I was sent two pillows to test (you can see the color variations in this review), and I actually used both pillows on some nights when my body was particularly sore from a long hike or drive. We tested the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow in a size small. While there’s only one version of the Compressible Pillow, Therm-a-Rest does offer it in four sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large. Like its synthetic companion, the polyester cover is partially recycled, it’s non-slip, and is machine washable. Rest assured that if you take care of your pillow, it will take care of you. While this is the full height when expanded, when you lay your head down it compresses the foam somewhat. We found realistic height to be about two inches.

Year after year the Compressible Pillow is rated as one of the best camping pillows available. Its simple and portable design consistently delivers at-home comfort to camps near and far. What’s more, it does so while being sustainable.This is a preference thing, but as someone who generally enjoys a more minimal pillow, I was surprised that the high-density foam-filled Compressible Pillow sometimes felt too flat at night. Perhaps I’m a poor pillow sleeper. My recommendation? See the Compressible Pillow fully expanded in a store (like REI), lay it down on a sleeping pad (also in a store), and see just how flat it is for yourself. The Air Head Lite forgoes the insulated polyester cover of its series companions to cut the weight. Unlike a lot of dedicated ultralight gear however, the Air Head Lite sacrifices very little in comfort and versa. With its remarkable next-to-skin softness, the Air Head Lite creates a supportive and soft resting surface.

That said, the height of the pillows — or amount of foam in relation to the overall size — stays the same for each pillow size. So it will be flat, regardless. The moment of excellence with most sleep products happens in the night, when you’re sleeping. The true test of any pillow is if you woke up in the night due to discomfort. I did wake up a time or two, which is on-par for me with just about any pillow.

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A self-inflating pad is one of the best ways you can be comfortable under the stars. Why? The open-cell foam cores that go into this type of pad are warm, supportive, quiet and compact. The very same foam we put into our self-inflating pads is what we put into the Compressible Pillow. Unlike the pads, we don’t cut out specific core shapes for the pillows. Instead, we upcycle the excess foam scraps from pad core production to fill the pillows. Sleeping Pad Cores to Compressible Pillows Excellent, soft materials to rest a cheek on. The foam expands and compresses easily. Can get lumpy if not used frequently.