Algonquin Adventures / Pillows

**Posted by dontgroandaddy** 6/11/2017 11:02 pm

For years my pillow was a wadded up ball of clothes, jacket, or footwear. It worked, but pillows aren't supposed to smell like mildew, swamp gas and sweat... In recent years, I've used the small camp pillows that have their own little stuff sacks. I'm not crazy about those, they offer a little head elevation anyway, and they don't weigh much. I didn't think they took up much pack space until I saw the thing my wife just got.

I bought a sleeping bag for my wife, and the internet seller included a "free gift" - an inflatable pillow. It is actually a seat pad, but the seller called it a pillow, and that usage makes sense to me. It is a Klymit Cush "Versatile Seat Pad".  I blew it up in one breath. My wife isn't impressed by it, but I think I am. In the pack, this is easily a 4-1 improvement for space and is an improvement in weight, but not as dramatically as the space savings.   For size it is like packing two decks of cards side by side, for weight it is like packing a balloon almost.  I kind of wish it had a fabric-type side, but I guess I can put a shirt on it. We just received it, so it hasn't been used yet.  I'm wondering what anybody else is using.   I'm sure there are some folks out there who use nothing, but my head, neck, and back won't abide by that.

By the way, I do usually stick the camp pillows in the sleeping bags, but they just don't compress much, so they still find a way to consume space in the pack even in a compression sack.

**Posted by Treater** 6/12/2017 6:19 am

I use this pad that has a pillow attached. I too tired of sleeping on a damp/stinky sweater.
https://www.klymit.com/inertia-ozone.html

http://www.youtube.com/user/kayakcamper · **Posted by Uppa** 6/12/2017 7:29 am

My pillow for many years was to pack a pillow case, and stuff whatever clothes didn't stink (and I wasn't wearing) into it. But last year I bought a Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Deluxe inflatable pillow. With that many words in the product name, how could it not be amazing?

http://www.seatosummitusa.com/product/?item=Aeros+Premium+Deluxe+Pillow&o1=0&o2=0&o3=575-40

But yeah, I'm really happy with it. It's an inflatable pillow that doesn't feel like an inflatable pillow, weighs little and packs small. No more pillow case for me!

**Posted by basilthegood** 6/12/2017 7:35 am

Picked up this guy at the start of this season and don't have a complaint about it. Easy to inflate/deflate to comfort, lets me sleep on my side, and it soft to the touch.

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5046-842/VectAir-Pillow

**Posted by ShawnD** 6/12/2017 8:36 am

+ 1 on Uppa's Aeros Sea to Summit pillow. I think my family has about 10 pillows now. Not sure how we ended up with that many but I won't be using any of them except except the Aeros. Significantly more comfortable than any of the others. And packs really small.

**Posted by EddyTurn** 6/12/2017 8:45 am

FlexAir inflatable Pillow is weightless and costs just few bucks.

**Posted by dontgroandaddy** 6/12/2017 4:06 pm

I have this feeling that my wife is going to be sleeping in comfort on a $30 pillow and I am going to return to sleeping on swamp-gas sock piles....

Thanks everyone very much for that input.

**Posted by Andy W** 6/12/2017 5:59 pm

+2 on Uppa's suggestion. I've tried many and so far, this has been the best

**Posted by MartinG** 6/12/2017 6:20 pm

I'm going to dissent.

I have slept on the bag of smelly clothes, a packable down pillow, and a Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow, this one http://www.seatosummitusa.com/product/?item=Aeros+Pillow+Premium&o1=0&o2=0&o3=572-30

The Down pillow is a complete fail in a tent because I can't sleep on my side without my shoulder collapsing through the night. On the other hand it is fine in a hammock. The bag of smelly clothes is lumpy, after a few days smelly, and a bit damp. The Sea to Summit Aeros pillow, while it allows me to sleep on my side, feels like a fleece covered balloon. I don't love it. Granted mine is the 'Premium' pillow. It's not the 'Premium Deluxe'. perhaps the Premium Deluxe's deluxenous makes it feel not like a balloon.

I still use it but it's not worth the $50. The search continues!

**Posted by ShawnD** 6/12/2017 7:10 pm

And here I thought you had good taste in gear Martin :-)

I think the Big Agnes Giant Pillow might be for you Martin. Still has an air core but also has memory foam on one side. Doesn't pack as small as the Aeros but still pretty small.

**Posted by MartinG** 6/12/2017 7:34 pm

You're like a pusher! You know that! where's that Google button..

**Posted by ShawnD** 6/12/2017 8:01 pm

LOL . The first pillow is free!!..Or I know a guy who might already have one that you can try first.

**Posted by trippythings** 6/12/2017 9:37 pm

Uppa wrote:
My pillow for many years was to pack a pillow case, and stuff whatever clothes didn't stink (and I wasn't wearing) into it...

That's what I've always done, and still continue to do. I don't like too much padding or elevation, so usually just a small towel or sweatshirt is enough for me.

**Posted by APPaul** 6/13/2017 5:54 am

I use an ikea memory foam pillow cut down to 2/3 the size. Stored in a small compression sack, about size of a large can of tomatoes.

I love it. The memory foam holds your head in a cradle.

It's obviously heavier than an inflatable but not by much, the only con is that in the winter it has a hard time unrolling/ compressing.

**Posted by Peek** 6/13/2017 7:37 am

A scrunched up bug shelter in a stuff sack makes an awesome pillow, but if it's busy being an awesome pillow, it's also busy being a terrible bug shelter.

I bring a small synthetic-filled pillow that I roll with my sleeping bag and stuff in a compression sack. No more damp, stanky sweaters for me!

Last edited by Peek (6/13/2017 7:37 am)

**Posted by JB** 6/13/2017 8:51 am

I used to use a sweater as the pillow case and stuffed it full of my few extra clothes including the ones I had been wearing.
3 years ago I switched to the Therm-A-Rest compressible,
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5009-948/Compressible-Medium-Pillow

It's small enough and compresses to a reasonable size. But it is lightweight, washes easy and does make a big difference.
I'm curious now about this sea-to-summit bid though!

**Posted by Blobsquatch** 6/14/2017 6:13 am

Speaking as one who has serious neck problems, I have suffered through multiple camping pillows. The MEC Backpacking pillow and the MEC Base Camp pillow both left me very sore in the morning.

I am currently using a Nemo Fillo Pillow which is a huge improvement, has memory foam and packs down nicely. It works so well I also bought the larger deluxe version for my bed at home.

Tracy