Hyperlite Mountain Gear Stuff Sack Pillow Evaluation

Bottom Line

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Stuff Sack Pillow tops our recommendations for ultralight backpackers who account for every gram in their packs. Many minimalists pass on backpacking pillows altogether, opting to stuff their spare clothes in a stuff sack to limit weight and bulk.

Hyperlite upgraded this minimalistic approach with a durable and waterproof Dyneema stuff sack that turns inside out to expose a Polartec fleece lining for a softer sleeping surface. You simply stuff this reversible stuff sack with your spare clothing at night for a viable sleeping solution – one with a negative net weight since you’re repurposing other materials for your “pillow.” This was, by far, the lightest, most packable option we tested while backpacking the Gila Wilderness and a section of the Continental Divide Trail.  

This stuff-sack-by-day, pillow-by-night strategy is a niche solution for weight-obsessed backpackers. On its own, the HMG Stuff Sack Pillow provides no comfort or support. Its value stems from its unparalleled weight savings and packability – that’s why it’s an Editor’s Pick on our list of the best camping and backpacking pillows. We highly recommend the Hyperlite Stuff Sack Pillow for serious ultralight hikers who calculate their pack weight in grams.

How We Tested

This was tested while backpacking the Gila Wilderness and a section of the Continental Divide Trail by CleverHiker gear analyst Jory Brass.

Comfort

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Stuff Sack Pillow isn’t made for comfort – it’s made for weight savings and packability. The sack itself isn’t much thicker than a plastic grocery bag. For it to provide any cushioning or structure, you need to stuff it with spare clothes and gear, such as baselayers, socks, midlayers, and (preferably) a puffy. Gear analyst Jory Brass found the HMG Stuff Sack moderately comfortable when stuffed with his Patagonia Micro Puff Jacket. However, when he needed to sleep in that jacket on a surprisingly cold 20-degree night in the Gila Wilderness, he was less than comfortable sleeping on the few soft items he had left in his pack.  

Comfort isn’t this stuff sack’s strength, but Hyperlite did add a twist to boost the comfort: the inside of the sack is lined with lightweight Polartec fleece. By turning the stuff sack inside out, backpackers can enjoy this cozy fleece material against their faces for a softer sleeping surface than the mesh, nylon, and polyurethane coatings of typical stuff sacks.

Weight & Packability

Weight and packability are where the HMG Stuff Sack Pillow shines. With a listed weight of 1.7 ounces, it’s the lightest option in our lineup. In fact, it is so light and packable that it arrived packaged in a common envelope. That’s the benefit of Dyneema – “the world’s strongest fiber” – which is a significant upgrade over common, polyurethane-coated nylon dry bags. The premium Dyneema composite material makes this stuff sack pillow surprisingly durable. CleverHiker Senior Senior Gear Analyst Casey Handley got nearly seven years and 4,000 miles of use out of this waterproof, lightweight wonder.

If you’re already using it as a stuff sack, the HMG Stuff Sack Pillow actually has a negative net weight because you’re repurposing items that you’re already carrying. This is the low-weight option for backpackers who prioritize weight and packability over everything else.

Support

The downside of all the weight savings is the Hyperlite Stuff Sack pillow provides zero support on its own. You need to stuff it with spare clothing from your backpack to build up support for your head and neck. Thus, the stuff sack ranked dead last in support compared with the other backpacking pillows we tested.

Even so, the Hyperlite Pillow provided Gear Analyst Jory Brass adequate support when he stuffed it with his Patagonia puffy jacket on a test trip in the Gila Wilderness. In fact, that combination provided more support than the Western Mountaineering Down Pillow due to its bigger packed volume.

Of course, that strategy only works if you’ve packed spare layers – like a puffy – and don’t need to wear them overnight. CleverHiker Founder Dave Collins loves the Hyperlite Stuff Sack Pillow, but he’s had nights where he needed to wear his puffy jacket while sleeping, which robbed him of his “pillow.” Likewise, Jory needed to wear his puffy overnight in the Gila Wilderness when the temperatures were 25 degrees colder than forecasted. That meant the best pillow stuffing left in his pack was chewy granola bars, gloves, and worn socks and underwear – not ideal for support or comfort.

Ease of Use

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Stuff Sack Pillow is also extremely easy to use. As a stuff sack, there’s limited features and no valve to slow down setup. It features a simple zipper closure and see-through material that makes it easy to keep track of the contents you’ve packed inside. To transform it into a pillow, you simply turn this reversible stuff sack inside out to expose the soft, fleece lining. This took less than five seconds in our field testing. 

We also like the multi-purpose nature of this stuff sack pillow. On top of its use as a backpacking pillow, this is a premium stuff sack. With a water-resistant zipper, sealed seams, and water-resistant Dyneema composite shell, this stuff sack doubles as a dry bag that can keep our electronics and insulating layers dry during the day.

When used as a pillow, it can provide a waterproof casing to protect a down jacket from loft-killing moisture. In previous reviews, CleverHiker testers also preferred the zipper of the HMG stuff sack to other stuff sack pillows, such as the Zpacks Dry Bag Pillow. That’s another added value of this easy-to-use stuff sack pillow.

Should You Buy the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Stuff Sack Pillow?

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Stuff Sack Pillow is a prime alternative for people who don’t want to carry the extra weight and bulk of a true backpacking pillow. Not much heavier or bulkier than the typical plastic grocery bag, this fleece-lined, reversible stuff sack pillow stands out for its weight savings, packability, and versatility.

However, if you’re after comfort and support on the trail, you’d be much happier with the inflatable backpacking pillows and compressible foam camping pillows that we also tested and reviewed. In the stuff sack pillow category, the HMG Stuff Sack reigns supreme with its premium Dyneema composite material and fleece lining. That’s why it’s our Editor’s Pick as the best stuff sack pillow for ultralight backpacking.

What Other Camping Pillows Should You Consider?

For more options, please browse our full guide to the best backpacking and camping pillows. Based on our side-by-side testing, we also recommend these ultralight backpacking pillows: 

Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow Review: The Aeros Premium Pillow weighs only 2.7 ounces with a packed size that’s slightly bigger than a lime. At the same time, it packs plenty of support and air-pressured cushioning that doesn’t depend on additional clothes in your pack. 

NEMO Fillo Wide Elite Pillow Review: The wide elite version of NEMO’s popular Fillo pillow is also ultralight and ultra-packable. Its luxurious face fabric is much softer than the Hyperlite stuff sack’s fleece lining. It also provides back sleepers with a level of comfort and support that’s hard to match in a sack stuffed with spare layers. 

ZPacks Medium-Plus Dry Bag Pillow: The HMG Stuff Sack Pillow is very similar to the Zpacks Medium-Plus Dry Bag Pillow. Both have a similar cost and weight, though the Zpacks pillow is a little longer and made with slightly thicker Dyneema fabric. Based on side by side testing, the HMG pillow ranked higher than the Zpacks stuff pillow on our list because of the more convenient zipper placement. However, both are great choices for ultralight backpackers who want to enhance the stuff-sack sleeping experience.