10 Best Backpacking & Camping Pillows of 2024

The Therm-a-Rest Compressible pillow feels almost like camping with the pillow you use at home, but it’s more compact and it doesn’t matter if it gets dropped in the dirt. While it’s bulkier than some of the other pillows on our list, we’d usually rather pack this ultra-comfy pillow than a smaller one that’s less plush.

The Compressible is comprised of a soft polyester cover with upcycled foam chunks inside. It packs into a sleeve on the cover, and the foam can be compressed down to eliminate some of the bulk. When you’re ready to use the pillow, the foam springs back to its original loft shortly after unfolding it. There’s also a drawcord on the cover that can be cinched to tailor the firmness and support to your liking.

The Compressible is CleverHiker Founder Dave Collins’s all-time favorite pillow. He’s used it for some of his most challenging backpacking trips – including multi-day treks through Jasper, Yosemite, and Banff National Parks – because he knows the great night’s sleep he’ll get with it far outweighs the extra ounces and bulk in his backpack. 

The Compressible Pillow comes in several sizes for different use cases. We prefer the small size since it cuts out some weight and bulk for challenging backpacking trips, but it’s still large enough to feel luxurious in the frontcountry. Folks who tend to car camp more than backpack might prefer the medium for its larger size and still-reasonable weight, while dedicated glampers will likely find the large to be the best option.

The bottom line is: if you’re looking for a backpacking pillow that will most closely match the feeling of the one you use on your bed at home, this is it.

The Trekology Aluft Pro is one of the most affordable backpacking pillows on the market, and it’s also one of the most comfortable we’ve tested. This budget-friendly pillow has a surprising amount of premium features that make it feel like a real luxury in the backcountry.

Our favorite detail on the Aluft Pro is the strap that keeps it in place. Nothing’s worse than fighting through the night to keep your inflatable pillow on your pad, so we find that this feature adds a ton of value for very little weight. That said, the strap is removable if you don’t struggle with this and want to save a few grams. 

If you’re like us, you sleep like a baby in the backcountry after a hard day of hiking. And snoozing hard can often lead to… drool. The cover of the Aluft Pro is removable and machine-washable, so sunscreen, sweat, and saliva are no problem. You can start each adventure with a fresh, clean pillow.

We absolutely love this model, and have very few downsides to note. Although there are enough users reporting the Aluft Pro leaking air after a few uses that it definitely bears mentioning. One of our gear testers tested this pillow over the course of about a month on the Arizona Trail without incident, and any gear that makes it through the prickly campsites of the AZT is pretty hardy in our view. Still, it’s always best to pack a patch kit and be prepared to perform field repairs if issues arise.

This pillow may be a little heavier and bulkier than some of the truly ultralight air-filled options on this list, but we think most hikers will be very pleased with the comfort and convenience of the Aluft Pro. However, if saving weight and bulk is a priority for you, take a look at the Aluft 2.0. This pillow isn’t as thick and soft as the Pro model, but it’s a couple ounces lighter, considerably smaller when packed, and even more affordable.

For hikers who prioritize saving weight above all else, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Stuff Sack Pillow is a very comfortable and functional option that serves a dual purpose.

With the Dyneema sides facing out, this is a waterproof stuff sack for your clothing or whatever else you want to keep protected from the elements. But turn it inside out at night to expose the fleece lining, and you’ve got a soft and comfortable pillow. 

We find that this pillow is best used in warmer hiking months. Since you need something to stuff inside to give it loft, it’s better in temperatures where you won’t need to sleep in all of your clothes. A down jacket is an excellent way to fill out the pillow, and then you can add other things – like extra socks or base layers – to dial in the firmness. 

Of course, you may run into the unexpected chilly night when you do end up wearing all your extra clothes for sleeping, in which case your pillow won’t be very plush. But we’ve found that we usually have a few small things to stuff inside when this happens (like other stuff sacks, a pack towel, or toilet paper roll) to make a passable pillow for the night.

The HMG Stuff Sack Pillow is very similar to the Zpacks Medium-Plus Dry Bag Pillow. Both cost the same, weigh the same, and are great choices, but there are a couple of key differences. The Zpacks pillow is a little longer and made with slightly thicker Dyneema fabric. However, the HMG pillow wins the spot on this list over the Zpacks stuff pillow because the zipper placement is more convenient. The Zpacks zipper is at the very top, so you would need to pull things out to access clothes that are lower down. The HMG zipper splits the pillow about a quarter of the way down, making it more convenient to put small things up top and larger things in the bottom part with quick, easy access to both.

While the HMG pillow is made with a slightly thinner DCF fabric than the Zpacks pillow (0.8 oz./sq. yd. DCF vs 1 oz./sq. yd. DCF), we’d say the durability is pretty much a tie. CleverHiker Senior Gear Analyst, Casey Handley, finally reached the end of the road with her HMG Stuff Sack Pillow after about six years and 4,000 miles of hiking. Pretty impressive for a fleece-lined stuff sack weighing less than two ounces.

Though the HMG Stuff Sack Pillow is expensive, the durability makes it worth the cost – it’ll likely outlast many air pillows in the same price range. This is as light as it gets if you want to go minimal without sacrificing comfort.

The supportive and affordable Camp Pillow from Wise Owl Outfitters offers a lot of comfort. 

This pillow is pretty similar to our top pick, the Therm-a-Rest Compressible, but it’s a bit more geared towards frontcountry camping. The Wise Owl is one inch larger in length and width than the Therm-a-Rest Compressible, so naturally it weighs a few ounces more. When packed, this is one of the bulkiest pillows on our list, and it weighs over half a pound. We don’t recommend it for backpacking, but it does a great job of mimicking the pillows we use at home while car camping.

There are many cheap pillows like this one on the market, but the Wise Owl earns its place on this list for its supportive design. During testing, we found that similar budget pillows had a tendency to flatten out quickly, while the Wise Owl held its shape much better. The loft is adequate for side sleeping, and the foam filling can be shifted around inside to tailor the support. 

Among the affordable competitors, the Teton Sports Camp Pillow is the most comparable option as far as quality for the price. This pillow has a synthetic feather-like fill that flattens out more than the Wise Owl’s foam fill, so it could be a more enticing option for back-sleepers who don’t want their head to rest so high.

Both the Wise Owl and Teton Sports camping pillows are great options, and if we were choosing between the two – we’d probably just buy whichever one was running a better sale at the time.

The Klymit Luxe pillow is our top recommendation for backpackers who prioritize comfort. This large, supportive pillow is heavier and bulkier than the pillows we usually take for long backpacking trips, but it’s by far the most comfortable air pillow we’ve tested.

At 22 inches long and 12.5 inches wide, the Luxe is the largest backpacking pillow on our list. It’s also one of the thickest with a whole five inches of loft. When you consider the dimensions, the weight and packed size are actually a lot more impressive. We firmly believe that if your backpacking pillow isn’t comfortable, it’s wasted weight and space anyway. So we’re willing to carry the Luxe into the backcountry over an ultralight option for its significant boost in comfort.

Though the Luxe is far from affordable, we think it’s actually a pretty fair price for what you’re getting. You’d pay the same for a smaller, lighter pillow that maybe isn’t as comfortable. And if you’re going to be spending the same amount of money, it’s definitely worthwhile to consider trading in the weight savings for added comfort.

Like many modern camp pillows, the Luxe comes with a removable cover that can safely go through the washing machine. What makes this cover a bit unique, though, is the snap closure on the end that hides away the valve stem. This small detail eliminates any chance of the valve interfering with your sleep, and we’ve really come to appreciate it.

Car campers and backpackers alike will love the Klymit Luxe for its unrivaled balance of comfort, weight, and price. Those who don’t mind carrying a little extra weight and bulk in exchange for more comfort should stop the pillow search here.

The NEMO Fillo Elite Luxury has become one of our go-tos due to its generous dimensions, soft surface, and low weight. 

At 21 inches wide, the Fillo Elite Luxury stretches across the entire width of a regular-size backpacking sleeping pad, so you have plenty of room to roll around without coming off the pillow. Backpacking pillows have a tendency to slide off of pads, but we find the extra length usually ensures that at least part of the pillow remains in place for a comfy night’s sleep.

The Fillo Elite Luxury sits at three inches high, so it’s not the most supportive option for side-sleepers. But back-sleepers will appreciate that this pillow doesn’t strain your neck by keeping your head too high. CleverHiker Senior Gear Analyst Casey Handley, who is a rotisserie-sleeper that usually ends up on her back or stomach, tested this pillow over 500 miles of the Arizona Trail, and she found that the width gave her plenty of room to change positions and the height was perfect for providing support while sleeping on her back. 

Hikers looking to shave off a few grams may find the standard Fillo Elite to be a good middle-ground between weight and comfort. It’s only 15 inches wide (a full six inches less than the Luxury model), but it weighs in at just 2.8 ounces and packs down smaller. While there’s less room to wriggle around on the Fillo Elite, those who tend to stay stationary through the night will likely prefer this lighter and less expensive version.

With a light layer of synthetic insulation on top and a soft jersey case, the Fillo Elite Luxury is more comfortable than most other inflatables. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s well-designed with an integrated stuff sack that’s impossible to lose, a removable case for easy washing, and a top-notch valve.

The REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow is an affordable option that slips inside the hood of a mummy sleeping bag for all-night comfort that stays put. This pillow is plush enough for camping, light enough for backpacking, and packable enough for travel, so it’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for a do-it-all pillow.

We find the foam filling of this pillow to be comfier than many air pillows since it’s not as firm and it conforms to your body shape. However, the Trailmade feels lumpy compared to our favorite foam pillow, the Therm-a-Rest Compressible, listed above. Still, the Trailmade is lighter and more affordable, so it’s a solid option for budget-conscious hikers. And you can always shift the shredded foam fill around to customize the shape a bit. 

One of the best features of the Trailmade is the innovative cover. It has a cozy fleece side and a cool polyester side, so you can flip it to optimize comfort depending on the conditions. When you’re ready to pack up in the morning, the foam pillow compresses into the cover to save space in your backpack. And then once you’re back home, pop the whole thing in the washing machine to bring it back to good as new.

We tend to opt for a lighter and smaller pillow on long, challenging backcountry trips. But the Trailmade only weighs 5.25 ounces, so it’s totally backpacking-worthy if comfort is a priority.