Sleeping upright is never the plan, but on the road it happens: dozing in the front seat while it rains, or napping on a long drive while someone else takes the wheel. The Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Traveller is a U-shaped inflatable neck pillow that packs into a hard case the size of your palm, and it has lived in our glovebox ever since. It cost us $65.
What’s in the box
A U-shaped neck pillow, ours in navy blue (it now comes in Jet Black, Mediterranea and Navy Peony): a TPU air bladder inside a soft brushed 50D polyester knit shell, with oversized arms, a narrower middle that fits between your neck and the headrest, a multi-function valve and a neck strap with snap buttons in three settings. It comes in a small zip-up hard case with a strap and carabiner, 96 g in all on our scale.
What we like
- Packs to the size of your palm
- 96 g with case and carabiner
- Soft 50D knit shell
- Quick valve, fine-tunes firmness
- Snap strap keeps it in place
- Hard case clips on with a carabiner
What we don’t
- Not for sleeping flat or on your side
- Fabric holds dust
- Store dry to avoid mould
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Sea to Summit |
| Model | APILPREMYHANB |
| Material | 50D polyester knitTPU bladder |
| Colour options | Jet BlackMediterraneaNavy Peony |
| Weight | 96 gwith case and carabiner |
| Size | 39 × 29 × 11 cm |
| Packed size | 9 × 7.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Valve | Multi-function |
Comfort
The U-shape cradles your neck without being too stiff or too high, whether you’re sitting upright or slightly reclined, and it doesn’t push your chin forward the way some chunkier travel pillows do. The big arms hold your head when it drops to the side. The brushed knit shell is soft against bare skin and doesn’t get clammy. We got the most comfort with it 80 to 90% full; pumped up hard, it feels a bit too firm.
Valve and Strap
It inflates in two or three breaths, with no air coming back out when you stop to breathe, and deflates in seconds. The valve sits flat, so you don’t feel it against your neck, and a press lets out a little air to soften it. The snap strap closes in three settings, so the pillow stays put around your neck when you nod off in a car seat. The bladder held its air well.
On the Road
We used it on the long drive from Sydney to Kosciuszko, and again for a night in the front seat when rain hit before we could set up camp. Both times it kept our neck upright and made sleep possible. It’s handy around camp too: for a nap in the hammock, or as lumbar support in a camp chair. It won’t replace a proper camping pillow for sleeping flat, and it’s no use for side sleeping.
Size and Weight
This is where it shines. Deflated, it folds into its zip-up hard case, 9 × 7.5 × 4.5 cm, about the size of your palm, and the case has a strap and carabiner to clip it to a bag. With case and carabiner it weighs 96 g, so it lives in the glovebox or the drawer without taking up any space. The case has the inflate, adjust and deflate steps printed on the back. Store it dry, as the fabric can hold dust, and a damp pillow can go mouldy.
Which Travel Pillow?
We’ve also reviewed the Aeros Ultralight Traveller, the same shape with a thin 20D shell that packs even smaller, and the Trekology Aluft Neck Pillow, a U-shaped inflatable with a removable cover for well under half the price. Both Aeros pillows are great, but the Premium takes only a little more space, and to us the extra comfort is worth it.
This one Aeros Premium | Lightest Aeros Ultralight | Cheapest Aluft Neck | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 39 × 29 × 11 cm | 39 × 29 × 11 cm | 37 × 29 × 11 cm |
| Cover | 50D polyester knit | 20D polyester | Polyester & cotton, removable |
| Valve | Multi-function | Multi-function | Push-button fine-tune |
| Listed weight | 85 g | 50 g | 100 g |
| Price paid | $65 | $50 | $25 |
| Our score | 9.3 | 9.1 | 8.3 |
Conclusion: Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Traveller pillowConclusion
The Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Traveller is a neck pillow that packs to the size of your palm and earns its spot in the glovebox. The soft knit shell, the big arms and the snap strap make sleeping upright in the car, a hammock or a camp chair a lot more comfortable, and the valve makes it quick to set up. It’s no use for sleeping flat or on your side, and keep it dry, but for $65 it’s one we wouldn’t leave home without.
A soft neck pillow that lives in the glovebox.
It packs to the size of your palm, goes up in a few breaths and kept our necks upright on the long drive to Kosciuszko and a rainy night in the front seat. It’s only for sleeping upright, and store it dry: the fabric holds dust.
- Travellers
- Ultralight
- Campers
Yes, if you sleep upright a lot. It packs to almost nothing and supports your neck in cars and planes. It’s not much use lying flat or for side sleepers.
