The Best and Worst of Travel Neck Pillows

Today, a lot of airlines are cutting costs by removing travel pillows but that doesn't mean that you have to give up your comfort. I remember the first travel pillow I ever had, and this was before companies were making these pillows. I used to travel a lot when I was a teen so my mother sewed me a custom neck pillow that I could take anywhere. I remember it was made from an old pair of my little sisters blue footie pajamas, which was half the reason it was so soft and comfortable. She had the right idea and today, the market offers lots of different choices when it comes to travel pillows.

Some are inflatable, washable, solid, and most are easy to travel with. A travel pillow supports your neck and head, providing comfort and helping to avoid pain, especially when traveling far distances. Many travel pillows will now allow you to sleep upright without straining your neck to the side or back wards. I've personally tested 6 brands of travel neck pillows for affordability, comfort, ease of care, and pack-ability. The following list details the best and the worst of travel neck pillows.

Best
HappiNeck Therapeutic Pillow - http://www.imakproducts.com - $35.00
Out of all 6 pillows this one topped my list. Unlike most neck travel pillows the HappiNeck is slightly squared and rests comfortably over the entire neck and shoulder area. This pillow is semi-firm and when I had it on it reminded me of a couch cushion-a plush one. This pillow was large enough for me to rest my chin on either side. The HappiNeck was also a bit thicker than the rest of the pillows allowing for better support of my neck.

Comfort Travel Pillow - http://www.eaglecreek.com - $15.00
Of the inflatable neck pillows that I tried, this one was the best. This U-shaped pillow comes with a removable soft fleece cover that is machine washable, and it also has an air release valve on the side if you want to release some of the pressure in the pillow. This pillow is super light and inflates/deflates in about 2 seconds, making it easy to store in your carry-on. This pillow was very comfortable but like most inflatables, you could still feel the stiffness of the plastic underneath.