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Nemo Fillo Elite Review

A great option for folks who want comfortable sleep without sacrificing pack space or added weight
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Nemo Fillo Elite Review (We crashed on the Fillo Elite in the back of a truck at the trailhead and while camping along rivers, lakes and...)
We crashed on the Fillo Elite in the back of a truck at the trailhead and while camping along rivers, lakes and streams. We slept on it in tents, directly on the ground and even in our own beds.
Credit: Jason Wanlass
Price:  $60 List
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Manufacturer:   Nemo
By Jason Wanlass ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  May 16, 2022
74
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#6 of 15
  • Comfort - 25% 6.0
  • Weight - 20% 9.9
  • Packed Size - 20% 9.0
  • Support - 20% 6.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 6.0

Our Verdict

The Nemo Fillo Elite is a lighter version of our reigning favorite pillow, the Nemo Fillo. The differences between these models are significant. This Elite version shaves off a lot of weight and packed size at the expense of comfort and support. Designed specifically for longer outdoor adventures, this pillow will appeal to backpackers, climbers, or mountaineers who desire the most comfort possible for the least amount of weight and size. This pillow is not perfection, but it scores neck-and-neck with our favorite backpacking-focused model, and is a great choice for bringing a reasonably comfortable head cushion into the backcountry. To see how it stacks up versus the competition, check out our review of the best camping pillows.
REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Packs up small
Reasonable comfortable
Built-in stuff sack
REASONS TO AVOID
Thin for side sleepers
Stuff sack is too small
Valve is finicky

Compare to Similar Products

 
nemo fillo elite
This Product
Nemo Fillo Elite
Awards Top Pick Award
Best Lightweight Hybrid
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Camping Pillow
Best Buy Award
Impressive Bang for the Buck
Top Pick Award
Compact and Lightweight Luxury
Best Buy Award
A High-Value Lightweight Compressible
Price $44.93 at REI
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$38.29 at Amazon
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$25 List
$17.39 at REI
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Bottom Line This pillow packs up small and light enough that you could stuff it in your pocket and probably forget it was thereThis pillow provides excellent comfort and is adjustable for all kinds of sleepers in most camp settingsSerious comfort for folks who don't need to spend top dollar on a lightweight, packable modelThis model adds significant comfort, but at a weight penaltyMove over blow up pillows, sleeping on the ground far from home just got a whole lot better with this cozy compressible option
Rating Categories Nemo Fillo Elite NEMO Fillo Therm-a-Rest Compre... Therm-a-Rest Air He... REI Co-op Trailmade...
Comfort (25%)
6.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
Weight (20%)
9.9
8.3
8.4
9.2
9.4
Packed Size (20%)
9.0
8.4
7.8
8.9
7.8
Support (20%)
6.0
9.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
Ease of Use (15%)
6.0
8.0
9.0
6.0
8.0
Specs Nemo Fillo Elite NEMO Fillo Therm-a-Rest Compre... Therm-a-Rest Air He... REI Co-op Trailmade...
Type Hybrid: compressible and inflatable Hybrid: compressible and inflatable Compressible Hybrid: compressible and inflatable Compressible
Measured Weight 3.0 oz 9.0 oz 8.6 oz 5.4 oz 4.9 oz
Packed Volume 0.4 L 1.4 L 2.6 L 0.6 L 2.5 L
Length 15 in 16 in 15.5 in 18 in 15 in
Width 11 in 9.5 in 9.5 in 12.5 in 9.7 in
Thickness 3 in 4.5 in 6.75 in 4 in 5 in
Stuff Sack included? Yes, built-in with drawstring Integrated Stuff Sack. Velcro strap as well. Yes, built in with drawstring Yes, with drawstring Integrated stuff sack with loop/toggle button closure
Materials Polyester jersey fabric, synthetic PrimaLoft Insulation, inflatable bladder Polyester, microfiber / microsuede outer layer, inflatable bladder Outer: Polyester; Inner fill: Upcycled foam Partially recycled polyester, down, urethane Shell Material: two-sided recycled polyester. Fill: polyurethane foam

Our Analysis and Test Results

For those who spend a lot of time sleeping in the backcountry, we feel the Fillo Elite is a contender for achieving great sleep upon a lightweight pillow. This pillow also employs a layered system, consisting of an inflatable air cell with a Primaloft cushion on top. These two layers are then sandwiched inside of a soft, jersey blend pillowcase. It's a great choice for extended adventures where ounces and pack space must be taken into consideration.

Performance Comparison


nemo fillo elite - we crashed on the fillo elite in the back of a truck at the...
We crashed on the Fillo Elite in the back of a truck at the trailhead and while camping along rivers, lakes and streams. We slept on it in tents, directly on the ground and even in our own beds.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Comfort


When compared to its dainty packed size and weight, the Fillo Elite delivers on comfort. It's not the most comfortable pillow on our list, but its effective layering of a stretchy air cell, Primaloft insulation, and soft jersey-blend exterior, synthesize into one of the more comfortable ultra-lite inflatable pillows we've come across. To be transparent, it's still an inflatable pillow, subject to all of the drawbacks of sleeping on an air-filled bladder; however, the added padding in the form of the insulation cushion offers noticeable comfort and noise reduction. Nemo's patented twist valve also allowed our testers to make small air adjustments as they searched for their preferred inflation volume.


The I-beam baffled air cell on the Fillo Elite adequately kept our heads centered on the pillow. Additionally, the jersey blend pillowcase feels like a T-shirt stretched across this pillow. It offers just enough friction to prevent our faces from slipping off the pillow in the middle of the night. We found pillows with microsuede or microfiber face fabrics to be more comfortable. We also have some worry that the thin jersey fabric could be more susceptible to wear and tear over time in comparison to other face fabric options.

nemo fillo elite - it packs up small and is the perfect size to easily shove into a...
It packs up small and is the perfect size to easily shove into a spare pocket on your backpack. Oh, and bison are rad.
Credit: Jason Wanlass, Nemo Fillo Elite

Compared to other backpacking-specific models, this model has a significant amount of real estate. The Fillo Elite measures 15 inches across and 11 inches wide, which gives your noggin a touch of extra space to move around at night. Overall, this model's advantages in comfort are its surface area and thin cushion atop the inflatable bladder, while it falls back a step with a face fabric that we think could be better.

When fully inflated, the Fillo Elite doesn't sit as high as many other inflatables. This thinner design makes for a good option for stomach sleepers. Simply inflate it fully, lay on it, and let the air out until your desired comfort level is reached.

Weight


We were impressed when we placed the Fillo Elite on our scale. We knew it would weigh in relatively light; however, its size and overall comfort fooled us into thinking it would weigh more than it actually did.


This isn't the lightest pillow on our list, but it's near the top of the leader board. When you compare its weight against its overall comfort and size, it's clear why it's one of our favorite ultralight backpacking pillows.

nemo fillo elite - the fillo elite is lightweight and easy to use. after just a few...
The Fillo Elite is lightweight and easy to use. After just a few puffs, it's ready for a nap time on the after a long day backpacking Washington's Coast.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Packed Size


Scoring right at the top for packed size, the Fillo Elite is ideal for backpackers, climbers, or mountaineers who have limited storage space and plan to spend several nights sleeping in the outdoors.


It's a tight fit, but once shoved into its stuff sack, this pillow boasts one of the smaller packed sizes of the dozens we've looked at over the years. This is distinctively impressive when we consider the deployed size of the pillow and the extra layer of Primaloft insulation that it offers.

nemo fillo elite - the fillo elite's combination of air and primaloft cushion offer a...
The Fillo Elite's combination of air and Primaloft cushion offer a higher level of support than your average inflatable.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Support


As with most inflatable pillows, the Fillo Elite offers impressive and adjustable support. The product's twist valve allows sleepers to adjust the pillow's air volume at micro-increments. This facilitates customized support settings through a simple twist.


That said, the support provided by this pillow, and most other inflatables, is a dense, relatively unforgiving support that tends to push back on you. However, when compared against similar pillows, the Fillo Elite does seem to provide support that is ever so slightly more comfortable than its peers. It's important to note here, though, that the Fillo Elite only offers a maximum of 3 inches of support, which is among the least loft of any model tested. Side sleepers might prefer a bit more height.

nemo fillo elite - nemo's twist valve on the fillo elite works, but it's not the most...
Nemo's twist valve on the Fillo Elite works, but it's not the most user-friendly. The design makes it easy to unintentionally lose some air when trying to close the valve.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Ease of Use


Removing it from its stuff sack and inflating the Fillo Elite is quite simple and straightforward; however, closing off the twist valve without losing air was surprisingly a little more difficult than we anticipated. The valve sits close to the air cell, causing lips, face, and fingers to be pushed increasingly farther away from the valve as the cell expands. This makes it difficult to find enough leverage to close the valve since the valve must be pushed downward and twisted at the same time to close it. While pushing it downward, we often forced air out of the bladder, requiring us to start over. It works okay, but we've found better valves on other models.


We feel the Fillo Elite's stuff sack is a stitch too small, making it difficult to stow. Similar type inflatable pillows generally can be folded over and rolled up before slipping them into their stuff sack. However, we had difficulty doing this with the Fillo Elite. We do like the fact that its stuff sack is attached to the pillow so it's easy to keep track of, but its smaller size makes it awkward to roll up the pillow and fold it inside. In the end, we found the easiest way to stow the pillow is to hold the sack with both hands and use our thumbs to shove the pillow into place. The smaller stuff sack makes this more difficult than necessary. We also feel this repeated force over time may place unneeded stress on the pillow's seams and interior air cell.

We like that the stuff sack is built-in, although we wish it were a...
We like that the stuff sack is built-in, although we wish it were a little larger.
The Fillo Elite just barely fits in its stuff sack. We found it the...
The Fillo Elite just barely fits in its stuff sack. We found it the most effective to hold the bag with both hands and shove the pillow into place with both thumbs.

Finally, we like the fact that the air cell can be removed from the outer pillowcase. This is convenient if you would ever need to patch the inflatable bladder, and makes for easy washing of the pillow's exterior. The opening to remove the inner air cell is quite small, making the process a little difficult. We feel the opening (which is about 3 inches wide) should be another inch wider.

nemo fillo elite - the fillo elite packs up small. an inch or two longer than a stick...
The Fillo Elite packs up small. An inch or two longer than a stick of gum, this pillow packs down to the overall size of a small potato.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Value


When measured against its peers, the Fillo Elite performs as well or better than the myriad of inflatables currently on the market. Scoring comparatively high marks for packed size, weight, comfort, and support, this pillow is worth the price tag. It's ideal for adventurists looking for a lightweight pillow that packs up small and achieves more comfort than models that are bladder-only inflatables.

nemo fillo elite - it's overall scores make the nemo elite a perfect option for...
It's overall scores make the Nemo Elite a perfect option for adventurists looking to limit weight and size. We used it on a 5-day backpacking trip down Washington's North Coast Route and got good sleep every night.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Conclusion


We give the Nemo Fillo Elite extra points for using 100-percent post-consumer Primaloft insulation. A great inflatable camping pillow is a challenging undertaking for any manufacturer. When considering the balance this pillow achieves between, comfort, weight, packed size, support, and overall appeal, we feel the Fillo Elite is one of the best for consumers looking to cut weight, maximize space, and sleep well.

Jason Wanlass