Exped Deepsleep Pillow

Details: $49.99, 260g (large)
Used by: Sleep sensitive deputy editor Matthew Cattin
Used for: 20 excellent sleeps

Anybody who has read my articles will know I’m no easy sleeper. I can’t fall asleep in cars, on the couch, or on an uncomfortable mattress, and if my pillow isn’t comfortable, it’s all over. I’ve tried expensive inflatable options over the years, and I make a mean pillow out of a down jacket, but Exped’s Deepsleep has taken the cake as my new favourite sleep accessory.

When first removed from its stuff sack, the pillow seems a huge disappointment. Baggy and limp, it looks under-stuffed and uncomfortable, but, like magic, it slowly inflates as the foam expands. Within five minutes, the wrinkles in the plush fabric are stretched smooth, and the pillow takes on a bouncy resistance like bread dough.

To sleep on, this pillow is a game changer. It’s silent, soft and warm, and equally as comfortable as my pillow at home.

It’s no lightweight, however, and stuffed into its sack, it’s almost as large as my inflatable mattress. But in the tramping game of compromise, I’m happy to sacrifice a little space and weight for a product that makes me smile with each use.

Verdict: The smoothest rough sleep around.