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Inflatable pillow?


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  • #1225929
    Brett Peugh
    BPL Member

    @bpeugh

    Locale: Midwest

    I am a side sleeper and have found that by my becoming lightweight that the clothes pile I used to use as a pillow is not meeting its need anymore by becoming to small to support my head properly. Is there any inflatable pillows out there anyone would suggest that inflate to 4-6" and are pretty lightweight? Thank you.

    #1409878
    John Haley
    Member

    @quoddy

    Locale: New York/Vermont Border

    Check out the FlexAir Pillows in the BPL Gear Shop under Sleeping. I've been using the small version and keeping it underinflated.

    Large Version:
    http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/flexair_plus_ultralight_pillow.html

    #1409881
    Steven Evans
    BPL Member

    @steve_evans

    Locale: Canada

    I bought this one a few months back, and it is fantastic. It is very large, and has a dimple in the middle for your head to rest in. If you have a MB pad, the pillow attaches to it and keeps it from scooting out from below your head. The setup really is quite comfortable. I think my pillow comes in at about 2.4 oz.

    http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=33&p_id=1124290

    #1409882
    Michael Davis
    Member

    @mad777

    Locale: South Florida

    Brett,

    I love the Montbell. I'm a side sleeper also. It's sized right. It has internal baffles to give it a pillow shape as opposed to baloon shape and it stays under your head at night instead of squirting out.

    http://www.montbell.us/products/list.php

    #1409886
    Dale Wambaugh
    BPL Member

    @dwambaugh

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    One of my round-to-it projects is to adapt the Mont Bell pillow to use with other pads using Velcro to attach to my pad or perhaps a fabric "tail" to just tuck under my pad to keep it from getting away in the dark.

    One thing for sure– a pillow made all the difference for me sleeping on the ground. I sleep warm and I don't need a lot of padding other than protection from sharp lumps and cold, but getting my head propped up to the right angle turned my shelter into the Hilton :)

    #1409904
    Brett .
    Member

    @brett1234

    Locale: CA

    Brett, another vote for the Montbell. It has toggles you can use to attach to your mattress, or attach as designed to the Montbell mats. It is asymetric. One side has a notch for your head so it will stay centered through the night, as the pillow stays attached to the mat through the night. Expensive but worth it in my mind.

    #1409906
    Mark Hurd
    BPL Member

    @markhurd

    Locale: Willamette Valley

    Brett P.

    I started out with the FlexAir small pillow then switched to the FlexAir Large pillow available here at BPL. I used it for about a year, but then moved to the MontBell like a lot of folks. The FlexAir only weighs 1 oz whereas the MB is about 2.4 oz, but as Brett above and others have noted if you integrate it with an MB sleeping pad it is a great combo. Even if you don't the MB pillow is thicker than than the FlexAir and "sculpted" better to cradle you head than the FlexAir. The FlexAir, however, is cheaper and lighter, and reasonably durable. Can't go wrong with either one.

    -Mark

    #1409915
    EndoftheTrail
    BPL Member

    @ben2world-2

    Cheap, light, but just OK comfy – BPL Flex Air pillow (comes in two sizes).

    Cheap as heck, not so light (6 oz) but really comfy – REI Entex pillow

    Expensive, but very light and comfy – aforementioned MontBell pillow

    #1409916
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    nm

    #1409923
    David Wills
    Member

    @willspower3

    Im usually a side sleeper and found that a bag or stack of clothes on top of my shoes makes for a good pillow. I prefer a bag though for dirt protection.

    #1409941
    Dane Ward
    Member

    @tagless

    Locale: Southeast

    I would be very interested in hearing more about adopting the MB pillow to other pads. I've been toying with options for doing this as well.

    On a side note, I've tried number of lightweight backpack pillows in my quest for a goods night's sleep and like the MB the most. I insert it in a t-shirt as a means of having a pillow cover.

    #1409958
    Dondo .
    BPL Member

    @dondo

    Locale: Colorado Rockies

    >>I would be very interested in hearing more about adopting the MB pillow to other pads. I've been toying with options for doing this as well.

    It's pretty easy to do. For my closed- cell pads, I just lined up the pillow with the pad and made small slits in the pad which correspond to the toggles on the pillow.

    For my Thermarest UL pads, I punched holes in the corners of the pad to fit the toggles. Be careful to not damage the inflatable part of the pad.

    #1409959
    Einstein X
    BPL Member

    @einsteinx

    Locale: The Netherlands

    Brett,

    If like many UL hikers you carry two platypusses, you could fill one with water for the night and morning and you could use the other as a pillow.

    Just a thought,

    Eins

    #1409960
    douglas girling
    BPL Member

    @dgirling

    Locale: Adirondacks

    I love the BPL inflatables. I use the larger size.
    I've sewn a loop of noseeum mesh at the head of my inflatable pad (about 10 inches wide) and big enough to fit the pillow in (and a tshirt if needed) Everything stays in place wonderfully during the night. Very comfortable.

    #1409964
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I too am a side sleeper and have lost my usually head support since migrating to lightweight gear. I used the BPL double inflatable pillow this past summer on my JMT hike and found it to be an aggravation when attempting to pack it up after it’s first use. The main difficulty for me was deflating the pillow in the morning when packing up. Never could get all of the air out and finally split it open with a knife so I could fold it up and insert it into pack. This may be a personal problem peculiar only to me. Also had trouble keeping track of the straw used to inflate and deflate. This pillow otherwise seemed durable and was comfortable during it’s brief, one-night use. Beside comfort, this pillow is attractively priced.

    #1410029
    David Lewis
    BPL Member

    @davidlewis

    Locale: Nova Scotia, Canada

    The MEC makes a nice little down pillow. It's not inflatable… but it compresses very small… and it's very small… so it doesn't weigh much. Mine is packed away right now and the site doesn't list the weight… but I recall it being in the 4 oz range… maybe 5. But it's a REAL pillow. Small… but real. I love mine… tho' I still may buy that Montbell.

    http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442507479&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302883030&bmUID=1195910884425

    #1410066
    Mitchell Keil
    Member

    @mitchellkeil

    Locale: Deep in the OC

    I have been using a Cocoon Aircore travel pillow for about 6 months and love it. It is a 13"x17" inflatable pillow surrounded by an envelope of synthetic down. Deflates and packs up at about 4"x5" and weighs about 6 oz. Yes, it is not the lightest solution but when I blow this puppy up and lay my tired head down on it, I really don't care that it is 2 or 3 oz heavier than other pillow choices. I have had the best night's sleep on this pillow that I have ever had in the wilderness. Cocoon also makes an all down and an all primaloft pillow which are lighter and compress a bit more, but they are more expensive.

    #1410079
    Brett Peugh
    BPL Member

    @bpeugh

    Locale: Midwest

    It seems that the Montbell is out of stock but I don't think it would work that well anyways as I would need more like 6". Home durable are the Flexairs?

    #1410095
    Mark Hurd
    BPL Member

    @markhurd

    Locale: Willamette Valley

    I used the same FlexAir pillow for a year (about 30 to 40 nights) and it was still going strong. They are made to be disposable, but are quite tough and if you take care of them they could last several years. You get 3 of them if you buy 'em from BPL. I recommend the large with two tubes- more comfortable.

    -Mark

    P.S. Montbell is available HERE

    #1410100
    Mike Barney
    Member

    @eaglemb

    Locale: AZ, the Great Southwest!

    I had a similar experience, they seem to last some time (at least weeks) each. I also agree on the double tube vs. the single pillow, much more comfortable and stable.

    #1410181
    Dr Andrew Allan
    Member

    @mathouramedical

    Locale: Melbourne

    I am a side sleeper, and have tried a MB pillow, and although it looked great, I haven't found it that comfy. The flexair pillows are too thin.

    The best, and perhaps ultimate, pillow I have had to date is a 50l Wtex drybag (the 25l one is just a little small), which is as close to a home pillow as you can get, and also doubles as a dry bag, and/or a rucksack, if you get the BPL conversion, and second to this was a partially inflated 10l "wine cask", with something over it to stop your head getting too sweaty. Using spare clothes as a pillow doesn't work for me, as I generally wear all my clothes at night with an ultralight sleeping bag, so the only "spares", as such, are a pair of socks and some waterproof gear, which a good pillow don't make.

    #1410208
    Michael Davis
    Member

    @mad777

    Locale: South Florida

    I also use the 25 liter P.O.E. Lightweight Wtex bag for a pillow. I use the bag when kayaking/camping. I make it more comfortable by wrapping a piece of crossgrain with a buckle around the middle, making the partially inflated bag look like a bow-tie.

    #1410247
    darren stephens
    Member

    @darren5576

    Locale: Down Under

    G'Day
    Another vote here for the flex air dual compartment pillow. For me a pillow is the most important part of a good night sleep and these are great. I adjust the compartments so they are slightly different then put the pillow in the hood of my bag. I could sleep on bed of thistles with a good pillow. I’ve been using the same one for ages and its still ok, just a little grubby. As far as collapsing goes I let down one side as much as I can then the other then repeat massaging all the air out. It’s simple once you work it out and I’m so well rested I don’t care any way.
    Darren

    #1443396
    Skruffy McGruff
    Member

    @skruffy

    Locale: Central Oregon

    Just a thought on the flex air pillows? Could you create the montbell cradle shape with two elastics around the pillow vertically?

    #1443508
    David Lewis
    BPL Member

    @davidlewis

    Locale: Nova Scotia, Canada

    I don't think that would work… but I used to take two small flexair's and sew them together. That worked exceptionally well.

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