Therm-a-Relaxation Air Head Down Pillow Overview

Backside Line

The Therm-a-Relaxation Air Head Down is likely one of the most snug backpacking pillows on our checklist of the perfect tenting pillows. It’s considered one of two down-top pillows that we’re blissful to advocate to backpackers.

We’re followers of the Air Head Down’s measurement, form, and softness. Throughout our side-by-side consolation checks, it rose via the ranks due to its ergonomic form. Plus, its high layer of down padding takes the sting off the air bladder, making it cushier and simpler on the ears than the typical air pillow. 

Our side-sleeping tester verified that the Air Head Down has sufficient assist for his cranky neck. Our solely nitpick was its twist valve. It’s not an issue – simply mildly annoying if you need a absolutely inflated pillow. 

Of the 2 down-top pillows we examined and reviewed, the Air Head Down is the marginally extra snug however barely much less packable possibility. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a backpacking pillow, it’s considered one of our high three suggestions. 

How We Examined

For months, CleverHiker Editor and Gear Analyst Jory Brass has been toting 20 completely different tenting pillows into the New Mexico wilderness to check facet by facet. These area checks drove our rankings of the Air Head Down’s consolation, weight and packability, assist, and ease of use. He additionally supplemented these backpacking journeys within the Gila Wilderness and Pecos Wilderness with residence checks to maximise how a lot time he slept on every pillow.

Consolation

The Therm-a-Relaxation Air Head Down provides a down high layer to the favored Therm-a-Relaxation Air Head Pillow to melt it up. This little addition makes it one of the vital snug inflatable pillows we examined and reviewed. 

Inflatable pillows just like the Air Head really feel firmer than compressible foam tenting pillows, particularly when absolutely inflated. The Air Head Down tackles this potential consolation drawback by wrapping a polyester cowl across the agency air bladder and stuffing it with duck down. This skinny layer of padding makes it noticeably softer than the typical air pillow. 

Its form is one other consolation plus. Therm-a-Relaxation gave the Air Head Down a barely curved form for an ergonomic match across the neck and shoulders. We discovered its crescent-moon design cozier than a conventional, rectangular pillow – notably when sleeping on our sides. 

In our side-by-side area checks, we most popular the texture of compressible foam pillows, which aren’t the perfect for backpacking attributable to their weight and packed measurement. Nevertheless, we had snug nights of sleep on the Air Head Down throughout considered one of our backpacking journeys via the Gila Wilderness. On a bitterly chilly evening within the Tecos Wilderness, we discovered the Air Head probably the most snug inflatable pillow of the 4 we carried into the backcountry. 

Briefly, this pillow isn’t as plush as a campground pillow, however it’s extra snug than most inflatable backpacking pillows due to its beneficiant down cushioning. If you happen to’re selecting between the 2 down-top pillows in our information – the Air Head Down and Sea to Summit Aeros Down – we discovered the Air Head to be the extra snug possibility. 

Weight & Packability

The Air Head Down additionally scored within the high 5 for weight and packability once we examined it alongside a dozen different tenting pillows.

Tipping our kitchen scale at 5.3 ounces (it’s listed at 4.9 ounces for the Common measurement), the Air Head Down doesn’t add a lot pack weight. It’s solely a pair ounces heavier than our high picks for backpackers. The additional consolation enhance you get from the Air Head Down may simply justify the added weight – except you’re a ruthless gram-counter. 

The Air Head Down can be one of the vital packable pillows we reviewed. We discovered it easy to stuff this pillow into its cylindrical stuff sack. As soon as compressed, its quantity falls someplace between a baseball and a softball. 

We wouldn’t hesitate to hold the Therm-a-Relaxation Air Head Down into the backcountry. It’s lighter and extra packable than most backpacking pillows. Even so, this pillow’s foremost competitor – the Sea to Summit Aeros Down – weighs a pair ounces much less and packs down even smaller. 

Assist

Like all inflatable tenting pillows, the Air Head Down doles out loads of assist. The stress constructed up contained in the air bladder presses up in opposition to your head and neck to offer extra assist than what you get with compressible foam pillows.

Our side-sleeping tester – who wants extra neck assist than the everyday backpacker – discovered the Air Head Down supportive sufficient for his creaky neck and crooked again. The Air Head’s air bladder didn’t give approach to the burden of his higher physique, holding up his head and neck whereas sleeping within the backcountry. This pillow is 4 inches thick, which we’ve discovered to be the minimal thickness wanted for facet sleepers to maintain their heads and necks aligned.

The pillow’s crescent form will get an help right here for assist (in addition to consolation). Its ergonomic design offers essential assist the place the neck and shoulders meet. Facet sleepers specifically could respect this slight uptick in assist in contrast with rectangular tenting pillows. 

After we in contrast pillows’ assist facet by facet, a pair inflatable pillows ranked above the Air Head Down. Particularly, we discovered the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium (4.3 inches thick within the Common measurement) and Exped Mega Pillow (4.7 inches thick) barely extra supportive in our area checks. 

That stated, we gave the Air Head Down a slight nod over the Sea to Summit Aeros Down for assist. Whereas the latter is thicker at 4.7 inches, the Air Head’s curvature supported our tester’s neck higher than the oblong Aeros Down.

Ease of Use

The Therm-a-Relaxation Air Head Down is simple to make use of, however its twist valve isn’t our favourite. You should twist the valve open to explode the pillow and twist it shut to lock the air within the bladder. Although straightforward, there’s one awkward second with a twist valve: As soon as the pillow’s absolutely inflated, it loses air as you twist the valve shut. The answer is barely disagreeable: stopping the air holes together with your tongue whereas concurrently twisting the valve or spinning the pillow. 

Our Therm-a-Relaxation valve labored superb, and its twisting motion makes it straightforward to let loose a little bit air to melt the pillow. However many of the different pillows we examined had less complicated valves that didn’t require French kissing plastic air nozzles. 

Like most tenting pillows we examined, the Air Head Down comes with a color-matched stuff sack that’s straightforward to make use of. The stuff sack dimensions simply accommodate stuffing and unstuffing the pillow. You’ll be able to take away the pillow’s polyester and down cowl for cleansing. We advocate utilizing a down wash (not typical laundry detergent) to protect the loft of the down. 

Ought to You Purchase the Therm-a-Relaxation Air Head Down Pillow?

Due to the consolation enhance of its down high, the Therm-a-Relaxation Air Head Down is considered one of our favourite inflatable pillows for backpackers. Heck, it’s snug sufficient for the campground, too. 

It’s not as ultralight or as packable as our high picks, however it’s a legit backpacking possibility at round 5 ounces. If you happen to’re weighing our two suggestions for down-top pillows, we favor the consolation and assist of the Air Head however the weight and packability of the Aeros Down.

What Different Tenting Pillows Ought to You Contemplate?

See our full information to the perfect tenting pillows for a dozen options, or browse these three opinions of comparable pillows:

Sea to Summit Aeros Down Overview: If you happen to dig the concept of a down-top backpacking pillow, the Aeros Down is one other favourite. It’s lighter and extra packable however not fairly as snug or supportive because the Air Head Down.

Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Overview: If you happen to’re not dedicated to a down high, we’re additionally huge followers of the Aeros Premium. It’s not as soft as a down-top pillow however it’s ultralight, packable, and supportive. 

NEMO Fillo Pillow Overview: If you happen to like the concept of an air pillow with a soft pillow high, the Fillo includes a thick foam layer that’s considerably softer than the Air Head Down. The most important trade-offs are a better weight and bigger packed measurement.