Best Backpacking Pillow for Your Travels

Campfire
Image from Amazon

You may assume that it will be difficult to find a place to do your business on a backpacking trip. But, have you considered that finding a place to sleep can be just as tricky? You’re always on the go, and you may not have access to a hotel bed. But that doesn’t mean you can’t come prepared with the best backpacking pillow.

Even if you don’t have a bed, a pillow can make a world of difference for your sleep. After all, you won’t enjoy the day if you’re tired from the night.

But, can’t you use a regular pillow? What makes the best backpacking pillow so special?

Contents

Comparison of the Best Backpacking pillow

Not Your Standard Pillow

Therm-a-Rest Compressible Travel Pillow
Image from Amazon

We all probably have a favorite pillow. It’s the one that supports your head and neck and helps you get a good night of sleep. Unfortunately, you can’t always take your ride-or-die pillow on a trip. That’s where the best backpacking pillow comes in. Of course, you can go backpacking with any pillow you like. However, backpacking can take you all over, and the last thing you want is to forget your beloved headrest.

But you may not want to buy another regular bed pillow. While a backup pillow is great for going to a friend’s house, you’re probably not going to want to carry a full-sized pillow on your backpacking adventure. So before you set off on your next trip, consider packing the best backpacking pillow.

What is a backpacking pillow

A backpacking pillow is one that you can easily stuff inside your backpack. When you go backpacking, you may not be in the same place very long. And of course, you probably won’t have a ton of luggage space. So instead of trying to force a standard pillow into your pack, the best backpacking pillow will take up less space.

Some backpacking pillows fold up to conserve space. You can also find inflatable pillows that you can deflate to save even more room. And just like bed pillows, backpacking pillows come in all shapes, sizes, and thicknesses.

How is it different from a normal pillow?

If you’ve ever brought your pillow on a long vacation, you will know how hard it can be to stuff your pillow into your bag. Now, that’s one thing when you have one destination. But if you won’t stay in one place for more than a couple of nights, you need a pillow that’s easy to fold up and fit in your backpack. However, it should also be big enough to support your head and neck.

What should you look for in the best backpacking pillow?

The best backpacking pillow for you will depend on your needs and the amount of space you have for a pillow. Think of it as a regular pillow. Some of us need softer pillows, while others prefer firm. Depending on your sleeping position, you may need a thinner pillow, or perhaps you need some extra support.

But aside from those features, you should also consider how much the pillow can condense. If you want your pillow to take up as little space as possible, you may want an air pillow. However, you may want a pillow that feels more like the one at home. If that’s the case, look for foam or down pillows. But be aware that they will take up a bit of space.

Can you use your current pillow?

So, you decided to go on a last-minute backpacking trip. You don’t have time to get the best backpacking pillow. Can your current pillow do the job? Your current bed pillow can be a substitute for a backpacking pillow. However, you will have to make some sacrifices that a backpacking pillow wouldn’t require.

First, your normal pillow is bound to take up more space than a comparable backpacking or travel pillow. Even if you can compress it a little, it’s probably not going to get as small as you need. That means you’ll need to use a bigger backpack or leave out other items, like clothes or food.

Another downside to using your current pillow is that you can easily forget or lose anything along your trip. Since you probably won’t want to sleep on a backpacking pillow at home, losing that won’t be as big of a deal. If we’ve convinced you to get a special pillow for your travels, you need to find one. And luckily, there are multiple places you can look.

Where can you buy a backpacking pillow?

If you need the best backpacking pillow today, check out your local sporting goods store. But if you don’t want to leave the house and can wait a couple of days, you can always order online from a retailer like Amazon.

Comforts of Home

TETON Sports Camp Pillow
Image from Amazon

It’s the end of day one of your backpacking trip, and you can’t be more excited. At least, not until you see your sleeping arrangement. Backpacking can be an amazing experience, but you may have little or no control over where you sleep. Luckily, you can bring your own pillow as a bit for a bit of comfort. To help you decide on the best backpacking pillow for you, we looked high and low at the many choices.

First, we started with recommendations from a few of the experts. We looked at what they suggest, and we thought some were pretty good. However, we also wanted to find our own set of favorites. To do this, we looked at similar pillows to the ones from the experts. And with all of the pillows on our list, we considered different features like size and materials. Finally, we couldn’t ignore customer ratings. That way, we could get a better picture of how comfortable and portable the pillows are.

The Best Backpacking Pillow

If you want to prepare as best as you can for your next backpacking trip, you need the best backpacking pillow. It will save you space, time, and stress. But it will still be comfortable enough so that you can get a good night of sleep. Of course, we all have different needs and preferences when it comes to sleeping. However, we still think our picks all make great candidates for the best backpacking pillow.


Therm-a-Rest Compressible Travel Pillow for Camping,…

  • Ultralight (9…
  • Foam filling expands into a…
  • Compact design packs into a…
  • Brushed polyester cover is…
  • Pillow measures 14 x 18 x 4…

The Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow is perfect for picky sleepers. Of course, it’s smaller than your standard pillow. However, it’s a foam pillow that offers many comforts of sleeping at home. The foam expands up to 4 inches thick so that it can support just about any sleeping position. And during the day, you can fold it and pack it in your bag.

A drawstring and cord keep the pillow contained so that it won’t unfurl when not in use. You can choose from a few sizes and colors. The average customer rating is 4.1 out of 5 stars on Amazon. One customer says it’s perfect for backpacking. However, a second customer though the pillow was too flat.


Wise Owl Outfitters Camping Pillow Compressible Foam Pillows…

  • DON’T WORRY ABOUT SLEEPING ON…
  • COMPACT WITH CONVENIENT BAG…
  • LIGHTWEIGHT PORTABLE PILLOW IN…
  • FIND THE PERFECT MATCH FOR…
  • 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE -…

Wise Owl Outfitters’ Camping/Travel Pillow is another great option that doesn’t stray too far from what you have at home. It may be smaller, but the foam stuffing is similar to memory foam. The pillow can compress down, and a drawstring keeps it small. You can choose from small, medium, and large, so you don’t have to settle for a tiny pillow.

Each size comes in five colors, which helps keep track of your pillow. It’s also machine washable, and you can throw it in the dryer. Amazon customers give it an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Multiple customers say it’s the perfect pillow for traveling. Unfortunately, others don’t think it’s very supportive.


Coop Home Goods – Adjustable Travel/Camping Pillow -…

  • BE A HAPPY CAMPER ANYWHERE &…
  • INCLUDES A CONVENIENT,…
  • PORTABLE, ADJUSTABLE LUXURY…
  • SAFE FOR YOU AND YOUR LOVED…
  • THE BEST TRAVEL COMPANION,…

The Travel and Camping Pillow from Coop Home Goods is a fantastic hypoallergenic pillow that you can take on a backpacking trip. It offers the same comfort as your typical bed pillow but in a smaller package. This pillow comes with a water-resistant bag that you can stuff it into when not in use. The rayon and polyester mix is CertiPUR-certified to ensure safety and quality.

It’s very soft and breathable. But it still feels similar to a regular pillow. The average customer rating is 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon. One customer likes that it’s a memory foam pillow for travel. However, another customer said it still takes up a lot of space in their backpack.


Klymit Luxe Pillow – Lightweight Luxurious Inflatable Travel…

  • BIG COMFORT: Hybrid-fill…
  • CRADLES YOUR HEAD for…
  • PERFECT FOR traveling, casual…
  • ALMOST AS BIG AS your PILLOW…
  • Inflates in just 3-5 breaths;…

Yet another travel-sized option is the Klymit Luxe Pillow. It combines air and polyester fill to give you a comfortable yet compressible pillow. The pillow cradles your head and supports you while you sleep. It’s almost as big as a regular pillow, but it can fold up to be 3-by-7 inches.

You can inflate the pillow in a few breaths, but that polyester fill can still give you the feeling of a normal pillow. Amazon customers rate it 4.7 out of 5 stars on average. One customer loves the size and cushion the pillow offers. However, others say it does the job but isn’t great otherwise.


Trekology Ultralight Inflating Travel / Camping Pillows -…

  • SMALL in SIZE – BIG on…
  • NEWLY DESIGNED with YOUR…
  • NOW MORE DURABLE THAN EVER!…
  • EASE OF USE! With the simple…
  • SLEEP WITHOUT WORRY with OUR…

The Trekology Ultralight Pillow is the first on our list that primarily uses air to fill up. That might be weird to think about at first, but it can save you a ton of space in your backpack. Since you fill it with air, you can also deflate it, and it folds up to fit in your hand. When you inflate it, it can support your head so you can sleep easily.

This pillow comes in five colors, and it’s also water-resistant. The average customer rating is 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon. One customer said it’s perfect for frequent traveling. However, others mention a small leak and that the pillow doesn’t hold air very well.


TETON Sports ComfortLite Self-Inflating Pillow; Support Your…

  • SELF-INFLATING TRAVEL PILLOW:…
  • DURABLE BUT SOFT: Microfiber…
  • NO PUMP REQUIRED: Don’t wear…
  • THE COMFORTLITE SERIES:…
  • TETON SPORTS PROMISE: Reach…

Another inflatable pillow comes from TETON Sports, and this one is slightly different. The ComfortLite Pillow self-inflating, which is nice if you don’t want to have to do it yourself. It has a microfiber top to keep you comfortable, and the bottom is non-slip, which keeps it from moving. You can set the pillow to different inflation levels, which means you have more control over the thickness and feel.

When you wake up, you can fold up the pillow to store in your backpack. It comes with a bag to keep the pillow contained. On Amazon, the average customer rating is 4.4 out of 5 stars. One customer says it’s great for packing and traveling. However, other customers have issues with how it inflates and holds the air.


Camping Pillow – Ultralight Inflatable Travel Pillows -…

  • GET A GREAT NIGHT‘S SLEEP…
  • ENHANCED ERGONOMIC DESIGN -…
  • PUNCTURE RESISTANT. NON SLIP….
  • FREE POCKET SURVIVAL…
  • THE RUGGED CAMP PROMISE – We…
<p “=”” class=”class=” data-css=”tve-u-16ca8813d73″ tve-droppable”=””>The Rugged Camp Camping Pillow is an inflatable pillow that’s perfect for anyone with no space for a pillow. It can fold up to fit in your hand, so you don’t need to dedicate much space for it. This pillow has an ergonomic design and is lightweight and compact. When inflated, it evens out so that you won’t feel the uneven ground, and it’s puncture-resistant.

The bottom won’t slide around while you sleep. And when you wake up, you can easily roll it up and stick it in your bag. It comes in four equally vibrant colors. The average customer rating is 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Customers love how compact yet comfortable it is. However, some say the pillow can lose air easily.


Inflatable Camping Travel Pillow Ultralight – Best Compact…

  • 5 SECONDS TO START USING….
  • COMFORT SIZE AND ULTRA LIGHT…
  • FOLD IT EASY AS 1-2-3. Only a…
  • EVERYTHING THAT A PERFECT BLOW…
  • THE BEST CHOICE FOR EXPED AND…

Our last pick is the Pillow from Rest-a-Camp. This inflatable pillow has many of the same features as its competitors. You can inflate it quickly and easily, but it can also deflate and fold up so that it doesn’t take up much space. The ergonomic cover supports your head and neck, and the fabric is durable enough for long-term use.

During the day, you can store it in your bag, or you can use it as a backrest or for lumbar support. It comes in five colors. Amazon customers rate it 4.4 out of 5 stars on average. Multiple customers say it’s comfortable and easy to use. Unfortunately, some customers said the pillow wouldn’t stay inflated.

Well Rested

If you want to enjoy your backpacking trip, you need to get enough sleep. But that can be difficult when you don’t have control over where you sleep. Luckily, you can bring the best backpacking pillow. Even if you can’t choose your bed, you can give your head and neck the necessary support to fuel your sleep.

All of our picks could be the best backpacking pillow, and it’s up to you to decide which one works for you. Have you used a backpacking pillow? What are your thoughts on it? Let us know in the comments!

The Out sider

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