[pct-l] Pillow

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good afternoon, David,

A 2.4-liter Platypus sack inside a ditty-bag and used as a pillow works
fine, except if the air is cool and here is significant water still in the
sack.  Then it may be too cold for comfort.  In the deserts, however, it can
be helpful.

Ants can be troublesome if care isn’t taken selecting a campsite.
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=167391  I’ve seldom been bitten by
ants, but I object to them crawling around inside my bag and tickling me.  To
me, the joy of sleeping out under the stars is full compensation for abiding
a few ants.  Even in the rare instance that I have to use my tarp I pitch it
with one end well off the ground, or open-sided like a lean-to.  I like to
be able to see out and listen to the night sounds; guessing what it is
that’s scurrying around on some nightly business.  On a still night a mouse
sounds like a deer, and a deer sounds like a band of elk.

Mosquitoes are commonly pesky until the air gets cool around 10:00-midnight,
so I wear a head-net till they give up.  Being old with significant
high-frequency hearing loss I usually don’t hear their whining.  I’ve never
been troubled by scorpions or spiders at night, and ticks only seem to be
around while I’m walking.

I’ve never had a flea-bite on the trail, at least not that I know of;
however I once did get about 50 flea-bites between San Francisco and
Portland.  They were from varmints in the seat cushions of a well-known
commuter airline.

Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 12:53 PM, <dnielsen at djmurphycompany.com> wrote:

> I like the water sack idea.
>
> Do you get bit up a lot by sleeping so exposed most of the time.  i.e.
> ants,
> flee's etc.???
>
> DJ Murphy & Company LLC
>
> David Nielsen
> Phone 602-499-2410
> Fax 623-581-3986
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
> On Behalf Of CHUCK CHELIN
> Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 7:31 AM
> To: PCT listserve
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Pillow
>
> Good morning,
>
> For a pillow I use a medium-size SilNylon ditty bag filled with my fleece
> jacket and my rarely-used shelter tarp.  I've also used a blown-up water
> sack - with or without water - anything to avoid carrying a separate gear
> item.
>
> Steel-Eye
>
> Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT - 1965
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09
>
>
> On Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 7:20 AM, 'Sourdough' Foster <
> athruhiker2006 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I have seen these pillows and hear they are great, but what keeps them
> from
> > getting punctured from the same prickly things you all have out there
> that
> > puncture self inflating mattresses? :-)
> > S'do
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Melanie Clarke <melaniekclarke at gmail.com>
> > To: Jeffrey Olson <jolson at olc.edu>
> > Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
> > Sent: Fri, March 25, 2011 10:09:02 AM
> > Subject: Re: [pct-l] Pillow
> >
> > Dear Jeff,
> >
> > I just bought an inflatable backpacking pillow from REI.  I did a test
> hike
> > in Big Basin (never stopped raining) and the pillow worked great.  I
> under
> > inflated it so it was soft and squishy, gawd it was great!  My pack
> weight
> > is a tad higher than I want.  Wow, comfort vs. weight... always the
> > dilemma!
> >
> > Melanie
> >
> > On Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 10:05 PM, Jeffrey Olson <jolson at olc.edu> wrote:
> >
> > > I have struggled my whole backpacking life with finding a pillow that
> is
> > > comfortable.  I've stuffed stuff sacks, rolled extra clothes, and on
> and
> > > on.  For the past decade I've just used a stuff sack that is five inchs
> > > in diameter and filled it with clothes.  I wrap a tee shirt or
> something
> > > around it and that's that.  I'm a bit disgruntled.
> > >
> > > I did just buy a new pillow - it's in my gear storage down in the
> > > basement so I don't remember the name.  I got it out of the Backpacker
> > > magazine gear guide.  I'm hoping it is the be all - end all of my
> > > sleeping...  Finally, the perfect pillow...
> > >
> > > On 3/24/2011 10:53 PM, John Abela wrote:
> > > > and I suppose some out there
> > > > would argue that the pillow could be replaced with some clothing, but
> > > > I tired for two years to get the perfect pillow made out of gear
> > > > already being carried, and nothing worked, so, while it does add 3
> > > > ounces, I have a hard time not considering it an essential item -
> > > > peaceful sleep is priority #2. (not hurting myself is priority #1)
> > > >
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