10 Ultralight Camp Pillows Reviewed | Round 1 |
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- Опубликовано: 25 апр 2019
- In this video, I take a look at 10 light and ultralight pillows that are popular for backpacking and camping and narrow them down to the best based on comfort, stability, weight, and price. This is Part 2 of my sleep system overhaul with the Part 1 video of the sleeping pad I switched to linked below. Part 3 will talk about sleeping bags vs quilts and whether I am making the switch to a quilt. Subscribe to stay updated!
Best Pillows Round 2 Video • 9 Best Pillows for Cam...
Best Pillows Round 3 Video: • 8 Best Pillows for Cam...
The Top 3 Pillows:
Thermarest Airhead - geni.us/airhead
Trekology - geni.us/TrekologyPillow
Thermarest Airhead Lite - bit.ly/thermarestAH
*Note that the Thermarest pillows were replaced with a new version in 2020. My review here: • Thermarest Air Head Ca...
-- The pillows in the video from heaviest to lightest are --
Thermarest Air Head
MEC Deluxe - geni.us/MECDeluxePillow
Trekology
Sea to Summit Aeros Premium
Eureka Wicked-Stick
Thermarest Air Head Lite
Sea to Summit Aeros Down
MEC Air - geni.us/MECAirPillow
Marmot Nimbus
Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight
Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Review - • Sea to Summit Ether Li...
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- MY FAVORITE GEAR -
Shady Rays Sunglasses: geni.us/ShadyRays
Garmin InReach Mini: geni.us/inreach
Trekology 2.0 Pillow: geni.us/TrekologyPillow
REI Flash 55 Pack: geni.us/Flash55
Enlightened Equipment Enigma Quilt: geni.us/enigmadown
Garmin Fenix Watch: geni.us/FenixWatch
Lanshan 1 Tent: geni.us/Lanshan1Pro
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CONNECT WITH ME!
Website: justinoutdoors.com
Facebook: / justinoutdoors
Instagram: / justinoutdoors
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This video description includes affiliate links. Affiliate links help support the channel at no extra cost to you!
Take note RUclips reviewers, this is how to do a review. Thanks bud
Thanks this comprehensive review! Just bought 4 of the trekology 2.0 pillows for an upcoming 3-day hike with the family. Looking forward to proving you right.
Please keep the quality reviews coming!
Hey Justin, another great video. I have the same challenge in selecting the right pillow. I’ve swapped around pillows for quite some time but never quite settled yet. Thank you for your insightful reviews. I recently purchased two pillows but didn’t like them so ended up returning. Currently resorted to a home made pillow case with clothes and mattress foam filling. Keep up the hard work and thank you once again
Glad you tested all those pillows out for me. Having the technology pillow and wanting to upgrade too something more comfortable you saved me alot of time trying out other air pillows!
Great review! Exhaustive, yet clear and to the point. Made with common sense instead of bs. Keep it up!
Thanks! Also, good pun!
Wow! Thanks for doing such an in-depth review!
No problem Danika!
Informative, thorough comparison/review. That said, a pillow preference is personal. My fave inflatable pillow is the Conair Travel Pillow, an inflatable bladder inside a zipped soft fleece removable cover. And it costs under $10, but is rather hard to find.
Awesome comprehensive review. Thank you!
Spot-on comparison that covers all the ins and outs relevant to me. :-) Funny thing: This is only the 3rd video of yours I‘ve watched after discovering and subscribing to your channel today, and just like for the Sea to Summit Etherlite Insulated review, you and I have gone down very similar paths in finding our go-to gear. I also tried the Marmot, a couple of Sea to Summits (one of which was the Ultralight), and Exped, a Thermarest...and ending up with the Trekology UL! As a more-or-less UL hiker, I find it gives me (a side sleeper) the best night‘s sleep I ever had in the wild without much of a weight penalty. The others all squished my ear up at night, made me feel like I was on a see-saw or had me rolling off - just like you pointed out. The Airhead (so far unknown to me) will get a closer look, especially because of the removable/washable cover. But I figure it‘ll be overkill for me weight-wise. Anyhow, thanks for another very balanced and helpful review, even with a bit of historical color tossed in for the measure. Nice going, man!
I like how you describe yourself as a "mor-or-less UL hiker". haha. That's exactly how I'd describe myself. Sleep comfort is where I'll sacrifice weight for comfort. If they got the Air Head down to 100g or less, that'd be amazing for it. The trekology is hard to beat at $15 for one of the most comfortable pillows out there.
Thank you, was just looking for a camping pillow and your video was very helpful.
Glad you liked it! I recently reviewed another pillow that I've been really liking, the Trekology 2.0!
Perfect, thanks for this review!!!!
Thank you for the review, it was really great!
Loving the History Of Pillows!
I just bought the trekology 2.0. For side sleepers there's still zero options. I'm going to try to make a pillow case with an extra layer of foam to add to the trekology. Hopefully that keeps the neck kink free for many nights. Good review video!
PILLOWS!!! Thanks for another great informational video, Justin! I've had my eye out for this one ever since your Ether Light XT videos. My own obsessive search for the perfect pillow through the years has included various versions of the following: S2S Aeros UL (too bouncy); S2S Aeros UL Deluxe (too unwieldy); S2S Aeros Premium (too loud); Thermarest compressible (too heavy); Thermarest down (not enough support); NEMO Fillo Elite (not tall enough); Cocoon Hyperlite (too slippery); Exped Air UL (uncomfortable); Big Agnes Q-Core Deluxe (too large); Big Agnes AXL Air (not large enough); REI Flash (seriously uncomfortable); and Klymit Cush (too complicated). The only one I wish I would have kept was the Exped REM. I was afraid it was too heavy at the time, but in hindsight... It was pretty comfortable for the weight. Have you ever tried the Big Sky Dream Sleeper UL? Based on your recommendation, I just bought the Trekology on Amazon. What's one more pillow, right? It's the new version with the pad strap and grippy dots. I can't wait to get it home for some testing... Please keep the great content coming! Subscribed.
Thanks Heather! Sounds like you've been on the same pillow mission as I have! The Big Sky is on my list of potential ones to try, but it ends up being crazy expensive to buy and ship to Canada. At this point, I've almost thrown weight out the window for pillows. As long as it is sub-150g (5oz), I'll happily lug that around for comfort. I'll have to check out the exped rem. There's an option that I am going to try out tonight where I essentially create a frankenpillow. I'm going to cut up two different pillows and hope I can combine the benefits of each into the perfect pillow. This may get interesting. haha.
Thanks for making a difficult decision much, much easier. I was leaning toward the Therm-a-Rest Air Head--and now I'll be sleeping on it.
I hope you have the best sleep of your life!
@@JustinOutdoors - Does it come with a stuff sack?
yes it does
Great Review! I've been using the Trekology for my hikes and i just love it. Light and support.
Have you tried the 2.0? The pad strap is AMAZING!
@@JustinOutdoors not yet but i heard... next in line 😉👍
Thanks for the video. I current use the MEC pillow that you had in part 1 but am looking for a new one. the stats are great but I would really have liked to see all the pillows in their stuff sacks for a size comparison. Keep the great videos coming!
You can use the weight as a general guide for the sizes. The Exped Air Lite packs down to smaller than my fist while the Nemo Fillo is about half a nalgene in size.
Thank you for the review. I find the trekology pilllow not thick enough for me but ill just add a foam top and a pillow case. Thank you for the idea.
Not only will you have a higher surface but you'll have a nice cushy pillow!
Awesome 👍 everything I needed to know ,thank you ... From big island HI 🌴🤙
super strong review!
Thanks a lot Sir, for the expertise. very helpful. God bless you
Thanks David!
+1 from me!
Very interesting comparison
I have a Lanfind inflatable pillow similar to Trekology, $9.99 US Amazon. I test all my gear at home before relying on it in the field. I now have 3, and it replaced my home pillow. Cheers
Nice! Looks almost identical to the Trekology other than the valve system. Good price too.
Thanks for a great review.
Anytime!
Thanks for video, I'm always trying to improve my sleep on the trail. Never comfortable. Would have been nice to see how small each of these pack. Weight is important but the amount of space in your pack is also important. I usually take a 44L pack and it can fill up fast.
I'll keep that in mind for the next one! The biggest one (Air Head), which is also the heaviest, is about the size of a pop can. With the smallest being about 1/3 of that size.
I am interested to try that TAR Airhead. I use the Nemo Fillo Lux, it is stellar, albeit heavier with similar construction to the TAR with the foam top and washable cover. Thanks for the video!
After using pillows with foam tops, I can't go back. I was hoping the TAR Airhead would be a bit more similar to the MEC Deluxe but with a better baffling system and design. If MEC released a second version of the Deluxe with a couple upgrades, it will be the best pillow out there (I think) at probably around 150g.
Wasnt planning on getting the airhead but checked amazon and used warehouse deal for only $26 "like new". Thats like half price. Worth a try for the large version.
nemo fillow is my current go to the lux.
Very similar to your pick but without the curve which is making me think i may try the air head =)
All of these pillows will go great with my Patagonia vest ;)
Wow great video. I see you have your mats inflated and leaning on the right side. Sent How do you recommend storing mats during non use ( ie. winter storage)? Inflated, compressed?
Hey Manuel! I just had the pads sitting there because they were out. I just store sleeping pads in the stuff sack they came in. Been doing that for decades and haven't had any problems so far!
Muito bom vídeo, esclarecedor! Obrigado
Thanks Justin for the review. Have you try the new Thermarest air head (150g) and the Thermarest compressible (200g) versus the Trekology 2.0 pillow ?
I haven't had a chance to look at the revised one yet! I'm not the biggest fan of compressible pillows, they always compress too much for me.
Nice work!
Thanks!
Thanks for the break-down, but I'll be sticking with my MEC deluxe! I'm not sure about the whole support thing, because it's not like I'm trying to put two heads down my pillow? And, I just deflate it a bit to get rid of the balloon feeling.
Comfort is all personal preference! I find the Deluxe to be quite balloony no matter how full or empty it is. I find some other pillows much more stable. The foam on top of the deluxe is so so comfy though.
LOL! At the beginning of tossing all the pillows off to the side!
I had to put them somewhere!
You should try the Carinthia Travel Pillow. My favorite, but I do not like to high or squeaky pillows.
Great video, but there is a tricky issue of how to inflate these pillows without causing mould growing inside, ie, inflating with mouth esp during sleep. So, the valve vs pump design is crucial but it's not something you checked out. Otherwise, great thanks.
You crushed this review! New sub!
Thanks! Much appreciated!
@@JustinOutdoors -Just bought the Air head today. looking forward to testing it in the field!
Nice! Let me know how you like it. I'm always curious to hear about other people's experiences with gear.
Thanks for the comparison! Did you have any issues with the Thermarest sliding around at night?
Thanks! Every pillow I have tried that doesn't attached to the pad some how slides around at least a bit. The Thermarest Air Head (not Lite) slides around a bit less because it has a brushed polyester case, compared to others than end up with nylon on nylon and shoot out from under your head like a rocket.
Say no more! I just bought a Trekology pillow. Many thanks
At your recommendation I picked up that pillow for a snow camp trip into Glacier NP. Definite no-go. Too thin and the slope on it didn’t work for me. To each their own.
Alps mountaineering versa air pillow is great! With great support and 2.8oz
Good to know!
Thermarest airhead lite blows all these pillows out of the water. Only weighs 2.8 oz or 79 grams. Very comfortable and lighter than anything shown here
Great Review. I use an Exped pillow, which was not in your review.
Thanks David! For some reason, Exped pillows aren't carried by many of the stores I have easy access to. The ones that are are super heavy. I tried to keep the review to pillows under 150g. Which exped pillow do you have?
I was hoping you'd review the NEMO Fillo Pillow. Too bad.
Best pillow I know which gives best comfort and is real small packable is the klymit luxe. Might be available only in Europe.
Have you tried the Nemo Fillo luxury? It's basically the nemo version of the airhead with the foam/inflatable mix. It also has the built in stuff sack and fleece removable cover.
I have the Nemo Luxury pillow myself. I would have purchased the Airhead, but with the Nemo being a little bit larger I went with it. In hindsight I think I should have gotten the Airhead because at least initially at the store I felt it was a bit more comfortable. Who knows later on. Heck, I might still get it. I’m also considering the Therm-a-rest compressible pillow, but I heard for side sleepers it tends to lose its loft overnight. Anyways...just my 2 cents.
I've avoided the fillo luxury purely on weight. It's well over the 150g I try to keep under for pillow weight. If I manage to try it out and it blows my mind, I may have to sacrifice the weight.
Makes sense. Are you still liking the air-head? Also how tall is it fully inflated?
I haven't been using the airhead much due to the frankenpillow I made being so comfortable and then, recently, I have been trying out the Trekology 2.0 pillow. I'll probably be bringing the trekology 2.0 pillow out again on the 4 day trip I have coming up in a couple of days as it's been really great.
My blasted problem is my blasted pillow slipping off my blasted sleeping mat. Blasted thing ruins a good blasted nights sleep.
Oh I hear you! Check out the new Trekology 2.0 pillow. I just used it for the last 5 days and it was awesome for staying put. I'm going to be releasing a review video in the next month or so.
Quick tip: Put a spare t-shirt over the top of your sleeping mat. Now put your pillow inside the t-shirt. Stays put.
Has this thermarest been discontinued? I can’t find this design/shape anywhere. The ones that come up look completely different? ☹️👍 thank you for the video.
They released an updated model! I haven't had a chance to check it out though, so no idea how it compares.
Justin Outdoors thanks !
I'm a bit weird when it comes to pillows. I absolutely cannot sleep on any regular pillow. For home use, I made my own pillow out of an old blanket. It's about 1 cm thick and flat as a pancake and it's perfect for me. Whenever I sleep in a hotel or at a friend's place, I just don't use any pillow at all and I'm fine. But when I'm sleeping on my backpacking pad, I feel like I could use something that's very thin but still there... my jacket doesn't quite cut it because the material is not right. Any thoughts??
A couple of options I can think of is to take one of the blue foam pads and cut a pillow shape out of it and stick a buff around it. Another option would be to buy a compressible pillow with foam inside and cut a little hole in it and remove a bunch of foam to make it thinner. Tough call though!
This was an AWESOME video Justin! Solid review! I have the trekology and have been pretty happy with it! But I've also had my eye on the Nemo Fillo... which seems similar to the Thermarest air head. Have you heard of it?
I'm helping a friend find a more comfortable sleep system.
Thanks Jesse! I've heard of the Nemo Fillo but haven't seen it or tried it out. The problem I have with the Airhead and I think I'd have with the Fillo (Elite) is the foam/cushioning doesn't quite go far enough. It's more of an insulation layer than a plush comfort layer in both. The MEC Deluxe really nails it on insulation with the open cell foam bits. Unfortunately, it's balloony. Other than than the DIY option, I think the Air Head is in the lead right now. Looks like it has a bit more cushioning than the Fillo Elite (having not tried the Fillo).
Justin Outdoors the original fillo (which I’m not sure is still available) was more of a layer of foam than the fillo elites insulation batting.
The original was at campers village the beginning of the year.
@@BackcountryForward ahhhh. I think that one skipped my notice with the 260g weight! But if it leads to substantially better sleeps... The weight is worth it in my opinion. Ultracomfort backpacking is where it's at.
You left out the Klymit Luxe Pillow. I think it's the best. 22" x 12.5"
I kept it to pillows advertised as weighing 150g or less. That's why I didn't take a look at the klymit. There are a bunch of pillows that weigh more than 150g that I am sure are super comfortable (like the klymit luxe and Nemo fillo line), but I wanted to see what comfort can be obtained on the lighter end of things. At some point, I'll do a Pillows 2 video and may include heavier pillows!
is there an updated video of this?
Thank you! I’m going to check out thermarest. Do you have a link so you get credit for the sale?
Seems like all the retailers I'm affiliated with don't have it in stock. The thermarest website has it for 30% off right now though!
Justin Outdoors hey brother! Thank you for replying. Where do you see the 30% off? Perhaps it’s right under my eyes, but I’ve searched and searched to no avail.
@@mattiethesurfer Here's a link! www.thermarest.com/pillows/air-pillows/air-head-pillow/air-head-pillow.html?srd=true
Justin Outdoors thank you!
You may have saved me from disappointment with the Sea to Summits.
My Exped REM is great!!
The Exped REM looks very similar to the MEC Deluxe. Great design features! I love the foam topper.
I find it doesn’t do the ballooning thing.
That makes it better then!
Thats a lot of freaking pillows, holy shiiiiiiii..... Did you buy them all at the same time?
Too many pillows to keep track of! I have accumulated a bunch over time, borrowed a few for the video, and then bought a couple of them. Pillows have been my nemesis for a long time. It's getting to the point where I may try and make my own pillow.
Justin Outdoors I’m hearing ya! My first pillow was a S2S Aeros ultralight regular. I passed that onto my son (8yrs old) as I found it too small & balloon like, like my head was bouncing around on it every time I moved slightly but he doesn’t mind it. Last month I bought one of the new S2S foam filled pillows. And I really love that one as it feels more like a real pillow, but now my problem is it’s big rolled up & I’ve upgraded all my gear and have a smaller pack, now I can’t fit it in there very well so at the start of this week I ordered a S2S Aeros premium large (my reasoning was the padded top might help it not be so balloon like) ... that you’ve just chucked into the too uncomfy pile 🙄 It hasn’t arrived yet so I haven’t tried it out. I’ll use it with my jacket wrapped around it like I did with the Aeros ultralight and see if it makes a difference. And if I don’t like it I’ll try one of Nemo’s pillows or make my foam filled S2S fit in my pack even if it means strapping it to the top of my pack. I’d rather sleep on the Aeros than a pile of clothes though lol. I don’t really have a lot of choice here in Australia with pillow types unfortunately. I haven’t seen the Thermarest hit our shores yet but it looks pretty good.
I'm not sure the Aeros Premium is going to be what you're looking for. I was pretty unimpressed with the amount of padding on top. It was almost imperceptible to me.
Justin Outdoors I received it yesterday afternoon, blew it up and tested it... and not that impressed. I mean it’s not terrible but it sounds crunchier than the ultralight with the big clear bag in it which is irritating, it still feels like a balloon under my head and when it’s not blown up fully it sounds even more crunchy. I do like the feel of the fabric on my face being a side sleeper & it’s a nice colour. But that’s about all I like about it! And there’s not even much difference in size between my ultralight regular and the premium large. Very disappointed. I think I may try send it back
Huh. I always thought the Trekology was just a generic rip-off of the Sea to Summit Aeros. I'm surprised it does better than the name brand. I'm also glad I didn't buy a Sea to Summit pillow when I was looking at them last year. Currently using a Thermarest compressible pillow, which is very comfortable at first, but loses its loft support through the night. Will have to give the air head a try.
I think the Trekology does often get compared to the Sea to Summit Aeros because they look very similar. Somehow, Sea to Summit hasn't been able to dial in the baffling system though and, as a result, isn't as comfortable of a pillow. I think weight pushes a lot of people to the Aeros line, as the Aeros UL is quite a bit lighter than the trekology. If weight is your primary concern, then the Aeros UL is definitely one of the leaders.
Weight isn't as much a concern as space is. The compressible pillow still takes up a lot of space when compressed. How small does the air head pack down?
About 1/2 the size of a nalgene.
How big is the Thermarest Airhead one when you compress it?
Unfortunately, they have discontinued this version :(
@@JustinOutdoors oh no! When I searched it online, I saw they have heavier options ranging from S to XL sizes. Are they not as good as this older version?
Helpful. I stick with Treckology. I hate synthetic anything, but as Chinese wisemen say, a stuffed pillow, even if it's stuffed with down, sucks life out of me, it heats my head like insane. So, air could be my savior. I'd even buy a leather wine sack, to be 100% natural...
Any thoughts on Nemo fillo?
Check out my Round 2 video!
Use a buff for pillow casing🤪
👍
I knew from the Strat you were going to pick the nr1 pillow when you said you don't care about a bit more weight. But this is your opinion tho, I have the sea to summit ul pillow, and it works great for me. I think this is just your preference, but you can not say Al the other pillows are bad. And btw, my sts pillow has great support, even when not inflated all the way. So I strongly disagree with this video.
Glad you've found a pillow that works for you! Personal preference is definitely key for pillows.
Nothing on kylmit?
Check out the Round 2 video! ruclips.net/video/6PQK1aFySCE/видео.html
The suspense...
...is killing you? :P
Avoid Trekology! Mine leaked air all around the seam on my 2nd campout. They are inexpensive but pure garbage.
Take advantage of that lifetime warranty. I've had two with dozens of nights and no problem. All gear fails eventually and sometimes you just get a lemon. That's why I like to stick to companies that have good warranties.
Me: _feels self-conscious about my cheapo Trekology pillow, worries that all the serious backpackers will look down on me for not being able to afford exxy gear_
Every Single Gucci Hiker: _all singing the praises of the Trekology_
News headline: *Local Potato Happy Today*
I think I’ll stick to cheap ikea baby pillow
Just a heads up, the Thermarest Air Head Lite is now $14.98 and Thermarest Airhead is now $12.24 on their website. Interestingly makes them cheaper than the Trekology.
I know! It's crazy! I hope it stays that way in time for my round 2 pillow video coming out Friday. I specifically mention that price in there.
where's the nemo fillo?
Didn't make the 150g advertised weight cutoff!
@@JustinOutdoors at that point , might as well bring a pillow from home. That's good to know.
I know some folks really like their fillos, and they look like great pillows, but there are lighter options that I find comfortable. If a pillow over 200g was the only way I could get a good nights sleep though, I'd bring it and use it 100%!
I just stuff some clothes in my sleeping-bag bag
Everybody says that UNTIL they try one of these.
You lost me when after raving so much about the Trekology pillow, admitting you'd only slept on it once and NOT had a great nights sleep on it. Dumb list.
Ah, sorry for the confusion David! What I was trying to say was that I spent one night on it a few years ago, didn't have a great sleep, then wrote it off and tried other pillows. I was trying to convey (not very well obviously!) that you shouldn't write a pillow off after one sleep. Since that first bad sleep, I have slept on the trekology pillow dozens of times.
@@JustinOutdoors You left off the most comfortable pillow of all: Therm-a-Rest Compressible Travel Pillow. I tossed my Trekology pillow because anything inflatable won't stay in place when laying correctly (on a diagonal) in a gathered end hammock.
@@kerry1383 I didn't review any pillows that weighed over 150g (advertised) since that's my arbitrary personal upper limit. Unfortunately, that meant I didn't review any compressibles.
@@JustinOutdoors Good point and thanks for clarifying.