View Full Version : To pillow or not to pillow
azchipka
02-18-2004, 19:50
Ok so do i bring a pillow with me in the pack or do I use a stuck sack and pack it with clothes. Any thoughts?
I use clothes for a pillow, but don't put them in a stuff sack.
snuffleupagus
02-18-2004, 22:13
Ok so do i bring a pillow with me in the pack or do I use a stuck sack and pack it with clothes. Any thoughts?
I always bring a small mesh bag to stuff some extra clothes in for a pillow. Just remember. If you're apt to wearing undies, leave the dirty ones out of the pillow. :rolleyes:
steve hiker
02-18-2004, 22:29
I'm a side sleeper and get a stiff neck if I don't use a pillow, so I bring an airline pillow. Only weighs about 2 ounces.
Clothes don't cut it. Even fleece is hard as a rock when put under your head.
I stuff my pack with all my stuff and cover it with a fleece or t-shirt.
in the cold, my water bladder goes in and so my head/shoulders are warming it up.
Rain Man
02-18-2004, 23:27
I'm a side sleeper and get a stiff neck if I don't use a pillow, so I bring an airline pillow. Only weighs about 2 ounces.
Clothes don't cut it. Even fleece is hard as a rock when put under your head.
Horse, you're right as Rain, Man.
:dance
.
If anyone knows the woes of acid reflux then you know you have to sleep with the head fairly elevated. Sometimes, especially summer when you don't carry many clothes, there aren't enough to even make a small lump in a stuff sack. I too have used the pack and all items not suspended from tree branches or shelter pegs to elevate my clothes bag for good sleeping. (earplugs too)
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz :cool:
Kozmic Zian
02-18-2004, 23:56
Yea.....Pillow? I don't think so.....! Even a small pillow takes alot o' unneccessary space. Just take your Thermarest Stuff Sac and put your jacket and pants and shirts or what have you in to it. It's already empty, so makes it easy.....as cake! It's a non-issue after that. KZ@
Alligator
02-19-2004, 02:12
I sewed a pillow pocket into my sleeping bag and I stuff it with fleece. The pillow is always right were it's supposed to be, not popping off the pad. I also found that my sleeping bag stuff sack was too large and sort of flopped around when there was two pieces of fleece stuffed in it. This doesn't happen with the pillow pocket because the pocket is smaller.
I saw this idea on another site, but I cannot rememember where.
Take a child's water wings ( from Walmart, maybe $2) cut ot along one of the seams so it lies flat. Throw it in a t-shirt. Sure you have to take 10 seconds to blow it up, but it weighs next to nothing, packs down to nothing. It was found at http://www.datasync.com/~wksmith/pillow.html
Campmor makes a fleece pillow cover that is perfect for cramming a stuff sack full of clothes into. Very nice.
sawwhetowl
02-19-2004, 17:24
I always bring a down jacket or vest, and either one makes a great pillow.
Big Dawg
02-19-2004, 18:48
campmor also makes a fleece inflatable pillow,,, small, relatively light & easy to pack up, & oooh sooo comfortable! Of course, I'm just a section hiker, what do I know??:D
"To drool or not to drool.
That is the question."
My wife says my drooling doesn't bode wwell for old age. At least I never woke up frozen to a pillow (yet).
Ok so do i bring a pillow with me in the pack or do I use a stuck sack and pack it with clothes.......................
Yo Digital Ranger:
I'm with the "stuff sack filled with clothes & anything else you can put in there"...crowd.
my wife: "D-bird", bought me a super small, compact hiking pillow (weighs less than 1oz) for Christmas...it does compact into a space as small as a deck of cards....soooooooooooooooo, i actually might take it with me on my next section-hike. but, most times...i just use my stuff sack or the bottom of my pack! ;)
MDSHiker
02-20-2004, 12:13
I have a sleeping bag stuff sack that is lined with fleece. I turn it inside out and then stuff the sack with clothes. Works for me !
Kerosene
02-21-2004, 16:38
Another option is to bring one of those 4+ liter "watersacks" (here's one from REI (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=489&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1)). They weigh in at about 2 ounces and are very useful for lugging water from a far-away spring. In addition, you can convert them to a pillow by first draining them of water (duh) and then blowing into the spigot and filling with air partway. Wrap in your fleece jacket and you've got a very comfy pillow.
A friend of mine went cheaper than that, he saved one of those wine bladders from that box o wine.
Footslogger
02-22-2004, 13:04
Unless you have some definite need for a real pillow, it is just one more item that you have to handle and pack every day. That may not seem like much on a weekend hike but on a long distance hike your feelings may change. There are so many things that you already have in your backpack that can be used as a cushion for your head that a "dedicated" pillow may end up as "excess baggage" after a while.
I am not what you would call a "minimalist" but I do try to look at my gear and clothing from a multi-use standpoint. The more you have with you the more scattered out it tends to get over time and the more you have to deal with every day.
I own a compressible pillow and have been known to carry one on a 3 - 4 day hike but on a distance hike, where every ounce counts, I leave it at home.
But hey, to each his/her own ...that's my .02
Nightwalker
02-22-2004, 16:38
Ok so do i bring a pillow with me in the pack or do I use a stuck sack and pack it with clothes. Any thoughts?
You'll find soon enough that every ounce counts, even a few-ounce pillow. Use your clothes in the sleeping bag's stuff sack.
Frank
I use a small 2 oz pillow that fits in with my sleeping bag compression sack. It weighs an ounce more than the stuff sack I used to carry for that purpose, and frankly I can make up the extra ounce by just keeping my sleeping bag clean, and plus it reduces my snoring and drool problem.
hikerdude
11-19-2004, 13:03
Like I said 1000 times. I plan to carry my B. A. LostRanger15 degree. And that's got a pillow sleeve for my propile jacket. Right now I'm using the B. A. Storm king with a thermarest ProLite 4 up in the northeast, you can still section hike for now with what I got to sleep out. So someone asked that before if the Prolite fit.
I sewed a pillow pocket into my sleeping bag and I stuff it with fleece. The pillow is always right were it's supposed to be, not popping off the pad. I also found that my sleeping bag stuff sack was too large and sort of flopped around when there was two pieces of fleece stuffed in it. This doesn't happen with the pillow pocket because the pocket is smaller.
Gave up on using a pillow. It was always popping out of my sleeping bag. Alligator's got a great idea here! Pillow never leaves the bag and you can make it as large or small as you need it.
Thanks for the tip.
sierraDoug
11-19-2004, 18:07
Putting clothes in a stuff sack isn't very comfortable for me. I'm very tempted one of theses days to buy one of these babies...
http://www.luxurylite.com/pillowindex.html
Adjustable height, inflatable, and with a soft and warm foam cover.
I don't use a pillow at home since I began backpacking. Comfort is what one is used to using. Never use a pillow, you'll never need a pillow. Never use a pad, you won't ever need a pad.
When I started backpacking with my three kids many years ago I carried pads for them. Then I noticed that they never were on their pads, come morning. So I stopped carrying pads. No one ever complained.
Not having had a Dad that knew about such things, I can't sleep without a pad or mattress of some sort, on or off the trail. My kids could sleep anywhere, on any sleeping surface. I can't. I haven't checked with the kids as they approach middle age.
But I know that it's best to avoid the beginnings of evil, as Henry, or someone, has said.
Weary
Putting clothes in a stuff sack isn't very comfortable for me. I'm very tempted one of theses days to buy one of these babies...
http://www.luxurylite.com/pillowindex.html
Adjustable height, inflatable, and with a soft and warm foam cover.
Sorry, but $35 for a pillow is obscene. LOL my fleece pullover works fine for now.
Sorry, but $35 for a pillow is obscene. LOL my fleece pullover works fine for now.
YO Lilredmg:
i agree...but, if SANTA spends the $35 does that count???????????????? hehehehehehehe ;)
my wife/Santa bought me a backpacking pillow (1 oz) last year....i carried it this past spring & fall on my section hikes....i put it inside my mummy bag hood with the stuff stack (filled with other clothing inside) underneath my head.....as good as being @ home. :D
YO Lilredmg:
i agree...but, if SANTA spends the $35 does that count???????????????? hehehehehehehe ;)
my wife/Santa bought me a backpacking pillow (1 oz) last year....i carried it this past spring & fall on my section hikes....i put it inside my mummy bag hood with the stuff stack (filled with other clothing inside) underneath my head.....as good as being @ home. :D
HO HO HO....... Santa doesn't spend money. His little elves make everything, which, in that case, would be fine....... ;)
rocket04
11-20-2004, 12:55
I picked up a pillow on the trail in Georgia at the beginning of my hike. These 3 ladies were hiking and just dumping stuff on the trail all over the place. They dumped 2 pillows, one of them is now mine. :D It looks like one of those airplane ones. It was good enough that I carried it all the way. It earned me a lot of comments and I don't think I met a single other person who had one. But if I were to thru-hike again, I'd take it with me.
Kerosene
11-20-2004, 13:54
I saw this idea on another site, but I cannot rememember where.
Take a child's water wings ( from Walmart, maybe $2) cut ot along one of the seams so it lies flat. Throw it in a t-shirt. Sure you have to take 10 seconds to blow it up, but it weighs next to nothing, packs down to nothing. It was found at http://www.datasync.com/~wksmith/pillow.html I found these water wings ($0.99) at Wal-Mart and made myself a 1 ounce inflatable pillow. Works great, although it might not be durable enough for a full thru-hike.
I use my water bladder as a pillow, blow air in to fill if needed. Water want freeze in winter either. This has worked very good over the years.
Drala Hiker
11-30-2004, 19:44
In winter I have enough clothes to make a decent pillow, but in summer it's a challenge to build a stable pillow high enough to support my neck, as I'm a side sleeper. I've tried a slew of pillows from REI and Campmor over the years, but I think I may have finally found the answer. Luxury Lite now makes a lightweight, inflatable pillow, with foam insert, and soft but tough fabric cover. It weighs 4 oz, yet stows smaller than a pop can. It even comes with a spare airbag. I've tried it at home for a few nights in place of my expensive memory foam pillow, and it works just as well. The airbag is a bit crinkly at first, but Bruce at Luxury Lite says that like Tyvek, the crinklies will go away with use. I'll ditch 4 oz elsewhere in my kit in order to have a good pillow!
http://www.luxurylite.com/pillowindex.html
saimyoji
12-01-2004, 03:59
Interesting question. In some Asian languages the act of 'pillowing' refers to sex. In such a case, I would have to suggest: pillow.
Rain Man
12-01-2004, 12:52
... I think I may have finally found the answer. Luxury Lite now makes a lightweight, inflatable pillow, with foam insert, and soft but tough fabric cover. ......
Perhaps the answer is obvious,... but I take it you feel it's worth the exhorbitant price?
I'm a side-sleeper and have yet to find a solution. If that pillow really works, then I'd be willing to try it. Most recently, I've used an REI 2.5 gallow water bag. Crinkles like mad, but the worse problem is the fabric is far, far too slippery. Oh well, onward and upward in the trail-comfort wars.
:sun
Rain Man
.
Kerosene
12-01-2004, 13:30
I've used an REI 2.5 gallow water bag. Crinkles like mad, but the worse problem is the fabric is far, far too slippery.Rain Man, consider wrapping the water bag in your zipped-up fleece, wrapping a rubber band around the bottom hem of the jacket to keep everything in place.
The Solemates
12-01-2004, 13:35
We stuff a pile of whatever is soft into the heads of our mummy bags.
Youngblood
12-01-2004, 13:39
Perhaps the answer is obvious,... but I take it you feel it's worth the exhorbitant price?
I'm a side-sleeper and have yet to find a solution. If that pillow really works, then I'd be willing to try it. Most recently, I've used an REI 2.5 gallow water bag. Crinkles like mad, but the worse problem is the fabric is far, far too slippery. Oh well, onward and upward in the trail-comfort wars.
:sun
Rain Man
.
Rain Man,
I've recently been using a smallish diameter stuff sack made out of no-see-um netting to hold items for an under-the-neck pillow. I basically just put the slippery silnylon stuff sack with some clothing inside of it. It doesn't weigh very much, is pretty comfortable and has about the right amount friction.
Youngblood
UCONNMike
12-01-2004, 15:16
"You need a pillow, your a whimp use a rock"
My English Prof. would kill me if I did not poitn this out. It should read:
"You need a pillow? You're a whimp, use a rock."
:-?
RITBlake
12-08-2004, 00:55
"You need a pillow, your a whimp use a rock"
My English Prof. would kill me if I did not poitn this out. It should read:
"You need a pillow? You're a whimp, use a rock."
:-?
Actually Mike, don't you mean:
My English Prof. would kill me if I did not point this out. It should read:
;)
i dont carry much extra clothing for a pillow,i carry a therma rest pillow,except when i carry my hennesey hammock:banana :) :jump :bse :jump
UCONNMike
12-08-2004, 00:59
Actually Mike, don't you mean:
My English Prof. would kill me if I did not point this out. It should read:
;)
Thanks Blake, maybe your nickname should be "Spell-Check" you freakin Ba-Da-Douche!
Buckingham
07-19-2005, 12:21
I can deal with rocks jabbing at my spine, or curling my body in unnatural positions to avoid all bumps, as long as I have a pillow for my big fat head.
NICKTHEGREEK
07-20-2005, 14:57
If anyone knows the woes of acid reflux then you know you have to sleep with the head fairly elevated. Sometimes, especially summer when you don't carry many clothes, there aren't enough to even make a small lump in a stuff sack. I too have used the pack and all items not suspended from tree branches or shelter pegs to elevate my clothes bag for good sleeping. (earplugs too)
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz :cool:
I'm not a doctor, never played one on TV, and I didn't spend last night in a Holiday Inn--But I suffered from Heartburn and reflux for 30 years so bad that I needed a pack of tums just to drive past a Taco Bell. Nexium. Not even a twinge in the past three years and I can eat anything I like.