What is the best pillow for a tour?
 

Is a dedicated pillow worth the weight and space?

- Nodding off in Redlands

I have brought three different pillows on my tours, and all three fold down to practically nothing:

1) Square inflatable

2) Neck inflatable

3) Cloth one that is meant to be stuffed full of clothing

Three days into my Australia tour I left the latter two behind and kept the first one, and that's the one I've used ever since.


However, if I were flying to Australia again, or any long flight, I would bring the second one especially for the flight, and I am still toying with the idea of bringing the third one on future tours. I am used to a stack of pillows and I find the one square one, tolerable, but a little low.

I always just use my sweatshirt and roll it up. It always works.

Koffee

A couple of soft items shoved into my sleeping bag cover does the trick for me

Hi,
I have a small pillow from my backpacking days.
You can find them sometimes at camping stores.
I have improvised pillows many times, but prefer
the real thing.

While riding across NC last summer, I bought a "decorator" pillow that is about half the size of regular bed pillow at a dollar general store and I've never regretted bringing it along. It's huge, but doesn't weigh much.

IF you want to travel light, and you want a pillow, I would also recommend calling this travellers store in Chicago. I actually did get an inflatable pillow from them (gave it to my dad eventually). It folds up to the size of a very small pocketbook, but when you unfold it, it's big enough just to fit your head: http://www.thesavvytraveller.com/

That store- The Savvy Traveller, is one of the best I've come across. I could browse in there all day long. I even got the disposable underwear- it really worked! :)

Koffee

the best equipment is multi-use. i'm bringing a strong msr waterbag which i'll wrap in my camp towel.

If you have a camelbak, you can partially inflate it for a pillow. Wrap the bladder in some clothes if you like. I just use it as it is in the pack.

Extra clothes in a stuff sack work well if you don't have a camelbak and have enough clothes. A fleece jacket simply rolled up works well but is awfully bulky to pack on a bike.

1. Camelbak bladder inflated to taste.

2. Wool sweater wrapped around camelbak.

3. Tshirt.


Has been my setup for band/music touring as well (seven guys in a van, eep).


I'm sure travel pilla's are nice, but there's so many ways to fashion a perfectly comfortable one out of things already around.

polar fleece wrapped around camelbak has always been my method.

Well if you consider it, if you let's say had your shoulder and head aligned to where sleeping on your side comfortably and on your back too, then it starts with a good pillow that can reproduce the same comfort level your night time pillow will do for you. It must be big enough to support your head with the correct elevaton and support and be small at the same time. Is there such a pillow, but of course the one that the military sells at their stores.

I use #3 in your list, a basic thermarest fleece-like pillow, but you could also simply use your sleeping bag case, although the nylon/polyester might not agree with some and might be loud and/or slippery. The fabric thermarest pillowcase also serves as multiuse as you could use it as a facial towel if you had too. And by stuffing clothes into it, you are very slightly keeping them warm in a cold night.

If you are a paddler/kayaker, it has been known to use a paddle-float as an inflatable pillow.

jay

I don't bother bringing a pillow. But then, I don't use one at home, either.

I use a small down pillow from Mountain Equipment Co-op:

MEC Go Pillow

It packs quite small in the accompanying stuffsack. Packs smaller than a canteloupe. :)

It's good but I think I will use the tip suggested here and add my inflated camelbak as a base to give it just a tad more lift.

The inflatable pillow I use expands to about a foot square, so it isn't large, and when I let the air out and fold it up, it folds completely flat and down to about 3" x 4" or so. Because it is flat, it takes up no room at all, it just slides down at the back of my pannier. Because it is small, it is also light. That pillow was also quite inexpensive. I think I picked it up at Canadian Tire for about $5.

When it is filled, it is quite firm, which I like in a pillow, but you can easily soften it up using clothing or a sarong on top of it.

I use a backpack full of cloths for a pillow while touring. Then again, I sleep on the floor every night out of preference, so I suppose my opinion on this matter is some what less relivant.

It would be easy enough to carry a nice cotton pillow case to rest one's head against instead of a rubbery inflatable cushion or nylon laundry sack!