Best Backpacking Pillow for Side Sleepers

Just because you’re backpacking or camping it doesn’t mean you can’t look forward to laying your head down and having a comfortable night’s sleep on a nice pillow.

I’m sure most outdoors folks reading this will know how important it is to get a good night’s sleep. Not only will the fresh air and exercise tired you out, waking up energized is key to having a fun time.

Read on for everything you need to know about finding the best backpacking pillow for side sleepers in particular.

Quick Links to Shop for Best Backpacking Pillow for Side Sleepers

Pillow	Key Features	Rating	Price
Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow	Synthetic and air, curved design	4/5	Click here for Deals, Reviews & Pricing
Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow	Foam filling, soft fabric	4.5/5	Click here for Deals, Reviews & Pricing
Luxe Tempo Self Inflating Camping Pillow	Self-inflating, durable polyester	4.5/5	Click here for Deals, Reviews & Pricing
ONWEGO Inflatable Backpacking Travel Pillow	Lightweight, quick to inflate	4/5	Click here for Deals, Reviews & Pricing

What Do You Need from Your Pillow as a Side Sleeper?

As a side sleeper, it’s particularly important to have a pillow that supports your neck and head and keeps your spine well aligned.

If you use a pillow that isn’t the right thickness or doesn’t fill the gap between your shoulders and head to give you the support you need, you’ll wake up with a stiff neck at best, or agonizing pain at worst.

What to Consider When Choosing a Backpacking Pillow

It’s not as simple as just taking your favorite pillow from home. When backpacking you need to consider a few other things, such as weight, size, material, etc.

Here are the key areas to consider:

Weight – One of the main considerations for all backpackers as every bit of weight makes it that bit harder to carry with you. Most backpacking pillows are really light however as you’ll see.

Size – You only have so much room in your backpack, which is why you can’t just take your lovely, supportive, memory foam pillow from home. The good news is, most backpacking pillows compress or deflate.

Material/Feel – We all have different preferences and needs. The main materials used in backpacking pillows are compressed materials, air, and down. You’ll find the perfect pillow without too much difficulty.

4 of the Best Side Sleeping Backpacking Pillows

Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow

This pillow is finished with brushed 50D polyester knit for a soft feel. It has a combination of synthetic fill and air making it fully adjustable so side sleepers can find the firmness they need.

It’s naturally curved on one side too, this helps your neck find a natural groove and gives you that little extra support. It also makes it a good chair pillow as it curves around your lower back.

The multi-functional value takes just a few puffs to inflate, and it compresses down to a tiny little pack you’ll hardly notice in your backpack.

Click here for Deals, Reviews & Pricing

Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow

This pillow from Therm-a-Rest brings a little touch of luxury to your backpacking experience. It comes with a brushed polyester outer casing, and a soft urethane foam fill inside.

The best part is that not only is it available in a wide range of colors and patterns, you can also have the option of four different sizes.

It rolls up into a nice carry-size package, and all you need to do is fluff it up to give it volume when you want to use it.

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Luxe Tempo Self Inflating Camping Pillow

If you want a pillow that’s quick and easy to inflate then take a close look at this model from Luxe as it’s self-inflating.

You still need to blow some air to make adjustments, but it’s about as quick and as easy as it gets to inflating a pillow from a wrapped up state to be ready to lay your head on.

It’s made with durable, reinforced 210T polyester. So it’s up to the test if you’re a rugged outdoors person and you decide on the firmness.

Click here for Deals, Reviews & Pricing

ONWEGO Inflatable Backpacking Travel Pillow

This is ONWEGO’s lightest backpacking pillow weighing in at around just 4oz. It comes with a carry sack and deflates down to a tiny backpacking size.

You can inflate it in just 2-3 puffs, and set it to the firmness you want. The cover is made from soft cotton and easily removed to be washed.

It’s great for side sleepers as you can set it to fit perfectly under your neck and supporting your shoulders and it has a lower profile than larger inflatable pillows.

Click here for Deals, Reviews & Pricing