The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

The best camping pillows are not only perfect for backpacking trips and car camping vacations, they're also the ideal travel buddy on any long trip. Designed to be a lightweight and packable cushion for that sleepy head of yours, they're worth every little bit of space they take up in a pack, which is actually very little these days.

If you've ever tried to pack your pillows from home, you'll know how surprisingly massive they are. The best camping pillows are somewhat smaller and are made from packable materials, such as foam, polyester and down. Some combine soft outer fabrics with an inflatable core in order to achieve the required cushioning.

Just as with the best sleeping bags, the best camping pillow for you will depend on the kinds of adventures you're planning. Wild campers are best served by a pillow that weighs less than 200g and pack down to the size of a water bottle.

Our current favorite, particularly for backpackers, is the Therm-a-Rest Air Head Lite, which weighs next to nothing and takes up about the same amount of space as a pair of hiking socks. For more on what to look for when picking up one of the best camping pillows, see our how to choose guide at the bottom of the page.

The best inflatable camping pillows

From Therm-a-Rest, a brand best known for their category leading camping mats, comes this extremely packable BYO-puff pillow, which weighs next to nothing and takes up less room in your pack than a pair of socks or a packet of chips. The top material is really soft on your face, but what makes this pillow far superior to most of its fellow inflatables is the valve, which is similar to those found on sleeping mats, and makes it very easy to both blow the product up and – more importantly – expel all the air in the morning so you can stash it back in your pack.

 If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s really worth taking a pillow along for an overnight adventure – when you’re hiking, biking, paddling or even running, instead of using a vehicle – then this pillow makes all the arguments against completely redundant. Just pop it in your pack and forget about it, until bedtime, of course, when you can suddenly produce a proper pillow and treat yourself to a decent night’s sleep – a massively valuable luxury when you have spent a big day on the trails and have another to come when you wake up in the morning.

Drift away on this comfortable and well-shaped pillow. At just 100g and packing down into its (included) stuff sack to the size of a tennis ball, the inflatable Drift is one of the best camping pillows out there for ultralight adventures – you’ll have room for this pillow in the smallest of backpacks or bike panniers, which can really make a difference if you’re planning long days of hiking or cycling and want to feel refreshed each morning. 

On test, we found it to be quick to inflate and the soft ‘brushed feel’ cover (which can be removed for washing) went a long way to making us feel like we were resting our heads on more traditional pillows rather than inflatable ones. We like the wide, neck-cradling design on the Drift, and the other benefit of an inflatable pillow is that it’s easy to blow it up to the level of firmness you prefer. If space is at a premium, this is one of the best camping pillows available.

The Fillo may be more expensive than most of the best camping pillows on the market, but if you spend a night sleeping on it you’ll understand why. This award-winning pillow manages to be small and compressible but seriously comfortable – this is as close you’ll get to feeling like you brought your pillow from home with you without taking up too much extra space. 

The Fillo sits between a stuffed pillow and a blow-up pillow – it has built-in foam padding but there’s also an air cell to inflate. We found inflation was quick and easy on test. All we had to do was pop it out of its integrated stuff sack, blow it up, and in a few seconds we had a seriously comfortable pillow that didn't feel like other balloon-like inflatables. The soft jersey cover is lovely to sleep on and can be removed for washing. Various sizes are available, too, suiting everyone from dirtbag backpackers to luxurious glampers. If you’re off on a multi-week adventure, this pillow is well worth the spend to help you sleep well in the wild each night.

Foam and polyester camping pillows

Made with a lightweight ‘Supreme Microloft’ polyester material, this handy travel and camping pillow pops out of its integrated stuff sack to provide a soft and comfortable place to lay your head after a long day on the trails, or when you’re in transit. One of the more minimalist camping pillows on test, it weighs very little and packs down to about the size of a mango (although we were able to compress it further when stuffing it into a rucksack pocket or carry-on bag). 

We found that the integrated stuff sack means pillow and bag stay together well. It’s ideal for those who prefer to travel light but nevertheless appreciate a bit of comfort overnight, and who don’t get on with inflatable pillows. It does provide a decent bit of support, and as a mini cushion, it can also be used under your bum to supply a bit of comfort on big bus or car journeys when you’re travelling, or as a headrest for long-haul flights.

Read our full Fjällräven Travel Pillow review

If you hate the feeling of inflated pillows but don’t want the bulk of foam, Thermarest’s Compressible pillow is a great compromise. This pillow is packed with comfortable foam but still manages to compress down to the size of a water bottle and weighs a middling-to-light 260g. We’re still not sure if we like brushed polly as a pillow material, as it doesn’t feel very breathable against the skin when compared to jersey or cotton, but if you don’t mind it, you’ll get on well with this design. 

Thermarest also recommend this pillow for flying – it’s perfect for long haul journeys, especially if you hate inflatable neck pillows, and this versatility makes the pillow’s more expensive price point more palatable. This was the only pillow we tested with patterned designs available, which are great for kids or for cheering up your campervan, bell tent or even your sofa. The foam stuffing is also fully recycled, and four sizes of the pillow are available (we tested the medium, but you can also choose small, large and extra large).

Sea to Summit make some of the best sleeping pads we've ever had the pleasure of resting our wearied bones on, and in the Foamcore pillow, which is stuffed with off-cuts from the brand’s pad-making process, they may just have bequeathed us one the best camping pillows out there, too. These pillows do Sea to Summit’s moniker proud - positive reviewers include sailors and mountaineers.

This is a slim design – if you like lots of padding or use multiple pillows at home, it might not suit you. We like the stretchy synthetic knit fabric used on the outside of the pillow, which feels fresh and cool to sleep on, and the integrated pocket, designed to hold an eye mask or earplugs and handy for keeping essentials together at camp or for using on a plane. Unlike most of the other pillows we tested, this flattish design folds or rolls up rather than stuffing in a sack, which makes it easy to slide into storage or pop in the boot of a car but less easy to cram into a backpack.

Down camping pillow

Anyone who owns a down sleeping bag (or just a favourite down jacket) will know that the warmth-to-weight ratio of animal down is unbeatable. Down is deliciously soft and warm but very lightweight, so it’s perfect for camping pillows such as the DriDown, which weighs just 120g. 

It’s a pity this pillow doesn’t stuff super small (it compresses to about the size of a Nalgene bottle) but we did find it fits in a water bottle pocket, which is handy on the go. It also looks great, with one silky quilted and one cotton-like patterned side, which might not be the most important factor in a camping pillow but is definitely a plus for campers or van owners using pillows regularly, and also lets you pick which material you prefer to sleep on. Luxurious without adding much weight, this is another more expensive camping pillow that is well worth the spend if you’re a regular camper or van-lifer.

The best value camping pillows

If you’re after a comfortable pillow for casual camping with zero bells and whistles, Hi-Gear’s bright red number will do you proud. ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ was clearly the design motto here – this is a reasonably lightweight, well-stuffed and soft little pillow to whip out on weekend trips or at festivals. 

On test, we found that it doesn’t compress down very small, so you might want something more packable for backpacking and wild camping, but otherwise it’s a fuss-free choice, and once we’ve taken with us on camping adventures of all kinds for years now. We like the soft brushed microfleece outer material, which feels much nicer against the skin than other more plastic-y pillows. Our only criticism is that if you do want to wash this pillow, its dense stuffing is tricky to dry out, and needs a day of drying in full sun to get it camping-ready again. 

Lightweight and compact are the top priorities of Snugpak’s Snuggy Headrest, which is clearly designed with more adventurous campers who have limited space in mind. Snugpak have shaped this pillow to fit nicely in the hood of their sleeping bags, and the pillow is stuffed with the same insulation as their bag designs. On test, it felt pleasingly soft and malleable, while it still offers good neck support and, therefore, a decent night’s sleep. 

That insulated stuffing is also warm, and definitely helps to keep you snug on chilly nights. The shiny slick finish might not be for everyone – if you like a soft cotton-y finish, you’ll prefer a different design, and this pillow is wont to slide about a bit if it’s not tucked in to a sleeping bag hood. If you want a dinky, lightweight pillow but don’t want to go for an inflatable design, this is our top pick – it’ll definitely add a touch of comfort to bare-bones wild camps or bivvy bag adventures. Bottom line? Frill-free, functional, and one of the best camping pillows out there for buyers on a budget.

Memory foam camping pillows

The Klymit Drift Camp Pillow comes in two sizes that are perfect for car camping and making travel more comfortable, although neither is designed to pack down enough for light backpacking. 

On test, the water-resistant outer shell effectively protected the part we slept on from dirt, grime and moisture. Once we got to camp and unpacked our sleeping bag and pad, we were able to flip the cover, roll it up, and stow it within the pillow itself to reveal the clean and soft jersey cotton-lined inner pillow case. 

The memory foam on the inside is super comfortable. The pillow is firm but also forms to head pressure in the perfect way and the foam regains its shape when you’re not using it. This means you're not left with uneven areas after use. The memory foam also allows you to compress the pillow to make it smaller for storage or transport, and the strap that Klymit provides can be used to keep the pillow cinched in a tight bundle. 

Read our full Klymit Drift Camp Pillow review

The clue’s in the name – if nothing will do but the comfort of your pillow from home, Decathlon’s Ultim Comfort is about to be your new favourite cosy camping pillow. This large and rather decadent design is made with memory foam and we found on tes that it was, in short, a delight to sleep on. The brushed fabric pillow case feels great against the skin, and can be zipped open and removed for washing. This is a large and heavy pillow that doesn’t stuff down small, but it’s not designed with lightweight kit set-ups in mind – it’s firmly aimed at week-long holidays, car campers and glampers who want to sleep as well as possible and have plenty of storage space. We also like how good-looking this neutral-coloured pillow is – it’s smart enough to grace your sofa at home when you aren’t in the great outdoors.

The best camping pillows comparison table

How we test camping pillows

At Advnture we endeavor to test every product we feature extensively in the field. That means one of our team of reviewers and writers – all experienced outdoor specialists active across the US, UK, Europe and Australasia – taking it out into the terrain and climatic conditions that it’s designed for. If, for any reason, this isn’t possible, we’ll say so in our buying guides and reviews.

How to choose a camping pillow

A camping pillow is a key part of your camping checklist. Our selection of the best camping pillows will suit different kinds of campers with varying budgets and demands, but all offer great quality. But what do you need to think about when looking for the best camping pillow to suit your needs?

Traditional or inflatable?

Most of the best camping pillows on the market are either ‘air’ pillows you unfold and inflate, or insulated pillows that can be compressed into a stuff sack. In general, pillows stuffed with foam or insulation are more comfortable than inflatable pillows, which can feel a bit balloon-like under your head. Having said that, some of the air pillows we tested out were surprisingly comfortable, especially those that are hybrids of air and traditional pillows. 

Inflatable pillows, however, are usually far more lightweight and portable, and are the best choice when space and weight are at a premium. If you're counting every gram on a solo backpacking mission with your one-person tent, an inflatable will probably be the best option. Whichever design you pick, we recommend choosing a pillow that has a removable, washable cover and its own stuff sack for storage.

Weight and portability

The second consideration is the weight and packability of your new pillow. It’s simple – if you’re more of a wild camper, a backpacker or a bike packer who has limited space and tends to carry their own kit over long distances, the best camping pillows are those that are as small and as light as possible – ideally around or below 200g, and packing down to the size of a water bottle or smaller. 

Some of the pillows in our round-up weigh just 100g and take up the space of a tennis ball. If you’re more of a car camper or a family camper packing up the boot for a trip to your favourite campsite, you can choose something far bigger and heavier for the family tent, cushions that resembles your pillows from home – designs with memory foam and cotton-feel covers will make sleeping under canvas very cosy and comfortable indeed.

Compressibility

A pillow's compressibility is its ability to pack down small. Have you ever tried putting a regular pillow in a backpack? You soon realise that they are not in the least bit compressible and take up the lion's share of space in your pack. Fortunately, the down, polyester and foam that the best camping pillows are made from compress much smaller, making them much more packable. Most come with stuff sacks too, allowing you to squeeze them down to a tidy little package. As anyone with a down jacket will know, down is the most compressible material, but is generally more expensive than foam and polyester options.

Durability

This isn't a huge concern for foam and down pillows, but inflatable pillows are prone to getting pierced by anything from pine needles to crampon spikes. When buying an inflatable pillow, keep an eye out for rugged materials like thermoplastic polyethene (TPU), which are less likely to be compromised than some. It's worth reading user reviews too, as they will often highlight issues that magazine reviews and the like, which are usually done at the start of a pillow's life, miss.

• Best sleeping bags: for comfortable nights at camp