Sea to Summit Aeros Down Deluxe Pillow Overview

Bottom Line

The Sea to Summit Aeros Down Deluxe takes inflatable pillows up a notch with a premium down cushion top that adds warmth and comfort to the typical backpacking pillow. The “deluxe” size delivers one of the largest sleeping surfaces in our testing line up, and the down adds a dash of cushion to the lightweight Aeros line of backpacking pillows. 

The Aeros Down is one of the most expensive pillows in our guide to the best camping pillows. It’s not an obvious value pick, but it might be a worthwhile splurge for campers and backpackers who appreciate that down cushion top and for side sleepers who prefer a thicker, more supportive air pillow.

How We Tested

Over the past few months, gear analyst Jory Brass took it out on several trips across New Mexico to compare its performance against other popular camping and backpacking pillows. He alternated it with other inflatable pillows to compare its comfort, support, weight, and packability. Insulating capabilities were tested during 20-degree nights in the Gila Wilderness. He then compared his testing notes with feedback from other CleverHiker gear analysts who’ve slept on this premium inflatable pillow.

Comfort

Overall, the Aeros Down Deluxe Pillow ranked in the middle of the pack for comfort, based on CleverHiker’s side by side testing. The down cushion top is indeed softer against the skin and easier on the ears than Sea to Summit’s regular Aeros pillow line, which our gear analyst has been sleeping on since 2015. The addition of thin down baffles on top make a subtle difference in comfort – not a big difference. This pillow feels slightly softer than the typical air pillow, which can smush side sleepers’ ears if they don’t roll over regularly overnight. When the temperature dipped to 20 degrees in the Gila Wilderness, our tester’s torso got pretty chilly, but his head and neck stayed warm with the hood of his mummy bag on top of the Down Deluxe. In our gear analysts’ views, the down is a nice touch – but not really a revelation. 

The Aeros Down Deluxe Pillow has larger dimensions than the standard Aeros Down Pillow. Measuring 23 x 17 x 4.7 inches, it provides one of the largest sleeping surfaces of the pillows we’ve tested and reviewed. The “deluxe” size is roughly 2.5 times larger than the Aeros Premium pillow – too large to slip inside our tester’s mummy bag on a cold night. As one of the thicker air pillows we tested, the Aeros down may be too thick for many back sleepers while giving side sleepers the height they need for comfortable neck support. At the same time, side sleepers often prefer pillows with a more contoured shape than the rectangular Aeros Down Pillow. 

Of the four large inflatable pillows we tested in our current review, our tester ranked the Aeros Down second in comfort behind the Exped Mega Pillow. However, depending on your body measurements and sleeping style, those rankings would likely fluctuate. The down baffles do provide a comfort boost, but the Sea to Summit Aeros Down Deluxe doesn’t stand out as a premium pick for luxurious comfort.

Weight & Packability

The Sea to Summit Aeros Down Deluxe didn’t place near the top in weight or packability, but it’s definitely an option for backpackers. Measured against the other twelve backpacking and camping pillows we tested, it again ranked smack dab in the middle. The Down Deluxe packs down to the approximate size of a beverage koozie. Fortunately, it weighs much less than a can of soda with a claimed weight of 6.7 ounces. In our book, that’s a reasonable weight and packed size for backpacking. Still, that’s heavier than six backpacking pillows that our gear analyst weighed on his kitchen scale.   

For more weight savings and a smaller packed size, skip the Aeros Down Deluxe and choose the regular-sized Sea to Summit Aeros Down Pillow (13.4 x 9.4 x 4.7 inches). With a claimed weight of 2.5 ounces, the regular Aeros Down places near the top in weight and packability. CleverHiker Senior Gear Analyst Casey Handley certainly approved of the regular Aeros Down Pillow after more than 75 nights sleeping on it.

Support

Support is a clear strength of the Sea to Summit Aeros Down Deluxe Pillow. Inflatable pillows typically provide more support than compressible foam pillows since the pressure in air bladders provides significant resistance to press against the head and neck. This is true for all air-filled camping pillows, but the Aeros Down is thicker than several inflatable pillows we tested at 4.7 inches. That makes it one of the most supportive backpacking and camping pillows we reviewed. 

Such support can be especially helpful for side sleepers to take pressure off their necks. Gear analyst Jory Brass is a side sleeper with a history of back and neck problems. He scored some solid sleep on a section of the Continental Divide Trail with the Aeros Down Deluxe supporting his head and neck in a natural position. Backpackers can adjust the pillow’s inflation level to dial that support up or down to match their sleeping position and comfort preferences.

Ease of Use

Like most camping and backpacking pillows, the Aeros Down Deluxe is easy to use. It’s a straightforward air pillow with a separate stuff sack. Our gear analyst likes this pillow’s dual valve system – which includes a multi-purpose valve on top to inflate and fine-tune the air pressure and a bottom dump valve to deflate the pillow rapidly. Those valves are easy to use and lay flat to stay out of your way. 

In case you have any trouble, Sea to Summit’s stuff sack has printed instructions that illustrate how to inflate, adjust, and deflate the pillow. The down baffles might require the occasional TLC to maintain what little loft they add to the pillow. Sea to Summit recommends hand-washing. If you own a Sea to Summit sleeping pad, the Down Deluxe includes a Pillow Lock System (self-adhesive hook-and-loop patches) to attach the pad and pillow.

Should You Buy the Sea to Summit Aeros Down Deluxe Camping Pillow?

Sea to Summit has earmarked the Aeros Down Deluxe for any backpacker or car camper who wants to enjoy the luxurious feel of a down pillow top. Our take is that those thin down baffles are a nice touch, but they don’t take the pillow over the top in comfort.

The Aeros Down doesn’t truly stand out compared to other souped-up air pillows, such as the Exped Mega Pillow, quilted Klymit LUXE, or hybrid air/foam NEMO Fillo. The HEST pillow is a more obvious splurge if you’re after a luxury feel for the campground.

Still, our testers have each liked the Sea to Summit Aeros Down over several rounds of side-by-side testing. If you’re looking for a supportive air pillow – and don’t mind the premium price – this down-topped pillow does add a dash of cushion and warmth that makes it a small upgrade over the average inflatable backpacking pillow.

What Other Camping Pillows Should You Consider?

Check out our complete guide to camping and backpacking pillows for reviews on thirteen pillows we recently tested side by side. The following pillows, in particular, share some similarities with the Sea to Summit Aeros Down Deluxe.

NEMO Fillo Pillow Review: If you like the idea of an air pillow with a cushy pillow top, the popular Fillo Pillow features a layer of luxury foam that’s thicker and softer than the duck down baffles of the Aeros Down Deluxe Pillow. 

Exped Mega Pillow Review: After several nights of side-by-side testing, our gear analyst chose the Mega Pillow over the Aeros Down as the best luxury air pillow. The Aeros edges out the Mega Pillow in weight and packability, but the Mega Pillow is slightly more comfortable and supportive.

HEST Pillow Review: If you want a luxury sleeping experience and won’t be backpacking, the HEST Pillow is our favorite comfort splurge. It’s not nearly as packable as the Aeros Down, but it topped the charts for comfort in our pillow testing.