For wilderness backpackers who sleep in tents at night and travel by foot during the day, the importance of a good night sleep cannot be under estimated. Everything should be done to ensure that not only do you get as much sleep as is possible but also that the quality of sleep is of a high standard. Sleep is where your body can switch off, relax, and most importantly heal so it’s important it’s given serious consideration.
Some backpackers choose to make a DIY pillow and in some cases this can be satisfactory. They are made by folding clothes such as jumpers in a certain way or by taking an empty pillow case with you and stuffing it with clothes. The advantage of this is that it only requires you to carry a empty pillow case in addition to your other equipment so it doesn’t add weight. The disadvantage is that it doesn’t offer particularly good support to the head and what can begin the night as a comfortable pillow can end up as a scattering of clothes!
Click here to see Amazon.com’s range of backpacking pillows
Store bought backpacking pillows tend to offer much more support to the head and are therefore more conducive to a restful nights sleep. There are two varieties, either compressible or inflatable. Compressible backpacking pillows are filled with a lightweight material such as foam which enables them to be compressed to a very small size when being transported. They tend to weigh around half a pound and will require some space so consider this when you a packing your rucksack.
The Eco Camp Pillow by Kelty. Make sure that you sleep well on your trip!
Inflatable pillows are the other sort of store bought pillows and are my personal favourite. As the name indicates they need to be filled with air prior to use, which gives you the ability to inflate it to the exact levels of firmness you prefer. They are not quite as comfortable as a compressible pillow but do fold up smaller and are lighter and that is why they are preferred.
The type of backpacking pillow largely depends on your needs, but the above should at least provide some help when it comes to choosing one.
Click here to see Amazon.com’s range of backpacking pillows
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