Pillows promise comfy camping
Camping is about immersing yourself in nature, getting away from the stuffy confines of modernity and losing yourself in Mother Nature’s wonderland. But you don’t have to suffer a bad night’s sleep just because you’re spreading your sleeping bag on the ground. When you’re ready to sack out, don’t rest your weary head on a rolled-up jacket or a sack of dirty laundry. Try a camping pillow, designed to be light, comfortable and easy to pack. We tested four brands.
-- Hugo Martin
CHEAPER SLEEPER
First look: The Coleman Fold ‘N’ Go pillow, one of the cheapest models on the market, has a cotton cover and polyester stuffing. A flap is built into the cover so you can fold one side of the 12-by-20-inch pillow into the other, shrinking the size by about half.
Likes and yikes: Weighing in at about 10 ounces, the Fold ‘N’ Go is a soft, comfy pillow but may be a bit too mushy for most weekend campers. It takes about two Fold ‘N’ Go pillows to equal the size and loftiness of a typical home pillow. But at this price, that’s not a bad idea.
The 411: $6 at Sport Chalet, Big 5 Sporting Goods and Sports Authority, or call (800) 835-3278, or go to www.coleman.com.
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AIR APPARENT
First look: The Pacific Outdoor Si Pillow is a self-inflating, 14 1/2 -by-10-inch nylon cushion that weighs 8 ounces. Once the air is pushed out, you can squeeze it down to the size of a foot-long sub sandwich. Undo the screw valve and the pillow reinflates to about 3 inches thick.
Likes and yikes: Because the Si Pillow is, essentially, an inflatable bladder, you can adjust the size by blowing in more air. The big drawback of the Si Pillow is that the outer cover is made of a hard, slick nylon material that makes a racket every time you turn your head. The 411: $19, available at Sport Chalet and Adventure 16, or call (406) 586-5258, or go to www.pacoutdoor.com.
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LOFT OF LUXURY
First look: The Sea to Summit Luxury pillow combines the loftiness of the Coleman pillow with the adjustability of the Si Pillow; its manufacturer managed this by stuffing a self-inflating bladder inside a Dacron-filled case. The pillow weighs 12.7 ounces and expands to 10-by-16 inches. Take out the bladder and the pillow is machine washable.
Likes and yikes: By adjusting the air in the self-inflating bag, the pillow can grow to 5.5 inches thick or shrink to about 2 inches thick. The cover is soft and water resistant, but the price seems a bit steep -- twice the cost of any other pillow we tested.
The 411: $39.95, available by calling (303) 440-8977 or going to www.seatosummit.com.
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BEST OF THE BUNCH
First look: The Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow comes in three sizes; the smallest extends to 16-by-12 inches when unfolded. The cover’sbuilt- in pouch has a drawstring that lets you squeeze the pillow to the size of a football. It weighs 9.5 ounces, has a cotton cover, polyurethane foam filling and is washable.
Likes and yikes: The Therm-a-Rest pillow is so lofty and soft that you wouldn’t mind sleeping on it at home. It may be too bulky for a long backpacking trek, but for the price and comfort, the Therm-a-Rest is the best camping pillow we tested.
The 411: $17.95 available at Adventure 16, REI and Sport Chalet, or call (800) 531-9531, or go to www.thermarest.com.
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