Bottom Line
The Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow is our top pick for backpackers because it packs so much support into such a light package. We’ve slept on our Aeros Premium Pillow since 2015, and it’s still our favorite after testing it alongside almost 20 competitors the past 18 months.
As an ultralight, inflatable backpacking pillow, the Aeros Premium isn’t as comfortable as compressible foam camping pillows. But we’ve found this pillow comfortable enough over 10+ years of firsthand experience in Australia and the United States. This pillow’s top layer is cushier than ever – and easier on side sleepers’ ears – than previous versions.
The biggest draws of the Aeros Premium Pillow are its weight and packability. Plus, it’s highly supportive. Part of the reason our lead tester has stuck with it long term is because it provides the neck support he needs as a side sleeper.
After comparing testing notes with past and present gear analysts, we’ve again awarded the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium the top spot in our camping pillows guide. If you’re looking for a light and packable backpacking pillow that’s highly supportive, we recommend the Aeros Premium.
How We Tested
CleverHiker Editor and Gear Analyst Jory Brass has been backpacking with the Aeros Premium Pillow since 2015, including the current version. Over the past 18 months, he’s toted nearly 20 different camping pillows into the New Mexico wilderness for side-by-side comfort and support tests. These field tests drove our rankings of the Aeros Premium Pillow’s comfort, weight and packability, support, and ease of use.
Quick Specs
Sea to Summit Aeros Premium
Best Backpacking Pillow Overall
CleverHiker Rating: 4.7/5.0
Price: $55 – $70
Weight: 3.5 oz.Regular size
Pillow Type: Air
Pros
- Ultralight
- Compact
- Thick and supportive
- Good valve
- Fits in sleeping bag hoods
- Curved shape for side sleepers
- PillowLock patches attach to sleeping pads
Cons
- Firm
- Smaller sleeping surface
Comfort
For its weight, the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium is a comfortable backpacking pillow. It has delivered dozens of good nights of sleep for us through the years. Overall, though, comfort isn’t its standout feature.
Generally speaking, the CleverHiker team prefers the comfort of compressible foam pillows over inflatable pillows like the Aeros Premium. Inflatable air bladders feel much firmer than foam, especially if you fully inflate them. Like many air pillows, the Aeros Premium can smush side sleepers’ ears if they don’t roll over and switch sides regularly.
That said, our side-sleeping tester found the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium comfortable enough. To soften up the air bladder, the Aeros Premium Pillow features a thin, padded top layer. This layer is made of memory foam and adds a nice dose of plushness.
The Aeros Premium’s shape also gives it a comfort boost – especially if you sleep on your side. With a sculpted shape similar to a crescent moon, the Aeros Premium hugged our necks and took some strain off our shoulders during our field tests. This pillow’s size and shape also allow it to slip inside your sleeping bag’s hood (if that’s how you prefer to sleep).
The Aeros Premium Pillow won’t be confused with the luxury pillows and comfort splurges we recommend. However, it’s comfortable enough for a backpacking pillow that prioritizes weight savings and packed size.
Weight & Packability
The Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow’s weight and packability stand out. Weighing only 3.5 ounces on our tester’s scale, it’s the second-lightest backpacking pillow on our list.
The Aeros Premium is also highly packable, smushing down to the size of large lime in its included stuff sack. That makes it two to three times smaller than most of the other camping pillows we recommend for backpacking. The Aeros Premium is lightweight and packable enough that our gear analyst stowed it away in his day pack on the Tour du Mont Blanc to supplement the refugio pillows on his hut-to-hut hike.
Given the weight and packed size of the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium, we recommend it for backpackers and thru-hikers who prefer an ultralight backpacking pillow. When we camped near southbound thru-hikers on the Continental Divide Trail, four of the five of us had the Aeros Premium Pillow in our packs. It’s a solid weight and space saver – and also quite supportive.
Support
With most types of outdoor gear, you need to choose between weight savings or support – but not with the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow. With a sturdy TPU air bladder and height of 4.3 inches (the Large and XL sizes are 4.7 inches), it provides plenty of support while weighing only 3.5 ounces.
This is why CleverHiker Editor Jory Brass has stuck with the Aeros Premium Pillow for more than ten years. Over dozens of nights backpacking, its curved shape has snugged up to his shoulders, while the sturdy air bladder held his cranky neck and head in place. After testing several camping pillows, we prefer this pillow’s contoured shape to rectangular pillows, which don’t align our upper bodies as well as the Aeros Premium.
That said, the Aeros Premium Pillow isn’t the most supportive pillow we tested. The Exped Mega Pillow and Sea to Summit’s own Aeros Down have about a half-inch more height. If you don’t mind their added weight, packed size, and expanded sleeping surfaces, both of these inflatable pillows pack in more support than the lightweight Aeros Premium.
Ease of Use
The Sea to Summit Aeros Premium is easy to use thanks to its one-piece design and simple, multipurpose valve. This is a simple inflatable camping pillow with a separate stuff sack that’s clearly branded and color-matched. You don’t need to worry about removable covers, hidden pockets, integrated stuff sacks, or various pockets – there’s nothing to roll, turn inside out, hook, unhook, or toggle to pack and unpack this pillow.
The two-part, multifunctional valve makes it easy to inflate the pillow, fine-tune its pressure with the touch of a finger, and deflate quickly with the dump valve. Sea to Summit’s PillowLock System lets you attach the Aeros Premium Pillow to most sleeping pads. Sea to Summit includes these self-adhesive attachments with its Aeros pillows.
Should You Buy the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow?
The Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow provides plenty of comfort and support in the backcountry without weighing you down or hogging pack space. That’s why it’s at the top of our list of the best backpacking pillows. The Aeros Premium tested high across the board with good comfort, excellent weight savings and packability, above-average support, and ease of use. This is Sea to Summit’s bestselling backpacking pillow for a reason.
But no pillow’s perfect. If you’re after a larger sleeping surface or an ultra-soft camping pillow, there are plenty of alternatives available – most of which are heavier and bulkier. However, we highly recommend the Aeros Premium for anyone looking for an ultralight and ultra-packable backpacking pillow that’s ergonomic and supportive.
What Other Camping Pillows Should You Consider?
For additional recommendations, check out our full guide to the best camping and backpacking pillows.
NEMO Fillo Elite Wide Ultralight Review: Are you a backpacker who sleeps on your back? The Elite Wide Ultralight version of Nemo’s popular Fillo Pillow is another feathery backpacking pillow that gets our vote as the best air pillow for back sleepers.
Hyperlite Stuff Sack Pillow Review: If you’re an ultralighter who prioritizes weight savings and pack space, the HMG Stuff Sack Pillow is our minimalist pillow recommendation – although “pillow” is a stretch, as it requires clothes for structure.
Sea to Summit Aeros Down Pillow Review: For a slightly softer and lighter version of the Aeros Premium, check out the Aeros Down. As its name suggests, it features duck down baffles for added insulation and cushioning.
