Exped Ultra Pillow Review

Overview

The Exped Ultra Pillow, the successor to the AirPillow UL, is an anatomically shaped air pillow in 20D recycled stretch polyester. It packs to roughly the size of a tennis ball, and it is aimed at backpackers who have decided that a stuff sack full of puffy jacket is no longer good enough. The trade-off is price and profile: at $44.95 it costs more than generic air pillows, and fully inflated it sits taller than some side sleepers and most back sleepers will want.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	74 g
Inflated dimensions	15 x 10.6 x 4.3 in
Fill	Air
Fabric	20D recycled stretch polyester with TPU polyether film laminate, OEKO-TEX 100 certified
Valve	Combo FlatValve with one-way flapper and deflation pin
Packed size	Roughly tennis-ball sized
Attachment	Fabric eyelets on the sides, pillow cord included
Includes	Pillow, pillow cord, stuff sack
Price	$44.95

Performance

Comfort and shape. The Ultra Pillow’s defining feature is its profile. The bottom edge is cut away so a shoulder can tuck into it, and the pillow is slightly taller than a plain rectangle. Reviewers who sleep on their sides report that this keeps the pillow under the head far longer than a stuff sack or a basic air pillow, which tend to wander across the tent overnight. Pack & Trail’s tester called it the most comfortable inflatable pillow tried to date, singling out the shape.

Firmness is adjustable, and it matters. Fully inflated, the pillow can feel stiff and tall. Letting out a little air gives it more give. One tester found it almost too tall for back sleeping when fully inflated, though it can be rotated to use the lower edge. Trailspace’s reviewer, who used it on a 93-mile Wonderland Trail hike, said getting inflation dialed in takes some fiddling.

Fabric and noise. The stretch polyester has a soft, slightly fuzzy face. Pack & Trail’s tester described it as softer than the fabric on Exped’s Ultra sleeping mats and, importantly for light sleepers, not crinkly. That is a clear improvement over the AirPillow UL it replaces. Outdoor Gear Lab’s testers rated that earlier model highly for weight and packed size but poorly for comfort and called it noisy. The Ultra’s thin, stretchy skin still has no plush top layer, so it feels like an air mattress for the head. Most owners accept that for the weight savings.

Durability. Trailspace’s reviewer called the construction very durable after a multi-day trek. Exped backs the pillow with a five-year limited warranty, according to retailer listings. The same reviewer’s one complaint about the finish was that the light Lichen colorway shows dirt and skin oil, so the darker colorways are the practical choice.

Packing and use. The packed size is the draw. Testers describe a pillow that disappears into a pack, and Outdoor Gear Lab’s staff lost track of its predecessor several times because it was so small. The stuff sack is generously sized, so repacking in a cold tent is not a wrestling match. The flat, low-profile valve lets the pillow be inflated by mouth in a few breaths. The one-way flapper holds air while the user catches their breath, and a deflation pin dumps it quickly in the morning. Two eyelets on the sides take the included cord to lash the pillow to a pad, which helps on slick pad surfaces. The pillow is slim enough to sit inside the hood of most sleeping bags.

Stacking with other gear. Some owners treat it as a base layer. One REI reviewer paired it with a Zpacks pillow topper for a combined 4.6 oz and said that no other combination among more than ten pillows owned beat its comfort-to-weight ratio. Treeline Review’s testers rated the Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight ahead of the Exped in the ultralight category. The Aeros Ultralight is plusher, while the Exped is taller.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Shoulder cut-out and height keep the pillow under the head, especially for side sleepers
• Soft, quiet stretch fabric, with none of the crinkle that plagued earlier ultralight pillows
• Packs to about the size of a tennis ball
• Durable construction, backed by a five-year warranty
• Eyelets and cord secure it to a sleeping pad
• Easy-to-use FlatValve for fast inflation and deflation

Cons

• $44.95 is steep for a pillow
• Tall when fully inflated, and a little stiff until some air is let out
• No plush top layer, so it feels like an air pillow
• Light colorway shows dirt and oil
• Fine-tuning the inflation takes a few nights

Who Should Buy This

The Ultra Pillow suits side sleepers and mixed sleepers who count grams but refuse to give up neck support, especially those who already use a slick air pad that lets pillows slide away. It also works for travel, where it doubles as a flight pillow that fits in a jacket pocket. Back sleepers who want a low, soft pillow should look at plusher, flatter options, as should anyone who prefers a thick top layer. Hikers who would rather stuff a jacket into a sack and call it a pillow will find the price hard to justify, as will anyone who needs more width than this size offers. Exped makes a wider Large version for that.

Verdict

The Ultra Pillow is one of the better ultralight air pillows: soft, quiet, durable, and shaped to stay put at night. It is expensive and a bit tall, but for side sleepers who want a real pillow in a pack side pocket, it justifies a place in the kit.