As I travel full-time with only hand luggage, every single thing I carry needs to have a purpose. That might be a tougher measure than most people, but it means anything I recommend is pretty decent.
I went shopping a few weeks ago for a new travel pillow. My needs are simple: it must be comfortable and fold down as small as possible. I have used a blow up pillow to take on board for years and years, but spotted this Go Hybrid Universal Pillow in John Lewis last time I was in the UK. This was its first outing. This is presented in a smart grey nylon drawstring bag, which will fit in a corner of your hand luggage.
When removed from the bag, it is clear there are two distinct sides on this pillow. On one side, is an elephant grey suede with a nozzle for blowing up the pillow. You blow up one side to give the pillow additional volume and on the other side is a soft microfibre fabric with a layer of memory foam.
This has a pleasing feel and is extremely soft to the touch. When blown up (see below), the expanding part can be quite hard to the touch (and I think makes the pillow a little firm overall). I recommend blowing it up to just 70-80% fullness, allowing for a little bit of movement.
On my recent flight to Oslo Torp on Norwegian Air, I put the pillow to good use and enjoyed a more comfortable nap!
Overall Recommendation
This Go Hybrid Universal Pillow feels well-made and is in a practical small bag. Users must carefully remove all the air before trying to roll it up to go back in the bag, but once you get used to this, it is very straightforward. For a very reasonable price of £9.99 including VAT, this has won a corner of my hand luggage for future flights.
Planet Patrick recommends!
