Exped Air Pillow Review
A rolled-up fleece under your head works fine until you've spent a night doing it, at which point a proper inflatable pillow starts to look like very sensible weight to carry. We've used the Exped Air Pillow across several backpacking and wild camping trips to see whether it earns its place alongside a sleeping mat and bag.
What it is
The Exped Air Pillow is a simple inflatable camp pillow that packs down to roughly the size of a fist and weighs around 80g in the medium size — Exped also sell an even lighter Air Pillow UL version for gram-counters. It uses two separate FlatValves, one for inflation and one for deflation, which sounds like a minor detail but makes a real difference in practice: you can fine-tune firmness on the inflate valve without air escaping while you're still adjusting it, then dump it fully and fast through the dedicated deflation valve when it's time to pack up.
It inflates in a couple of breaths thanks to its small air volume, and the anatomical shape is contoured rather than a flat rectangle, which helps it stay in place under your neck and head through the night rather than sliding off a sleeping mat. It comes in medium, large and extra-large sizes, so it's worth sizing up if you're a side sleeper or simply prefer more surface area.
Pros
- Extremely light and small — genuinely doesn't register as extra weight in a backpacking pack
- Two-valve system makes precise inflation and fast deflation much easier than a single-valve pillow
- Contoured shape holds its position better than a flat inflatable pillow
- Comes with a repair kit, useful given how easily a small puncture can happen with any inflatable
Cons
- The fabric surface is noticeably crinklier and cooler against skin than a pillow with an integrated fleece or brushed cover
- Being fully inflatable, there's a small but real risk of a puncture ending your night's sleep on a stony pitch
- Firmness needs re-adjusting through the night as it's easy to overinflate first time round
- No insulation of its own, so on cold nights it can feel clammy against bare skin until you throw a buff or clothing over it
Who it's for
It's a strong choice for backpackers and wild campers who want proper pillow support without the weight or bulk of a foam or hybrid pillow, and for anyone who currently makes do with rolled-up clothing and wants an upgrade. Side sleepers should size up to the large; if you're prone to losing sleep over a mid-night puncture, packing the included repair kit (and keeping it handy, not buried at the bottom of a dry bag) is worth the ten seconds it takes.
Our verdict
For the weight and pack size it costs, the Exped Air Pillow delivers a genuine comfort upgrade over improvising with clothing, and the two-valve design is a small detail that makes a real difference in daily use. It's not going to match a home pillow for softness, but that's not really the job it's doing — for backpacking and lightweight camping, it's an easy recommendation.