Therm-a-Rest Air Head Down Pillow Review

Bottom Line

The Therm-a-Rest Air Head Down is one of the most comfortable backpacking pillows on our list of the best camping pillows. It’s one of two down-top pillows that we’re happy to recommend to backpackers.

We’re fans of the Air Head Down’s size, shape, and softness. During our side-by-side comfort tests, it rose through the ranks because of its ergonomic shape. Plus, its top layer of down padding takes the edge off the air bladder, making it cushier and easier on the ears than the average air pillow. 

Our side-sleeping tester verified that the Air Head Down has enough support for his cranky neck. Our only nitpick was its twist valve. It’s not a problem – just mildly annoying when you want a fully inflated pillow. 

Of the two down-top pillows we tested and reviewed, the Air Head Down is the slightly more comfortable but slightly less packable option. If you’re looking for a backpacking pillow, it’s one of our top three recommendations. 

How We Tested

For months, CleverHiker Editor and Gear Analyst Jory Brass has been toting 20 different camping pillows into the New Mexico wilderness to test side by side. These field tests drove our rankings of the Air Head Down’s comfort, weight and packability, support, and ease of use. He also supplemented these backpacking trips in the Gila Wilderness and Pecos Wilderness with home tests to maximize how much time he slept on each pillow.

Comfort

The Therm-a-Rest Air Head Down adds a down top layer to the popular Therm-a-Rest Air Head Pillow to soften it up. This little addition makes it one of the most comfortable inflatable pillows we tested and reviewed. 

Inflatable pillows like the Air Head feel firmer than compressible foam camping pillows, especially when fully inflated. The Air Head Down tackles this potential comfort problem by wrapping a polyester cover around the firm air bladder and stuffing it with duck down. This thin layer of padding makes it noticeably softer than the average air pillow. 

Its shape is another comfort plus. Therm-a-Rest gave the Air Head Down a slightly curved shape for an ergonomic fit around the neck and shoulders. We found its crescent-moon design cozier than a traditional, rectangular pillow – particularly when sleeping on our sides. 

In our side-by-side field tests, we preferred the feel of compressible foam pillows, which aren’t the best for backpacking due to their weight and packed size. However, we had comfortable nights of sleep on the Air Head Down during one of our backpacking trips through the Gila Wilderness. On a bitterly cold night in the Tecos Wilderness, we found the Air Head the most comfortable inflatable pillow of the four we carried into the backcountry. 

In short, this pillow isn’t as plush as a campground pillow, but it’s more comfortable than most inflatable backpacking pillows thanks to its generous down cushioning. If you’re choosing between the two down-top pillows in our guide – the Air Head Down and Sea to Summit Aeros Down – we found the Air Head to be the more comfortable option. 

Weight & Packability

The Air Head Down also scored in the top five for weight and packability when we tested it alongside a dozen other camping pillows.

Tipping our kitchen scale at 5.3 ounces (it’s listed at 4.9 ounces for the Regular size), the Air Head Down doesn’t add much pack weight. It’s only a couple ounces heavier than our top picks for backpackers. The extra comfort boost you get from the Air Head Down could easily justify the added weight – unless you’re a ruthless gram-counter. 

The Air Head Down is also one of the most packable pillows we reviewed. We found it simple to stuff this pillow into its cylindrical stuff sack. Once compressed, its volume falls somewhere between a baseball and a softball. 

We wouldn’t hesitate to carry the Therm-a-Rest Air Head Down into the backcountry. It’s lighter and more packable than most backpacking pillows. Even so, this pillow’s main competitor – the Sea to Summit Aeros Down – weighs a couple ounces less and packs down even smaller. 

Support

Like all inflatable camping pillows, the Air Head Down doles out plenty of support. The pressure built up inside the air bladder presses up against your head and neck to provide more support than what you get with compressible foam pillows.

Our side-sleeping tester – who needs more neck support than the typical backpacker – found the Air Head Down supportive enough for his creaky neck and crooked back. The Air Head’s air bladder didn’t give way to the weight of his upper body, holding up his head and neck while sleeping in the backcountry. This pillow is 4 inches thick, which we’ve found to be the minimum thickness needed for side sleepers to keep their heads and necks aligned.

The pillow’s crescent shape gets an assist here for support (as well as comfort). Its ergonomic design provides crucial support where the neck and shoulders meet. Side sleepers in particular may appreciate this slight uptick in support compared with rectangular camping pillows. 

When we compared pillows’ support side by side, a couple inflatable pillows ranked above the Air Head Down. Specifically, we found the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium (4.3 inches thick in the Regular size) and Exped Mega Pillow (4.7 inches thick) slightly more supportive in our field tests. 

That said, we gave the Air Head Down a slight nod over the Sea to Summit Aeros Down for support. While the latter is thicker at 4.7 inches, the Air Head’s curvature supported our tester’s neck better than the rectangular Aeros Down.

Ease of Use

The Therm-a-Rest Air Head Down is easy to use, but its twist valve isn’t our favorite. You need to twist the valve open to blow up the pillow and twist it shut to lock the air in the bladder. Though easy, there’s one awkward moment with a twist valve: Once the pillow’s fully inflated, it loses air as you twist the valve shut. The solution is slightly unpleasant: stopping the air holes with your tongue while simultaneously twisting the valve or spinning the pillow. 

Our Therm-a-Rest valve worked fine, and its twisting action makes it easy to let out a little air to soften the pillow. But most of the other pillows we tested had simpler valves that didn’t require French kissing plastic air nozzles. 

Like most camping pillows we tested, the Air Head Down comes with a color-matched stuff sack that’s easy to use. The stuff sack dimensions easily accommodate stuffing and unstuffing the pillow. You can remove the pillow’s polyester and down cover for cleaning. We recommend using a down wash (not conventional laundry detergent) to preserve the loft of the down. 

Should You Buy the Therm-a-Rest Air Head Down Pillow?

Thanks to the comfort boost of its down top, the Therm-a-Rest Air Head Down is one of our favorite inflatable pillows for backpackers. Heck, it’s comfortable enough for the campground, too. 

It’s not as ultralight or as packable as our top picks, but it’s a legit backpacking option at around 5 ounces. If you’re weighing our two recommendations for down-top pillows, we prefer the comfort and support of the Air Head but the weight and packability of the Aeros Down.

What Other Camping Pillows Should You Consider?

See our full guide to the best camping pillows for a dozen alternatives, or browse these three reviews of similar pillows:

Sea to Summit Aeros Down Review: If you dig the idea of a down-top backpacking pillow, the Aeros Down is another favorite. It’s lighter and more packable but not quite as comfortable or supportive as the Air Head Down.

Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Review: If you’re not committed to a down top, we’re also big fans of the Aeros Premium. It’s not as cushy as a down-top pillow but it’s ultralight, packable, and supportive. 

NEMO Fillo Pillow Review: If you like the idea of an air pillow with a cushy pillow top, the Fillo features a thick foam layer that’s significantly softer than the Air Head Down. The biggest trade-offs are a higher weight and larger packed size.