Survival Pillow

This pillow combo gives me a good nights sleep, essential for survival when using a BOB or GHB etc. It's not too heavy @350 grams, packs down very small and the components are still useful for other things. It give me the ability to adjust firmness and adjust height, all of which are lacking with other pillow technology such as the fully inflatable types or with the otherwise quite useless camping and trekking designs available, which don't give enough support and are always far too small.

The combination is a Thermarest Stuff Sack Pillow, a Thermarest Lite Seat and a Ringsted Dun Down Travel Pillow.

http://cascadedesigns.com/en/therm-a-rest/sleep-systems/pillows/stuff-sack-pillow/product

http://cascadedesigns.com/en/therm-a-rest/seating/fast-and-light-seating/lite-seat/product

http://www.thefeathercompany.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/travel-pillow

The Thermarest Seat is inflated (adjustale to suit) then folded over once, the Down pillow is then wrapped around the Thermarest seat and then stuffed into the stuff sack pillow.

Slick. I only use it for trips but I have a cocona hyperlite inflatable pillow. Shiny on one side, poly pro on the other. Packs to the size of an apple.

I typically stuff some spare clothing in the stuff sack that holds my sleeping bag. Works great.

A good nights sleep is worth a few grams. If a dedicated pillow is what it takes to sleep well then it is worth carrying.



So do I.

Or even better: I select one item of clothing as my pillow for tonight and then stuff more stuff spare clothing into that.

I used to use my down vest consistently as my pillow and that provided me with a reasonable amount of comfort.

However this year I thought I'd try using a dedicated pillow while camping and picked up the MEC Backpacking Pillow; at $12 and weighing 150g it was neither a big investment nor was it unreasonably large. Most importantly I found it worked great and provide more comfort than using my vest was able to.

It is small, light, and inexpensive and it is a welcome addition to my camping gear for the added comfort it provides.

This is what I use

http://www.rei.com/product/781190/therm-a-rest-stuff-sack-pillow


Stuff sac made out of nylon on outside, micro fleece lining on the inside.

Turn inside out, put clothes in it, instant pillow!

I use a stuff sack and a towel I carry. Stuff sack full of clothes, place towel on outside. Instant pillow, no extra weight.