Whether you sleep outdoors on an inflatable mattress, in a hammock, or just curled up on the ground like a wet retriever, a travel pillow is going to give you a better night’s rest. Selection depends on whether you want a little extra padding for wherever you lay your head, or you’re shopping for a specific use, like wilderness camping. Here are several highly rated options to choose from.
Compressible
Therm-a-Rest Compressible Travel Pillow (Therm-a-Rest/)
Though still very compact compared to a household pillow, compressible travel pillows are the bulkiest type of camping pillow. Great for car camping, long flights, or for whenever you just have to grab forty winks, keep a couple of these around the house, camp, or car to ensure you always have a proper place to lay your head.
Inflatable
Trekology Ultralight Inflatable Camping Travel Pillow (Trekology/)
The advantage of an inflatable camp pillow is that it is adjustable. An air cushion may not be as downy as the compressible variety, but they are customizable to your own preferred firmness level and, deflated, take up far less space. They come in both manually inflatable and self-inflating models.
Ultralight
Rest-A-Camp Inflatable Camping Travel Pillow Ultralight (Rest-A-Camp/)
If you are counting ounces, the lightest travel pillows are the inflatables that weigh in at a mere 2.5 to 4 ounces. Some come with their own stuff sack and won't take up any more room than a bag of peanuts.