We Tested the Viral Travel Pillow That Promises Sleep on Planes
When it comes to air travel, I'm admittedly not the calmest person on the plane. Whether that's due to anticipation for my upcoming trip or dread of the undeniable discomfort I'm about to face is dependent upon the situation. But even when I'm just plain excited, I'd still like to try to get some shut eye for the sake of feeling well-rested upon arrival. Before getting my hands on the Trtl travel pillow, this was merely impossible for me. Even with noise-canceling headphones, a window seat to awkwardly rest my head, and the plastic-wrapped blanket distributed by flight attendants before takeoff, sleep was never in the cards for me.
Trtl neck wraps may look a little weird (or like an oddly-shaped scarf), but they solve all of these problems by offering unparalleled support thanks to their ergonomic design, which keeps your head tilted at just the right angle. The hypoallergenic fabric — which may be either sweat-wicking or cooling, depending on which model you select — is stretched to create a hammock effect, and when in use, it relieves tension on your spine and muscles that you might regularly endure in a plane seat or in the back of a car.
What's more, all of Trtl's products are lightweight and portable, and they easily fasten onto carry-on luggage for quick access. The brand has become so popular that the classic neck pillow has about 4,500 reviews at the time of posting with a nearly five-star rating. 98.6 percent of travelers prefer a Trtl Pillow or a Trtl Pillow Plus over a U-shaped pillow, according to the brand's site.
Three PS editors intrigued by the hype tested out slightly different Trtl pillows on multiple trips, and we've all delivered our honest feedback and ratings ahead. Scroll to see why you might have just met your new go-to travel accessory.
Trtl Travel Pillow in Coral
Trtl Travel Pillow in Coral ($65)
"I never considered buying a travel pillow (I usually roll up my scarf or sleep on my handbag) but now I don't know how I traveled without it. Once I figured how to wrap it properly, it was so convenient and comfy I nearly fell asleep in my cab ride home from the airport. The cushion is super supportive, so you wake up feeling rested and without any aches or neck pain from awkward positioning. And the pink color helps — when I turned the pillow around to rest on the back of my neck, it simply looked like a vibrant scarf." — Jessica Andrews, senior content director
★★★★☆
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Trtl Cool Travel Pillow
Trtl Cool Travel Pillow ($85)
"I take a lot of cross-country red-eye flights, so trust me when I say I've tried every travel pillow there is. The classics, the inflatables — most have gotten the job done, but none have quite hit the spot in regards to a truly comfortable sleep. The Trtl pillow, on the other hand, immediately became my favorite.
I deal with chronic neck tension, so almost any position that's too far past neutral gets uncomfortable fairly quickly, which is why I love how stiff the support is with the Trtl. Whether I have it to the side (with or without a window seat) or set it in front for a forward lean, it does a great job of holding up my head and not requiring me to bend my neck too far.
I opted for the Trtl Cool because I'm also someone who runs warm and the breathable material is definitely comfortable and not at all like I'm wearing a scarf. I also love how compact the Trtl is (with it's own travel bag!) because I prefer to pack my pillows away, instead of having to attach them to the outside of my carry ons." — Jordan Shalhoub, lead social content producer
★★★★★
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Trtl Travel Snooze Bundle
Trtl Travel Snooze Bundle Plus ($109, originally $150)
"I am the type of person who can stay up for 10 hours on a flight, frustrated that I can't fall asleep no matter what position I try. Eventually, I just give up and read a book, leading me to an exhausted first day at my destination. Then the Trtl Travel Snooze Bundle came into my life, and I passed right out. While this Plus set is decidedly more expensive, it comes with the cooling pillow and a sleep mask that completely blocks out all light and boasts perfectly comfortable fabric with hollowed-out eyes.
The best thing about this neck pillow has to be the fact that it's adjustable. By twisting the toggle on the side, you can raise or lower your resting point to just the right height, then move the landing shelf to either side, or the front if you're able to rest in a forward lean.
Needless to say, my boyfriend was the one who was frustrated and jealous when we landed in Greece and he hadn't slept as comfortably as me. I don't wish deprivation of sleep upon anyone — I just tell them to get the Trtl." — Sarah Wasilak, associate director, Shopping
★★★★★
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Sarah Wasilak is the associate director of Shopping at PS. With plenty of experience in the commerce market, a keen interest in SEO, and 10 years as an editor at the brand, she enjoys writing across the lifestyle and health-and-fitness categories. She has bylines at PS, InStyle, Elle, Refinery29, Who What Wear, Elite Daily, Byrdie, and The Quality Edit and aims to amplify minority voices in all her work.