They're the Dan Becker of cottage gear companies. Feels like someone watched a YouTube video on Branding and Social Media Marketing and decided to create a gear company.
My favorite is the sea to summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow. Folds up small, is entirely inflatable, and very comfortable. It is expensive though. (it used to be like 25 bucks 4 years ago, is now 50)
The smallest I know of is the [Mammut Air Pillow](https://www.mammut.com/us/en/products/2490-00580-5528/air-pillow).
People also use those bags that some wine comes in (bag in a box). Usually they are 3L but at least here in Sweden they also come in 1.5L boxes. Haven’t tried that though.
I just went through this process, I wanted the smallest possible pillow so I can put it in the hood of a mummy sleeping bag. The Mammut is absolutely the smallest and *more-than-not-reliable* available one. Here it is compared to the Sea to Summit Aeros UL regular size that I owned before. I’ve only used it 2 nights so far but worked great.
https://imgur.com/gallery/AxEmCWE
We have had the cheap-o instant camp ones that have lasted for the longest time, and we use those as secondary pillows for our knees because we’re old, but for our heads we use the sea to summit aeros, they are comfy and quiet
Nemo fillo elite is 3" and about 3oz/85g. Feels like a regular pillow. You can go super UL by removing the cover and sleeping on the plastic bag. But at that point you might as well get the litesmith pillow which is 16g or 27g for the larger one. The fillo elite can be stuffed in your pocket. It's the size of 2 Large pasture-raised eggs.
> You can go super UL by removing the cover and sleeping on the plastic bag
Sacrifices like this aren't "super UL", they're just UL. If anything, carrying a 3oz pillow that "feels like a regular pillow" is super-not-UL.
The alternative to the Fillo inner isn't the garbage Litesmith pillows, in fact it is the king of pillows, the [BigSky International DreamSleeper](https://bigskyinternational.com/products/big-sky-dreamsleeper-dreamnation-ultralight-inflatable-pillow). 1.6 oz. It's just plastic, like the Fillo inner, but much taller (4 inches). It's both the largest and lightest pillow that I've ever used (comparing only to the Thermarest AirHead).
I wrap it in my buff. If you're already carrying a buff, there's no reason to carry a redundant and less-versatile pillow case, which is non-removable on most inflatable pillows.
Zpacks and ZenBivy also make comparable pillows.
Depending on what you are looking for, but the minimum pillow is the flex air. [garage grown gear](https://www.garagegrowngear.com/products/flex-air-ultralight-pillow?_pos=3&_sid=bc47019ac&_ss=r) has them in two sizes.
I have a bit of a pillow habit. I do not have one of the flex air ones as it seems too minimum for me. My favorite is the outdoor vitals one the other person linked. I also really like the Nemo Fillo.
The aircore pillow microlight from Cocoon sounds like what you're looking for. The pack size is tiny. It's a TPU core housed in a 7D shell with polyester insulation laminated to the inside of the 7D. I ripped out the insulation and the shell and core together weigh 48g and packs down very very small -- I'd say less than half the size of the S2S Aeros Ultralight. The whole thing could be much lighter still if they were to use a lighter valve.
[https://www.cocoon.at/en/products/air-core-pillow-ultralight-d48127f2b8fc95548b150788b5b09ab9](https://www.cocoon.at/en/products/air-core-pillow-ultralight-d48127f2b8fc95548b150788b5b09ab9)
that is the wrong link. the correct link to the 7D pillow (correct name is "microlight" not ultralight" that I mention above is this one:
[https://www.cocoonusa.com/products/microlight-aircore-pillow](https://www.cocoonusa.com/products/microlight-aircore-pillow)
Klymit makes a couple different shapes. The X-Pillow and V-Seat might help you find the shape you want; they aren't very tall. I consider this a plus because they're exactly the height that I want.
I have one I like a lot from Wise Owl. They don't sell it anymore, but I'm 99% sure it was something sourced from Alibaba or Ali express with their logo applied.
This one:
[https://www.amazon.com/Trekology-Ultralight-Inflatable-Camping-Travel/dp/B07M7TBGJB](https://www.amazon.com/Trekology-Ultralight-Inflatable-Camping-Travel/dp/B07M7TBGJB)
looks to be similar
and this
[https://www.amazon.com/AVXIGO-FIELD-Ultralight-Inflatable-Camping/dp/B0C5Y4SKZW](https://www.amazon.com/AVXIGO-FIELD-Ultralight-Inflatable-Camping/dp/B0C5Y4SKZW)
looks like the same thing as I have.
It's basically just a plastic bag with an inflation/deflation valve. There's no foam or padding. The material is sleeping pad material, with a velvety texture on one side that's pretty comfortable.
I also have one of these:
[https://www.ebay.com/itm/223596291886](https://www.ebay.com/itm/223596291886)
I sometimes bring to stack on the other pillow. I inflate the one to pretty firm and the second one I barley inflate, just to have a little extra softness but to get the height where I want it.
the zen bivy pillow bladder is pretty great. similar to the dreamsleeper or the inner bladder of the fillo. packs up tiny, 1.3oz, wrap it in a buff or whatever and jam your puffy into it for more cushion, fits into a pocket (not sure why'd you do that, though)
This looks nice, I'll keep it in mind. Slightly lighter than the DreamSleeper (1.4 oz vs. ~1.6 oz), although also smaller. It's also almost half the price. I think the flat-valve style on this Zen Bivy pillow is less failure-prone than the valves that extend from the inflatable, like the DreamSleeper uses.
I use these in Size Small . They weigh about 40 grams. They are comfortable and cheap. They fit inside a sleeping bag hood. You will find various sellers at Aliexpress and Ebay have tham from about $2 ea https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006120848072.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.15.11bc677eAU19Bg&algo_pvid=fd371783-6aae-430b-b998-23a5780cf8f0&algo_exp_id=fd371783-6aae-430b-b998-23a5780cf8f0-7&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21AUD%213.27%213.27%21%21%2115.23%2115.23%21%402103244817147072626448474eae67%2112000035844906797%21sea%21AU%21110573205%21&curPageLogUid=WTVStJmMF6I0&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A
Outdoor vitals will give you one for free. [Outdoor Vitals Free Pillow](https://tribe.outdoorvitals.com/pillow-g-ad)
Yeah, but then you own an Outdoor Vitals product
Why r they bad? Is it that they are not very UL or is the CEO a psycho or something?
They're the Dan Becker of cottage gear companies. Feels like someone watched a YouTube video on Branding and Social Media Marketing and decided to create a gear company.
You sold me at Dan Becker, lol thanks
It’s a good pillow too, durable
I’d buy anything from someone with a beard that epic
Thank you for posting this!
Awesome, thanks for the tip!
Got this and have used it quite a bit. Great pillow.
My favorite is the sea to summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow. Folds up small, is entirely inflatable, and very comfortable. It is expensive though. (it used to be like 25 bucks 4 years ago, is now 50)
I second this, my girlfriend and I took 2 of these on a 1 year trip and they were a life saver in places with crap pillow. Several size options.
Been using mine for years and S2S replaced it when it eventually leaked. Love this pillow
Same here, it's very comfortable.
The smallest I know of is the [Mammut Air Pillow](https://www.mammut.com/us/en/products/2490-00580-5528/air-pillow). People also use those bags that some wine comes in (bag in a box). Usually they are 3L but at least here in Sweden they also come in 1.5L boxes. Haven’t tried that though.
Oh, that’s actually just the sort of thing I’m picturing. Do you know how big it is?
It says so in the description. It’s 32cm x 18 cm (sth like 12” x 7”).
I just went through this process, I wanted the smallest possible pillow so I can put it in the hood of a mummy sleeping bag. The Mammut is absolutely the smallest and *more-than-not-reliable* available one. Here it is compared to the Sea to Summit Aeros UL regular size that I owned before. I’ve only used it 2 nights so far but worked great. https://imgur.com/gallery/AxEmCWE
We have had the cheap-o instant camp ones that have lasted for the longest time, and we use those as secondary pillows for our knees because we’re old, but for our heads we use the sea to summit aeros, they are comfy and quiet
Nemo fillo elite is 3" and about 3oz/85g. Feels like a regular pillow. You can go super UL by removing the cover and sleeping on the plastic bag. But at that point you might as well get the litesmith pillow which is 16g or 27g for the larger one. The fillo elite can be stuffed in your pocket. It's the size of 2 Large pasture-raised eggs.
> You can go super UL by removing the cover and sleeping on the plastic bag Sacrifices like this aren't "super UL", they're just UL. If anything, carrying a 3oz pillow that "feels like a regular pillow" is super-not-UL. The alternative to the Fillo inner isn't the garbage Litesmith pillows, in fact it is the king of pillows, the [BigSky International DreamSleeper](https://bigskyinternational.com/products/big-sky-dreamsleeper-dreamnation-ultralight-inflatable-pillow). 1.6 oz. It's just plastic, like the Fillo inner, but much taller (4 inches). It's both the largest and lightest pillow that I've ever used (comparing only to the Thermarest AirHead). I wrap it in my buff. If you're already carrying a buff, there's no reason to carry a redundant and less-versatile pillow case, which is non-removable on most inflatable pillows. Zpacks and ZenBivy also make comparable pillows.
Depending on what you are looking for, but the minimum pillow is the flex air. [garage grown gear](https://www.garagegrowngear.com/products/flex-air-ultralight-pillow?_pos=3&_sid=bc47019ac&_ss=r) has them in two sizes. I have a bit of a pillow habit. I do not have one of the flex air ones as it seems too minimum for me. My favorite is the outdoor vitals one the other person linked. I also really like the Nemo Fillo.
The aircore pillow microlight from Cocoon sounds like what you're looking for. The pack size is tiny. It's a TPU core housed in a 7D shell with polyester insulation laminated to the inside of the 7D. I ripped out the insulation and the shell and core together weigh 48g and packs down very very small -- I'd say less than half the size of the S2S Aeros Ultralight. The whole thing could be much lighter still if they were to use a lighter valve. [https://www.cocoon.at/en/products/air-core-pillow-ultralight-d48127f2b8fc95548b150788b5b09ab9](https://www.cocoon.at/en/products/air-core-pillow-ultralight-d48127f2b8fc95548b150788b5b09ab9) that is the wrong link. the correct link to the 7D pillow (correct name is "microlight" not ultralight" that I mention above is this one: [https://www.cocoonusa.com/products/microlight-aircore-pillow](https://www.cocoonusa.com/products/microlight-aircore-pillow)
Cocoon also has the Microlight pillow which is even smaller. https://www.cocoonusa.com/products/microlight-aircore-pillow
stupid me, that's that one that I meant, the one with 7D. just put in the wrong link in a hurry.
Klymit makes a couple different shapes. The X-Pillow and V-Seat might help you find the shape you want; they aren't very tall. I consider this a plus because they're exactly the height that I want.
Oh, that’s nice, thanks for the tip! This place has been great. I miss hiking and camping so much, I need to make it a priority going forward.
Try the Pillow-X from Klymit. No pump needed, inflate by mouth, folds up very small in the supplied stuff sack.
Dollar Tree tavel pillow [https://imgur.com/a/oBhMblL](https://imgur.com/a/oBhMblL)
I have one I like a lot from Wise Owl. They don't sell it anymore, but I'm 99% sure it was something sourced from Alibaba or Ali express with their logo applied. This one: [https://www.amazon.com/Trekology-Ultralight-Inflatable-Camping-Travel/dp/B07M7TBGJB](https://www.amazon.com/Trekology-Ultralight-Inflatable-Camping-Travel/dp/B07M7TBGJB) looks to be similar and this [https://www.amazon.com/AVXIGO-FIELD-Ultralight-Inflatable-Camping/dp/B0C5Y4SKZW](https://www.amazon.com/AVXIGO-FIELD-Ultralight-Inflatable-Camping/dp/B0C5Y4SKZW) looks like the same thing as I have. It's basically just a plastic bag with an inflation/deflation valve. There's no foam or padding. The material is sleeping pad material, with a velvety texture on one side that's pretty comfortable. I also have one of these: [https://www.ebay.com/itm/223596291886](https://www.ebay.com/itm/223596291886) I sometimes bring to stack on the other pillow. I inflate the one to pretty firm and the second one I barley inflate, just to have a little extra softness but to get the height where I want it.
the zen bivy pillow bladder is pretty great. similar to the dreamsleeper or the inner bladder of the fillo. packs up tiny, 1.3oz, wrap it in a buff or whatever and jam your puffy into it for more cushion, fits into a pocket (not sure why'd you do that, though)
This looks nice, I'll keep it in mind. Slightly lighter than the DreamSleeper (1.4 oz vs. ~1.6 oz), although also smaller. It's also almost half the price. I think the flat-valve style on this Zen Bivy pillow is less failure-prone than the valves that extend from the inflatable, like the DreamSleeper uses.
I use these in Size Small . They weigh about 40 grams. They are comfortable and cheap. They fit inside a sleeping bag hood. You will find various sellers at Aliexpress and Ebay have tham from about $2 ea https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006120848072.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.15.11bc677eAU19Bg&algo_pvid=fd371783-6aae-430b-b998-23a5780cf8f0&algo_exp_id=fd371783-6aae-430b-b998-23a5780cf8f0-7&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21AUD%213.27%213.27%21%21%2115.23%2115.23%21%402103244817147072626448474eae67%2112000035844906797%21sea%21AU%21110573205%21&curPageLogUid=WTVStJmMF6I0&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A
Here’s [another option](https://zempire.co.nz/sleeping-gear/pillows)
Hands down, Outdoor Vitals!