very small air pillow

[John Eyles]

I'm a boney-shouldered side sleeper, so I'm high-maintenance when it comes to pillows. I'm trying to work on that. So I'm down to using FroggToggs in sleeping-bag stuffsack for my head, spare clothes bag as a "huggy"(laugh if you need to), and some sort of air pillow for between the knees. But all the air pillows – from BA, Exped, etc – are nice and light, but too bulky to cram down between your knees inside a sleeping bag. I want something about the size of a Nalgene bottle (but flatter). I've even tried disposable ambulance pillows (too big). A gallon, or maybe even a quart, ziploc would be great if it held air a little better.

[Hudson Farris]

antigravity gear sells the flex air ul pillows that i use for exactly the same purpose. they're also very cheap at 12 bucks for 3 of them and come in at right under an ounce a piece. Here is a youtube link that one of the members here at bpl posted about them. Hard to go wrong with these IMO.

[Don A.]

Did you try the small size FlexAir pillow? Just inflate part way. They are about 6"x12" fully inflated. They can be make smaller by cutting and sealing with an iron.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271502527623?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

[Joel Benford]

I also have shoulders, unlike these people who like heavy expensive thin pillows, and I too use the Anti Gravity Gear pillows. Them're good.

[John Eyles]

I have the FlexAir, that's what I meant by the disposable ambulance kind. But it looks to me like the small size you linked is more like 12×14", too big for cramming down between your knees (makes things way to tight in the sleeping bag).

Can someone say a little more about how to reduce the size (by cutting and sealing) ?

[Aaron Sorensen]

I switched my entire pad set up to have a better pillow with this chopped Klymit 8 ouncer.

.

[John Eyles]

Uh, and a link would be …

[Don A.]

The small size is 10.5 x 14.5 delated and of course smaller in the width and length depending on how much it's inflated.
I quickly did a cut and seal using the edge of a regular iron to creat a mini pillow. I suspect a vacuum sealer could be made to work also. The shot of the two pillows together is large size and the cut down version.
I seem to remember a thread about sealing the pillows when FlexAir stopped making their dual chamber pillow.
DISCLOSURE: Before I get in trouble I must disclose I'm the one selling the pillows on eBay. So here is the sale as required–just send a note that you're a BPL member if you order 2 and I'll throw in an extra of what ever size you order. I guess that makes it 3 for 2 sale.

[Don A.]

I fired up my vacuum sealer to see what it would do. Seems to work pretty well. I had to make sure I waited long enough for the seal to cool down. The inflated size is one is 3.5 x 8.5. Weighs 7gr with the straw.

[Don A.]

The last post-time to do what I should be doing. I decided to test the strengh of the seal done on the vacuum sealer so I sat on the weenie pillow until it lost air. It surprized me that I had to bounce a bit to get it to deflate. It failed at the factory made seal so it seems the vacuum sealer would do the job.

[Ken Thompson]

Knee pad? Aaron. pillow for the knees.

[J R]

Don wrote:
"DISCLOSURE: Before I get in trouble I must disclose I'm the one selling the pillows on eBay. So here is the sale as required–just send a note that you're a BPL member if you order 2 and I'll throw in an extra of what ever size you order. I guess that makes it 3 for 2 sale."

Thanks for the offer. I see more than one seller of these pillows on eBay, which one are you?

[Don A.]

Large Pillows:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FlexAir-Inflatable-Pillow-Ultralight-Backpacking-Travel-Medical-New-Large-Size-/271535030493?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f38bfc0dd

Small Pillows:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FlexAir-Inflatable-Pillow-Ultralight-Backpacking-Travel-Medical-New-Small-Size-/271502527623?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f36cfcc87

[George Summers]

I use 2 cheer sticks as in a stuff sack as pillow and just tried putting one in the smallest cuben stuff sack i have, totalling 7 grams. Choose stuff sack accordingly.

[John Eyles]

I'd buy one of those weenie ones from you if I had time. I guess I'll try to make one myself (I already have a FlexAir) using an iron.

[John Eyles]

I managed to make a smaller one, from an old FlexAir I had lying around, using an iron. Not too hard. At first, the material stuck to the iron, making a gooey mess on the iron and ripping the material away when I lifted the iron – no good. I then used a paper towel between the iron and the pillow, and it worked fine; a little paper stuck to the the material when I tried to pull it away, but no biggy. I thought it was leaking at first, but it turned out to be the "valve"; I didn't understand you need to give it a little encouragement to seal up tight (by pressing it together and rubbing your finger across it, and some moisture seems to help).

I'll bring it on forthcoming trip, but also my Exped UL as backup; the Exped is fine, but as I said, just too bulky to really want to be jamming it down between your knees in the tight confines of a mummy bag.

[Don A.]

"DISCLOSURE: Before I get in trouble I must disclose I'm the one selling the pillows on eBay. So here is the sale as required–just send a note that you're a BPL member if you order 2 and I'll throw in an extra of what ever size you order. I guess that makes it 3 for 2 sale."

Regarding my statement above, I'm leaving on Fri 5/1 for an extended hike so I'll have to pull my eBay listings for the FlexAir Pillows. I'll be returning about 5/25 and will renew the listings. I will continue to offer the 3 for 2 sale for BPL members. If anyone wants to make a last minute order do it tomorrow by about 6pm PST.

[Michael Ray]

I use a 2L Platypus (with or without water) for my head. You could use a 1 L or 1/2 L Platy/Sawyer/etc for between the knees. Dual use, too. ;)

[J R]

Don, I ordered from you on Sunday and got a shipping confirmation same day, so I assume all is on order there. Thanks! And safe travels.

[John Eyles]

Well, I took my DIY (with an iron) reduced size FlexAir (for use as a knee pillow) on recent trip, and it worked ok the first night or two, but then got where it wouldn't hold air for more than an hour or so. I guess my DIY seam failed. Maybe I'll see if Don'll make me one when he returns.

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