Bottom Line
The REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow is a comfortable camp pillow that won’t blow your outdoor gear budget. Filled with foam repurposed from REI’s self-inflating sleeping pads, this budget camp pillow cradles the head for a good night’s sleep while reducing your environmental footprint. It’s also shaped to fit inside the hood of a mummy bag, so it’s smaller and more packable than other foam pillows in our Best Camping Pillows Guide.
Although the Trailmade didn’t stand out in any specific metrics in our side-by-side pillow testing, we had no big concerns when evaluating its comfort, packability, support, or ease of use. It’s also one of the cheapest camping pillows we tested while backpacking and dispersed camping across New Mexico’s high deserts and wilderness areas. All of these qualities make the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow a good value for budget-oriented shoppers who can’t afford to pay a premium for a simple camp pillow.
How We Tested
CleverHiker Gear Analyst Jory Brass adventured in New Mexico’s high desert backpacking and car camping with the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow. During testing, he ranked this pillow for support, comfort, ease of use, and weight/packability. The results of his field and lab tests are below.
Quick Specs
REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow
Most Packable Foam Pillow
CleverHiker Rating:
4.2/5.0
Price:
$25
Weight:
5.4 oz.
Pillow Type:
Compressible foam
Pros
- Comfort of a foam pillow
- Fits inside mummy bag hoods
- Smallest packed size for foam camping pillows
- Machine washable
- Affordable
Cons
- Average comfort
- Foam scraps feel chunky
- Lacks support of comparable foam pillows
- Larger packed size than backpacking air pillows
Comfort
After two months of field-based testing, the Trailmade Mummy Bag pillow scored average in comfort. Compressible foam pillows feel softer than ultralight air pillows. That held true for the Trailmade when CleverHiker Gear Analyst Jory Brass slept on it while car camping near a trailhead in the Gila Wilderness. On an icy night that required him to cocoon up inside his mummy bag, the Trailmade Pillow fit perfectly inside the hood to trap body heat and cradle his neck.
The pillow’s contoured U-shape hugged his neck better than the rectangular pillows in our review. However, given the pillow’s modest loft, sleeping on his back was much more comfortable than sleeping on his side.
Over several years of testing, our editors and gear analysts have found the REI Trailmade Pillow’s comfort to be nothing special. The foam chunks inside the pillow feel lumpier than other compressible foam pillows we tested, and the volume of foam supplies less cushion and support than many campers want – especially side sleepers. When alternating foam pillows on a night of dispersed camping near the Organ Mountains Desert Peak National Monument, our gear analyst preferred the comfort of the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow by a wide margin.
Weight & Packability
At the same time, the REI Trailmade Pillow is the most packable foam pillow we tested. Weighing 5.4 ounces on our tester’s kitchen scale, the Trailmade was the 5th lightest pillow in our test. It’s roughly an ounce lighter than the three heaviest air pillows in our guide and half the weight of our favorite foam pillow, the Therm-a-Rest Compressible. That’s a win, especially for a foam pillow at the budget price point.
However, this pillow’s overall packability was average at best, compared to our full testing lineup. Compressible foam pillows can’t compete with air pillows in the packability department. Rolled into its integrated stuff pouch, the Trailmade is bulkier than a Nalgene bottle, compressing down to the size of a Nerf football.
That’s not particularly packable, but it does smush down twice as small as our top pick for foam pillows, the Therm-a-Rest Compressible pillow. However, it’s not as packable as the affordable Trekology Aluft 2.0 inflatable pillow – a CleverHiker Budget Buy. If you don’t mind carrying a camping pillow that takes up as much pack space as your sleeping pad, the Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow is passable as a backpacking pillow, especially given its weight.
Support
The biggest drawback for the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow is its limited support. Compressible foam pillows generally provide less support than inflatable pillows, and the Trailmade lagged behind the other foam camping pillows we tested. Its limited loft and bulk may improve the pillow’s packability, but the REI Trailmade isn’t thick or dense enough to provide significant support, especially for people who sleep on their sides.
Our gear analyst could get by with the Trailmade’s support while sleeping on his back, but not on his side. During one night of testing, he placed the Trailmade pillow under his neck and added a second pillow under his head to build enough support to sleep on his side. Support-wise, the Trailmade is more like a traveller’s neck pillow than a classic camping pillow.
Ease of Use
As a budget-friendly camping pillow, the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow lacks the bells and whistles of other pillows in our guide. There’s no hidden stuff sacks, toggle adjustments, or multi-purpose valves to mess with; the Trailmade pillow unpacks and repacks with a simple plastic toggle that slips in and out of a nylon loop.
It’s relatively simple to stuff into its integrated pocket, and the foam blocks only take a few minutes to expand. Since this foam is comparatively lumpy, you may need to massage it to fill out the pillow and even up the cushioning. Overall, the Trailmade is simple to use – even by pillow standards.
Should You Buy the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow?
The Trailmade is a budget-friendly camping pillow that’s best for frontcountry camping and passable for backpacking. The REI Co-op brand specializes in entry-level gear at affordable prices, and that’s true of this camp pillow.
There’s nothing special about the Trailmade Pillow’s comfort, weight, packability, support, or ease of use – as CleverHiker’s founder put it, it’s “pretty okay.” At the same time, it does provide decent performance across the board and costs less than ten of the camp pillows we tested. Overall, the REI Trailmade Mummy Bag Pillow ranks best as a budget buy for those who will be content with basic performance.
What Other Camping Pillows Should You Consider?
For more options, please see our complete guide to the best camping pillows.
Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow Review: Our top pick among the foam pillows we tested, the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow is not as cheap or as packable as the Trailmade Pillow. However, it’s relatively affordable and doles out much more comfort and support. That’s why it’s one of our Editor’s Picks.
Trekology Aluft Pro 2.0 Pillow Review: If you’re not set on a compressible foam pillow, the Trekology Aluft Pro 2.0 Pillow is our top camping pillow on a budget. This air pillow is more cushioned, packable, and supportive than the REI Trailmade Pillow and matches its low price. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly backpacking pillow, the Aluft 2.0 is probably your best bet.
Weekender Gel Memory Foam Camping Pillow Review: If you’re looking for more support, the Weekender Gel Memory Foam Camping Pillow provides absolutely bomber support at the same price point. Although this pillow is too heavy for the backcountry and too firm for the average sleeper, you won’t beat the support of its firm memory foam at the campground – or in your RV, camper, or van
