When traveling, I feel a bit like the Princess and the Pea when it comes to pillows. The pillow I use can make the difference between a great night’s sleep and waking up with aches and pains. Over the years, I’ve learned that there isn’t one perfect pillow for every trip. These are the pillow options I choose from, depending on where I’m going and how I’m traveling.
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A simple hack that lets me bring my own pillow
I’m getting set in my ways enough that sometimes I just want my own pillow when I travel. At a minimum I like to bring my own pillowcase, but on my most recent trip I decided to go one step further. I vacuum‑packed my pillow until it was flat as a pancake, and now it’s officially a travel hack I’ll be doing more often. These bags were the perfect size for a full‑size pillow, felt sturdy, and didn’t reinflate at all while I traveled. The pillow fit perfectly in the top of my checked bag and helped me sleep so much better throughout the trip.
When I pack my own pillow: Relaxing trips, Road trips, Anytime I have plenty of luggage space
A small pillow that’s more useful than I expected
I bought this pillow on a whim a while back and never really used it until I brought it with me on a cruise to use for back support. It’s now a common travel item because I used it way more than I expected. It’s easy to throw in the car for a camping trip, take on the plane to sleep (or for lumbar support as I get older), or use for a relaxing day on a hammock. I also love that it comes with a washable pillowcase which makes it feel cleaner and more practical for travel.
When I pack this pillow: Hammocking, Camping, Road Tripping, Airplanes
A comfy boost for reading or lounging in bed
Sometimes I like to spend a trip lounging in bed and reading. Stacking pillows just doesn’t do it for me when there’s no back support and no real incline. I started packing this inflatable wedge pillow for exactly that reason. It’s not perfect (I wish it were a little bigger and longer), but it makes being lazy in bed so much more comfortable.
When I pack this pillow: When I want to relax in bed on a trip and read or watch TV.
An Inflatable Camping Pillow for When I Need to Travel Light
When I was planning a trip where I knew I needed to keep my overpacking under control, I realized bringing my own pillow probably wasn’t an option. In the past, I’ve packed my own pillowcase to add a little familiarity and comfort, but it never quite felt the same. After some searching, I found this solution. This ultralight inflatable pillow packs down small enough to fit easily into a carry-on, but it’s comfortable enough to place on top of a hotel pillow for a cozier night’s sleep. I also took it on a car camping trip just to see how it would perform and was pleasantly surprised. It has definitely earned a place in my travel pillow menu.
When I pack this pillow: When I’m tight on space, Trips where I carry on, Weekend Trips
