Travel Products - Five flight-tested travel pillows

BBC: Five flight-tested travel pillows (http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20120606-five-flight-tested-travel-pillows)
Good Morning,

One of the items I'm most picky about when I travel is my pillow. I own two Thermarest pillows - the small and medium sized ones. I find the small one to be almost too small unless I'm leaning against a bulkhead, but the medium one has been perfect when staying with friends, family, or in a hotel. I also carry my inflatable neck pillow ($6.95) from Target, which has been great.

I did a search on "pillows" and found many threads...I'm sure we each have our favorites, but I definitely give a ^^ to Thermarest!

:)

Recomeendations include:
- Komfort Kollar
- Microbead Neck Cusion by Muji
- Thermarest Compressible Pillow
- Inflatable pillows
- Whatever the airline offers...and a drink or two...

And I give ^^^ to the Komfort Kollar as I have been using it for over 5 years. Bought it at Magellan's and they have a great return/replacement policy-no questions asked for as long as you own the product ^ (and I've replaced my pillow 3x due to leaks as I blew it up too much)

And I give ^^^ to the Komfort Kollar as I have been using it for over 5 years. Bought it at Magellan's and they have a great return/replacement policy-no questions asked for as long as you own the product ^ (and I've replaced my pillow 3x due to leaks as I blew it up too much)

Wow, that IS a great replacement policy!! :D

Thanks for this link! Just bought a thermarest.

I too have done the rounds on travel pillows over a number of years. The interesting thing is that whatever I find comfortable for airline use also seems to work for me in cars trains and other places.

I found the Komfort Kollar to have foam so weak. It did not really support me when I fell asleep. I fed back on this to Magellans. They swopped it out for another one. Neither was strong enough foam which was a great disappointment.

There is an inflatable long thin pillow that you attach to yourself with a string. It's called "Travelrest". I got mine from ebags a while ago. It looks impossible and outlandish. But actually it's great for supporting your head if there really is no room in your airline seat for a pillow. Also good on trains and you are supported, but contained leaning on it in your seat. It's also very cheap. You might also want to check out the "First Class Sleeper". This has saved many a night for me in longhaul economy seats. I have found it works best if you have some sort of footrest, and a very small extra pillow for the small of your back.

I tried the larger of the 2 sizes in the Nemo Fillo pillow since late last year. It's not bad. You can adjust the height by stuffing clothes under it whilst keeping the memory foam interface on top. It folds up very small. The Nemo would be my second favorite after the Thermarest below but it is expensive.

Currently the Thermarest compressible pillow in medium is my favorite. It must be washed when first received. Then you will see how fluffy it really is. The small is too small and the large would only be good for car camping or base camp. I've tried several of the Thermarest and Exped options over the years. I really feel Thermarest have nailed it with their compressible pillow now.

Just my two-cents worth.

I too have done the rounds on travel pillows over a number of years. The interesting thing is that whatever I find comfortable for airline use also seems to work for me in cars trains and other places.

I found the Komfort Kollar to have foam so weak. It did not really support me when I fell asleep. I fed back on this to Magellans. They swopped it out for another one. Neither was strong enough foam which was a great disappointment.......I have never liked foam pillows for the reason you describe which is why I like the inflatable Komfort Kollar as you can blow it up to your own "settings" (plus foam pillows don't really fit that well in a carry-on bag vs deflating a pillow and putting it in its "envelope" and then sliding the envelope into any available space)

I have never liked foam pillows for the reason you describe which is why I like the inflatable Komfort Kollar as you can blow it up to your own "settings" (plus foam pillows don't really fit that well in a carry-on bag vs deflating a pillow and putting it in its "envelope" and then sliding the envelope into any available space)Uh, I forgot to mention that before trying to Komfort Kollar in the more expensive foam version, I had tried the blow-up version. I agree that the blow-up version gives more support but I found the hard edges and the fact that it was just one big compartment with a big air bubble floating around in it (like the old air mattresses used to be but are not now) was not restful for me.

Re foam pillows I would never have tried the Thermarest compressible if I had not seen 100% very high ratings in reviews. Like you I was never a fan of foam pillows until the reviews persuaded me to try this one. Plus it's relatively cheap compared to some of the other options I've laid out on :-)

Currently the Thermarest compressible pillow in medium is my favorite. It must be washed when first received. Then you will see how fluffy it really is. The small is too small and the large would only be good for car camping or base camp. I've tried several of the Thermarest and Exped options over the years. I really feel Thermarest have nailed it with their compressible pillow now.


I agree completely on the small one...medium is great!:)

Now to buy one Thermarest Medium and try it out.

Thanks all!

Now to buy one Thermarest Medium and try it out.

Thanks all!

I recommend getting it from REI if possible...they will take it back and give you a credit with zero issue if you're unhappy!

:)

I found plane travel pillow and found it the best for long trips Although Its smaller than U shaped pillow but supports my neck more than others I've tried.

I found plane travel pillow and found it the best for long trips Although Its smaller than U shaped pillow but supports my neck more than others I've tried.

Makes sense - I know we all have our preferences! :)

Ok. Can't look at link as in the UK and it is blocked but i have to ask-what is a travel pillow?

Is it an anti snore pillow designed to stop you snoring and disturbing others?

Ok. Can't look at link as in the UK and it is blocked but i have to ask-what is a travel pillow?

Is it an anti snore pillow designed to stop you snoring and disturbing others?

Usually a small pillow or neck pillow aimed for ease of carrying/packing to be used in transit.

Not sure they help with the snoring bit!
;)

... Is it an anti snore pillow designed to stop you snoring and disturbing others?

... Not sure they help with the snoring bit! ;)

IME - Anti-snoring pillow only work sleeping horizontally and you head is in a fixed position. It will not work when your head is not in "position" relative to the pillow.

I have a Design Go Snoozer pillow. It's flat at the centre which means my neck does not protude forward!

I can't imagine going on a plane without it, even though air pressure dictates the varying plumpness of the pillow at each stage haha.

I have a Design Go Snoozer pillow. It's flat at the centre which means my neck does not protude forward!

I can't imagine going on a plane without it, even though air pressure dictates the varying plumpness of the pillow at each stage haha.

Excellent. I don't know why it took me this long to find an inflatable pillow that doesn't have the behind the neck problem. Anyone else use this or a similar (flat behind the head) pillow they like?

I have bought at least 5 kinds of pillows, including the Komfort Kollar and Travel Rest. But I have found this to be the best for me.http://www.lvcomfort.com/
It is also flat behind the neck.

A note on the Thermarest pillows, which I love...

The small one seems almost too small to sleep with unless leaning on a bulkhead - very difficult for me to sleep with normally. It might be good for some of those hard exit row seats.

For me, the medium continues to be my preferred travel pillow, especially since you never know what you'll get with hotel pillows.

:)

I have the old Eagle Creek comfort pillow. It's your typical inflatable horseshoe-shaped pillow with removable microfleece cover. It's not the most comfortable pillow I've tried, but it is the most reliable. The inflatable tube is made of a more forgiving material that has some stretch to it and allows the pillow to expand (within reason) without popping if you're really tired and need to inflate it during ascent. There is enough give to allow you to slowly deflate it when you get to altitude.

While I'm really interested in many of the new inflatable pillows, many of them use the same hard, unforgiving velveteen coated PVC material cheap airline pillows use. This material has absolutely no give and pops easily. A popped pillow = no pillow.

Sadly Eagle Creek has changed the material used in the new version of their comfort pillow and while it's not the grey velveteen-coated PVC stuff, it's not as good as their original pillow. The new version of this pillow is called the Sandman pillow.