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Campsites in Alberta | The Best Camping Pillows
For campers who are visiting various campsites in Alberta with large RVs or trailers, choosing the best pillow is likely not a hard choice. Going to the store you purchased the pillow you use at home, and grabbing another for your camper is likely not even a decision. But for those campers who are heading out for a week long trip in nothing but a hatchback, or backpacking, choosing a camping pillow is a different matter.
Likely, campers who are short on space will have to make some compromises. If you love a big, fluffy pillow at home, you may need to search harder for a camping pillow that will make you happy. But that’s the joy of camping, being outdoors, to recharge your mind, body and soul almost always outweighs at least most of our creature comforts.
Here are some great camping pillows to consider when packing for your big adventure.
While there are many varieties of camping pillows, the choices often come down to a few types: inflatable, foam, down-filled and hybrid. We will also explore the pros and cons of improvised pillows to find out what types of pillow will cradle your head on your next adventure throughout campsites in Alberta.
Buy Ergonomically Shaped Pillows
No matter what type of pillow you purchase, always look for pillows that are shaped ergonomically to the type of sleeper you are: back, tummy or side. And ensure the shape of your pillow works with your sleeping bag. Other than that, you will have your own preferences for the material that covers the pillow, our recommendation is almost always for a microsuede face.
It’s soft, quiet, warm, breathable and easy to clean, which is so important since camping tends to be dirty and smoky. For the back, you will want to look for a pillow that has some type of grip material, to keep your pillow from sliding around either on your mattress pad, or inside your sleeping bag.
Inflatable definitely takes the top spot in terms of space saving! It’s also the most commonly found travel pillow, which means you’ll have a lot of choice. Pack it flat and inflate it at the campground. But the more choice there is, the more difficult it will be to find the best inflatable pillow. Some campers find inflatable pillows to be colder (winter campers, take note!) While others say these pillows offer great support, but are less comfortable especially when compared to stuffed pillows.
What Kind of Camping Are You Doing
You will also want to consider how long it will take to inflate this style of pillow. While many can be inflated in about five good breaths, consider if you really want to be huffing and puffing for five minutes to fill your pillow after a long day of hiking! And if you are backpacking, these often are the lightest weight, coming in at less than half a pound. But for front country campers, they may be willing to give up a bit more space for a bit more comfort.
The next type of pillow to consider is foam, these are the luxury model of camping pillows. They come in a wide variety of shapes, thicknesses, sizes and covers. Also consider what type of foam: memory foam or latex? Memory foam responds slowly to pressure, while latex responds quickly. Memory foam is best at body contouring, minimizing pressure for a restful sleep. Latex is cooling, perfect for sleepers who overheat, but for the rest of us, it may actually feel cold to sleep on.
Campsites in Alberta | Consider Temperature When Buying Camping Pillows
Memory foam trap heat, which may be perfect for cold campers, but for people who have a tendency to overheat especially during sleep, they will want to avoid memory foam. Both latex and memory foam are resistant to dust mites, while latex is anti-microbial mildew resistant and hypoallergenic, a great quality since even camping pillows can get dirty!
Aside from type of foam material, there are many other features to consider in a foam camping pillow. For example, these foam pillows offer the closest-to-home-comfort in softness and support, they also are the heaviest and bulkiest to pack, making them the least ideal choice for backpacking. Foam pillows also never loose their original shape, and never need fluffing.
Some campers and backpackers spending time throughout various front country and backcountry campsites in Alberta find them lumpy to sleep on. The foam piece pillows can be compressed to take up a fraction of the space, however, campers should be aware that compressible pillows should be unpacked as quickly as possible, to allow them to fully expand before bedtime.
Many Types of Camping Pillows To Choose
If you’re looking for unparalleled warmth and comfort, there is nothing like a down pillow! Down from Canadian geese offers you an ultra-light, super warm camping pillow that will compress down small, great for backpackers and front country campers alike. Coming in many sizes, campers can choose the right size and shape for them. Goose down camping pillows are also available in a wide variety of cover materials for your comfort, and there are many varieties to choose from.
However, the biggest drawbacks of down camping pillows is if you are allergic, since goose down is a common allergen. Goose down also offers the least amount of neck support, so if this is important to you, find a different pillow. The last downside to a goose down travel pillow, is that if it gets wet for any reason, like rain, snow or even condensation, it will take several hours for your down pillow to try, and for backpackers, that simply won’t do.
Different Pillows For Backpackers
Campers who are planning trips across hundreds of campsites in Alberta may not actually be any closer to a decision after reading about all the varieties of pillows, so here is something else to consider. There are many different types of hybrid pillows, bringing the best of both together. For example, a backpacker who doesn’t want to sacrifice backpack space, but also wants comfort may be overjoyed to find out about the inflatable pillow that has a down topper. Or the inflatable pillows that are self inflating with a memory foam topper.
There are dozens of different pillows out there, the best thing to do is visit an outfitting company, look at the pillows and never be afraid to ask a bunch of questions! The last thing to consider, is if you need a pillow at all? For some people, the answer is a resounding yes! While other people have just as good a night sleep on a pillow as they do by rolling up their goose filled jacked into a pouch, and sleeping on that.
Campers can even buy a stuff sack with a comfortable cover, stuff your jacket or laundry into that, and you can have a good night’s sleep! Enjoy camping, and then sleeping in any of the campsites in Alberta you visit – especially Elevated Experience Camping!
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