REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow Evaluation

Backside Line

The REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow is a cushty camp pillow that gained’t blow your out of doors gear price range. Full of foam repurposed from REI’s self-inflating sleeping pads, this price range camp pillow cradles the top for a great night time’s sleep whereas lowering 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 huge considerations when evaluating its consolation, packability, assist, or ease of use. It’s additionally one of many most cost-effective 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 buyers 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 automobile tenting with the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow. Throughout testing, he ranked this pillow for assist, consolation, ease of use, and weight/packability. The outcomes of his subject and lab checks are under.

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 automobile tenting close to a trailhead within the Gila Wilderness. On an icy night time that required him to cocoon up inside his mummy bag, the Trailmade Pillow match completely contained in the hood to lure 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 far 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 quantity of froth provides much less cushion and assist 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 well-liked the consolation of the Therm-a-Relaxation Compressible Pillow by a large margin.

Weight & Packability

On the similar time, the REI Trailmade Pillow is essentially 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 check. It’s roughly an oz. lighter than the three heaviest air pillows in our information and half the burden 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 general 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 scale of a Nerf soccer.

That’s not significantly packable, nevertheless it does smush down twice as small as our prime decide 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. If you happen to 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.

Assist

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

Our gear analyst might get by with the Trailmade’s assist whereas sleeping on his again, however not on his facet. Throughout one night time of testing, he positioned the Trailmade pillow below his neck and added a second pillow below his head to construct sufficient assist to sleep on his facet. Assist-wise, the Trailmade is extra like a traveller’s neck pillow than a traditional 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. Total, the Trailmade is easy 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 makes a speciality of 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, assist, or ease of use – as CleverHiker’s founder put it, it’s “fairly okay.” On the similar time, it does present respectable efficiency throughout the board and prices lower than ten of the camp pillows we examined. Total, the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow ranks greatest as a price range purchase for many who will probably be content material with fundamental efficiency.

What Different Tenting Pillows Ought to You Think about?

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

Therm-a-Relaxation Compressible Pillow Evaluation: Our prime decide among the many foam pillows we examined, the Therm-a-Relaxation Compressible Pillow is just not as low-cost or as packable because the Trailmade Pillow. Nonetheless, it’s comparatively reasonably priced and doles out far more consolation and assist. That’s why it’s considered one of our Editor’s Picks. 

Trekology Aluft Professional 2.0 Pillow Evaluation: If you happen to’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. If you happen to’re in search of a budget-friendly backpacking pillow, the Aluft 2.0 might be your greatest wager. 

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