Do you pack a pillow?

[Gordon Gray]

I have currently been using a pant leg and stuffing my down jacket and other items inside to create a pillow that doesn't take up any space or add any additional weight to my load. It works, but could definately be improved. I am thinking about getting the Sierra Designs Dridown Pillow. I found it for $36 incl shipping online. Can anyone suggest a better option? I don't mind an extra 5 or so oz for the potential comfort it could add to my nights rest. Thanks!

http://www.sierradesigns.com/product/dridown-pillow

[Dale Wambaugh]

Yeah! The Coccoon pillows are great, with both polyester fill and air and microfleece or smooth surface. The stuffed pillows dont give me enough support.

[Andrew U]

I use a 5L sil stuff sack filled with 7 or 8 partially inflated sandwich Ziplocks. Weighs 0.95 ounces on my scale. Incredibly comfortable and very warm if placed on top of a sleeping pad.

Doesn't get any lighter or cheaper than that. Had almost as profound an effect on my camping experience as did the first time I used a cat food stove.

[David Halterman]

Fan of the Montbell UL pillow here. Light, cheap(ish), durable, comfortable. Good rest is crucial, and for my side/back sleeps it fits the bill. It's my one luxury item.

[Hugh Oliveto]

Sea to Summit Aeros in reg size.

https://www.rei.com/product/866772/sea-to-summit-aeros-ultralight-pillow

Small enough to stay in place, but thick enough to keep my neck from kinking. Only 2 oz.

[Terry G]

I like my cocoon air-core pillow. 2.5 oz and reasonable comfortable for this side and back sleeper.

http://www.rei.com/product/799192/cocoon-air-core-hyperlite-pillow

[Jim C]

I started out not bringing a pillow, and either sleeping flat on the pad, using a down jacket stuffed in its hood, or a stuff sack with extra clothes. None of these were very comfortable. The down jacket is too small, and now that I've switched to a hoodless quilt, I want to wear it on cold nights. The stuff sack was too firm when stuffed with pants and a shirt, and the round shape was not very comfortable. Plus, I've learned the lesson surely most people here have learned, and that is, that I simply don't need to bring extra clothes, so there's not much to stuff in there.

I also used a Therm-a-rest compressible pillow, which is comfortable for car camping or short hikes, but it's too heavy and especially, too bulky, for me to take backpacking.

Then I tried the Exped UL pillow, which is very light, but I just can't get comfortable on it. My son and fiancée, however, like theres and seem to find them plenty comfortable when inflated about half way.

On a recent trip (three nights), I took along a Zpacks pillow sack. During the hike, I had it stuffed with our light weight down jackets; I would have put these in a dry sack anyway, so this didn't add much weight. Then at camp, I turned it inside out so the plush face is on the outside, and stuff it with clothes. It is rectangular in shape, and this makes it much more comfortable and pillow like than cylindrical stuff sacks. The plush surface is also very comfortable.

On this particular trip, it worked, and was easily the most comfortable camping pillow I've used (maybe tied with the Thermarest). It worked because I was able to use all three of our light down jackets to stuff it, since it was a warm spring trip and none of us needed those jackets while we slept, and because the other two are content with their Exped pillows. But using just my own clothes, I don't think it would have had sufficient stuffing.

So, the Zpacks pillow sack is my favorite so far, but I'm not so sure how practical it will be on a solo trip, or when it's cool enough that my hiking partners won't be willing to sacrifice their jackets for my comfort. Thus, my search for a pillow that works for me may need to continue. I have a feeling inflatable is the way to go, but I need to find the one that's right for me. In truth, I'll stick with my Exped for now.

[Jennifer Mitol]

I have been a big fan of the Exped UL with the goosefeet pillowcase (luxury!) but a friend of mine just gave me the aeros pillow from STS as a trip gift and I have to say…I may actually start using that instead! It seems to be somewhat STRETCY, which means there's a lot of give to the pillow when you move around on it. It's an interesting feel – and because of the soft hand to the material you don't need any kind of cover to it – so even lighter!

anyway – might want to give it a shot. I'm pretty impressed so far!

[Ken Bennett]

My wife loves her Coccoon pillow. Me, I'm partial to my Zpacks stuff sack with the microfleece liner – turn it inside out, put some clothing inside, instant pillow. (Yes, I do have spare clothing when I sleep, unless it is so cold that I need my down parka inside my bag.)

[Dave Ayers]

I carry a sit pad (thermarest lite seat 3.5 oz) and stuff that inside my pillow cover (older style thermarest 1.9 oz). I supplement that with some clothing under the sit pad. I really like having an inflatable to adjust the softness.

[Charles Grier]

No, I use a sleeping bag stuff sack as a pillow. I fill it with whatever clothes m not wearing and then use my trail shoes to make adjustments in the "pillow" height. It works OK mostly but sometimes I wake up with a stiff neck. Advantages: cheap, light and multiple-use. Disadvantages: sometimes I am wearing enough clothes at night that there are not enough left to make a pillow, if my shoes are wet it can be unpleasant and on occasion the clothing stuffing can be lumpy and uncomfortable. "What can't be cured must be endured".

[Charley White]

Stuff a Buff. Ideal is when I have my Montbell Thermawrap available. Buff feels as good against your cheek as it does vs your neck. It's elasticity holds loose goods loosely and well in a regular shape. But a pillow is in my future. I mean, why do I lavish my body and not my head?

[James Marco]

I am with Charles. I never pack a pillow. I use my sleeping bag sack and a sit-lite pad. The pad is from Gossamer Gear, about 1.75oz. It doubles as backpack padding. For small packs, around 2200ci, I usually empty the pack and roll it up inside the pad. If I have a larger pack, I carry a heavier pad, usually 3-5 layers of sit-lite or night-lite. I just use the pad. For, UL-through hikes, I don't carry the extra weight of a NeoAir, so I make do the same as Charles.

[Don Burton]

Big Sky Dreamsleeper

I love this pillow. It's huge. I side and back sleep. 1.8oz. They're on sale on mass drop right now for $13.99. I'm actually going to buy another. Packs super tiny. I've tried most of the non-pillow methods (stuff sack, backpack, jacket, nothing…) and find them all pretty miserable. I always sleep poorly and wake with a sore neck. Not worth saving 2-3oz.

[Tim Zen]

I used to, but then I trained myself to sleep at home without one and now don't pack a pillow anymore.

[J R]

I use a Monkey Pillow pillowcase, size large, has elastic straps to hold it to the sleeping pad and one side is a soft fuzzy fleece-like material against my face. Inside I put a large FlexAir (disposable hospital) pillow, inflated only about halfway. That provides the basic lift and support, then for cushy comfort I stuff my down puffy inside on top. This gives my the largest backpacking pillow I've seen out there (about 20" wide), very comfortable, for about 2.9 extra ounces. And the combo costs less than the brand-name inflatable pillows. I don't usually wear my down puffy to sleep but if I need to I still have enough of a pillow with just the FlexAir to prop my head up.

[Katherine .]

I need 3 for side sleeping, one between the knees and two for the head.

Current combo is:
Head: Klymt X + fleece case filled with hiking pants
Knees: stuff sack from shelter filled with whatever's left, FAK, dry rain pants etc.

Like the Kylmt X — certainly better than no pillow. I'm very curious to try out other pillow options.

[Hugh Oliveto]

I am also a side sleeper. I had a Exped XL for my head and the Sea to Summit Aeros for between my knees.

The Exped wanted slide out toward the top of my head, so I tried the Aeros for my head and Exped between my knees.

The Aeros stayed in place better. I'm not sure if it is the size or the fabric. The Exped is too big between my knees, so I went without a pillow there.

I may find a smaller second pillow for my knees, or give nothing a try for my next trip, but the Aeros is my new head pillow.

I'll keep the Exped as a spare or when my daughter goes with me.

Hugh

[Don A.]

I pack two pillows. Both are the cheap Graham FlexAir's, one in the large size and one small. I don't usually carry extra stuff so I don't have anything to fill a stuff sack. The pillows go in my empty pack at my head and give me variety of pillow positions depending how I arrange them in the pack. I often read at night so I can fully inflate the pillows to give me a comfortable reading position and the deflate them a bit for sleeping, or not as the mood strikes me. 1.56oz total if anyone cares about such things.

[Tommy Nelson]

I love my Exped UL, like Jennifer…and have a Goosefeet Gear down pillowcase. I would call Ben at Goosefeet Gear; if he doesn't answer he will call back. He is a super nice guy, and he will listen to your specific sleeping style and what you're looking for, and then make a suggestion as to what might work. He *might* even have something in stock for you, although no promises. Seriously, he saved my ass (I mean head) on a trip and got me sorted out, and I'm a picky side-sleeper.

[michael levi]

An air pillow is a light way to get the height up. Then for a little more stuff with extra clothing.

I just got a marmot cumulus and it come's with a nice fleece case that has padding. This helps even out clothing you might put inside.
Putting something inside on top that is soft like a down jacket would reallyyy help because the air pillow itself is kinda hard even deflated slightly.

[Paul McLaughlin]

Michael – if you have a scale, could you weight just the pillow without the cover? Thanks!

[Gregory Stein]

Some 15 years ago I realized that I start to sleep with a pillow and then just throw it at night. I switched to pillowless nights and never looked back. Sometimes I do put something under my head to accommodate the height loss on non ideal campsites.
Sleep preference is changeable. I slept on thin ccf pad at home for some time to tolerate it on a hike. This is just a matter of your will if you don't have any health limitations.

[J C]

I use a 150g piece of cheap memory foam. Packs fairly small (<1L) and feels like a real pillow.

[Tipi Walter]

My pillow is a lightweight WM down jacket (meltdown) inside a silk homemade pillow case (made from an old silk t-shirt with the neck sewn shut and the arms cut off and sewn shut. See white thing in below picture. (Ignore the malfunctioning Thermarest).

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