7 Best Backpacking Pillows for Camping

How to choose the best backpacking pillow for camping

How should you decide which pillow is right for you? You’ll need to balance cost, comfort, durability, and weight. It’s easiest to divide these pillows by their intended uses. Are you car camping? If you’re driving your car or RV into an established campsite, then weight really doesn’t matter too much, so comfort takes precedence. For this type of use, the Teton Sports Camp Pillow or Coop Homes Good Pillow make the most sense. Both of these options weigh quite a bit, even up to two pounds in the case of the Coop Homes Goods Pillow. However, in a vehicle, this weight means little. Also, these larger, more traditionally styled pillows are the most comfortable options on this list. So when weight is not crucial, these are the best pillows around.

How about for backpacking? If you’ll be hiking into your campsite with all necessary gear strapped to your back, then you’ll have different requirements for a camping pillow. As I’ve already said, ounces make pounds and pounds make pain. So weight is the most important factor when buying a pillow to be carried in the wilderness. Of course, the lightest and cheapest option here is to simple pile up your own spare clothes and use them as a pillow. However, this is not the most comfortable, and after a few weeks in the field, these clothes are guaranteed to stink.

What type of pillow should you buy? The two perfect options on this list are the Sea to Summit Aeros and the Trekology Ultralight Pillows. The Sea to Summit weighs 4 ounces, and the Trekology is a shockingly light 2.75 ounces. While Sea to Summit certainly does have a fantastic reputation in the outdoors industry, the Trekology is also high quality, and it is so incredibly light that it really is the finest backpacking option here, if your number one priority is reducing the weight on your back. However, both pillows are great and compress down to tiny spaces, making them quite easy to carry around in the field. As ever, any inflatable pillow can spring a leak, so make sure to test your equipment before heading out. Better yet, ask a friend to try their gear out and get a sense of exactly what you like before buying your own.

Climate is another consideration. If you like to camp in a hot or humid climate, you’ll want to choose your pillow carefully: look for materials that dissipate body heat and wick away sweat to keep you dry and comfortable all night. The Sea to Summit and Coop Home Goods pillows, for example, are especially worth a look if you tend to run hot while you sleep, or if you’re expecting a warm night.

Finally, your preferred sleep position may determine which pillows are ideal for you. In general, back sleepers should stick to just one, relatively thin pillow (rather than stacking up two or more), whereas side sleepers typically need a fluffier pillow to maintain neck alignment. Luckily, many of the pillows on this list are adjustable! The memory foam pillow by Coop Home Goods can be made either flatter or fluffier by adjusting the amount of foam. It works for any sleep position and will conform to your unique shape. If you tend to experience neck stiffness or pain, this pillow is a superb choice. Pillows such as the Therm-a-Rest, Nemo Fillo, and Trekology measure around 4 inches thick, though since they’re inflatable, they can also be somewhat adjusted.

How to get a good night’s sleep while camping

So how do you get a good night’s sleep in the backcountry? Of course, your pillow of choice is important, but there are many more factors involved too. First off, it’s important to maintain a good sleeping position, which will help you avoid sore muscles in the morning. Sleeping on your back is generally very recommended, as it places the least amount of stress on your spine. To stay in perfect alignment, you can also place a small pillow (or some clothing items from your pack) under your knees.

If you have problems with snoring or sleep apnea, you may want to give side-sleeping a try instead. It’s the most popular sleep position, and the majority of people have the easiest time falling asleep quickly on their sides. Plus, some research indicates that sleeping on your left side can alleviate heartburn (sleeping on your right side, however, can exacerbate heartburn). Just make sure not to squash your shoulder and arm—especially important when you’re sleeping on the hard ground. Try to shift your weight slightly back so that your weight is distributed onto your shoulder blade (demonstrated at 7:48 here) instead of directly on the shoulder joint.

Next up, what surface are you sleeping on? As a general rule, you should reuse preexisting campsites when possible to avoid causing damage to the local environment. Sleeping on fresh ground can kill the vegetation there, which often take years to regrow. In a campsite, packed dirt is superior to gravel, and a cot beats both. Unless you own an RV, I don’t recommend trying to sleep inside your car (least comfortable night of my life). Sleeping in your car seat may seem like a good idea at first, but it will end up restricting your movement, so you’re better off in a tent on the ground.

Next, purchase a good sleeping bag rated for the temperature you’ll be in. Don’t cheap out for equipment that will not keep you warm. Equally vital to the sleeping bag is the sleeping mat, which keeps you elevated off the ground. Even on a fairly warm day, the ground is typically pretty cold, and will suck the heat straight out of you. In extreme cases, this can lead to hypothermia. Avoid this by using a quality sleeping mat, to trap your heat under you. A good mat will keep you warm even when sleeping on snow or granite (I have personal experience with both; I had good gear and stayed warm).

Whatever you’ve chosen to sleep under—a shelter, a tent, a tarp, or a bivvy sack—make sure you’ve tested it prior to stepping off on your adventure. There is no worse feeling than finding out five days into a month-long wilderness expedition that a vital piece of sleeping gear doesn’t work right. Even if everything works as it should, it can be exhausting setting up a new tent for the first time after a long day outside; better to practice pitching it a few times in your living room, so that when you’re actually at the campsite, you can put it up on autopilot.

Whether you’re new to hiking or an experienced backpacker, buying new equipment can be intimidating—So here are a few general guidelines:

• Lightweight is good, but don’t sacrifice durability just to save a few ounces.
• Test out your gear before the actual trip, and know how to repair equipment in the field. Most gear failure will occur either when the piece is very new (in this case if it came flawed from the factory), or after extensive use, once the piece has simply reached the end of its useful life.
• Try to borrow things from friends before buying, find out exactly what you do and don’t like. Hiking gear can get really expensive, so do thorough research before pulling the trigger on equipment.

Tips to fall asleep quickly when camping

If you already practice good sleep hygiene in your regular routine, these habits should carry over well to your camping trip. But if you’re not used to sleeping outdoors, you might still toss and turn before drifting off. While it can be incredibly relaxing to retreat into nature, some people find that the relaxation stops as soon as they actually try to sleep! Hard ground, strange noises, and an unfamiliar environment can all add up to one sleepless night. Some of these problems will fade away as you become used to camping. Other problems can be mitigated by investing in appropriate gear; as explained above, a high-quality sleep mat and pillow will set you up for success. Here are some additional tips to help you fall asleep fast:

• Earlier in the day, try to get some exercise: simply taking a hike may help you fall asleep later. Try to fit your hike in during the morning, afternoon, or early evening, since rigorous exercise too close to bedtime can keep you awake.
• In the hours before bedtime, avoid consuming substances that will interfere with sleep—keep caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol to a minimum.
• If you’re out camping in the middle of nowhere, chances are you won’t have your usual access to electronics—which is great! You may be surprised how easy it is to fall asleep without a phone or laptop to keep you up late in the evening.
• Keep a regular sleep schedule: maintaining a regular schedule at home and sticking to it while camping will help you fall asleep more easily in the backcountry. In general, you’ll feel better rested if you go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same times each day, though understandably this is more difficult when you’re camping or traveling.
• Wind down from the day with relaxing activities—reading or stretching, for example—just before bed.

What if, no matter what you do, you just can’t sleep? Instead of trying (and failing) to force yourself to fall sleep, get up and do something low-key and relaxing. Read a book in the light of your headlamp, listen to some music, meditate, and so on. Return to bed when you feel yourself becoming drowsy.

Why sleeping on the ground is good for your posture

It’s likely that if you’re new to camping or sleeping on the ground, you’ll have a hard time falling asleep, and you may wake up feeling a bit sore. This is totally normal and will get better the more often you camp! Over time, you may even find yourself preferring the simplicity of a mat on the firm ground.

Over the past few centuries, we’ve become used to mattresses as a simple necessity in life. Who doesn’t sleep on a mattress?! But maybe it’s time to reevaluate whether sleeping on a mattress all the time is the best option for everyone. Moreover, many people sleep on a mattress that is too soft: although research on the subject is still incomplete, experts generally recommend a supportive, medium-firm mattress rather than a soft one, which allows your body to flop downward and prevents you from moving naturally in your sleep. Since soft surfaces like super cushy mattresses tend to lead to back pain, it’s no surprise that people are taking a renewed interest in firmer, more supportive surfaces—even going so far as to try out the ground or floor.

Some experts advocate ditching your mattress entirely in favour of a thin mat on the floor. A firmer surface will keep your spine and neck in alignment. No more sinking into your mattress and throwing out your back! While you might miss the soft comfort of your mattress at first, you can rest assured that your body is probably lined up just as well, if not better, on the floor. Many people who have experimented with floor-sleeping report that they wake up feeling better-rested and with reduced joint pain and discomfort.

You can still reap the benefits of floor sleeping even if you use a mat, since the underlying surface will still be very firm. Using a mat will help cushion pressure points; for instance, if you’re a side-sleeper, you may find that your hip bones press uncomfortably into the floor, which a mat will help alleviate. A word of caution: if you have any medical conditions that you think might be exacerbated by floor-sleeping, check in with your doctor first. It’s also best not to sleep on surfaces like concrete, which is simply too hard, so if your floors are concrete, probably best to stick to a traditional bed.

I’m not ready to toss my mattress out just yet, but it’s nice to know that spending a few nights camping on the ground won’t hurt—and may just help—my posture. Camping outdoors is an ideal opportunity to try sleeping on a firmer surface. Usually, you’ll be sleeping on a material like a mossy forest floor or the packed dirt of a campground, which will provide a great amount of support and facilitate your natural sleeping movements, rather than holding you in one static position. Since you’re outside, you will want a sleeping pad, both to add cushioning and to keep you warm. Your first few nights camping will likely be a bit uncomfortable if you’re not used to it—but don’t let that scare you off from longer backpacking trips! Most people find that their bodies adjust after a few rough nights. You can also give our tips in the section above a try; I always find that if I’ve exhausted myself on a long, steep hike earlier in the day, I’m tired enough to fall asleep anywhere.

Making smart choices about planning your adventure and investing in good equipment will go a long way toward having an unforgettable time. Most importantly, remember that your skills and mindset are always more important than your gear. Know the limits of both your skills and your gear! Proper equipment is certainly an amazing asset to have, but without a willingness to learn, adapt, and keep calm under stress, even the best equipment in the world is useless. So get out there and camp! If you have friends with a lot of experience, learn what you can from them.  Finally, know that even if you were to make poor equipment choices, a good adaptable mindset will help you succeed in the backcountry. Whatever you do, stay safe and have fun out there.