No matter how tired you are after a long day of hiking, biking, climbing, or just hanging by the fire, a good night's rest can be hard to come by when you're camping. And for some odd reason, a comfortable sleep system tends to be one of the most overlooked essentials for outdoorspeople. There's so much emphasis placed on the right sleeping bag and sleeping pad, but your setup is not complete without a camping pillow.
Camping pillows are smaller and more packable than your traditional bed pillow, so they can be stuffed into your trunk or backpacking pack without taking up too much space. Like anything else in the outdoor space, options are plentiful. When choosing a camping pillow, consider its overall size, fill material, and packability (for backpacking) first.
Size: While it would be nice to use a full-sized bed pillow, it's not always practical, and you might not want to get your favorite pillow dirty. Some brands (Teton Sports, for example) make large camping pillows, but most are smaller, and designed specifically for travel.
Fill Material: This part is simple. Pillows are filled with down feathers, synthetic feathers, or are inflatable. Down is usually the most comfortable and most expensive. Inflatable pillows are nice for travel, but they're not as plush. And hybrid pillows are part-inflatable, part-filling, blending the best of both worlds for outdoorspeople who want one camping pillow for all scenarios, or for backpackers who know that a few extra ounces are well worth a better night's sleep.
Packability: Packability is often a trade-off with comfort. Large, bed-like pillows don't compress well because they're not intended to. Most options will compress into a tiny stuff sack to fit nicely into your overnight backpack, or even your carry-on bag.
Stop stuffing extra jackets into one another for a makeshift pillow. Instead, rest your head on one of these light and portable backpacking and camping pillows, and you'll be en route to more REM sleep than you've ever dreamt of.
Whether you're camping an hour away from home or venturing overseas for a 3-week Andean backpacking trip, Therm-a-Rest's newest offering is up for the challenge.
I've taken it on numerous flights and camping trips, and can now call it my top choice when space is limited. The huge amount of comfort stuffed into such a small package (15x11 inches inflated) make this one of my favorite extras (or essentials, depending how you see it) for nearly all travel.
Tiny in size but super comfortable, the Air Head Lite pillow fits easily in your pocket and weighs just 4 ounces. The soft, stretchy, knit top fabric is smooth on your face, while the nonslip bottom fabric keeps it in place when you're tossing and turning. From car to flight to bus to backcountry campsite and back, bring this pillow along for the journey.
Takes up more space in your backpack than the Therm-a-rest (above)
When most inflatable pillows feel crinkly and stiff, Klymit's Luxe Pillow goes against the grain. It's a hybrid pillow that's one part inflatable, one part synthetic fill, and all parts comfort. Fill it with air for firm comfort, or drain it a bit for a more relaxed feel. When compressed, the Luxe packs down to 7x3 inches and expands to 22x12 inches.
The secret here is Klymit's X-shaped internal design, which cradles your head and keeps it centered for a better night's rest. Its quilted cover is softer and quieter than most and can be machine-washed between trips, so you can still bask in the smell of fresh laundry (on the first night), even when home is hundreds of miles away.
For car camping, you won't need anything that's made to be lightweight. TETON Sports' camping pillow — which is heavier and larger than many backpacking-angled pillows — will get the job done, at a price that's just right.
This 12x18 inch camping pillow has a foam filling that will keep your head off the hard ground, a stuff sack that lets you toss it in the trunk without picking up dirt, and a soft flannel cover that can be removed for washing when it starts to smell like sweat, drool, and campfire.
Three size options with varying levels of packability
One of the lightest options for backpacking
Expensive
Plush pillows aren't exclusively for the bedroom — now you can rest your head on a cloud anywhere you go. At first impression, and when used by itself, it can feel relatively flat. But by stuffing an extra hoodie or jacket into the elastic cord on the underside, this pillow doubles in size and will remind you of the comforts of home.
This pillow is made mostly from recycled materials, using leftovers from Therm-a-Rest sleeping bag production. It's offered in three sizes, as small as 15x11 inches with a weight of 7 ounces, and it easily packs down small enough that you'll always find a place for it in your backpacking pack.
Just because you want an inflatable pillow does not mean you have to sacrifice comfort. Nemo's Fillo is a near-perfect option for all occasions: The pillow's body inflates easily, while the soft, insulated cover is something to dream about.
At just 9 ounces, this pillow is lightweight and packable enough to make the cut when backpacking (though still heavier than some). Meanwhile, it's soft and plush enough to be used at the campground (when trunk space is a non-issue). The price might seem a bit excessive to some, but it's easily one of the comfier camping pillows we have tried.
Looking for something that will get the job done without costing a fortune? If you're a sound sleeper, your camping pillow doesn't need to be anything fancy.
This large pillow inflates to 16x12 inches, but weighs just 3.9 ounces — that's less than a can of pop. But don't worry that it's flimsy — this pillow is made of a strong TPU material that will hold up even if it gets a bit mistreated.
This pillow's outer material isn't as soft as some of the higher-end options on our list, but it cleans easily, holds up to abuse, and gets the job done. If your bank account is suffering, don't let your sleep habits follow suit.
If you love the feel of microfiber blankets, this pillow will put you right to sleep — its microfiber outer layer feels like your favorite fleece blanket. The foam insulation holds its shape well, yet compresses small enough for a backpacking pack.
This offering from ALPS comes in multiple sizes, depending on whether you prefer a pillow that's small and packable for backpacking (the 17x12 inch "Slice" model) or one that's a bit more luxurious for camping near your car (the 24x16 large size). It's not the highest-quality material or the most comfortable, but this pillow offers plenty of added comfort at a very approachable price point.
Hybrid construction is more comfy than most inflatable pillows
Impressive comfort-to-weight ratio
Spendy
Premium comfort doesn't come cheap — it's no different than shopping for house pillows. But Sea to Summit has been a big player in this game for quite some time, so their inflatable Aeros is still one of the best on the market.
The Aeros has a light layer of synthetic insulation between the outer surface and the inflatable reservoir for added comfort. The reservoir features curved internal baffles that cradle your head, and a brushed knit-polyester shell for a silky soft, next-to-skin feeling.
Choose from three sizes — including a “deluxe” option that, when inflated, is nearly the same size as a standard bedroom pillow (23x16 inches, 6.9 ounces). But, when compressed, every Aeros size fits easily into your hand, so they never get left behind when you're tight on space.
Andrew BettlachAndrew has been contributing to the outdoors and fitness content on BestProducts.com since 2017; he's a nature lover, peak-bagger, skier, and general good-time haver who lives in Colorado, knows where all the fresh snow is, and what gear you should be wearing for staying warm or looking fresh.
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