Perfect Backpacking Pillow - from a Wine Box
For all the attempts at making a good camping pillow - none that I’ve seen has ever been compact and comfortable. All of the ones that compact well end up too soft or flat and barely work at all once my head is on them. The rest are so big that I may as well try to carry a full-size pillow in my pack.
A tip I found recently recommends taking the bladder from a box of wine (yes, boxed wine has a good side) to use as an inflatable pillow. It’s both light and compact when deflated, but when inflated and wrapped in a fleece jacket it can be as puffy as needed to be comfortable.
This tip is from the Reader Tips section of the Sept. 2005 Backpacker Magazine, by Chad Anderson in Tucson.