What do you use for a pillow?

As a side/tummy sleeper I find the Montbell UL Comfort System pillow very comfortable.

I use one of two things. If its cold, I use a water bladder filled with either water or air.

If its not as cold as I thought, my down jacket folds into its own internal pocket (which is made of this really nice soft mesh stuff that stretches) and it is seriously the best pillow ever.

at some point, I thought a backyard hammock would make my life better. picked Kelsyus from REI. it came with an inflatable triangle pillow, and terry cloth towel material on top. it weighs in at 3.4 oz

haven't used the pillow in the field yet, but it's Ok for home use. may be I'll take it with me next time I'm tree huggin over night.

I also have a the Thermarest pillow; mine weighs in at 7.7 oz. I do like this pillow, because it provides good insulation to my head and neck in my hammock, and it is comfortable. But for backpacking, I just don't want to carry a 1/2 pound pillow!

I do have a buddy who makes various pieces of gear. He made me a 11×11 sil tarp that is the bomb! And he is making our Philmont crew hanging bags. Maybe I can get him to make me a pillow. Sil on one side, lightweight tericloth on the other, with a mix of down and foam pieces. I wonder if we can size it so we it is down around 4 oz? That would be nice….

After a frustrating experience with an otherwise very comfy Kookabay down pillow purchased in Gear Swap that flattened out way too fast, I tried the Antigravity Gear Flexair, and loved it. Easy to dial in the inflation you want, sturdy, holds air securely (good, simple valve), very light, packs down to nothing, and the material is ok on the face. (And I love that they come in packs of three, though it seems like this one will probably last forever…). While I like to use clothing for a pillow when I can, on my last trip everything was either wet or being worn.

For colder weather I might try to have the best of both worlds, and layer the Kookabay on top of the Flexair inside a stuff sack (e.g., tent or sleeping bag sack, empty when sleeping)…

Edit to add: You also can't beat the price – Flexair pack of three on AGG for $5.49. That's $1.83 each. (No affiliation, blah, blah, blah…)

Bladder from box wine. Big and good valve. Fun to 'get to' aka drink the wine.

This is the area where I just cant go UL, I need some serious pillow to keep my shoulders from being miserable in the morning due to injury and overuse (thanks skateboarding and tile setting) I take the exped pillow pump and then put the med sized thermarest down pillow on top of that. It cinches on to the exped and is as comfy as my pillow at home. 10oz of bliss. I have tried stuffsack of clothes, empty platys, those inflatable pillows and they just dont cut it for me

I used to stuff all sorts of clothing in to my sleeping bag's stuff sack and use it… of course UL has started to make this more difficult. I'm finding that I can still usually spare enough to make a pillow, but it's getting harder and harder to find enough spare clothing to do that. Another solution I used to use was a waterproof stuff sack (that I used to carry my sleeping bag and clothes in) which I trapped some air in before sealing it up… of course once again, UL has gotten in the way of that as the fully waterproof stuff sack was too heavy and has been replaced by one that is rainproof, but not air tight.

I just use a stuff sack with fleece on the inside of it turned inside out and then stuff my down sweater into it. My wide uses the Coccoon blow up pillow and it's very light.

@Doug

"My wide uses the Coccoon blow up pillow and it's very light"

Don't let her read this thread!

I use a standard foam cervical pillow, cut down to the size of my head. Never flattens (well, it will over time just like any regular bed pillow), insulates, great for side sleeping. Thin cotton cover that I also cut down. I just weighed it at 2.9oz. It IS bulky in the pack but I put it at the bottom so I suppose it squishes down. I put it inside the mummy hood.

If I'm diligent about my sock care on the trail, I have 4 pair of dry socks by the time I hit the hay (not including those on my feet). These fit nicely in a stuff sac and also dry a bit more in my bag. Sometimes I put a rock under my bivy.

If I am not using my rain gear as a pillow, I will slip my trail runners under my bivy as a pillow to give my head a little bit of elevation.

I have also been known to collect pine needles and to put them under my bivy to add cushioning, insulation, and to give me a pillow.

Just remember, shoes UNDER the bivy, not IN the bivy….unless you like the smell of your own feet. :)

-Tony

I thought I was the only one!

I regularly use my shoes or boots for the base of my pillow, and then put my rain gear (plus some extra clothing in a stuffsack) over that for a little cushion. Sleeping on my side, when I try to use literally any camp pillow ever made, my head makes a 45 degree trip downward. which is extremely uncomfortable. The only way I've found to provide a sturdy base for my head is to use my shoes (under the bivy of course).

I feel like almost all camping gear ever made is aimed at back-sleepers. Those camping pillows need to be firmer and larger for a side-sleeper.

Just tried a Nemo Fillo this weekend. Heavy as all get out at 10.7 oz But it does feel and work like a real pillow. It also packs down quite small. Time for some reverse engineering. Side sleeper here.

I've been using the Montbell UL pillow for the past four years or so. Love it!

My problem is I drool really bad on backpack trips so I have to sleep on my back the entire night. Even if I roll over to the side, I have to keep my head as if it were on my back. The only benefit to this is I really don't need a pillow if I'm on my back the whole time.

I wish I knew what to do to not drool as soon as I go horizontal. I mean, there have been times when I've woken up with it pooling in my eye socket. It's horrible.

"My problem is I drool really bad on backpack trips"

Funny

I drool sometimes but not too bad

I wonder why that is? Sleeping at colder temps or something?

"I wish I knew what to do to not drool as soon as I go horizontal. I mean, there have been times when I've woken up with it pooling in my eye socket. It's horrible."

Might not want to use that one for your match.com profile! ; )

"I wish I knew what to do to not drool as soon as I go horizontal. I mean, there have been times when I've woken up with it pooling in my eye socket. It's horrible."

Might not want to use that one for your match.com profile! ; )

Nothing. Null. Empty Set.

Just train yourself not to use a pillow.

"And I said, that's good! One less thing."