TravelRest - The Ultimate Inflatable Travel Pillow Review

My wife and I bought two of these for plane travel based on the glowing reviews. The concept was pretty compelling, and I have to say that the pillow works almost as well as advertised.

***UPDATE***
This product deserves a minimum of 4 stars. My original review failed to take into account some additional ways to use the pillow effectively.

First off, the excellent:

1. The pillow is very easy to inflate, and only takes 3-4 puffs of air depending on your lungs. It is also very easy to deflate, rolls up, and takes up a minimum of space in your carry on bag.

2. The pillow is comfortable enough for an inflatable. It is covered in a soft faux velvet that doesn't irritate the skin or cause discomfort due to pressure points. You can make it even more comfortable with a small cotton pillow or even by putting a cotton pillow case over it, if you prefer that.

3. When it used properly it will support your head and neck very well and will allow you to sleep on an airplane, car, or even sitting in the airport lobby.

4. The 'arm' of the pillow resting along your chest and mid section is very comfortable. I found it soothing since I tend to sleep holding a pillow anyway. Your mileage may vary on that one though.

A Few Problems:

The pillow can be hard to keep in one place if you use the rope to fasten it to the seat back. There are two bands that connect the pillow to your chair: the first is a loop that you can put around your belt, your seat belt, or even a belt loop. This connection works well and is fastened in place by a quality metal snap. However, the top is held in place by a nylon piece of rope that you can adjust with a plastic thump clasp. It is intended to go around the backside of your seat and then tighten down to hold the pillow in place. This can work pretty poorly on certain airplanes because A. the seat backs in are sometimes slick, B. the nylon rope doesn't have any traction to it (although this is intentional because it allows the thumb clasp to move easily), and C. The top of some airplane seats are angled and as time passes the rope works itself free. My experience was that it was very hard to make the cushion stay in place for more than an hour at a time, and it required readjustment frequently. This may frustrate the person sitting next to you, or the person behind you who you keep turning around and looking at while you make adjustments!

***UPDATE***

After receiving some additional information from the makers of the TravelRest pillow, I've learned that there is an alternative (and far superior in my opinion) way to use the pillow that involves wearing it like a messenger bag by connecting the pillow strap to the bottom strap. This forms a loop you can put around your body and which keeps the pillow much more stationary. Using the pillow in this fashion is easier and more secure. I'd recommend using the pillow this way virtually all of the time.

2. The pillow only gives you support on one side at a time, unlike traditional neck pillows. If you shift while sleeping, you will find yourself with a massive neck cramp.

***UPDATE***
However, you can easily shift the pillow from one side to the other if you're 'wearing it' messenger style. This alleviates that problem pretty satisfactorily.

Advice and Observations:

1. Don't over-inflate the pillow. It is actually more comfortable at about 80-90% capacity.

2. It is easy to let air out once the pillow is in place, but it is much harder to add air because the access point is on the bottom of the pillow. Go for a little over full and then let air out as necessary.

Conclusions:

This is pretty solid invention for sleeping on a plane. In my estimation, it is superior to a traditional neck pillow, but has its share of advantages and disadvantages. I'd recommend it if you prefer strong directional support to softer universal neck support provided by a traditional neck pillow, and if you like the comfort of having a pillow 'hugging' you as you sleep. This pillow also works really well in the car, and if you've got kids who have a hard time sleeping on road trips, these are probably a must buy.

***UPDATE***
I'd like to thank TravelRest for their customer service. This company went out of their way to assist with my pillow by providing additional information on how to use the pillow effectively. They have produced a short video on using the pillow that I have put a link to in the comments section. It is pretty PR-ish, but does show the various ways to use the pillow. I'd also like to say that TravelRest in no way bartered for any changes to this review. They were straight shooters who wanted to make sure I understood their product and was using it properly. I've got no problem recommending them to anyone. It's actually pretty amazing when a company goes above and beyond to provide solid customer service as they did for me.

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Product Description:
USA TODAY Nov 2008 "just begs you to snuggle up and take a nap"
BOSTON GLOBE Nov 2008 "a nice way to nap" "it lived up to its name"
SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER Nov 2008 "Best Travel Pillows" "two thumbs up"
MSNBC Dec 2008 "size-wise or price-wise, small is beautiful" "offers a different approach to airborne slumber"
CANADA-THE OTTAWA CITIZEN "Why it makes the list: This innovative device keeps your noggin upright."
VAGABLOND Jan 2009 "My new travel BFF" " I could just kiss (the inventor) for designing this snazzy little guy"
CHICAGO TRIBUNE Jan 2009 "The tether works, and the long, curved design of the pillow gives a delicious sense of snuggling up with one of those full-body bed pillows"
CRUNCH GEAR Feb 2009 "it works as advertised" "I was the only one waking up from my naps without a cramped neck"
ALLOY Dec 2008 "is a gift that screams practical"
CURVE MAGAZINE Dec 2008 "the best travel pillow out there thanks to it's ergonomic shape"
ABOUT COM: NY CITY TRAVEL "waking up without a stiff neck was a welcome treat"
PEOPLE MAGAZINE NOV 2008 "much more comfortable than those horseshoe pillows"
HAPPILY TRAVELING Oct 2008 "I slept like a well fed baby. I highly recommend it. No more stiff mangled necks here!"
GEAR DIARY Oct 2008 "I recommend this pillow over the stuffed horseshoe ones"
GO EUROPE/ABOUT-COM Oct 2008 "More stable than other neck pillows"
HIP COMPASS Sept 2008 "the most comfortable travel pillow I have ever used"
AERO CHANNEL Sept 2008 "The verdict? I'm impressed"
LOS ANGELES TIMES June 2008 "long flights can be a little more comfy with these compact travel pillows"

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