Fillo King Camping Pillow

The Nemo Fillo King Camping Pillow is the plus-size Fillo: a baffled air cell wrapped in a thick layer of soft foam, under a removable, machine-washable jersey cover. The Fillo King is square and tall, built for side sleepers with broad shoulders, and it rolls up into its own drawstring stuff sack for the pack.

Who it's for

The Fillo King is for the camper who has tried sleeping on a rolled-up fleece and woken with a stiff neck. Side sleepers with broad shoulders get the most from it, because Nemo makes it square and tall to give them the height they need. It earns its spot on a base camp weekend at Girraween, a week of walk-in camping on the Sunshine Coast hinterland, or a long walk where a good night's sleep is worth carrying.

Air, foam, or both

Both, and that is the whole idea. A pure air pillow packs tiny but feels like lying on a balloon, and it squirts out from under your head when you roll over. A pure foam pillow feels lovely and takes up half your pack. The Fillo King puts an I-beam baffled air cell in the middle to hold its shape, then wraps it in soft foam made from offcuts of Nemo's self-inflating pads. You get structure underneath and a cushioned, pillow-like give on top, without the balloon feel.

Size and loft

This is the big one in the Fillo family: square rather than rectangular, and tall. That height is what a side sleeper needs, and the square shape is generously sized. Prefer it a little lower? Let a touch of air out through the valve and it softens straight away.

Packed size and weight

Deflate the air cell, roll the pillow tight and it slides into the included drawstring stuff sack. The foam makes it a little bigger in the pack than an air-only pillow, which is the price of sleeping like you do at home. If space inside is tight, you can strap the sack to the outside of your pack.

Washing it

The jersey cover zips off and goes straight in the washing machine. A camp pillow soaks up sunscreen, insect repellent and a few days of sweat, so a cover you can wash keeps it feeling fresh trip after trip. Let the cover dry fully before it goes back on.

Looking after it

At home, store the Fillo King out of its stuff sack with the valve open so the foam can relax and spring back. Keep it away from sharp tent pegs and campfire sparks, and give the bladder a quick look before each trip.