Bottom Line
Exped’s Mega Pillow boasts copious comfort for an air pillow. We’ve ranked it behind three compressible foam pillows for comfort, but it edged all the air pillows in our current guide to the best camping pillows. In addition to testing each pillow individually, our gear analyst spent several nights alternating pillows every few hours to compare their comfort and support. When doing this test twice with the 7 air pillows in our guide, he ended both nights with the Exped Mega Pillow under his head – and the other inflatables stacked along the edge of the tent.
What makes this pillow different from other inflatable pillows? Under the hood, the Mega Pillow features a baffled air bladder that’s more robust than the others we tested and reviewed. At the same time, Exped softens its feel with a thin layer of microfiber insulation and a fleecy face fabric that’s much softer than the crinkly exterior of most air pillows. Plus, this pillow has one of the largest sleeping surfaces we tested – another potential comfort plus.
Air pillows can feel too firm for some campers and backpackers – especially if they’re fully inflated. That’s why several of CleverHiker’s gear analysts prefer compressible foam pillows for comfort. But the Mega pillow is softer and easier on the ears than other inflatables. Plus, its touch valve makes it easy to let out air until you’ve found your sweet spot for softness and support. If you want an air pillow for camping, this is the most comfortable one we’ve tested and reviewed.
How We Tested
CleverHiker gear analyst Jory Brass adventured through New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness, Chihuahuan desert, and Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument with the Exped Mega – and then retested its 2025 update in the Santa Fe National Forest and Sandia Mountains. Over months of testing, he evaluated its comfort, weight, packability, support, and ease of use. The results of his field and lab tests are below.
Quick Specs
Exped Mega Pillow
Most Comfortable Air Pillow
CleverHiker Rating: 4.5/5.0
Price: $65
Weight: 6 oz.
Pillow Type: Air
Pros
- Supportive air baffles
- Large sleeping surface
- Soft face fabric
- Camping/backpacking versitility
Cons
- Average weight & packability
- No dump valve for fast deflation
- Expensive
Comfort
The Exped Mega Pillow ranked behind three foam pillows in our comfort tests, but it edged all the air pillows in the comfort category. Air pillows can feel too firm for some campers and backpackers – especially if they’re fully inflated. That’s why several of CleverHiker’s gear analysts prefer compressible foam pillows. But the Mega Pillow is softer and easier on the ears than other inflatables. Plus, its touch valve makes it easy to let out air until you’ve found your sweet spot for softness and support.
The Mega Pillow paired especially well with the Exped MegaMat for a luxurious night of sleep in the Chihuahuan Desert at the foot of the Organ Mountains. Our gear analyst also spent several nights alternating pillows every few hours to compare their comfort and support. When doing this test twice with the seven air pillows in our guide, he ended both nights with the Exped Mega Pillow under his head – and the other inflatables stacked along the edge of the tent.
What makes this pillow different from other inflatable pillows? Under the hood, the Mega Pillow features a baffled air bladder that’s more robust than the others we tested and reviewed. At the same time, Exped softens its feel with a thin layer of microfiber insulation and a fleecy face fabric that’s much softer than the crinkly exterior of most air pillows. Plus, this pillow has one of the largest sleeping surfaces we tested – another potential comfort plus.
If you want an air pillow, this is the most comfortable one we’ve tested and reviewed.
Weight & Packability
Exped tweaked the Mega Pillow for 2025, making it a couple ounces heavier and a little less packable than the version we tested last year. The 2025 Mega Pillow looks slightly longer than last year’s version and boasts a sturdier air bladder. According to our gear analyst’s kitchen scale, this pillow now weighs 9 ounces packed – compared to 6.8 ounces last year. Its packed size is now similar to a 1-liter Nalgene bottle.
Like the NEMO Fillo pillow, the Exped Mega Pillow is a ‘tweener that’s perched somewhere between a campground pillow and backpacking pillow. By car camping standards, the Mega Pillow doesn’t take up mega-space, but it’s heavier and bulkier than we typically recommend for backpacking. Some comfort-oriented backpackers might consider this pillow’s comfort upgrade worth the trade off in weight and packability. However, we’re more comfortable recommending the Mega Pillow for frontcountry campers.
Support
The Exped Mega Pillow also ranks high for support. Air pillows aren’t always the coziest choice, but their air bladders almost always provide more head and neck support than compressible foam. With a 4.7 inch height, the Mega is thicker than most camp pillows we tested. That above-average thickness can be especially helpful for side sleepers, who generally prefer thicker and firmer pillows to keep their neck supported and aligned. The Mega pillow agreed with our side-sleeping gear analyst, who needs extra support to fall asleep and wake up in the morning without a crick in his neck.
Overall, the Mega Pillow boasts more backbone than most pillows we tested and reviewed. Its 2025 update features a more substantial air bladder than the model we tested last year. Fully inflated, it provides a ton of support, and its steep sidewalls cradled our heads and necks in ergonomic positions during our field tests in the Gila Wilderness and Santa Fe National Forest. For backpackers, car campers, and overlanders who want a supportive pillow, the Exped Mega Pillow is certainly a strong contender.
Ease of Use
No camp pillow is particularly complex, but the Exped Mega Pillow is especially easy to use. There’s no hidden stuff sack or valve that needs an instruction manual to inflate and deflate. This pillow packs down easily into an external stuff sack that’s branded and color-matched for easy identification.
The touch valve makes it especially easy to fine-tune the pillow’s inflation level: simply blow into the opening to inflate and press down on the valve stem with your finger to let out air. We like how that simple valve allows us to adjust the air pressure overnight without even lifting our heads off the pillow.
One downside is the lack of a dedicated dump valve to deflate the pillow rapidly. That’s no big deal, though – it only takes ten seconds to deflate the pillow by pressing on the valve stem and squeezing out the air. Plus, the face fabric does pick up leaves and pine needles easily – and can’t be removed for easy washing. But that’s not a big deal in our book.
Should You Buy the Exped Mega Pillow?
Yes – if you’re looking for the comfiest inflatable camping pillow we’ve tested and reviewed. Exped markets the Mega Pillow as a luxury camping pillow for those who want to splurge on comfort. According to our testers, it’s not as plush as our favorite compressible foam pillows, but it certainly beats other air pillows in comfort. Its weight and packability aren’t great by backpacking standards, but it’s a compact option for space-challenged van lifers and overlanders who appreciate how air pillows pack down smaller than foam camping pillows. In spite of the Mega’s weight and packed size, we can see some comfort-oriented backpackers picking this pillow for its comfort and support. Overall, though, the Exped Mega Pillow makes the most sense for car campers who don’t mind paying good money for a soft, insulated, and supportive pillow.
What Other Camping Pillows Should You Consider?
Check out our full guide to the Best Backpacking and Camping Pillows for all the pillows we’ve tested and recommended. Here are three other standouts that are similar to the Exped Mega Pillow:
HEST Camp Pillow Review: CleverHiker Gear Analysts have been blown away by the comfort of the HEST Camp Pillow. It’s not as light or as packable as the Mega Pillow, but it’s our top comfort pick for luxury camping.
Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow Review: CleverHiker founder Dave Collins’ favorite camping pillow provides a cushier, cheaper, compressible foam alternative to the inflatable Exped Mega Pillow.
Sea to Summit Aeros Down Deluxe Pillow: This pillow’s comfort and support are similar to the Mega pillow, but it’s lighter and more packable, making it more backpacker-friendly.
