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A quality camping pillow could mean the difference between spending a sleepless night and getting a good night’s rest in the backcountry. If you don’t want to wake up with a painful kink in your neck, get a camping pillow that offers ergonomic head support while you’re sleeping. As with any camping gear, you need to balance comfort with portability. A good camping pillow is compact enough to be stored easily inside of a backpack, and well worth the little space it takes up. When you’re looking for a new camping pillow, consider comfort, style, price, and size.
No matter how good your camping pillow is, it likely won’t match the pillow you use at home in terms of size and stiffness. It’s a good idea to use your camping pillow for several nights when you’re at home before you head out on a camping trip. That way, you’re able to adjust to the pillow before the real adventure begins.
What type of camping pillow should you get? There are two main types of camping pillows: foam and inflatable. Foam pillows are comfortable and lightweight but they don’t pack down as small as inflatable pillows, though they do eliminate the need to blow up your pillow when you get to camp. Inflatable pillows pack down very small, but some people don’t find them as comfortable as foam pillows. Note that it is possible to tear or pop an inflatable pillow.
Be aware that camping pillows can impact your body’s warmth when you’re sleeping. Inflatable pillows don’t provide insulation and can allow for body heat loss. They’re better for warm summer nights. Foam pillows provide more insulation and help you retain as much heat as possible. They’re a better choice for colder sleeping conditions.