I really like the MB and it was my solution to a similar problem.

I raise the height of mine by using the toggle strap openings to run crossed elastics under the pillow - this space I then 'flat' stuff with clothes. Add whatever is softest as a top layer, wrap the whole thing in a cinched-down windshirt then put a base layer over that; works well for me.

I've used a travel neck pillow (soft foam) a few times and found it pretty comfortable. I toss and turn, when I'm on my back I have it around my neck as intended and otherwise I just arrange it so my head/neck feel supported. It worked well for my girlfriend too. Afraid to weigh it but maybe an inflatable would work as well.

Side sleeper here. I have a cuben stuff sack for my clothes and other things. At night I put my shoes in them (inside out if shoes are dirty), any excess clothing on top of the shoes, a 1 liter platy (with or without water) on top of the stack, wrap the draw string around the package so the platy stays on top, then I place my head on it, close my eyes, and go to sleep.

Happened on this thread and wanted to add a combination that I think might work well for me as a side sleeper. I fold up my GG Thinlight pad 1/8" and rest my Exped Air Pillow on top. This does two things, keeps the pillow from sliding around due to the grip of the Thinlight pad and adds height that I need because the Exped isn't thick enough.

I have found sticking some clothes in my Exped Snozzle pump bag makes a great pillow.

+1 Exped pillow. I too was once on a grand pillow search and it ended with this product...

A few years ago I stumbled upon the inflatable FlexAirPlus pillows. They come with a straw to blow them up. I had my wife make a custom size cotton pillow case to fit over it and it works for me..all for 1.65 ounces pillow, straw, and case.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZEUuXGLAFo

I wanted to like inflatables, but hated the ones I had tried. I thought the Cocoon Ultralight was absolutely awful. Then I tried the Exped and loved it.

The Nemo Fillo is indeed a good pillow for side sleepers. It has a bungee cord on the under side to increase height even more if needed (never needed to do that)

some cheesy pictures I took some time ago are here: http://meepmeep.blogdrive.com/#fillo

Very soft fabric on top, combined with a little bit of foam to cover the inflatable pillow.

Very good valve as well.

After trying all kinds of ideas, I have come to using a FlexAir with my puff jacket wrapped around it inside my 10-liter clothing stuff bag, blown up to the the right feel, with an inside-out (soft side out) balaclava over the stuff bag. If you bunch the jacket in each end of the stuff bag, you won't roll off. Very nice.

Have you tried the Klymit Cush? I've found it to be very adaptable, and I'm enjoying it so far. It folds in a number of configurations so you can get the height you need.

I was able to find one on sale before Christmas, and only ended up paying $13 with all the discounts. Even full price, it's only $20.

I like the Klymit pillow so far as well. It can be configured for just about any sleeping preference. I also like that it is designed as seat as well. Most inflatable pillows cannot handle that much weight. As a side sleeper it can even work as a sleeping pad in a pinch.

I have never found a decent pillow. Inflatables feel like ballons, period.

What I do is put my shoes inserted toe-first under the head area of my sleeping pad.
Space apart maybe 8"-10"
This gently slopes the pad up and it cradles the head and has som "give" if lying on back.

Then, my clothes bag (5 gal paint strainer mesh sack=0.5oz) with whatever clothes or raingear I m not wearing is twisted up to make whatever pillow shape I want. Pillow comes out round, about 10-12", and whatever thickness i want to make it. Then secure neck of mesh bag with a rubber band.

Works better than anything else Ive ever tried, whether on back or side.

to match the new sleeping pad.

https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Accessory/qcoreslpillow

Take the inflatable exped pillow. Put a buff over it. Add soft stuff (mittens hat etc) inside the buff as needed. Sleep soundly

If you have an expeed pad - pillow pump makes a lot of sense. I got one and it is decent.

Having bought and made all sorts of pillows ,finally the solution came about by mistake.
A mate had a pillow case made from an ex silk liner, in fact he had two ...
Because he had no use for two he gave me one.
So I tried stuffing that with some clothing (the first time was my puffy jacket) and placed that inside the hood of my sleeping bag.
At that point I realised that I had solved a couple of previous problems, that is : losing the pillow if placed outside or a strange feel if against my head/face.
As a bonus it catches some of my drooling avoiding soiling the sleeping bag.
BTW, I had tried "clothing inside a sleeve" before, what I did not get right was the type of fabric used for the sleeve
(previous attempts were done with stuff sacks)

Inside the silk pillow case I have a merino/possum down jumper

Edited by Franco on 01/28/2013 22:09:26 MST.

I never seem to have any extra clothes to stuff under my head for a pillow, and my shoes are not the most attractive article of clothing that I want to lay my head on. I've discovered 4L rectangular white plastic milk bottles with my towel wrapped around it for friction against my exped mat gives me two heights - low for back sleeping and high for side sleeping. The soft white (polythene?) plastic is pretty quiet and soft too.

They weigh 28grams and the rectangular ends stay ridgid making the central portion form a sling to cradle your head. If you mix 50/50 boiling and cold water they can be used in a dry bag as a hot water bottle. They are also one of the lightest ways to carry water when you are not sleeping on them!

I too am a slide sleeper and really like the Cocoon Ultra light pillow, but I am typically fine with a lower pillow height at home. I find that a fleece on top of the pillow helps eliminate the air pillow feel.