Many backpackers try to bring only a few luxury items when they go backpacking, but for many, a pillow is less a luxury item and more of a necessity. But the best backpacking pillow wont take up much room in your backpack or add much bulk to your backpack. In fact, there are some backpacking pillows which are downright small and lightweight, and which you’ll hardly even notice you’re carrying. There are also a few more innovative options for giving you somewhere to rest your head.
Best Backpacking Pillow
Things to look for from a backpacking pillow.- Padding Method – You might think that with a backpacking pillow you have to have a foam pillow, but just like with sleeping pads, there’s more than one way to keep you comfortable at night. In fact, there are many excellent inflatable sleeping pads that do an excellent job of keeping you comfortable at night.
- Weight – Related to the above, the weight of your pillow is something important to look at. A pillow can get heavy surprisingly quickly, and you don’t want a big, heavy pillow. You also don’t want a big, bulky pillow that will take up a lot of room in your backpack.
Backpacking Pillow Reviews
Reviews of some of the very best backpacking pillows.- Therm-A-Rest Down Pillow - The Down Pillow from Therm-A-Rest is a great product that fills a certain role. On its own it's not the greatest pillow because it doesn't hold its loft all that well. But when paired with a sweater, for example, it does a great job of padding your head, while the sweater provides the bulk. It also has a built in compression system, so you can get it down nice and small for packing in the morning. And it uses 650+ fill down. So a great product, if used in conjunction with some other bulky item. It also comes in three different sizes.
- Therm-A-Rest Compressible Pillow - If nothing but a foam pillow will do, Therm-A-Rest has you covered there too. This foam pillow compresses in to its own pillow case, so it's easy to store. It also comes in three different sizes, so you can have small or large, depending on what your needs are. The medium weighs 9 ounces, or 255 grams, so not the lightest product ever, but you cant put a price, or weight, on comfort.
- Mont Bell U.L. Comfort System Pillow - If you're more concerned about weight than anything else, Mont Bell's inflatable pillow is an excellent choice. It weighs practically nothing, at just 2.3 ounces, or 65 grams. And while it's just a basic square pillow, it gets great reviews, and is actually quite comfortable. And of course being inflatable, it packs down to practically nothing. So a solid choice for a backpacking pillow if you're looking to save on weight and bulk.
