Pillows

[Turley]

My old Kookabay Pillow has about had it and am in the market for a replacement. I’ve looked at the Thermarest and Sea To Summit, both which are at 2oz and roughly the same size. Anyone use or recommend one over the other or have additional suggestions?

 

[dirtbag]

When on the ground I have been using Sea to Summit Aeros Premium pillow, size large. It has been working great for me.. Side/back sleeper on a wide pad. I also have a cocoon Ultralight air core pillow.. But it is huge and way overkill for me.. Maybe I would bring it car camping though?  For years I was using the cocoon hyperlight Air core pillow, and I still do have 2 of them.. In fact I would probably still be using that pillow if I did not buy the Sea to Summit Aeros premium pillows. When I sleep in my hammock, I don’t need/use a pillow.. But on the ground it is a must have and I don’t mind carrying a few ounces for that comfort.

[James Marco]

Make one out of an empty sack turned inside out stuffed with whatever. Dual Use!

[JCH]

I’ve been very happy with the Big Sky Dreamsleeper UL pillow for several years.  Just slip my buff over it for a pillow case. 1.5 oz. and currently on sale for $20.

[Turley]

@James: tried that many years ago before purchasing the Kookabay….as a side sleeper it didn’t work well.

Will probably order the S2S pillow to at least check out….

Thanks for the mention of Big Sky. I’ve used their tents but forgot about their pillow….will definitely take another look.

[bradmacmt]

Sea to Summit Aeros here. Won’t leave home without it.

[Steve H]

I tested my new HMG DCF pillow stuff sack with my puffy in it out in the yard in the rain in the tent two days ago.  And promptly fell asleep listening to a podcast.  Loved it.  I know there is a possibility that at times I may have inadequate clothes to stuff it – but I think there are several solutions for that, & I think it a rare occasion given the warmth of my bag.

[SIMULACRA]

Uhhmm..the price seems a bit off of $20. And no stuff sack!?

[Michael B]

Their website stinks. If you click on one of the options, the price will be corrected.

[Rex Sanders]

Liked the BSI DreamSleeper for a few years but wasn’t completely satisfied.

Switched to the S2S Aeros Ultralight in large, and it’s almost perfect – for me. As a frequent side-sleeper with big shoulders, it’s the right shape and height with a nice pseudo-suede upper surface built-in. Light enough at 2.5 ounces (70 grams) on my scale, and easy to inflate and deflate.

Only downside is it sometimes squirts away in the night. I might try wrapping my Buff around it, or some DIY attachment scheme to my pad.

— Rex

[Turley]

“DIY attachment scheme to my pad.”

I placed one small strip of velcro to the bottom of the Kookabay pillow and another to the sleeping pad. Minimal weight and keeps the pillow in place.

[J R]

Pretty much meaningless to talk about pillow choice without knowing sleep style. Very different ideas for back vs. side/rotisserie sleepers.

[Turley]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>@JR: I’m a side/rotisserie sleeper. Granted I didn’t state that initially but did in a reply within this thread. Cheers.</p>
 

[J R]

Missed that. I am too. In that case, you probably want a taller and cushier pillow than those made for back sleepers because on your side your head is higher off the sleeping surface and needs better support.

My solution is a pillowcase called a Monkey Pillow, used to be a guy on here who made them but he quit doing that, but basically it’s a UL case with soft fabric on one side and elastic to wrap around your pad. Inside I put a FlexAir inflatable pillow but only inflated about halfway so it stays flat it’s really just to take up some of the volume of the pillowcase. Then on top of that I stuff in my down puffy. You may only need to stuff in a down layer by itself, but I find the down compresses too easily and my head sinks all the way to the bottom. But with the FlexAir taking up some of the space, the down stuffs in a little firmer. Result is a soft pillow that my head sinks partway into, and the down fills the gap under my neck very nicely. It’s big, I think 19×13, and the pillowcase and FlexAir together weigh under 3 oz, well worth an extra ounce for a good night’s sleep.  With the size and comfort, it is as close to a home pillow as I have found for the trail while still staying UL (since I’m carrying the down puffy anyway I don’t count the weight of it towards my sleep system).

[Paul S]

I like the Exped air pillow XL because I am a side sleeper, and the taller (thicker) pillow (it’s 5″ thick !) results in less pressure on my shoulders when I side sleep.

[Peter Lester]

+1 for Sea to Summit Aeros

[Steve H]

@jringeorgia – interested in your flexair monkey pillow solution.  I use a HMG stuff sack pillow which I really like, but I also sleep at times on my side (& every other way imaginable).  Thinking maybe I can use a flexair or similar partially inflated, like you, under a (monkey) pillow case & plop my stuff sack pillow on top of it all.  Can you elaborate a bit on the pillow case, & would I require the bigger flexair half inflated to keep my stuff sack pillow on top without slipping off?  And has the flexair need good? Does it require a straw?  Thanks!

[Steve H]

Or maybe just a z seat sit pad under my stuff sack pillow to raise it a bit…

[Turley]

Interesting about the Flexair pillow….definitely have some research to do on all the suggestions. I definitely am willing to take a little weight penalty to not wake up with a sore neck.

Thank you :-)

[Eric P]

I’ve got the s2s aeros premium in regular size. Wish I had gotten the large but the price was too good to pass up when I got mine! I’ve also got an s2s air pad and it came with velcro straps to keep the pillow in place. Love the two together

[Author]

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