Exped Air Pillow UL Review

Overview

The Exped Air Pillow UL is an inflatable pillow that weighs 45 g in the standard size and 60 g in the large. It uses a contoured, raised-rim shape and a flat valve that doubles as inflator and dump. It is aimed at backpackers who want something under their head and are unwilling to pay more than a couple of ounces for it. The trade-off is plain: a thin polyester bladder full of air is lighter than anything stuffed, and it also feels like one.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	45–60 g depending on size
Packed size (standard)	12 cm long x 5 cm diameter
Inflated size (standard)	38 x 27 x 11 cm
Inflated size (L)	About 46 x 30 x 12 cm
Fabric	20D polyester with TPU laminate
Surface	GripSkin honeycomb anti-slip coating
Valve	Low-profile FlatValve
Stuff sack	4 g
Warranty	2 years

Performance

Weight and packed size. This is the pillow’s reason to exist. At 45 g, the standard size is about 1.6 oz, and the large is roughly 2.1 oz. Owners who weighed theirs without the stuff sack landed at those figures. One long-time user measured theirs closer to 1.5 oz. Outdoor Gear Lab’s testers recorded 1.7 oz packed and called it the lightest pillow they had tested. Rolled up, the standard size is about the size of a packet of tissues, and many backpackers skip the 4 g stuff sack and stash it in a pocket of the quilt or pack.

Inflation and deflation. The FlatValve gets consistently good marks. A built-in flap opens when the user blows into it and closes between breaths, so no air leaks back out. Testers at Outdoor Gear Lab filled the pillow in three breaths or fewer, and TrailGroove’s reviewers got both sizes full in two. Pressing a finger on the valve dumps the air almost as quickly as the two-valve design on Exped’s older Air Pillow. The valve lies flat once the cap is pushed in, so it stays out of the way of an ear or cheek.

Comfort. Here the reports split by sleeping position. The shape is sensible: the perimeter is raised, the middle sits slightly lower, and one long edge is taller than the other. That lets a side sleeper put the tall edge under the neck, or a back sleeper put it at the crown of the head. The honeycomb GripSkin surface keeps the pillow from skating around on a slick pad or jacket. Fully inflated, though, it is firm. Outdoor Gear Lab judged it best for back sleepers, and found it tolerable for side sleepers only with some air let out. The same testers found that repeating a good firmness level from one night to the next took trial and error. Owners who sleep on their side and want real loft often move up to a bulkier pillow or a stuffed-jacket hybrid. TrailGroove’s reviewers compared it unfavorably with Montbell’s 2.4 oz inflatable on height and support, while preferring the Exped for its valve and lower weight.

Noise and feel. Thin laminated polyester crinkles. Outdoor Gear Lab called it pretty noisy, and light sleepers should expect to hear it every time they roll over. Trailspace’s reviewer, who used it mostly on short trips, rated it below a foam pillow for comfort but praised its compactness and ease of use. The fabric is the same family as Exped’s SynMat UL pad, and one owner who had no durability problems with that pad found it reassuring. Loops on either side of the pillow allow it to be tied to a sleeping bag.

Durability. A 20D fabric is not a 75D fabric. Exped sells a heavier-fabric Versa pillow for people who want thicker material. For normal use in a tent, the UL fabric is adequate. It does call for a quick check of the ground and no tossing in a pack with sharp items.

Choosing a Version

The two sizes share the same shape and fabric. The difference is footprint and a 15 g weight penalty.

• Standard (45 g): The smaller inflated size of 38 x 27 x 11 cm suits most people on a pad with a hooded bag or quilt, and it is the pick for anyone trying to hold the lowest base weight. It is the better choice for back sleepers and for people who tuck a jacket underneath for extra loft.
• L (60 g): The larger pillow is about 46 x 30 x 12 cm, with more room for a restless sleeper whose head wanders. Broad-shouldered side sleepers and anyone who finds the standard size too small to stay on will get more from it. The extra 15 g is the cost of a bigger target.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 45 g (standard) or 60 g (L), with the stuff sack adding only 4 g
• Packs to about 12 x 5 cm in the standard size
• FlatValve fills in two or three breaths and dumps quickly
• Contoured, raised-rim shape with different edge heights for side and back sleeping
• GripSkin coating keeps it from sliding
• Ties to a sleeping bag with side loops

Cons

• Firm when full; side sleepers have to fine-tune the air level
• Crinkly enough to bother light sleepers
• 20D fabric asks for more care than heavier pillow materials
• Costs more than basic inflatable pillows that weigh a little more
• Less loft and support than heavier inflatable designs

Who Should Buy This

Gram counters who want a purpose-made pillow and not a stuff sack of clothes should look here, especially back sleepers and those who sleep with a hood or quilt that already provides some neck support. It suits short trips, fastpacking and long-distance hikes where the fiddling needed to find the right pressure is a fair price for 45 g. Heavy side sleepers, light sleepers who dislike noisy fabric, and anyone who values plush comfort over pack weight should look at a thicker, bulkier inflatable or a foam-topped pillow instead.

Verdict

The Air Pillow UL does one job: it puts a shaped, adjustable cushion under the head for about the weight of a few sheets of paper, and it does it with a valve that works. It is not a luxury item, and the firm, rustly feel is the price of the weight. Back sleepers and weight-obsessed hikers should buy it; dedicated side sleepers should try a taller pillow first.