View Full Version : Pillows?
Double Wide
08-13-2011, 09:08
If somebody (me) is trying to keep their pack below 35 lbs, what, if anything do y'all suggest to use as a pillow? I've realized I can't go without, and when I'm car camping I always take a couple of old ones from the house.
Obviously, that won't work when backpacking. But I need something. I don't think I want the bulk of one of those 'camp pillows' I see in the Outdoors section at the sporting goods stores in my pack, but I can't sleep with my head on the ground.
I've heard of some people inflating a dry bag, or using a stuff sack with your clothes in it, but doesn't that smell pretty funky after a few days, especially right up next to your face? What do you folks use while out on an extended trip?
Thanks!
Toolshed
08-13-2011, 09:20
You'll be funky/tired enough you won't notice the smell.
also, use your raingear in a stuff sack, it shouldn't be that bad..
Sierra Echo
08-13-2011, 09:28
I sleep with this on top of my pack:
http://www.rei.com/product/719843/therm-a-rest-compressible-pillow
The clothes bag trick just wasn't working for me. I need a LOT of support. At home I sleep with three pillows.
Rocket Jones
08-13-2011, 09:34
+1 on the compressible pillow. I carry the medium size, because every other option I tried wasn't working. If you don't sleep well, your days can be miserable.
I use the pillow on edge. That way it's a little higher, which I need, and a little firmer, which I like.
Also, it's hard to judge the pillow in the store. Because they're shipped compressed, the manufacturer recommends washing it once before using it, and you will be amazed at how much more it lofts up after coming out of the dryer, without losing any compressibility.
Northern Lights
08-13-2011, 10:50
I have the same one Sierraecho has, I like it because it is so comfortable. It doesn't squish done to nothing in the middle of the night. That said I just ordered the exped self inflating pillow just to keep the size down. I'll see if I like that as much as my current pillow.
Rain Man
08-13-2011, 11:48
I also have tried all sorts of "arrangements" of gear to sleep on, including boots/shoes. After lots of experimenting on the trail, I realized I had to have a "real" pillow and tried several of those, including the one posted below from REI. Here is what I found to work best (from Academy Sports):
Magellan brand self-inflaing pillow (http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_26326_-1?Ntt=pillows&Ntk=All)
It's self-inflating, has two air pockets (cradle my neck much better), and squishes very flat (when I sit on it) and fits in my pack easily. My luxury item.
Rain:sunMan
.
Big Dawg
08-13-2011, 12:29
I have the LuxuryLite (http://www.luxurylite.com/pillowindex.html) pillow, and use the ultralight inflatable bladder instead of stuffing the pillow case. I LOVE this pillow, and at just 3ozs!! It's not cheap, but WELL worth it in my opinion!!
Freedom Walker
08-13-2011, 12:39
I have a medium thermarest pillow that comes in at around 10 ozs. Its great! I need a pillow to support my head for comfort but also to support my head/ neck since I recently had neck surgery this past spring. I like the idea of an inflatable pillow to save weight. May try one .
Kooka Bay - "Standard" pillow is 1.3 oz. Special order and, if he has the material, it'll go down to 0.9 oz. Very high quality work and ultrafast shipping/communication. I too am obsessed with SUL, but at 0.9 oz., it doesn't even count as luxury!
Sierra Echo
08-13-2011, 17:13
I'm personally gonna pass on the inflatible pillows. I wear WAY to many earrings!
My thermarest is a large and I wouldn't change a thing! And sleeping of pillows I do believe it is nap time~!
Back in the day when airlines handed out blankets (you know, that super light, super thin synthetic blanket material) , I "requisitioned" one and made a slip cover out of it, super light, fuzzy & soft, fill up a stuff sack with clotes, rain gear if dry, etc and cover it with this - works great.
We got a pair of Exped Air Pillows at 3.5 ozs each from REI
13573
I never tried to do the math but I heard once that every extra ounce carried for 5 Million steps is like picking up an elephant, I presume just once
I'd suspect that if one were to be anticipating picking up an elephant, one would want a good night's sleep.
yea, I expect to have a pillow every night. I like my comforts. And the pillow gets plenty of use to justify carrying it, even if it is as heavy as an elephant.
Panzer
Mr. Bumpy
08-14-2011, 14:28
I have been using water wings for pillows--you know the flotation devices that slip over a young kids arms. Cheap and light and supportive. I combine it with a clothes bag if I'm really jonesin for a night of luxury.
Toolshed
08-14-2011, 15:12
One quick note about a pillow. Since I stopped being a low-life ground dweller, I have never needed anything under my head, I only need a pillow when I go to ground.:)
I use a pillow made by Hammockgear. Check it out
http://www.hammockgear.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20_21&products_id=20
BobTheBuilder
08-15-2011, 08:54
I also have tried all sorts of "arrangements" of gear to sleep on, including boots/shoes. After lots of experimenting on the trail, I realized I had to have a "real" pillow and tried several of those, including the one posted below from REI. Here is what I found to work best (from Academy Sports):
Magellan brand self-inflaing pillow (http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_26326_-1?Ntt=pillows&Ntk=All)
It's self-inflating, has two air pockets (cradle my neck much better), and squishes very flat (when I sit on it) and fits in my pack easily. My luxury item.
Rain:sunMan
.
+1 - I really like mine
Tuckahoe
08-15-2011, 10:30
We got a pair of Exped Air Pillows at 3.5 ozs each from REI
13573
Willy, How do you like it? Planning on purchasing one myself.
Willy, How do you like it? Planning on purchasing one myself.
It's nice. Fits in my mummy bag hood and cradles my neck. Has two big ports, one for inflation, one for deflation, and the inflation port doesn't let air out. Inflates in three easy puffs. Comes in a small stuff sack that'll be perfect for my bear-bag system rock pouch.
theinfamousj
08-16-2011, 02:53
+1 on the compressible pillow. ... the manufacturer recommends washing it once before using it, and you will be amazed at how much more it lofts up after coming out of the dryer, without losing any compressibility.
I also use the compressible pillow. I sort of poo pooed the recommendation to wash before using and used it as is. Finally it got funky enough that I tossed it in the washing machine. There was an appreciable difference in what I got back. It is loftier and more wonderful than it was before. Also, I think it decompresses easier, now.
I take the Exped Comfort Foam Pillow with ever time. I move around alot through the night and have yet to find a bad spot with this pillow. I also have a bad neck from a car accident so I need a pillow with proper support. My dad tried mine out one time and he made the switch. Worth ever penny.
Don Newcomb
10-26-2011, 17:33
I have started using an REI reversible pillow stuff sack (http://www.rei.com/product/795043/rei-pillow-stuff-sack). Not really thrilled with it. One problem is that it weighs much more than a silicon stuff sack of the same size. The other problem is that I carry my spare clothing rolled up and held with rubber bands. To make the pillow soft I have to dump everything out, turn the bag inside out then unroll and fluff up the spare clothing before reloading the pillow. It's a work in progress.
I like a pillow that is made from things I'm carrying already. (NO EXTRA WEIGHT !!) Like clothes or raingear I'm not wearing inside a stuffsack. I frequently use the CCF backpad from my Gossamer Gear pack rolled up. Have also used a water- or air-filled 2 liter platypus, though that is a bit noisy and tends to scoot away if air-filled (too light).
swjohnsey
10-28-2011, 12:16
Me, too. The stuff sack for my sleeping bag is my pillow filled with whatever I'm not wearing, usually my Precip or fleece top and bottom. I can't sleep without some sort of pillow.
Free, weightless, comfortable pillow!
I just responded the other day to a similar thread, but here it is again:
As long as you have a stuffsack, something to put inside it, and a knit shirt, fleece, whatever, to put over it you will have the above free pillow. :)
I've tried (and spent more money) just about everything that's come along the last 39 years for a comfortable backpacking pillow. I've found inflatables (which I'm currently using) to feel very hard, whether fully or partially inflated. The luxurylite mentioned by Big Dawg looks promising. May have to give it a try. I can imagine it being pretty comfortable with a down sweater stuffed in the clothing section.
Free, weightless, comfortable pillow!
I just responded the other day to a similar thread, but here it is again:
As long as you have a stuffsack, something to put inside it, and a knit shirt, fleece, whatever, to put over it you will have the above free pillow. :)I've tried that with every combination imaginable as to what goes in the stuff sack and after a while my head is on a hard-as-a-rock lump! Maybe I'm just more picky. Maybe my big fat head weighs three times what yours does! :eek:
I've tried that with every combination imaginable as to what goes in the stuff sack and after a while my head is on a hard-as-a-rock lump! Maybe I'm just more picky. Maybe my big fat head weighs three times what yours does! :eek:
Dude, you have no idea how big and fat my head is! :) I nearyl always carry at least one article of fleece, which, wrapped around socks or other items, then stuffed into a stuffsack which in turn is stuffed in a poly or wool long underwear top makes a fantastic pillow. In summer it's nice being in a hammock because I can dispense with the pillow because my head is always slightly elevated, and not have to suffer the heat from my own body as well as the high air temperatures (but that's another story and just a gratuitous plug for hammocking :D).
msikora4
11-19-2011, 16:21
+1 on the Exped Air Pillow - http://www.rei.com/product/797662/exped-air-pillow
Echraide
11-19-2011, 19:22
There's nothing left to put in a stuff sack once my food and toiletries are bearbagged and I'm wearing all of my clothes, so I carry a small inflatable pillow. I have been knowing to use a shoe as a pillow in extreme circumstances.
Rain Man
11-19-2011, 19:51
I've tried that with every combination imaginable as to what goes in the stuff sack and after a while my head is on a hard-as-a-rock lump!
I've had exactly the same experience. So far, my best compromise pillow is a self-inflating Magellan store brand from Academy Sports, though I'm thinking seriously about picking up an Exped at REI to try. I'm a side sleeper and have to have a pillow.
Rain:sunMan
.
I use the stuff sack method too but I'm the first to admit nothing says "pillow" like a real pillow.
I'm considering having my home "peewow" airlifted to each campsite on a trek! :)
Unless it's wet, I like to put my pack under my feet - sort of propped up - in winter, my down jacket - maybe combined with a sweater makes a great pillow. I've also said this many times - sleeping with a hot water bottle in the winter is the deal.
Back in the day when airlines handed out blankets (you know, that super light, super thin synthetic blanket material) , I "requisitioned" one and made a slip cover out of it, super light, fuzzy & soft, fill up a stuff sack with clotes, rain gear if dry, etc and cover it with this - works great.
I have one of those blankets! I love it. I've got the word out to all my family to keep and eye out for me another one so I can make a sleeping bag liner out of them. I love my down sleeping bag, but I don't like the slick feeling inside. I'm a strict, year-round flannel user at home. The airline blanket is synthetic, but it feels like flannel--problem solved. As for a pillow, I found one at KMart that is a good bit bigger when it's opened than the squishy compressable camping pillows, but is folds in half and zips, then compresses to be about the same size or smaller than the camping one. I put one on layaway for myself with my kid's Christmas gifts. That's what they are giving mommy for Christmas--<big smile on Christmas morning> "aawww, it's just what I wanted. How did you know?" ;)
Northern Lights
11-19-2011, 23:33
The only problem with the exped is in changing weather it deflates. Otherwise it is a great pillow. I am going to try a down pillow next. It's on my Christmas wishlist.
Wise Old Owl
11-19-2011, 23:44
I never tried to do the math but I heard once that every extra ounce carried for 5 Million steps is like picking up an elephant, I presume just once
Have you thought about filling your pillow with helium - might be an up lifting experience.
The only problem with the exped is in changing weather it deflates. Otherwise it is a great pillow. I am going to try a down pillow next. It's on my Christmas wishlist.I have not experienced any cooling deflation with my Exped downpad mattress. I would think the pillow would be even less susceptible.
Northern Lights
11-20-2011, 00:42
I have not experienced any cooling deflation with my Exped downpad mattress. I would think the pillow would be even less susceptible.
My exped mattress did not deflate either. But my pillow did and so did one other hiker's exped pillow. Maybe it's because I am full of hot air? :D
Not Sunshine
11-21-2011, 12:27
I have never done more then 4 days out, but I use one of those huge car-washing sponges for a pillow. It weighs nothing and packs easy. I don't know what its condition will be after a month or two, but it works for me. And they're like $3. AND you can find them at BigLots, my favorite store. I'm sooooo cheap it's pathetic. Unfortunately, it's not an item you can get dual-use out of....if you take a jacket and stuff the body into 1 sleeve of the jacket, you will get an equally enjoyable pillow - that's dual-use. Hope it helps. Enjoy!
Odd Man Out
11-21-2011, 12:37
I have never done more then 4 days out, but I use one of those huge car-washing sponges for a pillow.... Unfortunately, it's not an item you can get dual-use out of
You can wash you car with it. That's multi use.
My exped mattress did not deflate either. But my pillow did and so did one other hiker's exped pillow. Maybe it's because I am full of hot air? :DYeah, I guess if you blow the pillows up, unlike the pump of the pad, there will be some air contraction from the cooling of one's breath. Be thankful you're full of hot air. To not be would not be a good sign! :eek:
chaco727
11-25-2011, 21:53
I bought the magellen inflatable one, tried it one night and decided it was not going to work for me. So if anybody is interested in trying it out, you can have it for the cost of shipping, just PM me.
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_26326_-1?N=662858344+4294967245