Why you'll love it: The Therm-a-Rest Compressible Travel Pillow rolls up into a tiny package and expands to a full, rectangular pillow.
If you want to bring a normal-shaped pillow with you on your travels, but you don't want to waste space in your luggage, Therm-a-Rest's compressible pillow is the one for you. It comes in a variety of sizes, but the small one is probably best for most travelers.
The small pillow measures 12 x 16 x 4 inches when it's open and 13 x 4 x 4 inches when it's compressed. It weighs just 7 ounces, which is quite impressive. The foam filling is 4-inches thick and quite comfortable. Its polyester cover is relatively comfortable, and it comes in a few fun colors. The pillow is machine washable, which is nice.
When you're done using the pillow in flight, you can roll it up and pop it in the drawstring pouch until you need to use it again at your hotel or campsite.
Buyers on Amazon are very fond of this pillow, and it has a 4.3-star rating based on more than 2,000 reviews. Experts from the Outdoor Gear Lab also gave this pillow a great rating, and the reviewer's only complaint is that it is a bit heavy for backpackers. However, if you're just throwing it in your carry-on bag or purse for use on a plane, that's probably not a huge deal.
The pillow is quite affordable, too, with prices ranging from about $20 to $35 based on size and color.
If you think the small pillow is too tiny for you, the medium measures 14 x 18 x 4 inches expanded, 14 x 5 x 6 inches compressed, and weighs 9 ounces; while the large measures 16 x 23 x 4 inches expanded, 16 x 7 x 7 inches compressed, and weighs 12 ounces. There's also an XL version that measures 16.5 x 27 x 4 inches expanded, 18 x 7 x 7 inches compressed, and weighs 15 ounces. — Malarie Gokey
Pros: Compresses to a travel-friendly size, normal-shaped pillow, many sizes and colors, affordable
Cons: May be heavy for backpackers, smaller options available
Buy the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Travel Pillow on Amazon for $17.46 to $34.95 (price varies by size and color)