There are a few comfort items that even the most lightweight backpacker can find room in their backpack for, and one that often finds its way in is a backpacking pillow. Lightweight is great, after all, but if you're not getting any sleep you're not going to be having very much fun. Those looking to save on weight will be happy to know that there are some very lightweight backpacking pillows out there, that you will hardly even notice in your backpack.
Backpacking Pillow
Things to look for from a backpacking pillow.- Compact - A pillow is a fairly bulky item, and bulky items, especially bulky luxury items, are never a fun thing to have to find room for in a backpack. For that reason, try to get a backpacking pillow that will pack down small when not in use, and not take up too much room.
- Comfortable - An uncomfortable backpacking pillow is about as useful as no backpacking pillow at all. If you're going to bring a backpacking pillow with you, make sure that it is at least comfortable enough to get you through the night without waking you up.
Best Backpacking Pillow
The very best in backpacking pillow technology.- Therm-A-Rest Trekker Pillowcase - Why take the whole pillow when you can just take a pillowcase instead? Most people will have something to stuff in to a pillow case, like a fleece sweater or a down jacket, which will give you more than enough cushion for your head. You can always grab a pillowcase from home, but this pillowcase from Therm-A-Rest is soft polyester microfiber that will help cushion whatever you find to stuff inside your pillow case. It weighs 2.3 ounces, or 65 grams and compresses down a lot better than any pillow ever will.
- Mont Bell U.L. Comfort Pillow System - Another innovative pillow, this is actually a blow up pillow. What's great about an inflatable pillow is that you can vary the height and stiffness of the pillow according to your preferences, and it packs down extremely small when not in use. It weighs 2.3 ounces, or 65 grams.
- Therm-A-Rest Compressible Pillow - If you don't want anything inventive and just want a regular old pillow for your head, you wont do better than this extremely compressible backpacking pillow from Therm-A-Rest. It comes in three sizes, depending on how much pillow you want, and the medium version weighs 9 ounces, or 255 grams.
