Travel Pillows : Ratings of Sources

Our AssessmentFreelance travel journalist Reb Stevenson, whose work appears in several major Canadian newspapers, tests four travel pillows (Eagle Creek Comfort Travel Pillow, inflatable Komfort Kollar, Neckii and TravelRest) on flights. She lists the pros and cons of each, as well as a pithy verdict. She names the Komfort Kollar as her favorite because it "eliminates the dreaded forward head-bob."

Our AssessmentSusan Stellin tests five inflatable pillows (1st Class Sleeper, Eagle Creek Comfort Travel Pillow, Magellan's Cloud-Soft Inflatable Pillow, Flight 001 Travel Pillow and the Samsonites Travel Pillow) on a flight. She says the most comfortable pillow is the Eagle Creek Comfort Travel Pillow, although it is bigger than the others and thus loses points for portability. Her favorite is Flight 001's neck pillow, which collapses to the size of a wallet and has a removable cotton-polyester cover.

Our AssessmentHugo Mart’n reports on a test of four small, rectangular pillows made for camping: the Coleman Fold 'N' Go, the Pacific Outdoor Si pillow, the Sea to Summit Luxury pillow and the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow. The favorite is the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow, which is "so lofty and soft that you wouldn't mind sleeping on it at home." This pillow comes in three sizes; the small one (16 inches by 12 inches) is tested here. Mart’n states that it may be too bulky for a long backpacking trek, but for the price and comfort, the Therm-a-Rest is the best camping pillow we tested."

Our AssessmentAn airline pilot offers his personal recommendations for travel accessories. In this article, he describes the pros and cons of four types of travel pillows: inflatable, memory foam, polyester- and buckwheat-filled. His least favorite travel pillow is the inflatable U-shaped version, although he recommends the inflatable Komfort Kollar as the best of these. His favorite travel pillows are those made out of memory foam, and he recommends the Memory Foam Komfort Kollar. He also likes the DreamTime Convertible Pillow, which is filled with buckwheat hulls.

Our AssessmentTravel retailer Magellans.com sells nearly a dozen neck pillows, about half of which are reviewed. The inflatable Komfort Kollar is reviewed by about 40 people, most of whom agree that it is comfortable. Several users complain that the pillow is difficult to inflate and can leak. The Memory Foam Komfort Kollar receives overall positive reviews, but several people comment that the one available size does not fit well.

Our AssessmentAt this website for travelers, about 30 participants contribute to a thread about the best travel pillows. Favorites include the inflatable and memory foam Komfort Kollar and the Eagle Creek Comfort Travel Pillow.

Our AssessmentLois Friedland, the About.com guide to adventure travel, and a friend test the TravelRest pillow during a long drive and an economy-class international flight. In this detailed review, Friedland says the pillow provides good support for the head and neck and rolls up for easy storage, though she complains that air can leak out while the seal is being closed. She finds the TravelRest pillow to be "much more comfortable than the comparably priced, conventional travel pillows," although it may take some time to find a comfortable position. Two other reviewers at About.com -- James Martin, guide to European travel, and Heather Cross, guide to New York City travel -- also discuss the TravelRest pillow and reach similar conclusions. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Our AssessmentLaurie Goering praises the TravelRest for providing "a delicious sense of snuggling up with one of those full-body bed pillows." She also likes the inflation valve, which "eliminates the usual problems with the valve popping out and deflating the pillow just as you start snoring." One disadvantage, she says, is that changing the pillow from one side of the body to the other means "you've got to wake up and fiddle with the strap."

Our AssessmentThis long review of the TravelRest travel pillow contains photographs of the pillow in use. Joel McLaughlin tests the pillow during a bus trip, where he says it works well. He says that the pillow is "small, comfortable and light."

Our AssessmentLylah M. Alphonse tries the TravelRest on a trip and finds that she can "nestle into it and rest in a more natural position." She also says it works well for children, though she doesn't discuss specifics of how the pillow was tested or who tried it out.

Our AssessmentThis scientific study examines how often lice transfer from a person's head to his or her pillowcase. Out of 48 pillowcases, live lice were found on two, leading the study authors to conclude that risk of getting lice from a contaminated pillow is low.

Our AssessmentThe inflatable Komfort Kollar is named one of seven greatest gifts for travelers in this online slide show. However, the writers don't say anything else about this travel pillow, and there's no information about how they reached their conclusions.

Our AssessmentThis article describes 12 travel pillows, although there is no evidence that they were tested, and the reporter offers no discussion of how she arrived at her conclusions.