A-Nap Air

Most travel pillows fail before they ever reach the plane: too bulky to bother packing, they stay at home or sink to the bottom of a bag. A-Nap Air is pitched squarely at that problem. The maker says the pillow weighs just 40g and packs down to 5×2.5×9cm, small enough to fit in a hand, a passport-case pocket or a trouser pocket.

Support from every side

Where many neck pillows brace only the sides, A-Nap Air is designed, according to the maker, to wrap the neck through 360°, with support at the front, sides and back. Two front-facing air chambers are meant to hold up the chin and jawline, addressing the familiar head-drop that jolts sleepers awake on trains and buses.

To keep the pillow from drifting during long flights or drives, it comes with a detachable elastic lock-in band that hooks around the seat headrest. Fit is adjusted with a wide Velcro strap rather than cords or buckles: wrap it tighter for firmer support or looser for more freedom of movement.

Key details, per the maker

• Weight: 40g; packed size: 5×2.5×9cm
• 360° wraparound neck support with two front support chambers
• Detachable lock-in elastic band that attaches to the seat headrest
• Wide Velcro closure for quick fit adjustment
• Four large ventilation holes arranged in a triangular pattern to reduce heat build-up
• 125g soft-touch fabric surface intended to avoid a plasticky feel
• Three sizes: a smaller size for children and slimmer users, a standard adult size and a larger size for a roomier fit
• Black at launch, with Blue and Green described as unlockable colors as the campaign progresses

Comfort is the other recurring complaint with inflatables, and the maker addresses it in two ways: ventilation holes that circulate air between the inside and outside of the pillow, and a soft-touch fabric that it says feels closer to cloth than vinyl while retaining enough tension to support the head. The project describes the pillow as inflating in a few breaths.