Western Mountaineering Cloudrest Pillow Overview

Backside Line

The Cloudrest Pillow is what you most likely anticipate from Western Mountaineering – light-weight, costly, and filled with premium down.

The Western Mountaineering Cloudrest Pillow stands out for its extremely compressible down, which lets us pack this pillow smaller than its stuff sack measurement. By the identical token, that extremely packable down gives much less assist beneath the load of our heads and necks than the remainder of the pillows we’ve examined.

For those who’re in search of a packable but supportive backpacking pillow, we’d steer you towards a number of inflatable pillows in our newest information to the greatest tenting pillows.

Nonetheless, if you happen to love the texture of premium down – and don’t like bulk beneath your head and neck at night time – the Cloudrest Pillow is an indulgent various to typical air pillows and compressive foam tenting pillows.

How We Examined

Over the previous few months, Gear Analyst Jory Brass has examined this 800-fill goose down pillow whereas backpacking a bit of New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness and the Continental Divide Path. Setting out with a number of backpacking pillows in his pack, he alternated sleeping on them over a number of nights to match their consolation, weight, packability, assist, and ease of use. 

Consolation

Consolation is the calling card of Therm-a-rest’s Compressible pillow. Fluffier and bulkier than the everyday tenting and backpacking pillow, the Compressible options floating foam blocks for a special really feel than ultralight air pillows. The combo of polyurethane foam and polyester insulation isn’t as lumpy because the REI Trailmade pillow; nevertheless, CleverHiker’s Senior Gear Analyst nonetheless felt it was lumpier than he wished.

Lumpy or not, this compressible foam pillow is noticeably extra cushioned than the inflatable pillows we’ve examined. The pillow’s cinch system additionally permits us to regulate its really feel. Cinching down the wire compresses the froth over a smaller space for a firmer, extra supportive pillow. Loosening the cinch spreads out the froth for a flatter, softer, and fewer supportive nest for our head. That adjustability will increase its consolation. 

Gear analyst Jory Brass first reviewed this pillow within the Gila Wilderness. Testing the regular-sized Compressible – listed at 18 x 13 x 6 inches – he appreciated its puffiness in comparison with his typical air pillow. Specifically, he seen that the softer, compressible pillow didn’t smash his ear whereas sleeping on his aspect – which meant he didn’t have to roll over as typically at night time.

Regardless that the floating foam blocks didn’t present as a lot assist because the air pillows in our testing line up, he felt snug sleeping on his aspect along with his head and neck nestled within the regular-sized Compressible Cinch Pillow. He wasn’t satisfied that the small-sized Compressible Cinch could be as snug given its thinner construct.

Nonetheless, CleverHiker Founder Dave Collins is extra effusive in his reward for this pillow’s consolation – it’s his private favourite tenting pillow primarily based on years of backpacking expertise.

Weight & Packability

Regardless of that endorsement, the Therm-a-rest Compressible isn’t the obvious choose for backpackers, given its weight and packability. With a claimed weight of 10 ounces, the common Compressible Cinch is heavier than most backpacking pillows. For instance, the backpacking pillows we advocate vary from 1.7 ounces to six+ ounces. 

Likewise, its packed measurement is considerably bulkier than backpacking air pillows and the opposite compressible foam pillow on our listing, the REI Trailmade pillow. The pillow’s built-in stuff sack lets us partially fold the Compressible Pillow into itself and safe it down with a bungee loop and plastic hook. Nonetheless, its smushed measurement continues to be larger than a full-sized soccer, taking on vital pack house. 

For CleverHiker’s founder, the Compressible Pillow’s consolation outweighs the commerce offs in weight and packability – and that’s primarily based on a number of difficult, multi-day backpacking journeys. Nonetheless, ultralight backpackers and thru-hikers might not agree and should as an alternative favor the lighter, extra packable air pillows on our listing.

Help

In contrast with the opposite tenting and backpacking pillows we’ve examined, the Therm-a-rest pillow presents common assist. Cinched down to maximise its loft, it’s pretty supportive, given the depth of that foam nest. Even so, these chunks of froth aren’t as agency and supportive because the strong block of gel reminiscence foam within the Weekender pillow, nor do they supply as a lot raise and resilience as inflatable camp pillows.

For those who’re used to thicker pillows – otherwise you’re a aspect sleeper who likes the assist of air pillows – you may not like how a lot this compressible foam pillow packs down. Loads of buyer evaluations name out the pillow’s restricted assist, particularly as these foam blocks pack down all through the night time. 

Nonetheless, we pulled off a pair nights of aspect sleeping on this pillow’s floating compressible foam with none neck points. Total, although, this pillow is geared extra in direction of individuals who favor a softer pillow over a supportive pillow.

Ease of Use

When you’ve used this Therm-a-rest pillow a couple of occasions, you’ll really feel snug unpacking it, utilizing the cinch to regulate its loft, reversing its cowl/pocket to partially stuff it and pack it again down.

Nonetheless, this pillow has sufficient bungees, cinches, cords, toggles, and pockets to probably confuse you the primary time you employ it. A couple of buyer has talked about being mystified by this pillow within the subject, particularly when it’s darkish. Nonetheless, it’s a camp pillow, so issues can’t go too mistaken.

Ought to You Purchase the Western Mountaineering Cloudrest Pillow?

Just about everybody agrees that the Therm-a-rest Compressible is a snug camp pillow for the campground. Nonetheless, even gear consultants can’t fully agree if it may well double up as a backpacking pillow.

Both means, we extremely advocate this product. It’s softer than the usual air pillow, which can be a recreation changer for campers or aspect sleepers who’re sick of their ears hurting so unhealthy that they should preserve flipping sides in a single day. The common Compressible Cinch must be supportive sufficient for all again, abdomen sleepers and aspect sleepers.

This may be a consolation splurge for backpackers who don’t thoughts packing a pillow that’s larger than their sleeping bag. Total, this can be a versatile, snug camp pillow with many advantages that ranks excessive on our listing of the very best camp pillows.

What Different Tenting Pillows Ought to You Take into account?

Our full listing of the greatest tenting and backpacking pillows has extra choices for each backcountry and frontcountry tenting.  

NEMO Fillo Overview: The Fillo Pillow is a hybrid air/foam pillow that additionally straddles the road between a tenting and backpacking pillow. The Therm-a-rest pillow is softer, however the Fillo is extra packable and supportive.

REI Trailmade Pillow Overview: In our aspect to aspect testing, all of us prefered Therm-a-rest’s consolation and assist, however REI’s compressible foam pillow is far more packable, cheaper, and half the load of the Compressible Cinch. 

ExPed Mega Pillow Overview: For those who’re in search of a greater backpacking pillow with upgraded consolation, the Mega Pillow just isn’t as comfortable because the Therm-a-rest Compressible, however it’s nonetheless snug with higher packability and assist.