A good night’s sleep is an essential ingredient for enjoying yourself on the trail, and there are many factors that go into getting it. The R-Value of your sleeping pad, the warmth of your sleeping bag, and the clothes you sleep in are just a few of them. However, one of the most overlooked factors is whether you choose to use a camping pillow.  Once considered a decadent option, the latest generation of ultralight and compact camp pillows, makes bringing one along a slam dunk decision. With a pillow, you will sleep better, be more refreshed every morning, and enjoy your time outdoors even more.

What is a Camping Pillow?

The biggest difference between at-home pillows and camping pillows is size. Camping pillows are smaller than traditional pillows, with the aim of being far lighter and more packable. There are three main types of camping pillows to choose from:

• Air Pillows: Very small pillows with a baffled air chamber core. They can be inflated to the desired firmness level and, once deflated, they pack down to the size of a deck of cards. They are comfortable, tiny, and ultralight!
• Foam/Filled Pillows: Compact pillows stuffed with foam or down. Down pillows can pack exceptionally small and light, making them a great choice for backpacking. Foam -filled pillows don't pack quite as small, but are the closest thing to a home pillow. making them ideal for road trips and travel. 
• Stuff Sack Pillows: The classic stuff-your-clothes-in-a-stuff-sack-and-call-it-good pillow for minimalists. Ours are lined with a brushed polyester, making them a bit more deluxe than your ordinary stuff sack.

Inflatable Camping Pillows

A big reason for the current rise in camp pillow popularity is the advent of ultralight air pillows. Just look at the Air Head™ Lite. It can be inflated to the desired level of support and deflated to a fraction of its full size. Packed, it can likely fit in the top of your sleeping bag stuff sack or disappear into any nook or cranny of your pack.  The original Air Head™ Pillow features a super-soft, partially recycled, brushed polyester cover with just a touch of synthetic fill beneath to boost comfort. The Air Head™ Down is the same, but you guessed it, has a down-filled topper for an even more luxurious next-to-skin feel. The covers are machine-washable, so they can stay clean and comfy for years.  

Filled Camping Pillows

Many people prefer the more traditional filled camping pillows, and it’s easy to see why. These pillows are very similar to the pillow you might use on your bed at home, just slightly smaller and easier to squish into small spaces.  The Compressible Pillow Cinch exemplifies this category with its foam filling being upcycled from Therm-a-Rest sleeping pad production. The pillow stuffs into its own brushed polyester cover for easy transport and expands to offer great support and blissful comfort. It's perfect for road trips, car camping, or even flying. 

Stuff Sack Camping Pillows

The Trekker™ Pillow Case and Stuff Sack Pillow are great for those who get by just fine resting their heads on jackets and shirts when out on the trail. The brushed polyester Trekker Pillow case is ultralight and fits in your shirt pocket, while the Stuff Sack Pillow is a perfectly cross-functional stuff sack.  Ideal for your sleeping bag, just invert it when empty to reveal a soft, brushed polyester interior that makes a perfect sleep surface for your head.  Stuff it with a jacket or two, and you'll be sleeping sweetly with almost zero added weight.   

Why Should You Carry a Pillow While Camping?

Have you ever woken up with a crick in your neck from sleeping on an uncomfortable pillow? Or have you tried sleeping with no pillow, only to wake up in the middle of the night or the next morning sore and regretful? To put it simply, you should carry a camping pillow because you will sleep better and feel better in the morning. 

• They are lightweight and can be very small, so they won’t add much weight or take up excess space in your pack.
• Your body will be better prepared to perform and enjoy the outdoors!

While a few hardcore ultralight backpackers may claim camping pillows are superfluous, most campers and overnight adventurers will agree that camping pillows are worth their weight in gold. There's just aren;t a lot of good reasons to deny yourself all the benefits of sleeping with a pillow while camping, whether you’re in a campground or deep in the backcountry. We absolutely have a camping pillow that fits your needs, and with one, you'll wake up feeling fresh and ready for the kind of day you deserve in the outdoors.

Related Posts:

• Camping Pillows: Therm-a-Rest's Complete Guide
• How It’s Made: Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillows
• The Ultimate Guide to Therm-a-Rest Sleeping Pads

Updated. Originally Published September 14, 2020.