Good sleep is the difference between a happy camper and a miserable experience in the woods. There is nothing worse than waking up to the aches and pains that can come with sleeping on the ground. A good inflatable camp pillow makes all the difference.
Most self respecting campers aren’t about to strap a full size down pillow from home to the top of their packs so as soon as we saw the ultra-compact Sea To Summit Aeros Inflatable Camp Pillow from Sea To Summit we had to give it a shot.
There was a lot of excitement when I got The Aeros in the mail. It packs down to such a small size and I had a three day camping trip into the Adirondacks a week away. I was already envisioning the backcountry comfort.
The plan was to try it out at home so I could dial in the firmness and really test it out. I purchased the regular size which comes in a package slightly larger than a baseball.
The material is super soft all the way around and very comfortable. It has a plush texture which is nice, especially given the inner bladder is plastic and would get very hot without it.
Measuring 13 by 9 inches, the pillow is not huge. I have a large dome and was concerned it wouldn’t be comfortable since it’s so compact. The size ended up being perfect and the pillow has a curved front edge that fits around the shoulder and neck keeping it in place.
As advertised, it takes two normal breaths to fully inflate The Aeros to a very firm level. At this pressure it’s like sleeping on a rock. The weight of your head increases the pressure which I found uncomfortable. You can back off the pressure until you find your sweet spot by pressing the button on the ‘inflate’ valve which is nice.
I set it at a medium firm level and slept comfortable over my one week test period. It stayed inflated to that level and required to adjusting over the course of the week.
When partially inflated you will notice a plastic, ‘crinkly’ texture and sound. It didn’t bother me, but if you are sensitive to that sort of thing it might be annoying.
Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Inner Bladder
I read a few online reviews of the pillow not staying inflated. Pulling some of the inner bladder through the valve showed that it’s made of a medium weight plastic with a welded seam.
It’s not very thick and explains how the pillow can be folded down to the size of a baseball.
This might be a concern over time, but in my one week test and three day camping trip it held up very well. The compact size and weight was a huge plus as I like to pack ultralight.
Aeros High Quality Valve
The valve on The Aeros is very high quality. I am impressed with how easy it is to open and close, inflate and adjust and deflate.
We read over 75 online reviews of the Sea To Summit Aeros so you don’t have to. Here’s what other buyers had to say:
Overall Rating: 4.25/5
The Good:
- Ultra compact
- Easy to adjust
- Soft and comfortable
- Well made
The Bad:
- Doesn’t hold air after a few uses
- Noisy (squeaky)
- Expensive
How Did This Inflatable Camp Pillow Rate?
The quality of your camp pillow is almost as important as the quality of your sleeping bag when it comes to getting a good nights sleep. My personal experience with The Sea to Summit Aeros Inflatable Camp Pillow has been very positive. I found it comfortable, ultra-compact, easy to adjust and well priced.