The Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Deluxe Pillow is quite possibly the best ultralight inflatable pillow. I only say possibly because I understand that every person has a slightly different sleeping style.
For me, the Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Deluxe Pillow is awesome. For other gear testers at Man Makes Fire, it’s also awesome.
For backpacking, the only pillow that’s better than the Aeros Ultralight Deluxe is the Aeros Ultralight Pillow — which shaves weight when it ditches the ‘Deluxe‘ part. Or maybe the Aeros Premium Pillow is the best all-around inflatable lightweight pillow. It has a softer cover. Or is it the Aeros Down Pillow? Oh boy, this is complicated. What if you want a lightweight inflatable pillow that’s great for camping, too? Sea to Summit makes a wide range of lightweight inflatable pillows. Which is the right Aeros for you?
Let’s take a closer look.
How to Choose Between the Sea to Summit Aeros Lightweight Pillows
If you’re considering inflatable pillows for backpacking, your first concern should be the weight of the pillow, followed by comfort and then cost. If the pillow is heavier than you want to carry into the backcountry, you’re not going to have a great experience.
For backpacking, the most weight-effective ultralight inflatable pillows should weigh less than 3 oz — but we’re ok with ramping up to 5 oz if and only if a bigger pillow is critical to your experience. In addition, you’ll want it to be very compressible and packable — which is why your best options go straight to inflatable pillows and not pillows stuffed with foam. For camping, you can usually go as heavy as you’re willing to pack in your vehicle — but we still like inflatable pillows for car camping because it makes packing and travel so much easier.
Sleep is too important to waste on cheap knockoffs
Here is where it gets interesting: Sea to Summit makes many lightweight ‘Aeros’ pillow versions in various sizes and weights. Basically, if you’re a low-maintenance kind of sleeper who doesn’t worry about how your cheek feels on an inflatable pillow, any of these lightweight Aeros pillows could work well for you. If pillows are critical to you getting a good night’s sleep, this guide might help you choose the best option for you.
Aeros Ultralight Deluxe Pillow Review
The Sea to Summit Ultralight Deluxe Pillow gives you a more traditional large rectangular shape but still keeps the weight down to 4.6 oz.Key Specifications:
Size options: One Size
Weight: 4.6 oz
Dimensions: 22″ x 14″ x 5.5″
Packed: 4.7″ x 3.9″
At 4.6 oz, the Aeros Ultralight Deluxe Pillow is on the heavy side of what we recommend for backpacking — but it’s doable. On the other hand, it’s relatively big — 22″ x 14″ x 5.5″. If you struggle with smaller pillows, this is the pillow for you. A couple of extra ounces might be worth it to you.
The most important feature of the Aeros Ultralight Deluxe Pillow is the relatively flat surface shape. Sea to Summit uses lots of internal baffle points to create a surface that evenly disperses weight. This is my personal favorite design. However, due to the weight, it’s not my first choice for long or hard backpacking trips. I like it best for weekend backpacking trips but I also take it camping and love it.
Aeros Ultralight Pillow Review
Key Specifications:
Size options: Regular & Large
Weight: R – 2.1 oz, L – 2.5 oz
Dimensions: R – 13.4″ x 9.4″ x 4.3″, L – 16.5″ x 11.8″ x 5.1″
Packed: R – 2″ x 2.8″ , L – 2″ x 3.25″
The biggest benefit of the inflatable Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow is its super-light weight. The Regular weighs just 2.1 oz, which is truly excellent, while the Large weighs 2.5 oz, which is also very competitive. Choose the Large if you want a taller, thicker pillow. This is the pillow we want to take on any longer, harder multi-day backpacking trips because the weight is so low.
A key difference in the Ultralight vs the Ultralight Deluxe is the shape of the baffles. The Ultralight version has a curved section to fit into your neck and shoulder. In addition, the center of the pillow is where the internal baffles are located and they give you a bit of a nestling effect for your head. If you’re a side sleeper, the side of your head and ear sort of cradle into the pillow a bit more than on the Deluxe version.
Personally, I prefer the Deluxe version because of the flatter surface, but some of our gear testers prefer the curvier Ultralight shape. Still, for any backpacking trips over three nights, I would rather carry the Regular Ultralight version that weighs just 2.1 oz just to help keep my weight down.
Aeros Premium Pillow Review
The Aeros Premium Pillow is Sea to Summit’s bestselling lightweight inflatable pillow due to its near perfect size, weight and cushy comfort.Key Specifications:
Size options: Regular & Large
Weight: R – 2.8 oz, L – 4 oz
Dimensions: R – 13.4″ x 9.4″ x 4.3″, L – 16.5″ x 11.8″ x 5.1″
Packed: R – 2.8″ x 3.3″, L – 3.1″ x 4.1″ in
The Aeros Premium Pillow is Sea to Summit’s bestselling pillow — for good reasons. It has a thicker soft polyester knit exterior, as well as a bit of synthetic fill padding between the polyester knit exterior and the internal TPU bladder. What’s really compelling here is the added comfort that comes with very little weight gain.
One of our gear testers swears by the Aeros Premium Pillow version and says, “The Premium is absolutely worth the weight for every trip.”
Best Inflatable Pillow for Sound-Sensitive Sleepers?
Oh, there is one more buying decision factor to consider: While we believe all of the Aeros pillows are relatively quiet due to the TPU bladders, the Premium is the quietest because it has a thicker 50D knit exterior and additional synthetic padding. Extra sound-sensitive sleepers should choose the Premium version. The even larger Aeros Premium Deluxe Pillow shares a similar fabric and padding, but its 6.9-oz weight makes it more suitable for camping than backpacking.
Aeros Down Pillow Review
The Sea to Summit Aeros Down Pillow gives you a cushy layer of down for warmth and comfort.Key Specifications:
Size options: Regular, Large & Deluxe
Weight: R – 2.5 oz, L – 3.3 oz, D – 6.7 oz
Dimensions: R – 13.4″ x 9.4″ x 4.7″, L – 16.5″ x 11″ x 4.7″, D – 23″ x 15″ x 4.7″
Packed: R – 3″ x 2.5″, L – 3.5″ x 2.7″, D – 3″ x 2.5″
Sea to Summit’s ultralight luxury inflatable pillow comes with a down pillow top. Surprisingly, the Regular size weighs just 2.5 oz! The Aeros Down Pillow version also adds a bit of warmth. We appreciate the rectangular, flatter shape. The only drawback comes from the lightweight, tight-weave fabric that keeps the down in place: It’s a bit slick, sort of like the material on your down sleeping bag or lightweight down jacket. If you love down but aren’t sure if you want the feeling of a nylon surface fabric on your cheek, you can always add a small pillow case — or even use a shirt from your backpack as an impromptu pillow case.
Quality Valves and Easy Inflation
The Sea to Summit valve system is super easy to use and works well. This valve is a key benefit to Aeros pillow usability.One reason to spend a little more on the Sea to Summit Aeros pillows vs cheaper competitive pillows is the high-quality valve system. It’s low profile, works great and is super easy to use.
If, in the middle of the night, you want to increase air pressure, you can pull the inflation stopper, which has two round nubs you can feel in the dark, and add a breath or two. The one-way valve keeps the air inside while you do this. To let out just a bit of air to reduce pressure, just push the center in to let a bit out. Easy peasy.
Sea to Summit’s Pillow Lock System
If you want to keep your ultralight inflatable pillow in place, Sea to Summit’s Pillow Lock system uses low-profile hook-and-loop patches to keep Aeros pillows in place.One drawback to ultralight inflatable pillows is that they are very lightweight, which means you can easily push them off of your sleeping pad.
Sea to Summit includes a self-adhesive hook-and-loop stick-on kit with each of its Sea to Summit sleeping mats. For instance, I have a kit that came with the Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Air Sleeping Mat.
If you want your Sea to Summit pillow to attach to your sleeping pad so that it doesn’t easily slide off, all you have to do is attach the Velcro-like patches to your sleeping pad. The pillow’s soft stretch-knit polyester fabric catches on the “Pillow Lock” system. Unlike standard Velcro, the hooks are very small and don’t catch on most other fabrics.
Depending on the size of your sleeping bag’s hood — assuming it has one — the edges of the hood might hold your pillow in place, too.
Overall Value: Well Worth Better Sleep!
Because the Sea To Summit Aeros pillows cost just a bit more than many outdoor lovers want to spend on what seems like a non-essential luxury item, the Aeros series makes outstanding gifts for outdoor lovers. We think Aeros pillows are worth the extra cost, especially when you compare them to cheap vinyl competitors with lousy valves.
All-in-all, choose a Sea-to-Summit Aeros inflatable pillow because backcountry sleep is too important to waste on cheap knockoffs. We always have more fun after a great night’s sleep — and expect you will too!
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