The trtl travel pillow has a unique design which sets it apart from the ‘standard’ kind of neck pillow you might be used to. Essentially this is a fleece scarf with a built in support for the neck. Its unique design is also where it gets its ‘turtle’ name from. If you take out the inner support you can see it looks a bit like a turtle’s fins. Unfortunately I didn’t find this design to be very packable friendly. If it were to fold flat, or bend in half maybe it would be easier to pack into a bag. However as it is, it’s not as packable as an inflatable neck pillow.
In terms of weight, although it is actually 3 times heavier than the sea to summit inflatable neck pillow it actually feels about the same weight and is very durable, flexible and solid. Once you get used to the method of putting it on and adjusting it to the right spot it is comfortable to use. There are 2 main ways you can use this neck pillow. The first is on the side and the second is on the front, however I found using it on the front to be a bit tight uncomfortable against my neck. You would have to experiment with varying tightness to get the optimal spot. Once I found the optimal position, I was able to sleep for a several hours while wearing the trtl pillow.
When compared to a ‘standard’ inflatable neck pillow I would say that the trtl is more comfortable. It takes a bit of adjustment to get it right, but once you do, the support that the trtl gives your head is very comfortable. One negative point about the trtl pillow was that It was uncomfortable wearing earphones while wearing it on the side. I found that the earphones kept falling out when I got to a comfortable position.
Inflatable pillow vs trtl
In terms of packability the trtl is very bulky and awkward. When compared to this sea to summit inflatable pillow is far more larger and less packable. Luckily the trtl’s plastic is quite flexible, and I was able to stuff it against the clothing cube in my bag without much trouble. This did make it a little bit difficult to pull out of my bag on the plane though. And even more awkward to stuff back in. I think that if trtl could find a way to make it bend in half, or perhaps fold flat then it would make the trtl pillow much more packable.
Overall I did enjoy the trtl pillow and it is comfortable enough to sleep for hours in once you’ve adjusted it properly. However its bulk and lack of packability makes me hesitant to bring it on future trips. If you are in the market for a comfortable neck pillow, and aren’t too worried about its packability, I would definitely suggest checking out the trtl travel pillow.
