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Reviews > Sleep Gear > Accessories > Slumberjack Standard Pillow > Owner Review by Will Dalen Rice

SLUMBERJACK STANDARD PILLOW
BY WILLIAM RICE
OWNER REVIEW
March 17, 2008

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: William Rice
EMAIL: tdnarrator@hotmail.com
AGE: 26
LOCATION: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
GENDER: M
HEIGHT: 5' 7" (1.70 m)
WEIGHT: 145 lb (65.80 kg)

I began backpacking at the age of 13 when I first went to summer camp (1993). In 1999, I started working with a college tripping organization in outdoor trip logistics (in gear preparation), and then as a leader. My most frequented hiking locations are in the Carolina Appalachians and the Smoky Mountains during the cold early spring and the summer. I stopped being a trip leader in 2004, and now I average about 4 backpacking trips and 4 day hikes per year. I carry between 25 and 35 lbs (11.3-15.8 kg) on multi-day trips.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: Slumberjack
Year of Manufacture: 2001
Manufacturer's Website: www.slumberjack.com
MSRP: None Listed
Listed Weight: None
Measured Weight: just less than 0.5 lbs (200 g)
Dimensions: 20" x 10" x 3" (51 cm x 25 cm x 8 cm)
Other details: one side is covered with fleece, the other side is covered with cotton flannel
Fill Material: Polyester

This pillow originally came with a small stuff sack for it. I lost the stuff sack. It has still worked well for me though, because I just add it to the stuff sack I use for my sleeping bag.

The pillow did not come with directions, but did have a tag on it with wash directions and other info.

IMAGE 1
Flannel Side


IMAGE 2
Fleece Side

FIELD USE

Use History:
This pillow has been on every outdoor trip I have been on since I bought it (2001). Guessing a minimum of 10 nights per year that gives 60 uses in the outdoors (except 2005). I spent a year on a traveling service team through AmeriCorps and used it while on the road since luggage size was an issue. That would add about another 8 months solid use (used indoors though, but every night).

This pillow has been used in temperatures as low as 0 F (-18 C, "Spring" Break in the Southern Appalachians) and as hot as 90 F (50 C). It has been used in rainy conditions, very dry conditions (this month in Mexico), and even in slightly snowy conditions (again, "Spring" Break).

I have slept on the following surfaces using this pillow: airport carpet flooring, slightly thicker carpet, grassy ground, pine needle bed, sandy ground, sandy rock, mostly rock, and of course bed.

Performance:
The biggest bonus for myself with this pillow has been its dual-sided operation. One side has fleece, which I have used when the weather was colder. The other side, cotton flannel, I use when it is too hot for the fleece side. The width of the pillow allows for me to start on my left side with the pillow under my head, and roll all the way over to the right side of my body without my head rolling off. The thickness works well for me when I am laying on my back and it keeps me from feeling the ground. If I lay on my side, I fold the pillow in half to double the thickness and accommodate for the space from my ear to the outside of my shoulder line.

Durability:
This pillow has lasted me since 2001, with heavy use and not so special care. Close examination of the pillow would show a little bit of bunching of the fill material, mostly because I usually fold it in half. A few minutes of shaking and hitting the pillow help to redistribute the fill material. I have washed it with regular clothes. Other than lint in the fleece and a darker tinge to the color of the non-fleece side, there is no sign of the age and amount of use this product has taken.

SUMMARY

This pillow has been one of my best friends. Whether I am traveling into the woods or just trying to go lighter, I take this pillow with me. Its soft, usable in all temperatures, and it packs easily without adding much weight. I don't ever expect my gear to last very long under the grueling conditions I subject it to, so having this pillow still around is a very nice surprise.

THINGS I LIKE

1. Ultra-durable
2. Lightweight
3. Comfortable
4. Different sides for different temperatures

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

1. Stuff sack is not built in to pillow

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

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Reviews > Sleep Gear > Accessories > Slumberjack Standard Pillow > Owner Review by Will Dalen Rice



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