Best lightest pillow recommendations

[kevin campbell]

I put our packs together last year & our pillows just didn't do to good a job. They took up a good amount of weight & space in my pack & the bottom line was, they weren't very comfy. I ended up balling up my hiking cloths & pack to sleep on. Could have done that WITHOUT bringing & buying the "hiking" pillow in the first place. Was my biggest mistake in purchasing a pretty important piece of equipment last year, maybe my only mistake.

So, I'm getting new ones, now! Any recommendations will be looked at seriously. I need to sleep good & a good light pillow is a must. Air? I don't know. I'm all ears!

[Brian Johns]

Goosefeet makes a light down pillow. You could also use the Zpacks fleece lined stuff sack for your clothes as a pillow case. I have one and really like it with my extra layers inside. Last options I'd look at is the Montbell air pillow or for a few more ounces the lightest exped one. I think it's around 2.5.

[Garth Collier]

I just received the Goosefeet gear pillow Size Exped UL Large (14” x 21”) which weighs 2.7oz as I ordered it with 2oz of down. This pillow has a sleeve to fit the Exped UL large air pillow which weighs 1.9oz…total weight approx 4.6oz. it is very comfortable and i finally think i have cracked the issue of a lighweight comfortable pillow…Chad P did a great review which influenced my decision.

[Joel Benford]

I have an "AntiGravityGear Flex Air Utralight Pillow" inflatable which is basic but very light (under an ounce). I find it works well partly inflated in combination with a garment or two and some sort of pillowcase, but not so well on its own since it's sweaty plastic.

If you were carrying the other stuff anyhow, this would be a very light (and cheap) way to put some size and bounce into the overall "pillow system".

If not, you'd want something fancier and heavier.

[Kevin Schneringer]

I also went through many pillows and stuff sack style trying to find the "one".
I watched a video that Stick did on the Flex Air pillow and bought some.
They come in 3 packs and for the weight I always carry a second one as a backup.

Current combo-which is very comfy-is a small Flex Air and a 3/8" thick piece of memory foam that I snagged from the mattress store.
I made a pillow case out of a polyester sheet. Setup weighs 5 oz
Cut foam to match deflated deminsions of the Flex Air.

This set gives that pillow feel next to face with the ability to rais your head to different heights with air.

[Pete Staehling]

I tried a bunch and wound up preferring the medium Exped Air Pillow. The Cocoon looked promising on paper, but was terrible in practice as were most inflatables, for me at least.

[Jake D]

+1 for Exped medium. can adjust the amount of air for the firmness you want and at 3oz and the size of a wallet when folded up it packs easily.

[Mark Dijkstra]

I use my Ortlieb 4L waterbag filled with air (water is usually too cold) wrapped in a fleece or T-shirt when I'm hiking. It's no extra weight because I carry those items anyway and I find it a very comfortable pillow.

[Kevin Burton]

I take my rain jacket and extra socks and throw them in my stuff sack and use that as a pillow.

I wear a down cap to keep my head warm. I wear my down jacket while I sleep too and flip up the cover.

That seems to work fine.

You could also train yourself to sleep on a thinner pillow if possible.

[Billy Ray]

that anyone from BP Lite would suffer the weight of packing a pillow :)

b

[John Holmes]

I carry a Thermarest Lite Seat for on the trail and around camp seating. My butt thinks it's worth the 2.7 oz. At night I let out a little air, fold it in half, slip it into a myog pillow case made from a scrap of an old, thin, soft sheet and put it in my sleeping bag hood.
Perfect for me.
#dual-use

[Jeff Sims]

+ 1 on the Zpacks stuff sack. The weight penalty is minimal as my Hexamid shelter fits in there perfectly during the day and a couple of clothing articles fill it up at night

[Edward Jursek]

I just switched from the Exped pillow to the Zpacks pillow/stuff sack. I use the stuff sack to hold my sleeping cloths then stuff it with my trail cloths at night. I have used it for 5 nights so far and really like it. I also appreciate the multi-use simplicity and small weight savings.

[Ryan Smith]

I always found that down pillows offered no support & air pillows were like laying on bricks. I used a MYOG synthetic fill pillow for a while, but lately have been using a stuff sack filled with clothes. If you like a pillow with a lot of support, I recommend using the stuff sack version. It's the lightest pillow there is without laying on your shoes!

Ryan

[Lapsley Hope]

…doesn't get much lighter or more practical.

[Jake D]

Unless you don't carry clothes that aren't worn to bed. then you have nothing to put in the stuff sack.. can carry a lighter quilt/sleeping bag if you wear insulation to bed. multiuse etc.

3oz for an exped is well worth a good night sleep.

[Richard Cullip]

I've settled on a Exped Air Pillow UL which I put inside a buff to help keep it from sliding around and for a bit of extra comfort against my face.

[d k]

+1 for the Exped.

[Ken Thompson]

"that anyone from BP Lite would suffer the weight of packing a pillow :)"

Wrong website This is them
http://www.bplite.com/

[jscott]

Exped blow up pillow placed in my sleeping bag stuff sack along with a down vest/jacket. Pillow on the bottom for support/volume; down on top. Very nice!

I put this little combo on the ground in front of my synmat. On top of the synmat would be too high for me.

[Marc Shea]

+1 for the Large Exped UL Pillow. It packs down tiny and at 1.9oz, the quality of sleep is totally worth the weight. I wrap it in a fleece shirt for additional comfort and drool protection.

[Billy Ray]

is the one you leave at home :)

b

[Mike R]

I can't justify the bulk of a pillow. Down pillows just aren't firm enough for me. 99% of my camping is done in the mountains so I always have a parka of some kind along with me. Therm-a-rest makes a lightweight, brushed synthetic pillow case that weighs nothing. I stuff my jacket into that bad boy … and maybe some other items to increase firmness. This way, your bulky items [jacket] serve double duty.

[Ryan Smith]

"Unless you don't carry clothes that aren't worn to bed. then you have nothing to put in the stuff sack.. can carry a lighter quilt/sleeping bag if you wear insulation to bed. multiuse etc."

Now Jake, didn't we already decide in another thread that I take too many clothes? :) You hardcore folks could always just use leaves & pine needles to fill the stuff sack.

Ryan

[Fitz Travels]

The folded back top lid of my pack. I settle my head in between the crease of the backpack and the lid.

Its kinda comfortable after a while actually.

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