Sleeping on the go, or in non-traditional places, is a normal part of traveling. Of course, travelers commonly take naps or even try to get a whole night’s sleep on a flight or bus or train ride. I’ve also laid my head down in many an airport, in my car, in bus and train stations, in a public park or on a bench, on the couch in a hotel lobby or friend’s living room, or wherever I can pull up a patch of floor.
Having a travel pillow with me makes any place I catch some z’s infinitely more comfortable. The traditional travel pillow is u-shaped and fits around your neck but there are tons of different styles on the market. Each is better suited to different situations. I’ve tried out quite a few varieties! Here are 5 of the best.
1. Inflatable Head & Neck Pillow
Relatively small when deflated, this style inflates fairly large. You can place it behind your head like a traditional pillow but the design allows for more inventive uses. With an angled side with holes for your face and arms, this pillow allows you to place it in your lap and lean forward and support your head. Or, if you flip it the other way, you can rest your chin against the highest point. It also works as a back support when leaning against a wall or headboard.
Pros
Stick your arm through the armhole for more comfort as a side-sleeper or to cuddle up and hold the pillow close.
Multi-functional.
Deflates to fit in your bag.
Storage stuff bag.
Adjust the amount of air you inflate it with to create different levels of support or softness.
Machine washable.
With the hollow center, your face and hands will be angled perfectly to play on your phone or watch a movie on your tablet while fully supported.
Cons
Larger than a traditional inflatable travel pillow, both when inflated and when deflated.
May not be tall enough for people with long torsos.
Good For
Airplanes – window, aisle, or middle seats.
Seats – cars, buses, trains.
Floors.
Sleeping normally.
2. Trtl
The Trtl is a different kind of pillow. It’s not fluffy to rest your head against but designed for neck support. It’s like a fleece scarf that you wrap around your neck. The internal “ribs” balance against your shoulder to support your head.
Pros
Great head support.
Scarf-like warmth and coziness.
Lightweight.
Machine washable.
Thin enough to slip into narrow spaces in your bag.
Cons
Not fluffy for use as a traditional pillow.
Might be too wide and rigid to pack easily.
Good For
Airplanes – window, aisle, or middle seats.
Seats – car, bus, train.
3. Cabeau Evolution
This one is the closest to a traditional u-shaped travel pillow on this list. What sets it apart, however, is the memory foam. Not only does that material make the pillow conform perfectly to whatever position you lean your head, it also means you can actually squish this larger pillow into a relatively small space. The tiered shape gives your head and neck extra support. Plus, there’s an adjustable click strap holding the ends of the “u” together so it doesn’t shift out of position.
The S3 version also has straps to hold the pillow to airplane headrests and comes with a compact stuff bag to compress it to about half the size.
Pros
Memory foam comfort.
Good neck support.
Snap to hold it in place or attach to luggage.
Pocket for your phone or other gadgets/valuables.
Can be used as a normal pillow with the clip in place (hole is great for ponytails :-P)
Compresses smaller for packing.
Lightweight.
Machine washable cover.
Storage stuff bag with pocket and clip to attach to luggage (S3 version only).
Straps to seat headrest (S3 version only).
Cons
Compressed size is decent but not the smallest out there.
Good For
Airplanes – window, aisle, or middle seats.
Seats – cars, buses, trains.
Floors.
Sleeping normally.
4. J-Pillow
The J-Pillow takes your traditional u-shaped travel pillow and adds chin support. The “u” section goes around the side of your head, while the additional “j” piece loops around to keep your chin from falling forward. This makes for a bit of an odd looking design but one that supports your head, neck, and chin.
Pros
Multi-directional support.
Can also use as a traditional pillow behind your head.
Snapable loop to hook it to your bag strap.
Lightweight.
Machine washable.
Cons
Doesn’t fold up small for packing.
Works better when you lean against a window, wall, or other surface.
Good For
Airplanes – window seats.
Seats – car, bus, train window seats.
Floors.
Sleeping normally.
5. ZzzBand/SeatSleeper
These guys are the most different travel “pillows” on this list. Specifically designed for sleeping in a seat, they both basically involve a built-in eye mask and a thick elastic band holding your head in place against the seat headrest. The ZzzBand has a wide fleece eye mask section that goes around your head and the adjustable band attaches with velcro.
The SeatSleeper version has 2 different fabrics, making a warmer and cooler side of the eye mask portion, which doesn’t go all the way around the head. This allows you to adjust the support from your eyes to your forehead or chin, depending on the angle you want. The adjustable band attaches with a plastic clip.
Pros
Supports your head.
By far the most compact and easy to pack on this list (or any list, most likely!).
Built-in eye mask.
Variety of support positions (SeatSleeper only).
Lightweight.
Machine washable.
Cons
Can only be used in a seat.
May not work for super tall people whose heads fall well above seat headrests.
Depending on seat design, possible interference with the entertainment screen of the person behind you on an airplane. In most cases, though, you can strap it to the adjustable portion, not the whole seat, to avoid this.
Good For
Airplanes – window, aisle, or middle seats.
Seats – cars, buses, trains.
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