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Best Camp Pillows

Best Camp Pillows for Hiking and Backpacking


A good night’s sleep can be as elusive as it is important in the backcountry. New sounds, less comfort than home, and thinking about the day ahead can all cut your sleep short. But good sleep is critical to a successful and fun hiking vacation! In addition to a solid sleeping pad and sleeping bag, a good camp pillow can make the difference between a restful night or one spent tossing and turning. So, to help you get some shut-eye, we’ll discuss different camp pillow types and our top recommendations to set you up for success on your next backpacking trip.

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KEY CONSIDERATIONS For Camp Pillows

Pillow Type

Camp pillows tend to fall into one of two categories. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each category below:

Inflatable pillows – As the name implies, these pillows are manually inflated when you’re ready to use them and have a lockable valve to prevent them from deflating in the middle of the night. These pillows tend to be extremely lightweight and packable since they can deflate to almost nothing but lack the cushioning and comfort of foam. Additionally, these pillows are less durable than solid foam since they risk getting poked or punctured at some point during your adventures.

Foam pillows feature a highly compressible foam material that packs reasonably well for backpacking and expands when unpacked for sleeping. These pillows tend to have excellent comfort and overall support but are more bulky since they can’t pack down as much as inflatable pillows.

The tradeoffs between these two options are pretty well defined: inflatable pillows are super lightweight and packable but can lack comfort. Meanwhile, foam pillows are more cozy but take up more room in your pack. However, a more recent addition to the industry is hybrid pillows. These pillows have an inflatable layer combined with a top foam layer to combine the benefits of inflatable and foam pillows. Of course, a hybrid pillow won’t be as lightweight as a true inflatable pillow nor as comfortable as a 100% foam pillow, but it’s a nice avenue to walk the line between these two pillow types if you’re looking for a decent blend of comfort and packability.

Packability

As we mentioned above, packability is a key consideration on a backpacking trip. We don’t want gear that will take up a ridiculous amount of space in our backpacks or unnecessarily weigh us down. If your main goal is to move light and fast, then an inflatable pillow has the smallest footprint (also handy for long travel days on a train or plane).

Durability

Like any piece of gear, we want our camp pillows to last season after season! In this department, foam pillows are by far the most durable. They can get pinched, poked, and scaped without ever losing their ability to provide a comfortable night’s sleep. Meanwhile, inflatable pillows call for a little more caution since any damage could cause the pillow to deflate and become useless as a pillow. However, most brands include a patch kit for this eventuality in case you need it.

Price

As far as backpacking sleeping gear goes, a camp pillow is among the cheapest items you’ll need – way less than a sleeping bag or sleeping pad! Most camp pillows range from $30 to $50, providing a reasonably accessible price point to help you get a good night’s sleep.

Nemo Fillo Pillow

Best Camp Pillow Overall

best camp pillows nemo fillo

  • MSRP: $44.95 (Fillo Regular)
  • Pillow Type: Hybrid (inflatable + foam)
  • Weight: 9.2 oz.
  • Dimensions: (features vary with size)

PROS: Very comfortable – Machine washable cover – Adjustable

CONS: Somewhat heavy and bulky – Upper price point

CLOSER LOOK: Nemo did a great job taking the very best from inflatable and foam pillow designs and combining them into the Fillo. Baffled air cells form the pillow’s base, allowing you to inflate it without puffing up into an uncomfortable bubble or overly rounded shape. Next is a soft layer of foam to add additional comfort and support. While we love the added comfort from the foam, it does add a little bulk to the overall design. Consequently, the Fillo isn’t the lightest or trimmest pillow out there, but it sure is comfortable! Additionally, Nemo had the foresight to include a washable pillow case with the Fillo, which is a super handy feature for when you get out of the backcountry and can just throw it in with all your other laundry. Put all these features together, and the Fillo is definitely one of the best camp pillows currently on the market.

Nemo also offers several sizes for the Fillo Pillow, a very useful tool to find just the right size for you. The exact features and specifications will vary slightly from size to size, and everything we’ve covered in this section pertains to the Regular Fillo size.

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SEA to Summit Aeros Ultralite

Best Inflatable Camp Pillow

best camping pillows sea to summit aeros ultralite

  • MSRP: $49.95
  • Pillow Type: Inflatable
  • Weight: ~2.5 oz.
  • Dimensions: 14.2 x 10.2 x 4.7 in.

PROS: Super lightweight and packable – Adjustable firmness

CONS: Lower comfort – Expensive

CLOSER LOOK: If minimal weight and bulk are your main priorities in a camp pillow, then the Sea to Summit Aeros is a perfect fit. This inflatable pillow uses lightweight 20-denier polyester that rolls up to practically nothing when not inflated. This high packability is also very useful for travel days where you want a small, easily deployable pillow stashed in your go bag.

On the trail, this pillow inflates to a decent size, and the baffles help form a somewhat flat and contoured area in which your head can rest. However, this pillow lacks padding and isn’t nearly as comfortable as a pillow using foam cushioning. During testing, we’d often wad up an extra layer (like a fleece) and use it as a pillow topper to get a little extra cushioning. With this system, the Aeros is adding support behind a softer surface, so it’s still fulfilling an important function, and we very much appreciate how easy it is to stash this pillow in a backpack, in with our sleeping bag, or in an airplane carry-on for easy use whenever it’s time to get some shut-eye. Another reason to pair this pillow with a spare layer or get the Aeros Pillowcase is to prevent the Aeros Pillow from sliding around if used alone.

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Therm-A-Rest Compressible Pillow

Best Foam Camping Pillow

best camp pillows thermarest compressible

  • MSRP: $34.95-$49.95
  • Pillow Type: Foam
  • Weight: 8 oz. (small) – 1 lb (large)

PROS: Very comfortable – Different sizes and thicknesses available – Machine washable – Durable – Cinches down for packability

CONS: Heavier and bulkier than the competition

CLOSER LOOK: For cushy comfort, the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow is one of the best camp pillows out there. The urethane foam is nice and plush when unfolded but packs reasonably well for transport or backpacking when you need to stash it. Now, this pillow isn’t nearly as lightweight or compressible as an inflatable or hybrid pillow, but the comfort is much more on par with a pillow you might have at home. Therm-a-Rest also includes a cinch at the back of the pillow to keep it as compressed as possible when stashing it in your pack.  What’s more, the compressible pillow is also machine washable, a handy feature since a lot of our backpacking gear can be a little funky when we get home.

The latest iteration of this pillow also includes a polyester insulation layer, which helps smooth out most of the urethane’s natural lumpiness (which was a problem in previous versions of this pillow). So overall, we can’t argue with the comfort the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow provides – especially since there are different sizes and thicknesses available to find the perfect fit – but there’s a definite trade-off on packability. This pillow will take up noticeably more space in your pack.

View at REI.COm

REI Campwell Pillow

Best Budget Camp Pillow

best camp pillow REI campwell

  • MSRP: $29.95
  • Pillow Type: Foam
  • Weight: 14.5 oz.
  • Dimensions: 20 x 15 in.

PROS: Comfortable – Great price – Reversible cover for satin or fleece

CONS: Only one size – Very bulky (doesn’t compress well)

CLOSER LOOK: If you’re trying to save money on your camp pillow purchase, the REI Campwell is a very accessible option. Using recycled foam pellets, this pillow offers a cushy surface that’s supportive and comfortable. However, this low price and comfort come with the not-insignificant downside of very poor packability. The Campwell doesn’t pack down very well at all and will take up noticeable space in your pack. However, REI has done all it can to compensate for this drawback by including some handy features. First, the Campwell has a washable and reversible case that features either a smooth satin surface or soft fleece, providing a level of adjustability that we find very refreshing. Secondly, this pillow comes with a stuff sack to help with transportation (but we’d recommend a compression sack to help compress this pillow a little bit so it doesn’t take up quite as much space).

View at REI.COm

RUMPL STUFFABLE Pillowcase

Best Pillow cover

best camp pillows rumpl stuffable pillowcase

  • MSRP: $40.00
  • Pillow Type: Pillowcase only
  • Weight: 3.2 oz.
  • Dimensions: 16 x 11 in.

PROS: Lightweight – Packable – Utilizes layers you don’t sleep in – Two-sided design to fine-tune comfort

CONS: Pricey – Can be lumpy or lopsided – Relies on your layers/shells being available and dry to stuff it with

CLOSER LOOK: We know, we know. Just a pillowcase isn’t exactly a camp pillow, but Rumpl has an intriguing product here worth investigating. During any night on a backpacking trip, you typically have several layers that aren’t being used. These underutilized articles include rain layers, puffy jackets, hiking pants, fleece layers, and so on. So, why not turn those items into a pillow by stuffing them into a pillowcase?

Maybe you think you could stuff those layers into a fleece or hoody and get the same thing. Well, we’ve tried that, too, and found that everything just smushes down into the fleece as it expands outward into a pancake, which is not very comfortable! The Stuffable pillowcase from Rumpl holds that classic pillow shape, keeping your support relatively even and comfortable. Additionally, the Stuffable is smaller than a traditional pillowcase, maintaining that classic camp pillow sizing and allowing fewer layers to accomplish more as you build your pillow. The pillowcase itself is also double-sided, with smooth polyester on one side and warm fleece on the other. And naturally, carrying a simple pillowcase is much lighter and packable than other bulky pillow options on the market.

Now for the downsides. For one, the Stuffable pillowcase is surprisingly pricy for just a pillowcase – right in the middle-upper range for a full-on camp pillow. Additionally, the whole system is dependent on you having layers available to stuff it with. If it’s super rainy and a lot of your clothes get wet, or if it’s very cold and you end up wearing your extra layers, you could end up not having much of anything to stuff into the pillowcase when the time comes. Lastly, the comfort of this sleep system is 100% dependent on the layers you stuff it with and your stuffing ability – it’s very easy to get a lumpy or lopsided feel with this system. But we’re all for using the gear we have and cutting down on extra bulk! This can be especially handy if you’re a chronic over-packer and always end up with layers you never use, and the Rumpl Stuffable is definitely one of the best camp solutions to put those extra layers to work.

View At REI.Com

Sleeping Bag and Pad Compatibility for Camp Pillows

Camp pillows slipping and sliding all over the place is a common problem in the backcountry. The lightweight polyester and nylon used for most pillows, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads tend to form a very smooth surface. Therefore, it’s very easy for a camp pillow to want to slide out of place when you change position in the middle of the night.

Brands have come up with a range of potential solutions to this problem. A common remedy is including a pillow sleeve in backpacking sleeping bags for your pillow to slide into. This isn’t standard or a guaranteed feature, but you might see some pillows marketed as sleeping bag pillow sleeve compatible or some variation of those words. To be safe, we recommend checking the dimensions of your sleeping bag sleeve and potential camp pillow ahead of time to ensure they’ll fit together.

Additionally, many brands have introduced a compatibility system for all their sleeping products. The Sea to Summit Pillow Lock is a perfect example, adding a velcro-like surface to the back of pillows and sleeping pads so everything stays in place at night.

So, look closely at the features of a potential camp pillow. If there’s a mating feature, consider whether it will work with your current setup or if it’s even a priority for you.

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Choosing the right outdoor gear and apparel can be difficult. But at Wildland Trekking, we live and work with hiking gear every single day. It’s an integral part of what we do, and we understand better than anyone how important it is to have the right equipment. In addition to our vast knowledge of backpacking gear, we also offer:

  • Independence – our recommendations are not influenced by partnerships or sponsorships with outdoor gear and apparel manufacturers.
  • Experience – as one of America’s top guide companies, we take 8,000-10,000 people on hiking and backpacking tours annually. Since our inception in 2005, we have guided more than 75,000 people into the wilderness.
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  • Up To Date Recommendations – we update our recommendations regularly as new products are developed and released.
  • Dedication to our Readers – we know that the gear we select as our top picks will end up in the field with our readers, and we take that responsibility very seriously. We view our readers as guests on our guided trips, just without the guides. We are committed to helping you be as well-outfitted and prepared as possible for your adventures.

*Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. At no cost to you, we earn a commission on any products purchased through these links. Any proceeds go to supporting our blog and operations. These affiliate links do not influence the products that we include in our gear round-ups. We only recommend products that we 100% support and that we have used in the field. 

MORE GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS

Check out our Wildland Gear Guide for more recommendations about hiking, trekking, camping and outdoor gear. We are always adding new products to help our guests and readers make the best choices to outfit their adventures.