Hands up, who typically uses their backup clothes as a backpacking pillow? There is a TON of opinions on this in the backpacking sphere, so I thought I would add my voice to the mix.
On that note, I give you the quillow. My wife has been making them since she was small as it’s a very basic pattern that she leaned from her grandmother. The rudimentary design is as simple as it sounds, it’s a blanket that can fold into a pillow. Its stitched so that it’s a box blanket with a pocket on the end. And it folds and rolls in a very similar manner to a sleeping bag. You can make it out of any material that is suitable for a sewing machine. My quillow is made from partially recycled fiber Polar Fleece. I also treated the fabric with Grangers repel plus to add some water repellency to it.
Another plus, is that I don’t have to blow it up, or bring a mini pump to do so, thus eliminating an extra component to bring with.
| PROS | CONS |
| Extremely soft, comfortable and warm | Takes up space or requires a separate dry bag |
| Doubles as a robe/dressing gown | |
| Can be used as an extra blanket layer in sleeping bag | |
| Made with love and reminds me of home on longer trips |
All in all, it’s the perfect luxury to bring on short backpacking trips where you can make space for it, and great for car camping to save some space. A pillow on any trip beats smelly spare clothes and the hard ground any day!
The Maritime Adventure 