Sleep is the basis of a healthy body. At night, the body rests and recovers after a busy day. Going on a business trip, vacation or travel, you can’t neglect your comfort and good rest. A person can relax for a short period by having a nap in a train, dozing off in a car or leaning back in an airplane seat. But any out-of-home activity should be pleasant and comfortable. It is unlikely that anyone would like to go on a hike and dream all day about getting back home, take a dip in a hot bath, and sleep on your favorite soft pillow. Modern equipment helps to bring home comfort to the trip. For example, the best backpacking pillow is useful in almost any situation, whether it is a long trip by car or by bus, overnight in a tent or even in the open air.
In a hike and on camp nights, comfortable sleep plays a very important role in recuperation after a hard day’s trekking. At the same time, you can shove anything under your head – folded clothes or your backpack, but why you should do if there is a simpler and more convenient solution – the best backpacking pillow. Designed specifically for such purposes, the best backpacking pillow has all the necessary advantages – low weight, compactness, and ease of use. It is the brightest and most convenient example of sleeping for the tourist.
Buy the best backpacking pillow is beneficial as it:
- relieves pain in the head, shoulders, and neck;
- prevents the development of osteochondritis and protrusions of the cervical vertebrae;
- affects the blood flow and contributes to the fixation of the neck;
- takes up little space in luggage;
- based on the functionality, it is not very expensive.
Why Do You Desperately Need a Backpacking Pillow?
It is quite possible to rest comfortably even while traveling, thanks to an inflatable pillow. The best backpacking pillow in 2023 can be used for camping with tents, on the road and even on the water.
When you choose a soft cushion under the neck, you will forever forget about the inconvenience during sleep in transport and pain in the neck after it. Such a pad is an indispensable companion on an airplane, train, bus or car. Rectangular or square cushions will give home comfort for any trip.
Many tourists use folded things, bags, etc., instead of a cushion while sleeping since a regular pillow takes up a lot of space in the luggage and is inconvenient to take with you. But the best inflatable backpack pillow is not only compact but also has a soft, pleasant surface, does not slip, and can also be comfortable, depending on the amount of air collected. If you are still an adherent of traditional pillows, you can buy a camping cushion with fillers. It has a small weight, which facilitates transportation, and thanks to its high-quality fabric, it is easy to wash and dries quickly.
What Should Be Considered When Buying a Backpacking Pillow?
Everything depends on the style of the backpacking you prefer. According to this, you should define the type of cushion most suitable for you. For instance, you can choose between inflating pillows and self-inflating ones. The best self-inflating units, usually rectangular in shape, have a valve; filler is polyurethane foam, which is well-compressed. To pump up such a pillow, it is not necessary to make a lot of effort, just unscrew the brass valve and leave the pad for a few minutes to fully inflate it. As a rule, it takes 5 minutes. The headrest will swell to a certain size, and you can blow it with your mouth or, on the contrary, blow it off a little. To pack up a self-inflating tourist cushion, unscrew the brass valve and start rolling the pillow into a tube; then close the valve, fix it on both sides with elastic bands and put it into a small bag.
To inflate it, you will need just a few minutes, but here you have to do it yourself. Inflatable units take up much less space and are much lighter; however, they are less comfortable than the self-inflating variant, and they are also much easier to damage.
One more thing to consider is weight. If comfort is more important for you than the weight of the cushion you carry, then go for a compressed model, as they are the most beneficial for sleeping and the heaviest too.
What is a Hybrid Backpacking Pillow and What Are They Used For?
As the name suggests, this type of headrest is a combination of the inflatable model and a compressed one, as it has an inflating bottom to support you while sleeping and a compressed top. This type is more comfortable and is not as heavy as a compressed type.
What Type of Fabrics Does the Backpacking Pillows Have?
One of the most important factors is whether the headrest moves while you’re sleeping. Apart from this, while choosing the fabric, consider how you feel touching the surface and whether it makes much noise when you move.
Inflatable backpacking pillows are usually produced from nylon fabrics, which makes them noisier than cotton or polyester ones. If this does not bother you, or you can use a pillowcase, then select that type.
h3 Do Pillow Fillings Matter?
Certainly, they do. For instance, inflatable models have air inside; as a result, they are the lightest, most compact, and easiest to pack. It is possible to adjust their form, but they are not the most comfortable option for sleeping.
A compressed backpacking pillow with feathers is not as easy to carry as the first one, but it is very similar to the first type. With it, you get a soft exterior and comfortable interior. It is lighter than the models with synthetic filling but more expensive. Synthetic filling provides you with the best firmness and support possible. But they are not very light and durable.
Hybrid units may seem the best option as they offer the comfort of compressed models and support of the inflatable ones, although they are heavier than the latter ones.
TYPES OF BACKPACKING PILLOWS
The best backpacking pillows differ in type, shape, and are made from different materials.
Inflatable
An inflatable pillow is an accessory, which is easy to inflate if necessary. Select an inflatable pillow if you often move or leave on business trips by air and railway transport. Weightlessness, compactness, anti-allergic accessory –are the key advantages. When buying such a product, make sure the valve is reliable. Blow it up and inflate it several times in a row to test this.
Compressible
Compressible pilllows are less compact, require extra care and regular washing. It is better to keep such pillows with you or in a car. They are ideal for professional drivers or lovers of independent adventures. Compressible backpacking pillows are made of pleasant material and textures with natural filler. If you choose a product from a leading orthopedic company, your neck will thank you more than once. If desired, the travel pillow can be used at home for relaxing in a chair or garden.
Hybrid
According to the backpacking pillow reviews; these are the best option as they have a mixture of inflatable and compressed designs. The hybrid pillow has a fluffy top to make it convenient for your head and an inflatable bottom to increase support. It will provide you with the best night’s sleep, but it will take quite a lot of space in your backpack, and you will not notice its weight.
BEST BACKPACKING PILLOW BUYING GUIDE- WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The best backpacking pillow is an irreplaceable friend of the traveler. Only the person who did not spend more than 2 hours sleeping on the road can challenge this fact. Because such a pillow is one of the most popular devices on the market, manufacturers offer an increasing number of varieties of backpacking pillows every year. Not all of them offer original structure, but manufacturers, developing a novelty, declare some new “miracles” of pillow’s quality.
As there are many varieties of pillow available; it has become even easier for the consumer to make the wrong choice because they forget about the purpose for which the pillow was originally designed and what quality characteristics it must necessarily meet. And if you’re going on a long and unforgettable journey, a person wants to pass it with pleasant and comfortable sensations, not clouded by a headache, numbness of the limbs, neck, and headaches, and terrible health. You need to make the right choice.
So how do you choose the best backpacking pillow for your needs? Here are a few recommendations and tips to help you choose.
Weight & Size
First of all, you need to decide how you are going to use the pillow. If you intend to carry it in your backpack, then its weight and size will be very important. Consider the weight limit and remember that this is not the only thing you are going to carry on your back. Certainly, if you are traveling with comfort and convenient sleep is one of your top priorities, then you can take a heavier and bulkier pillow.
Slipperiness
In general, according to the backpacking pillow reviews, the slippery texture of a pillow is rather uncomfortable. It will tend to slide out from under you constantly. That is why you should avoid such fabrics as rayon or silk.
Frequency of Use & Durability
Thinks about the frequency you are going to use this pillow. The significance of durability directly depends on this.
Also, keep in mind that if you are dissatisfied with something from the very beginning, you won’t get used to it later. It is better to pay more for a better option than to torture yourself.
Comfort & Support
Comfort and support are very important in a backpacking pillow. If you are a side sleeper, you need support to avoid a sore neck. Back sleepers require the same. But if support is not your paramount consideration, you are offered some other options on our list.
Inflatable vs. Pillow Case
Comparing these two types, we can say that the best backpacking pillowcases stuffed with clothes are cheaper, and you don’t need to worry about their popping. But the comfort of your sleep and their firmness depend on the clothes used. You need to have the proper stuff and amount to reach the maximum level of comfort.
Inflated pillows are more expensive, and risk popping or leaking air. It is possible to adjust them by inflating or deflating some air into them.
THE BEST BACKPACKING PILLOW: FINAL ADVICE
The best backpacking pillow is not quite a new device for sleeping, but useful and necessary. Remember, the comfort of your sleep depends on how well you choose the backpacking pillow and your well-being, not on the manufacturer and price. Here we have offered you six of the best examples of pillows according to the best backpacking pillow reviews, and it is only up to you to choose the most suitable option for yourself. But we would recommend the Nemo Fillow Pillow as the model with the most suitable set of features.