only @ $26. I love it, perfect for keeping my spine aligned since I'm a side sleeper. http://www.cabelas.com/product/SEA-TO-SUMMIT-AEROS-PILLOW-PREMIUM/1780826.uts?productVariantId=3796146&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03836750&rid=20&gclid=Cj0KEQjwmKG5BRDv4YaE5t6oqf0BEiQAwqDNfAlfiEbT dQtdlpiXC8sNNvUYqR6rHHyEO4ye0-y_iwkaAiYe8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Secondmouse]

I just bought on of these Sea to Summits are REI for @ $35 here it is for only @ $26. I love it, perfect for keeping my spine aligned since I'm a side sleeper. http://www.cabelas.com/product/SEA-TO-SUMMIT-AEROS-PILLOW-PREMIUM/1780826.uts?productVariantId=3796146&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03836750&rid=20&gclid=Cj0KEQjwmKG5BRDv4YaE5t6oqf0BEiQAwqDNfAlfiEbT dQtdlpiXC8sNNvUYqR6rHHyEO4ye0-y_iwkaAiYe8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

thanks. that's a good find...

[DuneElliot]

I new take on the clothes in a stuff sack: I added my extra clothes (base layer and puffy) to my sleeping bag dry sack and added a thin piece of foam on top. When I sealed the dry bag I left some air in it so my head didn't compress the clothes and make them hard against my head. This seemed to be a much more comfortable option compared to just stuffing clothes in a stuff sack and sleeping on something lumpy!

[Secondmouse]

I new take on the clothes in a stuff sack: I added my extra clothes (base layer and puffy) to my sleeping bag dry sack and added a thin piece of foam on top. When I sealed the dry bag I left some air in it so my head didn't compress the clothes and make them hard against my head. This seemed to be a much more comfortable option compared to just stuffing clothes in a stuff sack and sleeping on something lumpy!

yeah, but as I stated the purpose for my thread, I don't carry enough spare clothes to do this. as a sometime side-sleeper, I need about 4.5-5" of pillow to not wake up with a sore neck. I also only carry a stuff sack that doesn't hold air, and worst of all, it's slippery enough that it keeps squirting out from under my head.

that Sea to Summit pillow is looking like a winner...

[dgoggins]

Just like capehiker.....by far the best pillow is the Big Sky UL pillow (new version). Its the biggest, most cushiony (it flexes), on the cheaper side of pillows, one of the lightest, etc. It is ...awesome. Paired with a buff...you can't get better.