I Tried the Trtl Travel Pillow and Will Never Travel Without It Again
I’m an expert at how to pass the hours on a plane. I can be distracted even in a confined space – reading, watching movies or thinking about thoughts. I can even enjoy the tiny tasteless food served on the plane. What I’ve never been good at is sleeping while flying. It seems unfair that only people in lie-flat seats can continuously enjoy their circadian rhythm, but I’ve begun to come to terms with this literal class divide until, after hundreds of hours of flying, I’m happy to report that there’s finally something that suits me. I tried the Trtl travel pillow and will never take a long flight without it again.
Napping is clearly not as rejuvenating as actual sleep. My sleep on the flight was often short and restless. It usually took 20 minutes before I woke up because I was snoring again with my mouth open. Poor sleep is a nuisance even if you travel occasionally, but if you fly overseas frequently, it can really ruin your travel days. After trying several disappointing inflatable U-shaped travel pillows and countless wadded up jackets and scarves, I was skeptical about the Trtl Travel Neck Pillow. But it was the unusual design that made me reconsider my decision.
My flight with Trtl
Before the eight-hour flight to Copenhagen, I picked up a gray Trtl pillow. It was not bulky and weighed almost nothing; It’s just a bit awkwardly shaped. I was wondering where I would store it because it doesn’t fold or fold. I could have wrapped it around the handle of the backpack, but I’m not a fan of small talk, so I ended up having to attach the curved edge to a packing cube inside the backpack. It was tight, but the backpack was fastened. Made.
After settling into an economy class window seat and marveling at how the airline had managed to make a Mexican-style meal taste completely different, I prepared to score a few Zs. I pulled out the Trtl neck rest, set it aside, wrapped the soft, stretchy part of the fleece scarf around the neck and secured the end with Velcro. It was quite nice. Although I think fleece would be a little hot in the summer, it was quite cozy in the current winter chill. I tested its strength and decided to tighten the fleece scarf before closing my eyes.
Not only did I get several hours (in a row!) of real sleep, but the fleece wrapped securely under my chin, solving my open-mouth snoring dilemma. I woke up one day because my noise-canceling headphones made me feel claustrophobic, so I ditched them on the return flight, where I slept the entire five hours between meals. Trtl was convenient and efficient. Plus, as you can see from my sleep selfie, I looked pretty cool (I have a reputation to uphold). Even if you don’t reach that level of glamor, that’s okay; In any case, the dream is not about appearance.
Why Trtl works
The Trtl Travel Pillow takes a different approach than everything else I’ve tried. Instead of something bulky and puffy to rest your head on, it’s less of a pillow and more of a supportive holder for your head. It is essentially a thin fleece scarf with a stiff but soft curved support at one end. You place the curve of the support on your head – or front, whichever way you want to lean – wrap the fleece once like a scarf and use a strip of Velcro to secure the hold. You can see that my velcro is light green and the Trtl logo has a partner velcro on the back.
Stretch fleece plays an important role in the support structure. I believe the main cause of poor sleep while sitting is head shaking. Anyone who has slept on a bus, subway or train is familiar with that dreaded head bob. You begin to doze off, and gravity takes control of your ten-pound head for a split second. You feel yourself falling and wake up in time to catch your head before drifting off again to repeat the sleepy dance. This type of head drop also occurs with inflatable travel pillows; your head may slide to the side and wake you up. However, Trtl straps you in, securing your head to a plastic support structure and eliminating any rocking while you sleep.
The Trtl travel pillow is now on sale and available in several colors. Even if you don’t fly, this cozy headrest can be used on the train, bus or long trip. By the way, there is a Trtl Junior pillow (also on sale). Can you imagine if your kids will be able to sleep in the back seat during the car ride to your parents’ house next week? I highly recommend getting this deal for yourself or anyone on your gift list who travels. Trtl will change your holiday.