It’s the little things that count: I thought a backpacking pillow was a joke until I tried one. Is the Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow the best out there? Read on for the full review.
Many people debate whether a pillow is necessary for backpacking, but there is a pretty simple way to find out: don’t sleep with a pillow tonight. After 25+ years of backpacking, I gave up on stuffing jackets, using my backpack, and other halfway methods that led to sore necks and bad sleep. I finally invested in a pillow and it was some of the best money I’ve ever spent.
That doesn’t mean all backpacking pillows are the same… I’ve gone through quite a few versions of inflatable, compressible, and air sack style pillows I didn’t like. After three years using the Sea To Summit Aeros Premium Pillow, here are my thoughts:
Background & Specs: Aeros Premium Pillow
Sea to Summit is a great company (remember, I’m independent) but they tend to offer a ton of different versions of each product. Here’s the exact pillow I’m reviewing along with the specs:
- Aeros Premium Pillow
- Regular Size (Claimed: 2.7oz, actual 2.9oz)
- Large Size (4.0oz claimed) is also available
- $42.95 MSRP
- Plenty of options if you just have to color coordinate
- Approx. size of an advil bottle compressed
First off, I’m not a fan of the large version of the pillow. Why? It’s so big that it won’t fit in your sleeping bag hood which stops it from slipping around on warm nights. The regular size is plenty big enough even for massive heads and it saves you money, weight, and room.
The premium pillow has an inner air bladder that is separate from the outer microfiber casing. Essentially it’s a hybrid between an inflatable pillow and a compressible version. It’s a smart design because the bladder is protected from damage since nothing rubs directly against it. Also, the slight “slip” between the two layers is actually far more comfortable for your face (but more on that later).
For a full comparison to other Sea to Summit pillows (and pillows from other companies), jump down to the alternatives section. For now, here’s how it performed for me:
My thoughts: Aeros Premium Pillow Review
This might ruin the suspense, but my wife and I both have each using one of these pillows for over three years. Here are the pros and cons:
Pro: Super comfortable
This is why you get a pillow in my opinion. The Aeros’ outer microfiber casing and its ability to slide across the bladder means the pillow acts just like… the one on your bed. It’s far more comfortable than other inflatable pillows I’ve tried. Air will never be as cushy as a few pounds of feathers but it’s a pretty solid compromise.
Pro: Easy to use and adjust
Anything inflatable can be incredibly uncomfortable if you use too much or too little pressure. Like your sleeping pad, I recommend you let out air from the pillow until your head is fairly close to the ground for the best results.
The two way valve on this pillow is genius: you can inflate or fine tune the air volume through the outer valve, and pull the valve all the way out to deflate. I can inflate this in two breaths and get it to the perfect volume in seconds.
Pro: Small & Lightweight
I may or may not cut the edges off maps (and the handles off toothbrushes) but the 2.9oz this thing weighs is worth every gram. I’d trade far more weight to get the restful night of sleep this pillow gives me. Also, it’s pretty much the size of a pill bottle when not inflated, so it’s easy to stuff in with your sleeping bag.
Pro: Durable (so far)
I use this pillow year round for other backpacking trips (and car camping), so it’s seen some solid use in 3+ years. It still works just as well as the day I got it and doesn’t lose any air overnight, which is impressive with that valve design.
Con: Price
Over $40 for a pillow is pretty darn steep, but as I said above, I do think it’s worth it. You can find deals on these and they last a while. Generally speaking, if price is the only problem I can find with something, it’s exceptionally good.
Tips & Tricks
It’s fairly easy to clean the Aeros pillow but I highly recommend taking wet wipes with you when you backpack. You can give yourself a “shower” each night (head, neck, pits, crotch… in that order) which stops grimey salt and oils from building up on the pillow during your trip. Plus you have extra wipes to clean you and your gear when you butcher an elk.
The stuff sack for this only weighs 4 grams but it can be a little annoying to try to fit the pillow back in. The pillow is so small I usually just stuff it in with my sleeping bag and leave the cover behind. It’s held up plenty fine that way. Also, leave the pillow in your storage sack with your sleeping bag at home… it’s really easy to lose these things since they’re so small.
Alternatives
Sea to Summit offers a few other pillow versions: the ultralight, ultralight deluxe, down, and foam core pillows. As I mentioned above, I’m not a fan of the large versions or anything that weighs over a couple of ounces, which eliminates everything but the ultralight.
While I’m always up to burn time and money in the pursuit of finding the best elk hunting gear, I’m not willing to burn my precious recovery time (aka sleep) in the mountains. I ordered up an Ultralight pillow to compare but found it was pretty “catchy” against my skin since the bladder and the outer layer are one piece (and it’s not that soft either). Combine that with the fact it was almost the same weight (2.5oz) made it a no brainer to send it back. Get the Premium version.
There are generally three types of backpacking pillows on the market: inflatables, compressibles, and stuff sacks. I’m not interested in the latter two because of comfort and weight problems. I’ve looked at (and tried) inflatable pillows from Cocoon, Nemo, REI, Exped, etc etc but haven’t found anything that rivals the Sea to Summit Premium pillow. This one is pretty much on its own, hence the higher price.
Summary
There are few pieces of gear I recommend without a lot of qualifications and the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow is one of them. It’s comfortable, lightweight, durable, and easy to use. It’s not cheap but in my opinion the price is well worth it for the quality of sleep (and there really aren’t any good alternatives).
Would I spend my own hard earned money on it? Yup, this is part of my core gear list and I even bought one for my wife too. Unlike many pieces of gear I review, it’s pretty easy to spell out who this is for: if you sleep better with a pillow, you’re going to love it.