Side Sleeping best pillows

[Brett Peugh]

Hello all,

I am okayish with my Klymit Pillow X but the gf is wondering  if there might be a better pillow for side sleepers out there that is still not this piece of foam that weighs a pound.  Thanks.

 

[Jeffrey H]

My personal favorite https://seatosummit.com/products/aeros-pillow-ultra-light Kinda pricey but worth it I think.

I also tried the exped ultralight pillow. It was not very comfortable at all. https://www.exped.com/en/products/pillows/ultra-pillow

Never used Klymit but they do not look comfy.

[LARRY W]

Side sleepers should measure from shoulder to head and the perfect pillow, should it exist, will support your head in a level plane to the ground. Good luck with that. :)

[LARRY W]

To be more helpful, the Aeros premium/ plush can’t remember is  pretty sweet at a weight penalty. 3 -4 oz range. If you’re gonna do all that get the pillow cover and really impress her.

[John B]

+1 on the sea to summit aeros ultralite.  I’m a side sleeper and have used it for 3 years now and couldn’t be happier.

[Thom]

I shove a big sky dream sleeper into a stuff sack with whatever clothes I don’t have on. Blowing it up to fit.

[talagnu]

shoes wedged under sleeping pad + clothes and minimal inflatable pillow (dreamsleeper or nemo fillo inner) inside stuff sack wrapped in a buff

[Claiborne B]

I found my Hyperlite Mountain Gear Small Pack Pod filled with clothes and a buff for a pillow case works well for me.

[Jeff M.]

I’ve used the exped UL pillow and it works OK. Is the sea to summit that much better? They look similar to me. If it is, I may have to try it.

[David Sugeno]

 Is the sea to summit that much better?

I’ve used an Exped UL for years, and been happy with it.  However, I recently decided to “upgrade” to an Aeros Premium.  Turns out I can’t stand it, so I gave it to my son and kept the Exped.  I know I am in the minority, but just noting that, as with most things, there is a lot of personal preference involved in what is “better”.

[Iago Vazquez]

Montbell has a pillow with 4.7″ of loft… https://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?p_id=1124730

[Matthew / BPL]

David is not alone. I love the Exped UL. I found the Aeros very uncomfortable.

[Bill in Roswell]

Over time found a pillow around 5″ thick works best for me. Used the Exped UL for  while, but the tapered thickness caused a stiff neck sometimes. The Aeros Premium proved to be most comfortable as I can let just a bit of air out so it cradles by big head.

[JCH]

My vote goes to the Big Sky Dreamsleeper Ultralight slipped into a buff.  I like that the material is a bit stretchy which seems to mimic a soft down or foam pillow. Last one lasted 3 years.  Cheap too!  Currently available for $18.75.

[Paul S]

I use the X-large size Exped air pillow (burnt orange color) it is the thickest I could find. But I did an internet search for it and it appears that they have stopped making it. Darn! I find all air pillows are good at adding support, but they are hard as a rock to seep on. So, I have to cover the air pillow with something soft. I warp the air pillow in a fleece jacket and add a piece of open cell foam between the pillow and the fleece jacket. That way I get support, and at least some softness.

[JCH]

but they are hard as a rock to seep on

Ah, but that is where the dreamsleeper is different.  The stretchiness of the material makes it very soft and comfortable.

[Russ W]

Where can you find a new Dream Sleeper? I’ve been unsuccessful with Big Sky International.

Update….looks like itis available on Amazon.

[Brian K]

I am a side sleeper and I am still yet to find anything even remotely on the same plane of comfortability as my Small Thermarest Compressible at 7.5oz (216g).  I call it my luxury item and enjoy my great trail sleep.

[lisa r]

I’m a side sleeper that also gets ear pain and struggle with pillows even at home. I’ve done pretty well with the Aeros, but only inflated probably 40% (with rain gear under pad to prop my head up). I also take a small piece of very light and fluffy fleece fabric I got from a fabric store and tie that onto the pillow with a bit of string, which provides the cushioning my ears need to make it through the night. It’s actually quite cozy.

[Matthew / BPL]

I’m a side sleeper with diagnosed degenerative disc disorder in my neck. I am very picky about pillows. I purchased a Big Sky pillow from the link posted above which arrived yesterday and I slept on it very comfortably last night with a buff pulled over it on my bed at home. I’m impressed.

[Tim (Slowhike) Garner]

You might like this.

MYOG, 2.6oz Neck Pillow (74g) – Backpacking Light

I can’t seem to share a link but it’s a new post in Make Your Own Gear.

 

[JCH]

Matthew K – Hope you find the DS pillow as effective as I have.  Far and away the best pillow solution for me.

[Jerry Adams]

Tim, just copy the link, then paste it into your message

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/myog-2-6oz-neck-pillow/

or, you can click that link ikon, I wonder what that does :)

[Tim (Slowhike) Garner]

Thanks Jerry. I tried that and for some reason it wasn’t working.

Maybe I wasn’t holding my mouth right.

[Nick Gatel]

Side sleeper here. Been using an Exped air pillow for many, many years. At first I was unhappy with it (and others) because they moved around during the night — one very windy night when I was sleeping under the stars it blew away and I found it about 100 yards away.

Since then I use some cord and cord locks to secure it to my air pad — happy sleeper now.

Below is a picture (neither the pad nor the pillow is inflated)

[Author]

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