Review: Therm-a-Rest Down Pillow

At first glance, the Down Pillow from Therm-a-Rest looks like a scam. Out of the box, it’s flat, has no loft, and wouldn’t support a puppy’s head. But the small, compact size is actually the genius of the product. While the pillow does contain some down, the underside has a cinch cord around the pillow’s edge. Stuff all your extra socks, sweaters, and base-layers into the underside, tighten the cinch, and voilà, you have a supportive pillow that didn’t take up any room in your pack, gear bag, or suitcase.

This is a perfect product for air travel, surfing couches while crashing winter pow, or packing for a tour into a backcountry hut.

Available at Grizzly Outfitters. $30-40, depending on size; thermarest.com.