After a long day’s ride I just want to rest my head and get some sleep. However, getting comfortable on a sleeping pad can be difficult, especially when it comes to pillows. Many people carry a blow up or compressible pillow and some just stuff some clothes into a bag and put that under the head. But I’ve always found those solutions to be less than satisfying; either they at just not big enough or they slip out from under the head. A cotton pillow case is an improvement over using a slick stuff sack, but there must be a better solution. I have often thought that sleeping pads should have an integrated inflatable pillow, but failing that an easy may to get the head at a comfortable angle is to just put your shoes under the head end of the pad. This angles the pad nicely providing a soft support for the neck and head and there’s no need to use clothes as a pillow that could be worn if it gets really cold during the night. The pictures below show the set up, but you’ll have to imagine someone laying on the pad and the angle that the end of the pad would then make with the ground
Filed under: Touring
