What are the best pillows for camping.. And he cannot take his one from his bed.

[Pancakeflipper]

My DS1 is off camping soon and although he loves the outdoors, he also loves a comfy bed and from past experience he struggled with very flat inflatable pillow ( borrowed knackered thing).

Please tell me the bestest camping pillow.

Take a good pillow case and fold your fleece into it. You can adjust for firmness by folding in trousers

Why can't he take one from his bed? At DS's scout camp they all turn up with normal pillows, and their teddy bears are on the official kit list. Helps them all sleep a bit better. Allegedly.

If you just don't want a real bed pillow mucked up then buy a cheap one from Tesco or Primark for about £3. Much more comfortable and comforting when away form home than those inflatable ones.

They cannot take their own pillow - I think it is due to a very long trek to get to camp base and they have to carry their own stuff ( parents not doing the drop off - they go by minibus, it';s now beginning to sound like boot camp isn't it?)

Do like the pillow case and fleece idea.

But if they squash a pillow into their rucksack would that be ok? If it's placed flush against their back it makes carrying the weight of all their stuff more comfortable. Could use a square shaped cushion instead if it's a question of room.

Dunelm mill did travel pillows which are about 1/2 normal size but v comfy.
Will squash small into rucksack.

If they're hiking then even a 1/2 size pillow or camping pillow is going to add to the weight and volume. I assume they'll be carrying tents, food, cooking equipment etc.

Show him how to use a t-shirt as a pillow case to stuff with clothes.

on D of E and the like it is a fleecy pillow case stuffed with t shirts and (clean) socks
for family camping we use these
very very comfy. a cotton side and a fleece side. win-win

can you try a medium size cushion (like you might put on the sofa) with a thin cover and just squish it into the bottom of the rucksack?

Folding up your fleece jacket into a pillow is the traditional way though

I saw a lot of D of E walkers at the weekend in Derbyshire, I bet some of them were cursing the moment they decided to bring a pillow as their knees buckled under the weight of the backpacks.

You can get these: www.decathlon.co.uk/compressible-pillow-red-beige-id_3550082.html which pack up pretty small.

Given how small they are, you are not getting much thinkness from them but your DS could always put a couple of jumpers underneath and at least his head would be resting on something pillow-like.

DS uses one of those travel pillows often sold at service stations. They are cylindrical and very squashy and filled with tiny foam beads. V light.