Traveling can be an exciting adventure, but uncomfortable journeys can quickly dampen the experience. One key to enjoyable travel, especially on long flights or drives, is ensuring you get proper rest. That’s where a good neck pillow comes in, and after rigorous testing, we consistently recommend the Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow as the best Neck Pillow For Travel.
The Travelrest Ultimate memory foam neck pillow, a donut-shaped travel pillow for optimal neck support, shown on a soft blanket.
Why the Travelrest Nest Ultimate is the Best Neck Pillow for Travel
For several years, the Travelrest Nest Ultimate has remained our top choice due to its superior design and construction. Unlike many travel pillows, the Travelrest is engineered with a plush yet firm memory foam core that provides exceptional support to your neck, surpassing all other pillows we’ve tested. It truly stands out as a neck pillow specifically designed for the demands of travel, particularly in airline seats.
One of the most impressive features of the Travelrest neck pillow is its thoughtfully designed back. Angled and equipped with grippy dots, the back of the pillow sits perfectly flush against both upright and reclined airline seats. This ingenious design ensures the pillow stays in place, preventing it from sliding down as you relax or drift off to sleep. This stability is a game-changer compared to other neck pillows that often require constant readjustment.
The Travelrest Nest Ultimate is crafted to comfortably support heads and necks of all sizes. It features an adjustable cord and clasp, allowing you to customize the fit for optimal support. While it adopts the familiar hemi-doughnut shape common to many neck pillows, the Travelrest distinguishes itself with meticulous details that make it significantly softer and more supportive than its competitors.
The level of support provided by the Travelrest is unmatched. Its broad, generously padded walls gently cradle the entire circumference of your neck, offering a supportive yet not restrictive embrace. The user-friendly Velcro strap allows for easy adjustment, ensuring a snug and secure fit for various neck sizes. A clever addition is a small crevice designed to accommodate those with curlier hairstyles or ponytails, enhancing overall comfort.
Beyond neck support, the Travelrest’s design extends to its compatibility with airline seats. The back of the pillow tapers to a point, allowing it to sit flat against the seat back. This is a crucial feature often missing in other neck pillows. The lack of tapering in many designs can lead to excess padding pushing your neck forward, causing discomfort and neck strain. The Travelrest eliminates this issue, and the grippy dots on the back further enhance its stability, keeping it securely in place.
The Travelrest Ultimate memory foam neck pillow, a donut-shaped travel pillow for optimal neck support, shown on a soft blanket.
In addition to its outstanding support features, the Travelrest neck pillow excels in comfort. The memory foam core is encased in a velvety velour cover that feels luxuriously soft against the skin. This velour material provides warmth without causing overheating and is noticeably softer and smoother than the coverings found on comparable pillows, such as the Cabeau Evolution. Maintaining hygiene is also effortless with the Travelrest, as its cover is easily removable via a zipper and is machine-washable. Even after washing and drying, the velour retains its plush softness.
While not inflatable, the Travelrest is surprisingly packable. It compresses down to a quarter of its original size, making it convenient to carry in your luggage. For packing, simply fold it in a cinnamon-roll style, and it becomes compact enough to fit into its included carrying case. A Velcro strap on the pouch allows for further compression. If space is still tight, the drawstring on the carrying case can be clipped to any exterior loop on your bag.
Our testing panel consistently lauded these thoughtful design elements. The Travelrest received the highest ratings for both comfort and neck support compared to any other pillow tested. In fact, two-thirds of our testers selected it as their favorite travel neck pillow.
Minor Drawbacks (Flaws but not Dealbreakers)
It’s important to acknowledge that the Travelrest Nest Ultimate, being a substantial memory foam pillow, will not compress to the incredibly thin and flat profile of a very basic pillow like the Trtl Pillow. However, its superior, cushioned support is still achieved within a reasonably packable size, and its lightweight nature (around 13 ounces) won’t add noticeable weight to your carry-on. If saving maximum space is absolutely paramount, the Trtl might be considered, but it offers a different type of support and may not be as universally comfortable.
Another minor consideration is chin support for individuals with smaller faces. While the Travelrest effectively supports heads leaning left, right, or back, those with smaller facial structures might find that their chin tends to sink into the gap between the pillow closure and their neck when their head nods forward. While the Velcro strap can be adjusted for a tighter fit, its adjustability is somewhat less extensive compared to the adjustable strings found on pillows like the Cabeau Evolution.
Finally, due to the height of the Travelrest’s supportive sides, which are designed to reach up to the wearer’s jawline, compatibility with larger over-ear headphones might be a concern for individuals with shorter necks. In some instances, the pillow could potentially push the headphones upwards, causing discomfort. However, this issue may not be experienced by everyone, particularly those with longer necks.
Conclusion
Despite these minor considerations, the Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow remains the undisputed best neck pillow for travel. Its unparalleled support, exceptional comfort, thoughtful design for airline seats, and ease of cleaning and packing make it an invaluable travel companion. If you’re seeking a neck pillow that truly prioritizes your comfort and well-being during travel, the Travelrest Nest Ultimate is an investment you won’t regret.
