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Pillow woes


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Viewing 25 posts - 26 through 50 (of 58 total)
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  • #1625348
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    Simon,

    I use a setup similar to yours but I do use the big agnes air core inflatable pillow topped with an arrowhead equipment bear pillow. It works great for me as a side sleeper also.

    I have considered using a montbell down inner jacket in place of the AE pillow to save weight when I am not needing it for extra warmth in my sleeping bag

    #1636252
    Zack Freije
    BPL Member

    @oldskool

    Locale: Ohio

    I have decided just can't sleep on an inflatable pillow.

    I'm looking for a high fill down pillow. I'd be happy to request a custom pillow, but so far, I haven't found anything.

    Where do you suggest I look for a custom down pillow?

    #1636267
    Charlie Schaezlein
    Member

    @cschaez

    Locale: Orange County

    I'm not exactly objective here, but give the WM cloudrest a shot. If you're in Cincinatti, you're probably pretty close to ea WM dealer. Give one a call, see if you can head out and actually pick one up before buying. A little heavier than you're looking for, but its comfy as hell (or at least mine is). Also, if its really an issue, you can cut off the attached stuff sac to save some weight.

    Edit: stupid spelling/punctuation

    #1666715
    Mark Ryan
    Member

    @sixguns01

    Locale: Somewhere. Probably lost.

    Think the subject line says it best. I'm a stomach sleeper and looking for a pillow. At home I use a thin pillow and usually sleep on my arms croosed under my head anyway. Clothing stuff sack not doing it anymore. Have read the Cocoon Down pillow squishes to much for back sleepers but may work for me. Also the Cocoon Hyperlite seems that it may work.

    Any experiences out there?

    Tangent- What's with the discrimination toward Stomach Sleepers? Where's my awesome sleeping bag?

    #1666730
    Brian Camprini
    BPL Member

    @bcamprini

    Locale: Southern Appalachians

    I got a Feathered Friends pillow for my son to use in the car and he discovered a cool way to make it thinner or thicker. If you prefer the pillow thinner, you can just pull the stuff sack out and push some of the down out of the pillow. To go thicker, the built-in stuff sack can by pushed inside of the pillow (so it's like a giant down mitten) and you can stuff items inside of it. Whatever you stuff in there is still covered with tons of down and an Epic shell so it's not lumpy. Pretty brilliant design.ff pillow

    #1738390
    Kari Post
    BPL Member

    @karipost

    Locale: New Hampshire

    Have it… hate it… it just compresses under my head like there is nothing there at all

    I'd be happy to find it a new home

    #1738400
    William Cummings
    Member

    @rcummings1

    Locale: Colorado

    I have the exact Cocoon Down Pillow that you speak of and I, like Kari, hate it. I went through a half dozen plus pillows before I gave up and removed all my requirements of it needs to be this, and it needs to be that. It only needs to be comfortable. Period. I wanted to try a Nemo Fillow but couldnt find one I could look at. I wasn't buying any more pillows sight unseen. My next to last pillow was the Exped red pillow, good and almost made the cut but not tall enough for me as a side sleeper. I finally found comfort in the Green Exped Comfort pillow I found at REI. It weighs over 10 oz's but I don't care anymore. No more pain in my neck waking me up at 4AM. It's comfortable.

    That being said, PM me if you want the Cocoon Travel Down Pillow. Pay shipping and it's yours or anyone else that wants it.

    #1738433
    Justin R
    Spectator

    @5150bronco

    Locale: Bay Area, Ca.

    Looks like reading everything….montbell U.L. is the winner.

    Any other suggestions for Ultra light and for a side sleeper?

    Right now, I use the REI trekker pillow case, but stuffing it is not always the best available option.

    #1738439
    Rog Tallbloke
    BPL Member

    @tallbloke

    Locale: DON'T LOOK DOWN!!

    I use a 1oz inflatable pillow from my local pound store. Flock finish is nice. Tears easy, but only a dollar fifty to replace if the sticky tape fails, so who cares.

    #1738448
    Nate Davis
    BPL Member

    @knaight

    Locale: Western Massachusetts

    This may sound weird, but sometimes I'll just sleep on one of my trailrunners as long as it's not covered in mud. Plenty of support, somewhat soft, doesn't make any noise, and doesn't weigh a thing.

    I've also tried inflating a 1 liter platypus bottle. It's comfortable, but a bit noisy and easy to roll off of.

    Mostly I just use whatever clothing I'm not wearing.

    #1738478
    Randy Martin
    BPL Member

    @randalmartin

    Locale: Colorado

    I like that it has a higher and lower side and that it has a brushed side and a smooth side. I am a side sleeper and it has plenty of height. Only down side of the air pillows is they can move around on you but that can be remedied somewhat by wrapping it in piece of clothing.

    #1738480
    Joseph Ainsworth
    Spectator

    @jainsworth123

    Locale: Greater LA area

    I tried this and while sleeping directly on the shoe wasn't great, I found the putting both shoes (the tongue side) under the mat, it gave a nice curved raise to the mat. With a neo air it seemed to work pretty well.

    #1738487
    Ben Wortman
    BPL Member

    @bwortman

    Locale: Nebraska

    +1 for the mont bell. I use it with a Big Agnes IAC pad. I sewed a couple of bungie cord loops to the pad on the outer edge of the pad and then attached a few small plastic hooks that can clip into the mont bell pillow at its corner holes. This has worked extreamly well so far. It keeps the pillow in place without having to put it inside the hood of my bag.

    #1870905
    Melinda Turner
    BPL Member

    @graceinspace

    Locale: Illawarra

    Empty 4 litre wine bladder blown up / 34 grams
    Also use it to carry water and add flotation to pack when swimming rivers!
    Cost = $0
    (But be careful when you use it as a pillow and a water bladder at the same time!)

    #1870911
    Chris Irwin
    Member

    @chris-89

    I know this is an old thread, but I find that most inflatable pillows become a lot more comfortable if you only half inflate them.

    I have a trekmates inflatable pillow, which comes with a nice soft pillow case with a bit of cushioning on the top. If I inflate it as much as it can go, it has a more rounded shape and is very stiff, not comfortable at all. However, if I only half inflate it, it becomes a lot softer and has more give in the cushion.

    #1870919
    Craig
    BPL Member

    @skeets

    Locale: Australia

    the BPL pillow is a luxury to me when I think of the years of using my jumper when I was young. each to their own, I guess. I'm just happy to be out, and warm and dry at night is as much I want most of the time.
    all the best
    craig

    #1870932
    josh wagner
    Member

    @stainlesssteel

    an all down pillow will not work for you as described. like others, it just compresses too much and doesn't work. what WOULD work for your situation is something I think goosefeet did awhile ago. a half down/half pouch pillow that you could fill with anything you want. i think an inflatable pillow inflated about halfway would be perfect. then the down on top would provide the bit of luxury you're after…

    oh here it is:

    https://goosefeetgear.com/products/3-down-pillows

    you want the 'stuffsack model'

    #1871021
    Steve B
    BPL Member

    @geokite

    Locale: Southern California

    Compression is the key. I have a FF down vest; packed into a buff, then turn the buff sideways into another buff, perfect for side sleeping. Soft yet firm. Amazing pillow. Terrible height for back sleeping.
    Key is having the right size stuff sack for your down item, be it a buff or whatever. Get some fine fleece from Joanns and experiment with different size stuff sacks (or whatever) to compress the down item to the right firmness/size. My FF down jacket would need a larger "container" to get the right height/firmness. Guess you could experiment with plastic bags, tying off as you go, instead of sewing until you get the right firmness.

    Air pillows: In a single chamber air pillows the air just moves from side to side as your head adjusts. Instead, use two air pillows in your favorite covering (stuff sack, fleece stuff sack, etc). Your head will be cradled.

    But air isn't soft. At least not at the pressure our head is going exert on it (or our body when in a pad). Air just moves around, equalizing pressure on the inside. So add some clothing (like a rain jacket) on top.

    Air pads are great to support our bodies from the ground, but are not really soft. Foam pads are soft, as they compress when pressure is applied. Down is soft, as it compresses when pressure is applied. Air is hard. If contained in volume, it doesn't compress very much when pressure is applied.

    Steve

    #1871033
    Erik Dietz
    BPL Member

    @erikdtz

    I didn't read all the posts so maybe somebody already mentioned this but I got a GooseFeet pillow with about 1oz of overfill and it's worked great for me. They also have the option of a sleeve sewn in so you can fill it with extra clothes if you need it bigger.

    #1871035
    Link .
    BPL Member

    @annapurna

    ^^two posts up^^

    #1871072
    Donna C
    BPL Member

    @leadfoot

    Locale: Middle Virginia

    I just took an old bed pillow that I liked but didn't use and cut it to the size I wanted and sewed it back up. It works just fine and packs nicely.

    #1871079
    Daniel Cox
    BPL Member

    @cohiker

    Locale: San Isabel NF

    Every pillow I've ever tried to take backpacking has failed me miserably- air, filled, foam, doesn't matter.

    My boots laid sideways (as if in a shoebox) and placed under my air pad fails slightly less, so that's what I've settled on. If my boots are muddy or wet, I use a stuff-sack, or my pack liner and cram everything I have into it, then it goes under my pad.

    #1880142
    Steve B
    BPL Member

    @geokite

    Locale: Southern California

    Ingredients:

    Flexair pillow, 2
    Thermarest pillow case (either travel version or ultralight version, they are the same size)
    Down garmet or soft clothes
    Vacuum sealer, like used for food storage bags

    Method:

    Seal and cut in half the Flexair pillows to 7×10" in size. Be sure to cut off the side without the valve :)
    Place these on the bottom of the pillow case, and your clothes on top. The squarish nature of the Flexair pillows keeps them from coming out through the fold entry of the pillow case, and their size is perfect for the pillow. Having two cradles your head. A down sweater/jacket adds cushion. Flexair pillows can be inflated/deflated to adjust height.

    Weight:

    Each Flexair pillow cut in half is 0.3oz, and the pillow case is either 2.2oz or 1oz.
    So total weight is either 1.6oz or 2.8oz, depending on which pillow case you go for. Or make your own out of lighter material.

    Cost:
    2 Flexair pillows $3.50 plus shipping, http://www.jacksrbetter.com/Pillow.htm
    Pillow case: about $15 plus shipping

    Space in pack: Very flat…

    Steve

    #1880209
    Piney
    BPL Member

    @drewjh-2

    I have the Nemo Fillo which is super comfy but super heavy. I am going to try a system similar to Steve's – combining a Montbell air pillow with my Montbell Thermawrap vest and a custom 1 oz pillow case.

    #1880212
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    I am using something similar to what you describe Stephen and I agree that it works well! My substitute is a Big Agnes inflatable pillow with the thermarest pillow cover and my down vest or jacket. Weighs more but I use the BA as a seat cushion as well

Viewing 25 posts - 26 through 50 (of 58 total)
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