Travel Guide
Best Camping Pillows (2026): Picks for Backpacking, Car Camping and Bike Touring
Nov
If you want to be a happy camper when bikepacking, take a camping pillow on your next bike tour. Here are the best camping pillows for backpacking, car camping and bike touring, starting with the one I use.
Quick picks (updated October 2026)
Top pick: Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow (my pick) · Mid-range
- A lightweight inflatable pillow with a soft brushed-knit cover that packs down small.
Check on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, davestravelpages.com earns from qualifying purchases.
The Aeros Premium is the pillow I used on my 10 month European bikepacking trip in 2025.
| Pick | Best for | Price tier | Why | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow (my pick) | Most comfortable inflatable | Mid-range | A lightweight inflatable pillow with a soft brushed-knit cover that packs down small. | Check on Amazon › |
| NEMO Fillo | Best foam-top inflatable | Mid-range | An inflatable pillow with a foam top over an air core, a washable cover and a small packed size. | Check on Amazon › |
| Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow | Best ultralight pick | Mid-range | A very light inflatable pillow that packs tiny, which makes it an easy fit for pannier space. | Check on Amazon › |
| Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow Cinch | Best value comfort | Mid-range | A foam-filled pillow with a cinch cord to adjust firmness, a compression system that reduces packed size and a machine-washable stretch-knit cover. | Check on Amazon › |
| TETON Sports Camp Pillow | Best budget buy | Budget | A simple camp pillow with soft fibre fill and a machine-washable pillowcase, sold with a stuff sack, for camping and travel. | Check on Amazon › |
| Klymit Drift | Best for side sleepers | Mid-range | A camping pillow filled with shredded memory foam that you can remove to adjust the feel, with a water-resistant shell and washable cover. | Check on Amazon › |
| HEST Camp Pillow | Premium for car camping | Premium | A premium camp pillow that feels close to home, but too bulky for panniers. | Check on Amazon › |
| Exped Mega Pillow | Roomy inflatable pillow | Premium | A roomy inflatable pillow with a washable cover and adjustable firmness, at a height that suits side sleepers. | Check on Amazon › |
Price tiers are our own guide (budget, mid-range, premium), not Amazon prices; check the current price on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, davestravelpages.com earns from qualifying purchases.
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Pillows for Bikepacking Camping
Getting a good night’s sleep when bike touring is essential. It helps your body recover from the previous day’s ride, and raises your spirits for the day ahead.
It’s strange then, that one of the most essential components of a good camping system for bicycle touring is often overlooked. Namely, a camping pillow.
I’ve always wondered why. Perhaps they are considered non-essential for people looking to cut down on the weight they carry on a bike tour? Perhaps taking a travel pillow for camping isn’t considered hardcore enough?
Regardless, if you haven’t tried a camp pillow, I’d suggest thinking about it. The moment I got one, a light bulb went on, and I wouldn’t bike tour without a small, lightweight pillow again!
Best Bikepacking Pillow
After trying a couple of different types of ultralight pillows, I’ve finally settled on the Sea To Summit Aeros Premium Pillow. This ultralight pillow weighs in at just 79g, so there’s really no excuses not to take one along on a cycling trip!
Not only is it comfortable to rest your head on, its attachment system means it sticks to the Sea To Summit Ether Light XT Insulated sleeping mat (perfect for side sleepers by the way!). I’ve put a photo below with a pair of sunglasses for scale so you can see its size when inflated.
Personally, I find this to be the ideal sleeping system. If you’re looking for an ultralight backpacking pillow, I can’t rate the Sea to Summit Aeros highly enough.
Check it out here: Sea To Summit Aeros Pillow.
Top 8 Camping Pillows
Here’s a list of my recommendations for the best travel pillows for bike touring and camping. I’ll go into more detail on the different types of camping pillow and their pros and cons below.
- Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow
- NEMO Fillo
- Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow
- Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow Cinch
- TETON Sports Camp Pillow
- Klymit Drift
- HEST Camp Pillow
- Exped Mega Pillow
Do you need a pillow for bike touring?
I recently polled the members of a bike touring Facebook group as to if they used a travel pillow for bike touring. At the time of writing this, the responses were evenly split between people who did, and people who didn’t.
For those that didn’t use a pillow for cycle touring, they had a variety of ways of improvising a pillow. These included putting clothes in the sleeping bag stuff sack, putting clothes on top of shoes and then using the sleeping bag hood, and more.
In fact, these are the methods I used when cycle touring on my early trips which included cycling from England to South Africa, and cycling from Alaska to Argentina.
So the answer is no you don’t “need” a pillow for bike touring. But then I bought one, and changed my mind….
My First Camping Pillow
The pillow that I first used when bike touring isn’t on this list. The reason is, that I bought it for about three pounds in a sale in the UK, and I don’t know if it’s still available!
It’s a compressible type camping pillow, made by a company called Karrimor. One side is a micro-fibre, and the other a smoother polyester material.
Having spent years cycling without a pillow, using it was a real epiphany. It also made me wonder just why the heck I hadn’t tried one before. I never said I was bright!
So, I’d say that if you are looking for ways to upgrade your bike touring gear, and value a comfortable, good night’s sleep, it might be time to try out a few travel pillows for camping. And it needn’t be expensive.
Related: How to Stay Comfortable and Warm Sleeping Outdoors
Types Of Backpacking Pillow
Lightweight travel pillows that are suitable for bike touring can be divided into the following categories:
1. Compressible Pillows
These pillows are typically filled with materials such as foam. They can be packed down small, but can also expand when taken out of their stuff sacks.
The pros to this type of pillow are that they are the most comfortable type. The downside is that they are likely to weigh more, which can be an issue for some cyclists.
Best Compressible Pillows for Camping
Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow Cinch – It should come as no surprise that the company best known for their sleeping pads also has a range of travel pillows for camping.
Give it a go, and see what you think!
TETON Sports Camp Pillow – the budget option here.
HEST Camp Pillow – the premium option for car camping, but too bulky for panniers.
These pillows may be a little on the bulky side for most cyclists, but if you value sleeping well at night, they are still worth considering.
2. Inflatable Pillows
The clue is in the name, and these pillow types can be filled by blowing them up if they are not self-inflating. The better ones may have a ‘warm’ and ‘cold’ side. These are by far the most popular type of camping pillow.
The pros are that they are lightweight, are typically higher than compressible pillows, and may be better for side sleepers. The downsides are that they can lose air, be punctured, are not considered as comfortable as other camping pillow types.
Best Inflatable Camping Pillows
Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Premium – These came highly recommended from within the Facebook group I mentioned earlier. Cyclists commented that it was tiny when packed away, and very comfortable to use. I use it on my cycling trip in Iceland and found it to be excellent. Unlike their sleeping mat which I will review at a later stage!
The main box it ticks for adding it to your bike touring gear, is that this pillow is extremely lightweight. Questions have been raised for its durability for long periods of uses, but honestly, if you get a year’s worth of use from this camp pillow it would be money well spent!
Nemo Fillo Inflatable Travel Pillow – an inflatable pillow with a foam top over an air core. If you want a sound nights sleep in the tent, perhaps this is for you?
Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow – a very light inflatable pillow that packs tiny, which makes it an easy fit for pannier space.
Klymit Drift – a camping pillow filled with shredded memory foam that you can remove to adjust the feel.
Exped Mega Pillow – a roomy inflatable pillow with a washable cover and adjustable firmness, at a height that suits side sleepers.
3. Stuffable Camping Pillows
The idea behind these backpacking pillows, is that you stuff them with clothes in order to give them shape. A down jacket might be a good item to put inside of this type of pillow.
The pros are that they are lightweight. The downside being that you need to get your filling just right in order to make having one worthwhile.
Best Stuff Travel Pillows
You don’t have to buy anything for this one. The advantages are obvious in terms of weight saving, so anyone planning lightweight overnight bikepacking trips might find this appealing. Simply stuff it with a jacket and clothes, and you have a pillow to rest your head on in your tent or bivy!
Just put the jacket and clothes into a stuff sack and you’re done.
4. Hybrid Camping Pillow
The final category of pillow for camping combines the aspects mentioned above. This gives the maximum flexibility, but often times, they end up being more gimmicky than useful.
I’ve not included any here, as I think that the pillows listed above are far superior.
Bikepacking Pillow FAQ
Readers looking to perfect their sleep system for their bike touring and outdoor adventure activities often ask questions similar to:
What do bikepackers use for a pillow?
Some ultralight cyclists like to take stuff sack pillows, and fill them with spare clothes. A lightweight backpacking pillow gives better quality sleep though, and sleeping comfortably leads to better rest and a more enjoyable day’s ride the following day.
Are backpacking pillows worth it?
A comfortable pillow can make all the difference between a restless night camping out and a great night’s sleep. Most comfortable backpacking pillows are also reasonably lightweight, making them an essential addition to your camping gear for cycling and backpacking trips.
What is the most comfortable backpacking pillow?
The Sea to Summit Aeros Premium is the one I use, and I find it very comfortable. The Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow Cinch is perhaps comfier still, but it is a little bulky for bike touring.
What kind of pillow should I use for camping?
An inflatable pillow is a good starting point as a first one to buy for your camping excursions. After a while, you will get a better idea if a stuff sack pillow, makeshift pillow, or compressible pillow is better for your needs depending on your style of travel and camping.
Should I buy a sleeping bag with a sleeping bag hood?
If you intend on camping in chilly weather, you’ll need a hood. If possible, try out your sleeping bag and make sure the hood is pleasant; you want to ensure that it is nice even when drawn tight.
More Bike Touring Gear
You might also be interested in these other bicycle touring gear reviews and guides:
Dave is a UK travel writer living in Athens since 2015. With 20 years of firsthand travel experience and over 80,000 km of bicycle touring across six continents, he’s been blogging at Dave’s Travel Pages since 2005. Every guide is based on places he’s actually been.
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