REASONS TO BUY
Top-notch comfort
Very large
Adjustable firmness
Compression system keeps it clean
Machine washable
REASONS TO AVOID
Pricey
Extremely heavy
Hard to fit inside a sleeping bag
HEST Camp Pillow Review
An ideal choice if you want a soft and comfy camping pillow, no matter how heavy it is
Credit: Zach Lovell
By Zach Lovell ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ September 8, 2026
RELATED: The Best Camping Pillows of 2026
Our Verdict
As long as you keep your tent close to the car, the heavy Hest Camp Pillow offers some of the best-in-class comfort for camping. At over 24 inches wide, this rivals at-home pillows in size and can even be compressed to much smaller dimensions by flipping it inside out and zipping it shut, which also keeps it clean while traveling. The Hest leans on a softer cushion construction, which felt great on our ears and head regardless of sleep position, though some campers might find it too soft if needing support. As long as this pillow is in your budget and you don't mind its weight, the Hest is a fantastic camping companion that makes your sleeping bag or camper feel a little more homey.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The HEST leans on a softer construction for its comfort, and many testers said it felt like their at-home pillow. Credit: Zach Lovell
Comfort
The Hest Camp Pillow offers an incredibly soft construction that became a favorite amongst our testing team. It's two feet wide and boasts about 8 inches of shredded memory foam and polyester to cradle your head and keep your neck from getting stiff. Without any modifications, the Hest is better for campers who want a mushy, spongy feel from their pillow, though you can email Hest for more shredded memory foam filling (for free) to make it firmer.
In addition to the depth of the Hest Camp Pillow, its length and width are downright impressive. We tested this model in a size large and measured it at about 24 inches by 20 inches, rivaling the dimensions of our at-home pillows. This made it easy to roll over or adjust sleeping positions without losing cushion, as our heads stayed on the thickest parts of the Hest, even when repositioning in our sleep.
This is one of the largest camp pillows we've seen, and it made it easy to keep our heads cushioned even after rolling over. Credit: Zach Lovell
The soft pillowcase of the Hest Camp Pillow is made with a stretch-woven nylon, which felt great against our ears, face, and neck. The long sides of the Hest are also contoured, so your shoulders won't push the pillow away from your head.
From the Hest's thick cushioning to the contoured sides, it's an incredibly comfortable pillow.
Weight
The Hest Camp Pillow is not designed to be carried very far from the car, with a construction that favors comfort and size over transportability.
We measured this pillow at 51 ounces, making it one of the heavier models available on the market. Why so heavy? In addition to simply being larger, Hest includes a water- and dirt-resistant cover that also adds weight. Keep this in your car or van camper, or pop your tent at a car-side campsite. Hest does make this exact pillow in smaller sizes if you want to save at least some weight.
The Hest Camp Pillow is very comfy, but its comfort comes at the expense of being very heavy. Credit: Zach Lovell
Packability
While the Hest Camp Pillow (in size large) weighs over two pounds, it packs up relatively small for travel. It still isn't packable enough for a backpacking trip, but it'll free up room in your vehicle for tents, clothing, a stove, and other camping gear.
Other camp pillows in this weight class are notoriously bulky, but the Hest Camp Pillow flips inside out and zips shut for easier travel. We measured this pillow, once packed, at about 14 inches wide. It also has a carrying loop, which was much appreciated given the somewhat awkward “large football” carrying shape of the Hest once compressed.
When it's time to head home, simply flip the pillow inside out and zip it shut. Credit: Zach Lovell
Support
The design team at Hest leaned toward a softer feel with this pillow, but you can get additional stuffing for free if you need more support from your camping pillow. We scored this model based on the standard filling included with the purchase and found it still performed well without changing the amount of shredded memory foam.
The Hest Camp Pillow was more supportive than we expected, with a plush amount of cushion. After the first few inches of depression as we laid down, the Hest gently held our head without us sinking all the way down to the camp mattress. If you want a mushier pillow, you can also simply remove some of the filling, making the Hest a surprisingly adjustable model.
From the factory, this is a softer pillow, but you can make it more or less supportive depending on your preferences. Credit: Zach Lovell
Ease of Use
In the context of car camping and tent camping near the road, the Hest Camp Pillow is very straightforward: just flip the pillow inside out and go to bed. It is slightly harder to compress/flip it outside-in for travel, but we appreciated keeping the pillow clean in transit.
In addition to warding off dirt, the outside fabric of the Hest also offers some water repellency, which was all we needed for brief rain walks from the house to the car or from the car to the tent. Over time, any pillow is bound to get dirty, and we loved that we could wash the entire pillowcase of the Hest.
The exterior fabric of the Hest keeps your camping pillow dry and clean, which is considered an essential by most of our testing team. Credit: Zach Lovell
Should You Buy the Hest Camp Pillow?
For at-home comfort in a tent or van, choose the Hest Camp Pillow. It won't cost you a penny to adjust the firmness, and when the pillowcase gets dirty, you can easily clean it in your washing machine. If your outdoor ambitions include backpacking, this is definitely not the pillow for you, but if weight isn't an issue and you can swing a more expensive model, the Hest is a great buy.
The Hest is one of the few camping pillows we've used that makes a van or tent feel more like home. Credit: Zach Lovell
What Other Camping Pillows Should You Consider?
If you want a slightly more supportive pillow and don't want to mess with ordering more filling from the manufacturer, the Klymit Drift should be put high on your list. The Drift is also a bit smaller overall, which can make it more compatible with some sleeping bags, and it still has a shell pillowcase to keep it clean in transit. If you want a more affordable pillow, check out the Teton Sports Pillow, which is a fraction of the price of the Hest.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare HEST Camp Pillow versus top competing products:
| Awards |  Most Like Your Home Pillow |
|---|---|
| Price | $129 List Check REI (on sale!) |
Overall Score  |
|
| Star Rating | |
| Bottom Line | An ideal choice if you want a soft and comfy camping pillow, no matter how heavy it is |
| Pros | Top-notch comfort, very large, adjustable firmness, compression system keeps it clean, machine washable |
| Cons | Pricey, extremely heavy, hard to fit inside a sleeping bag |
| Rating Categories | HEST Camp |
| Comfort (25%) | |
| Weight (20%) | |
| Packability (20%) | |
| Support (20%) | |
| Ease of Use (15%) | |
| Specifications | HEST Camp |
| Packing System | Compressible |
| Materials | Shell Material: Polyester, nylon Padding: Shredded polyester foam |
| Measured Weight | 51 oz |
| Measured Length | 24 in |
| Measured Width | 15in |
| Measured Thickness | 8 in |
| Stuff Sack | Integrated stow sack, zippered |
—Zach Lovell
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