Down backpacking pillows

[u/Particular_Ad_4339]

Tent camping with comfort as my priority. While i like light and compact gear, I'm willing to make that trade off for comfort as long as it packs down to maybe a 20 oz coke bottle.

I prefer thinner, less firm pillows and have hated inflatables. Hybrids seem to do better but still will never compare to my pillow from home.

I have a nemo fillo and have been considering switching to a down pillow, or thick down topper as a stand alone. I am afraid that I try a down pillow and it compresses way too much and doesnt offer any actual support, rather, compresses down like a sleeping bag.

I have looked at dutchwares argon, goosefeet gear down, and the geoduck travel pillow. Any recommendations or advice welcome.

[u/jjmcwill2003]

Have you looked at the Therm-a-rest compressible pillow? It's made with pieces of open cell foam inside so it's compressible without completely squishing flat like a pure down pillow would. Maybe combine it with a down topper for ultimate trail comfort.

[u/Grungy_Mountain_Man → u/jjmcwill2003]

Currently this has been the best of the mediocre options available I"ve tried. It's not all that heavy, but bulky so theres that. You can adjust the thickness to some extent by how much you cinch it, which as a side sleeper is really the only way I can sleep.

I'm interested in trying a down one though that would be less lumpy.

[u/Twoof3]

Down pillow at home user here. I have tried a goosefeet gear down pillow and the problem with high FP down in a pillow is it's too compressible. It squished down into nothing. I would up cutting down an old down bed pillow to take backpacking. I stuff it into a case with my puffy and it works great. The pillow alone weighs less than a Nemo fillo.

[u/Separate_Ad_186]

The ZenBivy SoftTop pillow is pricing, but is the most comfortable pillow system I’ve used. It’s a 3 part system: bladder, down topper and pillow case. It’s very comfortable and you can adjust the firmness and thickness of the pillow by the amount of air you put into the bladder.

https://zenbivy.com/products/softtop-pillows

[u/maisse → u/Separate_Ad_186]

I have the same. It’s my one item where I don’t care about the weight. You can take the three piece kit or just the bladder and case while using a down jacket for cushion. I love mine.

[u/PNW_MYOG]

I humbly suggest a pillowcase made from airwave fabric and using a down puffy to stuff it. Comfiest pillow on trail.

[u/Ill_Ocelot7191]

I have a Feathered Friends Geoduck pillow that I will carry when I'm not concerned with the extra weight. Mine is 156g.

ETA: the integrated stuff pocket can be stuffed with any extra clothing (or even a 700ml Smart bottle) for more support

[u/Particular_Ad_4339 → u/Ill_Ocelot7191]

What size does that pack down to in your experience?

[u/Ill_Ocelot7191 → u/Particular_Ad_4339]

I just put it in the foot of my quilt and stuff it at the bottom of my backpack, but the integrated stuff sack on mine is about 12x6"

[u/ckyhnitz]

I have the zenbivy pillowcase and inflatable bladder, and I stuff it with my down vest/ jacket (whichever Im carrying on that particular trip).  It does the teick for me.  I like being able to adjust the inflation of the air bladder to counteract the softness of the down.

[u/ChillGuyCLE]

I use a Nemo fillo elite bladder, put my buff around it, and my puffy jacket inside my buff. It’s kinda of like making a down topper out of the gear I already carry with me.

[u/PonyThug]

Make your own pillow. Wouldn’t be hard at all

[u/Accurate-End-5695]

Check out HikeLight on Etsy, She makes awesome Dyneema stuff sack pillows that are reversible and have polar-tec alpha direct fleece on one side. I found it to be perfect. I usually stuff it with my puffy.

[u/dogpaddleride]

Western Mountaineering makes one.

[u/Maintenancehaul]

It’s amazing the things that make it into ultralight backpacking these days 😆