[Closed] Pillows when cycle touring/hiking

One inflatable pillow for height.
Then sleeping bag stuff sack with clothes in it for comfort.

I use a blow up pillow and sometimes a old pillow from a longhaul flight.

The blow up pillow is very lite and makes a real difference. Much better than the usual suggestion of rolled up clothes.

Fleece stuffed into the sack my sleeping mat packs into. Why carry more?

I don't find inflatable pillow comfortable, too bouncy, so usually some clothes (preferably inc. down jacket) inside a dry bag with the top clipped but not rolled (traps air so again, too bouncy). Then something like a t-shirt or fleece over it for something nice to put your face on.

Exped Mega inflatable pillows - we use them in the camper, pack down really small/weigh nothing. My wife is a pillow 'obsessive' and gets on fine with them

Fleece stuffed into the sack my sleeping mat packs into. Why carry more?

To stop me from getting neck ache- this would be waaaaaay too small for me! 🙂

Thanks for all the inflatable pillow suggestions, I'll try this again. The last one punctured after about four trips, but I don't think it was top quality- from Field and Trek I think. What brands do people use?

Exped Mega inflatable pillows

Thanks, I'll take a look at these...

I've got a Vango 'self' inflating pillow.
Find it best if ever so slightly under inflated.
It's the one 'luxury' item in my bike-packing kit as I cant sleep at all if my head is the wrong height.

I always mean to buy/bring a pillow then forget. I seem to cope, and despite me having a bit of a bad back, I've not noticed any particular discomfort after a night camping.

I alternate between nothing and whatever spare dry clothes I have rolled up a bit. This post is of course useless to the OP and does nothing but waste a few precious seconds of all our lives.

I've got a Vango 'self' inflating pillow.
Find it best if ever so slightly under inflated.

I've got one of those too. It's alright, cost like a fiver so can't complain too loudly. I wouldn't bother if backpacking though, I'd just use a rolled-up fleece.

This post is of course useless to the OP and does nothing but waste a few precious seconds of all our lives.

😆

Buy a box of wine, throw away the cardboard, drink the wine, inflate the bag - voilà!

Pussies. This is how real men do it:

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I've been trying different options when out on D of E. Currently using an cheap inflatable pillow for a bit of volume and a fleece or jacket to pad it out. Still not as comfy as I'd like to be though - the inflatable pillow is either too small or too convex for my head to stay still.

Had a play with the expensive Exped pillow in a shop the other day. It's a bit stretchy so will cradle the head a bit more. Definitely on my xmas list.

Pillows are for wimps or so I thought until I tried Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow. Cant believe how comfy this is after years of clothes stuffed in dry bag and buckles sticking in your head and stiff neck in the morning.
Plus it uses a Schnozzle so you don't have to die from 'pipers lung' and it has a better valve system than Exped mats.
Fits in the hood of a sleeping bag now an essential bit of kit for me.

Partially inflate an empty dry bag and wrap a fleece/t-shirt around it. No added weight or space required.

I discovered (during one atypically drunken night) that a regular (preferably empty) tea-mug will (if slightly tilted forward) cradle the back of the head to provide surprising comfort on a hard, flat floor. ymmv!

too convex for my head to stay still

Are you over-inflating it maybe?

This post is of course useless to the OP and does nothing but waste a few precious seconds of all our lives

I've ordered an Exped Air Pillow, I'll let you know how it goes! 🙂

globalti - Member
Pussies. This is how real men do it:

Are you over-inflating it maybe?

Yep, that's the issue though. When it's inflated to be soft it doesn't really provide any support. It's probably just a crap pillow.

Take your nice (empty) pillowcase and then fit it with your clothes at night time. Job done!!

People always say that but IME it is not very comfortable. I am guessing that the op has tried this or similar

I'm a tall bugger so I need two when sleeping in a normal bed...

I'm still confused by this, why does your height necessitate two pillows?

Back on topic though, I use clothes in dry bag, comfy enough for me so I can;t offer more anything useful...

Probably not putting the pillows on the sleeping mat, in order to get some extra length 😉