Showing posts with label travel pillows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel pillows. Show all posts

Monday, March 21, 2016

The Best Hiking, Camping, and Tiny House Pillow Ever Made

Therm-A-Rest Compressible Pillow
The Therm-A-Rest pillow is an amazing little pillow. It is marketed and highly recommended as a lightweight pillow for hikers.  I had purchased mine to meet the immediate need of a comfortable and easy-to-pack travel pillow -- with eventually using it for camping trips.  And now, as it turns out, I have found that it is also the best little pillow for tiny home living! 

The Therm-A-Rest compressible pillow comes in a variety of sizes and colors. My pillow is the medium "denim" style. While I will be referring to that pillow specifically, each of the pillows are "compressible" and have the built-in draw string storage pocket.


Compressible for Easy Travel 


I want the comfort of my own pillow when I travel. Even in hotels. It's not so hard to drag your own pillow along if you are taking a roadtrip. But you might as well forget about taking your own pillow on a plane.  

I have tried several different "travel" pillows that can be purchased in airports. You know, the kind that loop around your neck and are considered convenient for naps during flights.  I hated them.  I didn't like the material, the snugness around my neck, and it drove me crazy that they often gave my hair static.  I have to admit that looping them around my carry-on handle as I boarded and disembarked was handy. But that was the only thing I liked about those travel pillows. Those annoyances were what led me to purchasing the Therm-A-Rest pillow.

The little Therm-A-Rest pillow compresses and rolls up into it's built-in storage pocket. It is then small enough to fit into my carry-on bag easily.  It was just large enough to fit behind my head or between my head and the plane window.

I am including a video that shows just how small this "medium" pillow is when it is rolled up.





Lightweight and Durable for Hiking, Camping, and Outdoor Activities


While my pillow is the medium "denim" pillow, it is not made of denim.  I suppose that is the color descriptor.  The material is a durable - but comfortable -  "brushed polyester".  Because it is machine washable, it is easy to wash and dry after camping trips.  

I am not a true back-packer, but I carry a pack on many of my walks.  This pillow fits nicely into my backpack. I've carried it along to the woods and to the beach.  



Perfect for Minimalist and Tiny Home Living


Living in a small home can be a wonderful thing.But it is also challenging to downsize both the amount of your belongings as well as the actual size of each item.  I spend time in a small camping "Shack" as often as possible and I plan to retire there.  Space is limited.  Between the air mattress, sleeping bag, and this Therm-A-Rest pillow, I am very comfortable at night.  

When I leave the "Shack", I place all of my textiles - and all other items that are tempting to mice for nests - into containers.  The beauty of this little pillow is that it is wonderfully comfortable when in use and then rolls up to a small roll that takes up little space in the storage container.  

I imagine that tiny homes with miniature loft "bedrooms" would be the perfect place for these pillows.  If I remodel my place to include a tiny loft sleeping area, I know I am already prepared for it.




Related Links:

How I Stay Warm at Night. The cold weather sleeping bag I use in combination with this amazing pillow.

Tips for Traveling Light.  How to pack for vacation. The trick is knowing how to pack light. 


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, December 8, 2015

The Best Knee Pillow for Side Sleepers: A Review


I'm a Side Sleeper with Bad Knees


I have had neck problems and back problems for years, and thirty years ago a physical therapist told me that when I sleep, I should keep a pillow under my knees if I'm on my back or between my knees if I sleep on my side. I am also supposed to hug a smaller than normal size pillow. It has not been easy to find pillows that will help me sleep without  pain.  I'm sharing the results of my search with you to save you time if you also need a knee pillow.




I've always been a side sleeper. The main reason for that was that I have post-nasal drip that makes me cough during the night, and when I cough lying on my back, it hurts my ribs. (Getting old isn't much fun.) This year my knees have developed problems. I could not seem to find one of any of the numerous pillows around the house that was the right shape or thickness to fit well between my knees to keep my knees and hips properly aligned. I finally decided to get a pillow made for the job.



Finding the Best Knee Pillow


I searched several knee pillows on Amazon and decided on this one – the Cushy Cloud Memory Foam Knee Pillow. It arrived almost instantly – the very next day – although I had ordered only the standard free shipping. I was very happy about this, since my right knee, which had been my good one, had suddenly gotten so bad I could hardly walk.

The inside of my Cushy Cloud is all memory foam. The outside is a soft gray cover that I can machine wash if necessary. It has a zipper closing to keep the pillow snug inside. I love it. Although I can sleep on my back when I want to since I got my new REM adjustable bed, I still often want to sleep on my side. The pillow can be placed between my thighs or below my knees to keep my spine properly aligned and my knees almost pain-free. Heat helps, too. Now I crawl under my electric blanket for the warmth and put the pillow in place. Within minutes the pain in my knee has subsided so I can sleep.

The Best Knee Pillow for Side Sleepers: A Review
Cushy Cloud Memory Foam Knee Pillow
Almost by accident I discovered something else. When I was using an ordinary pillow under my knees while on my back, I would just switch its position to between my legs when I turned to my side. Since I got the new bed, though, I didn't need a pillow under my knees because the bed adjusted. If I wanted to turn over, I had to take the pillow off the table next to the bed and maneuver it under the covers to get it between my knees, and I always had to struggle enough to do this to wake myself up thoroughly or to set off a hot flash. I discovered that if I kept the Cushy Cloud standing tall between my knees while on my back, it was already there when I wanted to roll over, and it kept my knees warmer in the meantime. If that left knee is really hurting bad when I go to bed, I put it over the concave top of the Cushy Cloud when I'm sleeping on my back and it gives me extra support and warmth while elevating my knee a bit more. It seems to help relieve the pain.

A Pillow to Hug


In case you're wondering, my favorite pillow to hug is a camping / toddler / travel pillow. I have shown one that's the same size but a better pillow below. I have also included among the suggestions the pillow cases that fit it. I'm going to break down and buy a couple myself. The one that came with my pillow, bought decades ago, finally wore out, and substituting a normal pillow case just doesn't work well. It's easier to pick one up at Amazon than to scour the local stores in search of one, even now that I know what I'm looking for. The ones I recommend below will fit most camping, travel, or toddler pillows. They definitely match the toddler pillow I recommend below.


Sometimes getting a good night's sleep depends on having the right bed and the right pillows on it. We bought out beds after spending a lot of time trying them out in person, and that's the only way I'd buy a bed. The pillows I've recommended can be successfully purchased online. If you aren't satisfied with your Cushy Cloud knee pillow, you can send it back for a refund. I'm keeping mine.


If you found this helpful, please share with someone else. The image below is the right size to share on Pinterest. Sharing buttons are just above the comment box, below.

best knee pillow for side sleepers




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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