Camping pillow quick picks
When you’re roughing it in the outdoors, one of the best things you can do for yourself is make sure you have a comfortable camping pillow to rest your head on at the end of a long day. A good pillow can help you actually get a good night’s sleep so you’re refreshed and energized for your next adventure.
“I am a pillow guy,” says Jordy Shepherd, a mountain guide with the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations, vice president of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and co-host of the “Delivering Adventure” podcast. “I can sleep well almost anywhere, be it winter camping, on a mountain ledge or on the beach, as long as I have a pillow. There are many options for backcountry pillows. Some are very compact and light, and work for both car camping and backpacking, as well as for hut trips.”
You can obviously just take your normal pillow from home, but if you don’t want to get that one dirty or you don’t have enough space, camping pillows are a great alternative. There are two main types of camping pillows: compressible and inflatable.
Compressible camping pillows will most similarly resemble the normal pillows you know and love. Most are filled with some sort of foam that can squeeze down small so they’re more portable.
But if space is at a premium, you’ll want to look into inflatable pillows. Some of these can pack down as small as a golf ball, but they typically aren’t as comfortable since you’re using air instead of foam to support your head.
Shepherd recommends looking for a lightweight pillow that folds up very small yet inflates to a reasonable size. He appreciates the addition of plush microfiber and lofted padding on the top surface for extra comfort.
“For me, as a backpacker, I’m typically looking for something that is both comfortable and minimal so it doesn’t take up a lot of space or weight in my backpack,” says Allison Boyle, the founder and CEO of She Dreams of Alpine and Become an Outdoor Backpacking Badass coaching program.
Camping pillows might seem pricey compared to the cost of regular pillows, but Shepherd says they’re “well worth the price to have a good night’s sleep after a long trek or after multiple nights on a camping trip.”
In certain scenarios like car camping, for example, you might not even need a camping pillow at all, according to Boyle. “If I’m car camping and I can drive my car to a campground, I just bring a normal pillow from home with me. If I’m backpacking, I don’t bring a pillow at all,” she says, adding that she opts instead to ball her extra clothing or down jacket into a pillow inside her sleeping bag. “Not everyone loves the idea of this, though, so test what’s right for you before going on a multinight trip.”
The best material for a camping pillow is the one that resembles your home pillow as much as possible. Foam is more comfortable than air, and if you find a pillow with a cotton or microfiber cover, even better.
To make your camp pillow last season after season, make sure to follow its included washing directions and properly clean it after each trip. And if you have a compressible pillow, try storing it at its full size, since the foam could break down over time if it’s packed up tight.
Best camping and backpacking pillows
It can be easy to get bogged down by all the camping pillow choices out there, but Boyle suggests keeping an open mind and not overthinking it. “The best choice is the one that gets you out there on the trail, so ultimately, my recommendation is don’t get overwhelmed by all the options,” she says. “Choose one, test it out in a low-stakes environment and then get out there.”
“My current favorite is the Therm-a-Rest Air Head Pillow,” Shepherd says. “It meets all of my requirements in a backcountry pillow: It is light, folds up into a very small stuff sack and can be customized for thickness by adding or letting out air. It has a plush and slightly padded top surface with the feel of a real pillow. It barely takes up any space in your pack and weighs very little. It is perfect for helicopter-accessed backcountry trips where gear space and weight are very limited.”
If you don’t want to wake up with frizzy hair, check out this pillow that has a satin polyester cover to reduce friction on both your hair and your face.
“This is the first piece of backpacking gear I ever got,” says Underscored editor Kai Burkhardt. “It’s a tiny, ultra-light, inflatable pillow that only takes three breaths to inflate and is smaller than a headlamp. Even hardcore backpackers can’t deny that this pillow is absolutely worth taking. It’s not the most comfortable option out there, but if you’re obsessed with space and weight, it gets the job done.”
“I’m one of those ounce-counting backpackers who frequently gets neck pain and headaches from sleeping wonky, and the Fillo Elite has been a game changer when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep in the wilderness,” says Underscored contributor Emily Pennington. “Plus, it packs down smaller than the regular Fillo — roughly the size of a lemon.”
If you don’t care as much about packability, check out Nemo’s bigger pillow, the Fillo King. It’s larger and has more padding than the Fillo Elite, which means it’s even more comfortable than its smaller siblings.
Lull yourself to sleep in this glamping-worthy pillow made of enhanced memory foam and polyester fill that won’t flatten or lose shape under the weight of your head. “If I have space when I’m car camping, this is the pillow I bring,” Burkhardt says. “It’s the most comfortable camp pillow I’ve tried, and I absolutely love how it folds in on itself to stay clean.” The pillow is available in three sizes: Travel, Camp and Standard.
This 3-ounce stuffable pillowcase makes for a genius addition to your hike, with its empty shell that allows you to stuff it with cushiony belongings you’re already taking with you. It’s made with earth-friendly recycled materials, including ripstop polyester for increased durability and recycled polar fleece for maximum warmth.
Another of Burkhardt’s favorites, the lightweight and compressible nature of this popular camp pillow makes it an ideal nighttime solution. It features a plush recycled polyurethane foam fill with firmness you can customize via the drawcord, and its shell is made of a soft recycled polyester with extra insulation to prevent lumps and promote warmth. “I like to keep an extra Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow in my camp bin just in case I, or someone I'm camping with, forgets a pillow,” Burkhardt says. “It’s surprisingly comfortable for how small and packable it is, and I definitely prefer it over nearly any inflatable pillow I’ve tried.” It comes in three sizes at less than 1 pound each and four unique patterns (yes please to the mushroom Fun Guy variation). Best yet? It’s machine-washable.
Made of soft microsuede and a cozy memory foam, this 4-inch-thick pillow with nearly 9,000 Amazon reviews is a godsend after a long day out on the trails. Its cushioned memory foam packs down into a portable waterproof carry sack and it comes in two sizes and four colors for every type of outdoor enthusiast. Its removable cover is machine-washable and dryer friendly.
Having a pillow that doesn’t fit inside the hood of your sleeping bag is a huge bummer. That’s why REI Co-op created this foam pillow specifically designed to match with the peculiar hoods of mummy sleeping bags. Oh, and it’s machine-washable too.
Drift off soundly with Klymit’s Drift Camp 1-pound pillow on your next outdoor adventure. Its water-resistant outer shell makes it a low-maintenance option for rugged stays, while its inner cotton jersey pillowcase and shredded memory foam are customizable for your desired level of plushness. It’s bulkier than most options, making it the ideal accessory to a car camping trip.
Here at Underscored, we love a multifunctional item that saves on space and money. That’s what makes this 3-ounce camping pillow a solid bet. It’s a multiuse sleeping pad with an inflation pump that works both as a camp pillow, a dry bag or compression stuff sack for any loose items, and it’s compatible with sleeping pads from the same line. It’s a great option for those looking to inflate their camp pillow in seconds — versus minutes — and instead save their energy for the road ahead.
This inflatable pillow has a brushed nylon cover so you don’t wake up with an itchy face. And since it has foam filling and an inflatable compartment, you can customize it to exactly the plushness you want.
With its water-repellant and durable properties, this camp pillow is quite literally suitable for sea(shore) to summit. It features curved internal baffles to keep your head centered on the pillow, easy inflation and deflation for smooth campsite setup, a scalloped bottom edge ideal for side sleepers and a moisture-wicking synthetic fill to keep you dry in damp climates. Its brushed polyester shell is the finishing touch that’ll help you sleep soundly through the night.
Bundle up like a cocoon with this handy inflatable pillow by your side. What makes it a dream are its all-weather properties (simply opt for the cool nylon side during warm nights and the polyester microfiber side in cooler temps), and its ability to fit into the hood of your sleeping bag to keep it in place. Internal baffles further keep your head secure and its discrete zipper allows you to pop the cover in the washing machine.
Packing down to the size and weight of a soda can, this inflatable and highly portable camp pillow with more than 20,000 Amazon reviews is as hiker-friendly as it gets. It features a detachable latch and anti-slip rubber to keep it from sliding around and it fully inflates in as little as three breaths. Its thermoplastic polyurethane coating is water-resistant, and its curved design will help prevent you from waking up with any nasty neck pains.