REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow Evaluation

Backside Line

The REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow is a snug camp pillow that gained’t blow your out of doors gear price range. Crammed with foam repurposed from REI’s self-inflating sleeping pads, this price range camp pillow cradles the top for a great evening’s sleep whereas decreasing your environmental footprint. It’s additionally formed to suit contained in the hood of a mummy bag, so it’s smaller and extra packable than different foam pillows in our Finest Tenting Pillows Information.

Though the Trailmade didn’t stand out in any particular metrics in our side-by-side pillow testing, we had no large considerations when evaluating its consolation, packability, help, or ease of use. It’s additionally one of many least expensive tenting pillows we examined whereas backpacking and dispersed tenting throughout New Mexico’s excessive deserts and wilderness areas. All of those qualities make the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow a great worth for budget-oriented consumers who can’t afford to pay a premium for a easy camp pillow.

How We Examined

CleverHiker Gear Analyst Jory Brass adventured in New Mexico’s excessive desert backpacking and automotive tenting with the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow. Throughout testing, he ranked this pillow for help, consolation, ease of use, and weight/packability. The outcomes of his area and lab assessments are beneath.

Consolation

After two months of field-based testing, the Trailmade Mummy Bag pillow scored common in consolation. Compressible foam pillows really feel softer than ultralight air pillows. That held true for the Trailmade when CleverHiker Gear Analyst Jory Brass slept on it whereas automotive tenting close to a trailhead within the Gila Wilderness. On an icy evening that required him to cocoon up inside his mummy bag, the Trailmade Pillow match completely contained in the hood to entice physique warmth and cradle his neck.

The pillow’s contoured U-shape hugged his neck higher than the oblong pillows in our evaluate. Nonetheless, given the pillow’s modest loft, sleeping on his again was rather more snug than sleeping on his facet.

Over a number of years of testing, our editors and kit analysts have discovered the REI Trailmade Pillow’s consolation to be nothing particular. The froth chunks contained in the pillow really feel lumpier than different compressible foam pillows we examined, and the amount of froth provides much less cushion and help than many campers need – particularly facet sleepers. When alternating foam pillows on an evening of dispersed tenting close to the Organ Mountains Desert Peak Nationwide Monument, our gear analyst most popular the consolation of the Therm-a-Relaxation Compressible Pillow by a large margin.

Weight & Packability

On the identical time, the REI Trailmade Pillow is probably the most packable foam pillow we examined. Weighing 5.4 ounces on our tester’s kitchen scale, the Trailmade was the fifth lightest pillow in our take a look at. It’s roughly an oz. lighter than the three heaviest air pillows in our information and half the load of our favourite foam pillow, the Therm-a-Relaxation Compressible. That’s a win, particularly for a foam pillow on the price range worth level. 

Nonetheless, this pillow’s total packability was common at greatest, in comparison with our full testing lineup. Compressible foam pillows can’t compete with air pillows within the packability division. Rolled into its built-in stuff pouch, the Trailmade is bulkier than a Nalgene bottle, compressing right down to the dimensions of a Nerf soccer.

That’s not notably packable, nevertheless it does smush down twice as small as our prime choose for foam pillows, the Therm-a-Relaxation Compressible pillow. Nonetheless, it’s not as packable because the reasonably priced Trekology Aluft 2.0 inflatable pillow – a CleverHiker Finances Purchase. In case you don’t thoughts carrying a tenting pillow that takes up as a lot pack area as your sleeping pad, the Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow is satisfactory as a backpacking pillow, particularly given its weight.

Help

The largest disadvantage for the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow is its restricted help. Compressible foam pillows typically present much less help than inflatable pillows, and the Trailmade lagged behind the opposite foam tenting pillows we examined. Its restricted loft and bulk might enhance the pillow’s packability, however the REI Trailmade isn’t thick or dense sufficient to offer important help, particularly for individuals who sleep on their sides. 

Our gear analyst may get by with the Trailmade’s help whereas sleeping on his again, however not on his facet. Throughout one evening of testing, he positioned the Trailmade pillow underneath his neck and added a second pillow underneath his head to construct sufficient help to sleep on his facet. Help-wise, the Trailmade is extra like a traveller’s neck pillow than a basic tenting pillow.

Ease of Use

As a budget-friendly tenting pillow, the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow lacks the bells and whistles of different pillows in our information. There’s no hidden stuff sacks, toggle changes, or multi-purpose valves to mess with; the Trailmade pillow unpacks and repacks with a easy plastic toggle that slips out and in of a nylon loop.

It’s comparatively easy to stuff into its built-in pocket, and the froth blocks solely take a couple of minutes to broaden. Since this foam is relatively lumpy, it’s possible you’ll must therapeutic massage it to fill out the pillow and even up the cushioning. General, the Trailmade is straightforward to make use of – even by pillow requirements. 

Ought to You Purchase the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow?

The Trailmade is a budget-friendly tenting pillow that’s greatest for frontcountry tenting and satisfactory for backpacking. The REI Co-op model focuses on entry-level gear at reasonably priced costs, and that’s true of this camp pillow.

There’s nothing particular concerning the Trailmade Pillow’s consolation, weight, packability, help, or ease of use – as CleverHiker’s founder put it, it’s “fairly okay.” On the identical time, it does present respectable efficiency throughout the board and prices lower than ten of the camp pillows we examined. General, the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow ranks greatest as a price range purchase for many who can be content material with primary efficiency.

What Different Tenting Pillows Ought to You Contemplate?

For extra choices, please see our full information to the greatest tenting pillows. 

Therm-a-Relaxation Compressible Pillow Evaluation: Our prime choose among the many foam pillows we examined, the Therm-a-Relaxation Compressible Pillow isn’t as low-cost or as packable because the Trailmade Pillow. Nonetheless, it’s comparatively reasonably priced and doles out rather more consolation and help. That’s why it’s one in every of our Editor’s Picks. 

Trekology Aluft Professional 2.0 Pillow Evaluation: In case you’re not set on a compressible foam pillow, the Trekology Aluft Professional 2.0 Pillow is our prime tenting pillow on a price range. This air pillow is extra cushioned, packable, and supportive than the REI Trailmade Pillow and matches its low worth. In case you’re in search of a budget-friendly backpacking pillow, the Aluft 2.0 might be your greatest guess. 

Weekender Gel Reminiscence Foam Tenting Pillow Evaluation: In case you’re in search of extra help, the Weekender Gel Reminiscence Foam Tenting Pillow supplies completely bomber help on the identical worth level. Though this pillow is simply too heavy for the backcountry and too agency for the common sleeper, you gained’t beat the help of its agency reminiscence foam on the campground – or in your RV, camper, or van