Incessantly annoying pillow off my pad problem….with solution!

What kind of cord were you using? If normal cordage…I could see that definitely ripping a hole through tape (I assume you just used like a hole punch to make a hole in tape?).

The fabric loop would definitely help, but more than that, I’m using flat elastic webbing, which absorbs a ton of stress when the pillow moves instead of the tape receiving all of the stress.

Nice pics Nick. So you have an xtherm that is tapered towards the top….the pillow never slips up a few inches during the night for you or do you really cinch it down? (the horizontal baffles of an xtherm should help though

BTW, neither the pillow or the mat is inflated in the picture. I also have a NeoAir I bought in 2010, which is rectangular, and use this set up with it too. The cord creates a crease along the bottom of the pad so it stays put except for those cold nights when the pad loses a bit of pressure. If this happens I just cinch up the tension with the cord toggle. I’m a side sleeper, so I put a toggle on each side so it would be easy to reach whatever side I am sleeping on.

Just as an update to this…with the elastic grosgrain, I made a few that didn’t use the quilt connectors..so no special hardware needed. I just folded the ends a bit and sewed them together in the middle ->

So now you don’t need special hardware, and its also a bit lighter. They are also easier to put in and take out of the loops. Once you put in, just turn it 90° so the sew line perpendicular to the loop and it won’t slip out.

I also have been using the pillow straps even when you shouldn’t need to…like….with normal sleeping bags with hoods. Mainly….just when my kids are using them, b/c they can’t keep their pillows inside the hood after moving around during the night.

After years of inadequate solutions to this annoying problem, I stuck my air pillow onto a thermarest with a few coin-sized bits of velcro and it works great.

Yeah, I thought of velcro, but one of my requirements is that I want to put my hand underneath my pillow while I sleep…

Anyway, another update. After a few more trips…it looks like the adhesive bond from the tape and pad are not strong enough to handle kids…

So,…I was going to remake the loops (which is horrible by the way with sewing through the adhesive…I’ll make another post about that), but when I put them on the pads, I wanted to use a bit of seam grip.

I was avoiding seam grip before b/c it makes a more permanent modification, but my family likes the loops enough to make them permanent.

Now…what would someone recommend? A dot or two of seam grip “underneath” the tape to basically acts as the adhesive, or…stick them on as normal and put a perimeter of seam grip around the tape edge? I was originally thinking of just putting it underneath but didn’t know if the adhesive would play nice with seam grip…

Ok, another update!

I didn’t get a response here, so I went ahead and put a bit of seam grip on the bottom of the patch and then around it ->

It does appear to be much stronger than just the tape alone, but…its a bit unsightly.

And, to tell you a bit about sewing the patches themselves….its horrible. I would have to clean the needle and sewing area with goof-off after every 2 patches b/c the adhesive gunks up everything. I have quite a few pads for the whole family so making patches is a headache. I round the corners with scissors so that also has to get cleaned with goof-off. Even just a little bit of adhesive on the needle/thread makes sewing harder too….it just doesn’t sew smoothly.

Zpacks makes patches like this all the time so I asked them for tips on what they do …and they said ->

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Also, that last part about the adhesive….. Welcome to our world! :)

We purchase goo gone in bulk.

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So…they just have to deal with it…I wouldn’t want to be the person in charge of making those patches at zpacks!

Anyway….I had attached two patches with seam grip…and then thought….if I’m using seam grip now anyway (I originally wanted to shy away from it since it makes a permanent mod), why even make the patches? Hence ->

All I did was cut the flat cord to size, then I used a bit of super glue to do the initial attachment to the pad (just to keep it in place). I then did a liberal glob of seam grip on top and let dry overnight. And wow….did it work! It feels much stronger than the patch. I pulled with quite a bit of force in my hands and thought that the pad fabric would rip before the loop would come off or break.

It also looks quite a bit better than the patch, and takes less space. It even looks better in real life than the pic above…just a nice smooth bump of seam grip.

The absolute best part? No more sewing! This is now a 1 minute mod (not including dry time) that can be done by anyone.

Edit: And…now there is no more of getting the adhesive backing paper off the patch too! Since the backing is sewed with the tape, you have to peel it off and its usually not a clean ordeal…I would have to use tweezers to get backing that had ripped or was still stuck between the sewing threads…it wasn’t super fun either……but that is all gone now too.

Wow! excellent resolve You Ventured, You Gained

Thanks for sharing. Great photos.

I like the simplicity of this solution.

Here is some good info on the “Seam Grip”

https://static-images-asadventure.netdna-ssl.com/productimages/documents/mcnett%20seam%20grip.pdf

This thread is GOLDEN!   Thinking about buying the Z Packs sticker loops and putting them on my pillow instead of the pad, so it can be used with various pads.    Cords and straps came with my Katabatic quilt, and I use the cords for the clip system.  Thinking about using the quilt straps around my sleeping pad and through the Zpack loops on the pillow.   Any thoughts on this?

Why use the sticker loops? I tried the same thing earlier in the thread, but the best solution was just use the flat cord by itself with some seam grip.

Well…..the reason I didn’t do straps on the pillow….with a strap all the way around the pad, is because my sleeping pads are mummy/tapered, so the strap won’t stay in place at the top of the pad.
You can try that yourself…..just take a buff, put it around your pillow, and then put the strap through the buff, and see if the pillow stays in place good enough for you.

If it does…then don’t do the loops at all….just use your buff as a pillowcase and bring the strap.

Anyway, for a long term report, I haven’t changed a thing with this system for the last 5 years and its been working great without a single issue.

I use a tee shirt or unused base layer… put on the pad like dressing a mannequin. Stuff pillow inner the shirt. Perfect.

Yeah, that would totally work too…but I don’t carry extra shirts like that, or…its unavailable (got rinsed out in a lake and is now drying overnight).

BTW…. where can I get a Dream Sleeper? Big Sky International is a bust.

Yikes, are they? It seems like its still around ->

https://bigskyinternational.com/products/big-sky-dreamsleeper-ultralight-inflatable-pillow

Seems their website is still updated? They just had a cyber day sale?

Sorry to say, but good luck dealing with these folks. I tried several times to order one,  paid, etc., only to have my order cancelled 3 or 4 weeks later because of lack of availability, even though they claimed available. I had to initiate the communications with them about the lack of receipt. Absolutely great product but poor to less than poor communication and customer response. I’m really hoping there is a version of this pillow available through other channels. Sorry for the rant.

Sorry to say, but good luck dealing with these folks. …

That is unfortunate. I recall Big Sky had some big customer service issues when they first started, but I hadn’t heard any problems in recent years. They had appeared to have rebuilt their reputation… sounds like they are in the process of throwing it away again.

Dreamsleeper UL is my fav pillow also.  Wrapped it in a buff it is the best I have found.  I have worn out two of them and ran into similar problems replacing them as Russ W.  Bummed to say the least.

I have a straight top on my BA pad. I bring a pillowcase. I also bring a big puffy, often, and leave other layers at home. Or, I bring a down vest and other layers. Stuff the puffy, or a couple of layers, in the pillowcase. Tie off the pillow case to prevent leakage. Lay the pillow on the ground, over the edge of the pad. Sleep.

That reminds me. I need to sell my pillow. Chasing my pillow around all night was more trouble than it was worth. Your solutions look like more trouble than their worth. What works a lot better for me is to just get used to sleeping without a pillow. I seem to sleep just fine without one. I can also use an extra item of clothing if I have one, and I usually do because I don’t sleep in my rain jacket.

This thread is GOLDEN! Thinking about buying the Z Packs sticker loops and putting them on my pillow instead of the pad, so it can be used with various pads. Cords and straps came with my Katabatic quilt, and I use the cords for the clip system. Thinking about using the quilt straps around my sleeping pad and through the Zpack loops on the pillow. Any thoughts on this?

You diggin through my gear closet or something? lol

I use a Katabatic quilt, AND I have used the Zpacks stick on loops for my pillow. Small world.

Mine goes around the pad. Holds on fine to xlite and xtherm pads. I use shock cord with cord lock instead of the quilt cord.

Just as an update…sometimes my elastic cord only solution could still get pulled out of the loops. So instead, for 1g weight penalty, I added 2 aliexpress tent toggles. Still super easy to put in, and super secure. I also found that even with horizontal baffles, an elastic cord all the way around the pad could still come off, so if I end up liking the neoair over the exped, I’ll still aquaseal loops on.

Velcro

I think I am going to try this but with the seam grip on the Dreamsleeper pillow with some cut up shoe laces for the loops. That way I can use a piece of shock cord through the loops and use the pillow system with any pad. Fingers crossed the seam grip can stick, or I’ll need to find something else.

Maybe you just need to hike harder such that you are so tired at the end of the day that you don’t notice whether there is a pillow or not ! :))))