Pillow Talk

[cushing hamlen]

Has anyone out there given any serious thought to what can be used as a lightweight dedicated pillow? To date, I have used a stuff sack, or better yet a Thermarest pillow case (very light and soft) stuffed with unused clothes, especially a fleece shirt and/or down vest. Problem is that if you take the philosophy of packing a (lighter) sleeping bag with a higher temperature rating, and wear clothes to make up the difference on colder nights, you soon lose your pillow! This did happen to me a week or so ago on a colder night in the While Mountains: with a 45 degree bag, one night I needed to don my pants and fleece shirt, leaving only my WM Flight Vest down vest in the pillowcase. The Flight vest is a beautiful piece of gear, but is so compressible, it was useless as a pillow. I was nice and toasty, but did not sleep well due to the absence of a pillow! This might seem like a small issue, but as I get older, my neck reminds me more and more of the value of a pillow! One thing I have thought of is sewing up a small, dedicated down pillow that would be light and stuff down to a small package. Has anyone tried this, or something similar?

[Michael Martin]

Your Flight Vest should work if you put it in a small enough stuff sack. But don’t go crazy and over compress it or you’ll destroy its loft.

An empty Platty container works pretty well. Just blow it up.

If you have a frameless pack and you’re not using it for insulation under your legs, it should roll up into a fair pillow too.

Sweet Dreams.

[paul johnson]

I use a water bottle/bladder for a pillow – usually filled with water. I wrap it in a bandana or microfiber towel & either put it b/t the sleeping bag & bivy, or right under my neck/head area. The wrapping is more impt if it is in contact with the neck/head – adds some breatheability to the pillow.

Air filled bottle/bladder is fine too, but seems to move more easily since it weighs so much less than when filled with water. When filled with water, it tends to stay in place better when I move my head.

[Duane Hall]

It is expensive, I know, but Luxurylite’s camp pillow looks like it would do the trick. Worth taking a look at.

Cheers,

PKH

[Jim Colten]

I too need (want?) a substantial head suppport at night.

I had a Qualofil (sp?)camp pillow for many years. When the flannel cover finally rotted away I cut off about 1/3 of the filling and used the pieces to make two pillows with nylon covers. I use the big one when I don’t care about weight and the smaller one when I do.

Neither is large enough to do the job alone but they provide enough padding on top of harder objects to keep me comfortable. One cold night when sleeping in almost everything I brought, I rolled up my shoes inside a Breeze pack and used that as a base with the smaller pillow on top of that. The smaller one is approx 6x6x2 inches, 2.5oz.

[David Lewis]

This might be an option… good size and unlike the LuxuryLite pillow (which at 4 oz is the same weight) it’s all fill (as opposed to air).

http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=673

[Anonymous]

gonna try it…

[EndoftheTrail]

David:

Have you tried the ID pillow? I am interested, but wonder if it’s also “too compressible” — like a down pillow???

[Bryan Redd]

Anyone tried the Geoduck pillow from Feathered Friends?

http://featheredfriends.com/accessoriesProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=9&CatID=4&ProductName=Geoduck%20Pillow&SubCatID=34

It is a down pillow—weighs 7 oz.

[David Lewis]

I have not tried the ID pillow… just came across it from a google search and was impressed with the weight. I do have a LuxuryLite pillow… but I don’t think I’m gonna like the air bag. I just don’t like the feeling of air. I’m probably going to return it.

On my next trip, I’m going to go sans pillow. I sleep mostly on my front… and you don’t really need a pillow in that position. I don’t think I would really need one on my back either. Does anyone else sleep with no pillow at all?

BTW… the air bag in the LL pillow is one of those inflatable air bags used for shipping with a self sealing “valve”. It weighs almost nothing… 10 grams. The foam insert is about 40 grams and the case is likewise about 40 grams. It could be an ounce or two lighter with a lighter case. I found the case kind of heavy.

This pillow got me thinking tho’… if I’m going to use air… why not just use my platypus filled with air (or water)? Throw a fleece over it to give it a nice surface and you’re done.

Anyway… next trip… no pillow at all. It’s kind of a pain sometimes keeping a tiny pillow positioned under your head anyway.

[Mark]

I usually don’t use a pillow, and have never brought anything for that specific purpose. I’m usually a stomach sleeper, so I don’t need the support. I am a very restless sleeper, though, so occasionally I need to improvise for a few hours.

Some of my methods: Sometimes I’ll slip my shoes under the head-end of my sleeping pad. I’ve also just rolled the sleeping pad underneath itself. If you use a closed-cell pad, maybe you could glue a couple layers onto the head end for a nice long supportive ridge? I have used water bladders covered with a bandana or other clothing. A broad, flat rock can be nice if you soften it a bit. I’ve also heard of people using those arm-floaties for kids who are learning to swim.

-Mark

[cat morris]

I always pack a down sweater & a silky pillowcase. I stuff the down sweater in the case & tie case with rubberband. Awesome pillow and I am very fussy. In the cold of the morning, my down sweater usually goes right on me either alone or under my gortex rain jacket.

[cushing hamlen]

Thank you for all the comments everyone. The luxurylite looks interesting…but then again basically looks like a platy bladder with a piece of foam over it. Doing that would make sense, at least in terms of doubling up on gear functionality. My problem arises from side-sleeping: I “used” to be a stomach sleeper, but seem to be using my side more and more…which requires a substantial support…and the bladder can be adjusted for that. Cat: like you have almost always relied on an old down vest, which has worked really well. This last year, however, I got the “brilliant” insight that the WM Flightvest is nearly a pound lighter than that old 20 year old vest. Lighter, yes…but MUCH more compressible, and worthless as a head support for side sleeping (at least for me). I could not find the ID pillow on a quick Google search. David, can you supply the link to it that you found?

[paul johnson]

Follow this msg Thread back to a post by David Lewis, more specifically the one with the following subject line and time stamp:

SUBJECT Re: re: pillow talk ON 08/13/2005 14:42:41 MDT

Notice the URL in his msg. This is the URL of the ID webpage for their product, viz. the ID Primasilk Pillow.

[cushing hamlen]

Ugh…sorry Paul, I just did not connect the “ID” with “Integral Designs” (and I had even already looked at that link). What can I say – it is late, and I just did battle getting my 7 year old in to bed, so my brain is more than a little scrambled. Funny, he did much better when I was dragging him up mountains. I guess that should tell me something….

[paul johnson]

Cushing,

>>”Sorry”

Why??? If you knew how many mistakes/oversights I make…
Often, when I catch these mistakes/oversights myself, my co-workers/family/friends hear me mutter “Johnson, you idiot” (i mean that in the nicest of ways). [Note: I reserve such language for myself, not for others.]

Take care,
pj

[EndoftheTrail]

Sorry, just repeating a question above: has anyone tried the Integral Designs down pillow?

http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=673

I like its size and weight. ID’s website describes the pillow as 4 inches thick… but this being a down pillow, I wonder if it might be “too compressible” (i.e. would hate to have the 4-in pillow compress ‘flat’ just as soon as I rest my weary head on it).

Any and all user comments appreciated! Thanks in advance.

[Joshua Mitchell]

I suspect that the ID pillow would be too compresible for my tastes. Though my Wife has a thermarest “packable” pillow and it has enough support, it’s significantly heavier. I’d be worried that the ID wouldn’t be any better than packing a second shirt and just wadding it up.

I use an air-pillow from pacific outfitters, it ways twice as much (8oz) but I love it because I need a lot of support for my head in order to be comfortable. I’ve found that stuff sacking clothes works, but again that comes into the “why carry clothes you won’t use?” question.

I wouldn’t mind trying out the LL, but I don’t have a whole lot of disposable income since I have a baby coming.

[cushing hamlen]

Joshua,

I happened to run across the thermrest pillow at REI the other day. I agree that it does seem to have a lot of support…but that does come at the cost of 1) weight, and 2) size (it does not compress to a very small size). Alas, I suppose if we think about it, any non-air-bladder pillow that has a lot of support **also** will not compress to a very small size. Maybe I should take a close look at the LL….BTW: have fun with the baby!

[John Chan]

How about an old (or new) tyvek envelope, full velcro on the open end, then stuff it with extra clothes, or ground litter, or sand… to taste? If its large enough you can even stuff your empty ultra-light pack into it for a really stiff support pillow.

Cost? Well… cheaper than down.

[paul johnson]

Brilliant!!!

[Joshua Mitchell]

Stuffing it with clothes removes the idea of bringing no extra clothes. As for using ground debris and such, that would give me a wicked head-ache. Now, the one thing that I don’t think anyone has mentioned, if you pack your sleeping bag in a UL dry bag for water protection you MAY be able to use the bag as an air bladder. It wouldn’t be very adjustable though.

[paul johnson]

i just use a water bottle or bladder half or more filled with water. conforms a bit better if it’s not completely filled with water. doesn’t seem to move around as easily as if just filled with air.

[Sasha Rice]

Might want to take a look at this.
Found this while looking for a lighter esbit stove (Weighing less then 3.5 that is including pot support and wind screen, couldnt find one though).

http://www.datasync.com/~wksmith/pillow.html

[David Lewis]

When I heard the water wing idea… I thought it was kinda lame… until I saw that picture! The thing that makes an air pillow (water bladder for instance) undesireable, I think, is the way your head can’t sink into the middle but rather tends to roll to the edges. With the water wing… your head would craddle right in the middle. Brilliant!!!!

[Author]

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