Pillows

[Glenn MacGrady]

What do you like, dislike, and what have you tried for a pillow in your tent or hammock?

Long ago, I just brought a small pillowcase and stuffed it with some of my extra clothes. That worked okay but was sort of lumpy. Then I bought some sort of scrunchable pillow with what I guess were pieces of foam inside. But it wasn't all that small when packed, and didn't really provide much support to my noggin. I've even brought a full size bed pillow on one-night trips.

Most recently, I've used an all-air pillow with no foam—I forget which brand—which gives good support, is extremely light, packs down tiny, and is okay but sort of weird-feeling for comfort. It requires inflation, which can be tiresome for old lungs, especially if I've just near fainted into a cerebral anoxic coma by blowing up my air mattress, which is the subject of a separate thread I also started today.

 

[Bob B.]

I use a canvas sack that I tump. When camp is set up, it is mostly empty, sans a few clothes. This is what I use as a pillow. It is not great but it is good enough. I am usually so tired when on a trip I could likely sleep on a bed of nails anyway.

 

[Patrick Corry]

Nemo Fillo; air bladder with foam on one side and a removable, washable flannel outer. Also has a lace cord arrangement on the back side to allow adding a folded jacket or other garment to add height, presumably for side sleepers. Very comfortable and packs relatively small.

Fillo™ Backpacking & Camping Pillow

Our award-winning Fillo™ backpacking & camping pillow brings clever design to an often-overlooked piece of gear: the humble pillow. To create a camping pillow worthy of its weight, we designed the interior with a baffled air cell to help it retain shape, then covered it with a thick layer of...

www.nemoequipment.com

 

[kahel]

Since I have some neck vertebrae stiffened with titanium ... I also have a pillow with me. It was a normal down pillow, the kind you usually use in bed. Until I split it in half.

One is in my bed and I take the other half out with me.
A pillow like this is the be-all and end-all for me. Never again without it!
And when it's cold outside, I also take a hot water bottle for my neck in my sleeping bag ...

 

[Mason]

I use clothes in a large stuff sack, whatever is not on my body. However, I usually take a down jacket (light weight on short summer trips, beefier on longer northern trips), and I arrange it in the stuff bag, flattish, so all the down is on one side for my head. Makes all the lumps and stiffness go away (in the pillow, not my body).

 

[Pinecones]

I used to sleep on a lumpy clothes-filled bag until I bought a small inflatable pillow. It packs down to the size of a bar of soap. Takes 10 sec. to inflate -- I don't inflate it fully, so there's some cushioning. I made a custom zippered fleece pillowcase for it. I wrap the pillow in a shirt for some extra softness and insert it into the pillowcase. Always sleep very well with this.

 

[scratchypants]

I have a Thermarest Compressible Pillow Cinch in "Fun Guy" livery. Worth well over its weight in gold, in my opinion.

 

[Alan Gage]

I've never felt the need for a pillow in my hammock. The angle just seems right.

I've used rolled up clothes or a jacket on my sleeping pad but they're not all that comfy. Surprisingly I've found I can be quite comfortable on my air mattress with no pillow at all. It doesn't seem like it should work, and I don't know why it does, but it does.

Alan

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I've found I can be quite comfortable on my air mattress with no pillow at all.

Some of this depends on sleep position. When I was a back or stomach sleeper, I wouldn't necessarily need a pillow. Now that I'm a side sleeper, I do.

 

[Cheeseandbeans]

I have a Thermarest Compressible Pillow Cinch

Same. Love it.

Bob

 

[snapper]

When in my hammock I just fold up my Appalachian Trail Co. alpaca hoodie and slide it under my head/neck area. When on the ground, or in a lean-to, I use a Sea-to-Summit pillow. Sometimes I add the hoodie on top of that since I like the feel of the alpaca against my face when sleeping.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[recped]

I use a Thermarest pillow case that I bought 30+ years ago. It is stuffed with a (cheap) down throw from Costco. It goes in the same compression sac as my sleeping bag. For additional comfort I will add my Patagonia down "sweater".

The pillow is just the right size to fit snugly in the hood of my down bag which keeps it positioned correctly through the night.

 

[Johnny 5]

My current favorite camping pillow is the Trekology Aluft Pro .

 

[Jmharrick]

I have a Thermarest Compressible Pillow Cinch in "Fun Guy" livery. Worth well over its weight in gold, in my opinion.

I have this same type of pillow and have used it for tripping, backpacking, and regular camping for the last several years. It’s filled with small pieces of foam that compress when you roll it up and cinch the drawstring. It doesn’t pack ultra small but it’s small enough for me. It takes a little while to fully decompress but gives me enough support. I’m mostly a back sleeper.

 

[Alan Gage]

Some of this depends on sleep position. When I was a back or stomach sleeper, I wouldn't necessarily need a pillow. Now that I'm a side sleeper, I do.

The odd thing is that I am a side sleeper. And I have a fairly stiff neck. Again, I have no idea how it works as I don't think I could sleep on my mattress at home without a pillow. Maybe it's just because in comparison it feels better than a lumpy jacket.

Alan

 

[Pseudonym]

The key to my pillow system is a fleece lined stuff sack for my sleeping bag. I turn it inside out and place both a small camping pillow and an extra sweater into the fleece sack. The sweater adds some bulk to elevate my head and the softer camp pillow rests on top of the sweater to ensconce my head and even out any lumps. The fleece stuff sack keeps the assembly together over the course of the night and feels nice on my face. For side sleeping, it's a game changer.

I have no idea where I got the fleece lined stuff sack. It just sort of turned up one day and I'm thankful for whoever thought it up.

Like @Alan Gage, in my hammock I don't find the need for a pillow.

 

[Robin]

I just use my clean spare clothes in a nylon sack, which I cover with a fleece jacket.

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

Most recently, I've used an all-air pillow with no foam—I forget which brand—which gives good support, is extremely light, packs down tiny, and is okay but sort of weird-feeling for comfort.

My current favorite camping pillow is the Trekology Aluft Pro .

That's what I use too. I had a Nemo Fillo which was comfortable until the plastic bladder degraded to a point where it developed a crinkling sound which was too loud to allow a restful sleep. (This is for tent/air mattress use. In the hammock I agree with Alan - no need for a pillow.)

 

[ScottS]

Rolled up wad of clothing.

 

[Patrick Corry]

In a related vein... how do you keep your pillow in place through the night?

I slide a t shirt over the top of my sleeping pad, then slide the pillow under the t shirt. It keeps the pillow right where I want it regardless of whether i am in a hooded sleeping bag or a backpacking quilt which I prefer for any camping above freezing temperatures.