Best Camping/Hiking Pillows – Reviews and Guide 2021

Camp Pillow Advantages

A headrest is critical in providing your head with a comfy feel. Having a camping pillow would give you a serene sleeping experience and you can enjoy the comfort of your home out there in the wild. Having a good night’s sleep on your trips is key because you need to be at your top game for your next day’s hike.

Not the same people enjoy similar types of headrests when they are sleeping. Some of them stash different types of clothes. The best camp pillow is the one that can provide support to your head and keeps your neck in a relaxing position as well.

These paddings can serve you well if you use them for sitting and for various other purposes.

Types

Camp cushions have different types and they all have their own merits and demerits. They are all designed for different purposes. Let’s have a look at each of them briefly:

Inflated style

As the name goes, these cushions have air in them and they are lightweight. When you remove it from the stuff sack you need to fill the air in through a valve just like those inflatable bags.

After you have done using it you can release the air and place the stuff sack wherever you want. It is not going to take much space in your backpack.

Foldable flair

This is a bulky cushion that you can handily compress to a reduced size according to your requirements. This type is suitable if you have respiratory issues or digestive problems. Your head would be in a slightly inclining position and it will lower your lower back and chest area. It will improve your breathing and digestive issues

Hybrid function

This is a type of pillow that combines both compressible and inflatable systems. There is a compressible layer present right at the top and it provides maximum comfort to your head region. In the bottom, there is an inflatable side that would provide support to your neck region. Additionally, you can also reduce the size of the headrest for easy space-saving packing. However, it doesn’t come in many sizes.

Compressible type

The compressible type either has foam, artificial fibers or down feathers. You can also find a pillow that has a combination of all these materials. This is a soft cushion and it would work just like the one that you use at your home. The compressible cushions with down feathers are soft most compressible as well.

Buyer’s Guide

You should consider many things before buying the ideal camp pillows for your next hiking trip. This is the matter of your physical and mental health. You should feel 100% fresh when you get up the next day and start hiking.

Therefore, it is critical for you to understand what your preferences are and what you need from your camp pillow. To assist you in this regard we have developed this brief buying guide. It will enable you to look for various features before you pack your bag and go to the mountains.

Tome

This is a no brainer really! Weight is your major concern especially if you are a light backpacker. Your headrest doesn’t need to be extremely heavy that it adds a significant amount of weight to your package. However, on the other hand, it doesn’t need to be extremely light that it cannot hold its ground in windy conditions. A perfect balance needs to be there.

Sustenance level

As we have just mentioned the slight tilt of a camp pillow, it can really assist you in your digestive and respiratory problems. However, the lift of a camp bolster is more a matter of personal preference. You must make sure that your camp headrest has the same lift as that of the pillow that you use at your home. You would feel a lot more comfortable sleeping because it would give you a feel that you are a lot more accustomed to.

Textile

The different manufacturer uses different types of fabrics for the development of their camp cushions. It is effectively the pillowcase and this is because you have to be very careful in choosing the one for yourself because it will have a significant impact on your comfort level.

The comfiest of all the fabrics for these headrests is fleece or brushed polyester. Another alternative that you can use is Ripstop nylon but this is not a comfy choice. Ripstop nylon is a lot more sticky and slippery then fleece or polyester. Slippery is not your friend and hence, you can avoid rayon and silk as well.

Snugness

You don’t have to confuse about this feature. Your opulence is critical because if your pillow is not relaxing, you are not going to have a good night’s sleep. It ultimately means that you are not going to start your next day fresh.

Therefore, you have to be 100% sure that the cushion you are considering should give you a comfy feel, when in use. It is better for you to try it before you buy it.

Skidding

As we have discussed earlier that the fabric shouldn’t be slippery otherwise your headrest would continue to skid away from you as you place your head on it.

This can be a bit scratchy for you. Your headrest must stay in place and so that your head remains still. It would enable you to enjoy a restful night’s sleep.

Inflatable or Pillow Cover

Hikers love to have pillowcases and inflatable cushions in their backpack. Both these types have their own merits and demerits as well.

For instance, in a pillowcase, you can stuff as much clothing as you want and adjust the lift according to your preferences. This pillow type is an excellent space-saving option but you will need to make a lot of adjustments to the stuffing according to your requirements.

On the other hand, inflatable cushions are an excellent space-saving option as well. You just need to take the air out when you want to store it.

However, you should have an air pump or you need to blow air into it which can take some time if you are not very used to it. Both these types of pillows have so much to offer and are great for light backpackers.

Long-lasting

The sleeping time is going to determine how rigid the headrest should be. Most of the fabric cushions are durable. But you also need to make sure that they are not prone to mold and bacteria.

Furthermore, your headrest is going to take a lot of toll over the years. It is going to be your trusty partner in all your hiking trips and hence it needs to be durable. Usually, hiking headrests do last for a long time but with proper maintenance and care, they will continue to perform more than your expectations.

Thermal Reading

Some fabrics are hot and are not very breathable while others are highly breathable. Fleece and polyester can work well in almost all types of weather and bot these materials are not slippery as well. However, silk and rayon or even RipStop nylon are not the right choices for hot and humid conditions.

If you like to hike in areas that are part of a hot climate, you can go for a breathable headrest. On the other hand, if you are planning to go hiking in a cold climate, then choose the materials accordingly.

Measurements

Just like the weight factor that we have described above, the size and shape are going to matter as well. Your bolster doesn’t need to be so big that it takes a lot of space in your backpack. However, it needs to be big enough to provide you a good amount of support. Similar is the case with shape!

One thing that we would like to mention here is that if you have problems with your respiratory or digestive systems then you need to go for a pillow with a slight tilt. This pillow would keep your head slightly higher as compared to the rest of your body. This sleep position will significantly improve your respiratory and digestive issues in the long run.

Washable

If you are looking for a good option that you can wash at ease then you need to go for pillowcases, inflatable cushions, and hybrids. You just need to use some detergent or soap to conveniently hand wash the pillow.

Make sure to lay it flat on clothes rack for air drying. If you are going to wash an inflatable pillow then you have to keep in mind that the valve of the pillow is closed. If you are looking to store it for a long time then make sure that you open this valve. These are some necessary steps that you must take before you wash your camp pillow.

Noiseless

RipStop Nylon and rayon can be at times noisy when you move your head on the pillow. A slight shriek is enough to wake you up from your sleep. Therefore, you should use a fabric that doesn’t make any noise when you rub your skin against it. This is a very useful piece of advice and it will help you in enjoying a deep sleep.

Conclusion

As it is going to be your cozy partner on your hiking excursions it needs to be extremely comfortable in use. The materials should be very breathable, especially if you are looking to go to a warmer climate.

It shouldn’t be slippery either because you don’t want your headrest to leave its ground when you are enjoying your deep sleep. Besides that our pillow also needs it to have adequate size, and lift as well and weight is equally important. You want to pack light but make sure that you don’t end up with a pillow that is too small for your head.

Camp headrests are beneficial for you on your hiking trips. You can use them for sleeping and can also use them to rest your back when you are sitting. They add so much to your comfort therefore, they need to offer good support.