trtl Pillow Review — Super-Soft, Ergonomic Travel Neck Support
Overview:The trtl plane neck pillow offers upright neck support for frequent flyers seeking pain-free naps. Weighing just 4.5 oz and wrapped in soft, skin-friendly fleece, its patented internal support system keeps your head aligned while you sleep.
Key Features & Benefits:
- Enjoy upright naps without neck strain — patented internal support system keeps head aligned.
- Travel effortlessly — weighs just 4.5 oz for minimal carry weight.
- Stay fresh on the go — removable wrap is machine-washable and quick-drying.
- Carry easily — includes handy travel bag and clip for backpack attachment.
- Use everywhere — compact travel-size design fits planes, cars, and trains.
- Feel skin-friendly comfort — soft fleece fabric protects sensitive neck skin.
$59.99
Introduction
The trtl neck pillow is a reimagined travel pillow that uses a patented internal support system to hold your head upright while you nap. It’s not a traditional U-shaped foam pillow — instead it’s a wrap-style support covered in soft fleece that aims to stop your head from falling forward and reduce neck strain on long journeys.
Who this is for: frequent flyers, commuters, and anyone who needs better neck support while sitting upright for extended periods. Quick verdict: If you want a lightweight, packable alternative to bulky memory-foam U-pillow that keeps your head aligned, the trtl neck pillow is worth considering.
What’s in the Box
- trtl travel neck pillow (fleece wrap with internal support)
- Removable internal support system
- Travel bag for attachment and carrying
- Care/care instructions — Not specified
- Extra accessories or variants — Not specified
Design & Build
The trtl neck pillow departs from the familiar donut/U-shape. It’s built around a molded internal support that sits under a fleece wrap, creating a small brace at the side of the neck that prevents the head from tilting forward. The outer cover is described as soft, skin-friendly fleece, which feels comfortable against the skin for long naps.
At just 4.5 ounces, this pillow is significantly lighter than most memory-foam travel pillows (source: listing, checked 2025). That weight makes it easy to clip to a backpack or stow in a carry-on without adding bulk. Because the structural support is internal and removable, the wrap itself can be machine-washed, and the listing notes the design dries quickly (source: listing, checked 2025).
Ergonomics: the shape encourages a forward-facing upright position with lateral support under the jaw and neck. That makes it useful for keeping alignment on planes, trains, and cars, though it won’t provide the same enveloping cushioning as thick foam U-pillows.
Key Features
Patented internal support system
Benefit: The molded support is designed to cradle and hold your neck so your head doesn’t flop forward while you sleep upright. Where it helps: on long-haul flights and during naps on trains or buses, the support can reduce the micro-movements that lead to neck soreness the next day.
Lightweight and travel-friendly (4.5 oz)
Benefit: At about 4.5 ounces, the trtl neck pillow is almost weightless in a travel bag (source: listing, checked 2025). Where it helps: carry-on and backpackers who are minimizing weight and bulk will appreciate being able to clip the pillow on and not notice it during transfers.
Soft fleece wrap
Benefit: The outer material is described as skin-friendly fleece for immediate comfort without breaking in. Where it helps: for sensitive skin or when you want a cozy layer against your neck during cold airplane cabins or overnight bus rides.
Machine-washable and quick-drying
Benefit: The removable wrap can be cleaned after repeated use, avoiding the stale or oily smell that can build up on travel gear. Where it helps: families and frequent travelers who use the pillow often will value easy maintenance and a fresh-feeling wrap on every trip (source: listing, checked 2025).
Compact carrying system and travel bag
Benefit: Comes with a lightweight travel bag and can be clipped to luggage so you don’t need to pack it inside your carry-on. Where it helps: gate-checking, moving between terminals, and when you want easy access to your pillow during a long layover.
Keeps head upright to reduce aches and strains
Benefit: By maintaining head alignment while sleeping, the pillow aims to prevent the neck aches associated with poor head positioning. Where it helps: if you regularly wake up stiff after sleeping upright, this pillow’s support approach targets that specific problem.
Where to buy
Performance & Use
Setup is simple: place the wrap around the front of your neck so the internal support rests under the jaw and along the side of the neck. The brace is firm enough to prevent forward tilt but not rigid; expect a different feel than dense memory foam. The design is optimized for people who sleep in a forward-leaning position or who need lateral restraint while nodding off.
Practical tips for best results:
- Window seat: Use the pillow with the window for added support — the pillow stabilizes the head and the window gives a physical stop if you lean.
- Slight recline: When the seat reclines slightly, the trtl pillow pairs well to keep your head aligned without fighting the seat angle.
- Adjust the wrap tightness: The wrap should be snug but not constrictive; if it feels too tight, loosen it slightly until it holds comfortably.
- Not a replacement for a fully reclined pillow: If you sleep best lying flat or need substantial lateral cushioning, a larger memory-foam U-pillow or full travel pillow will be more suitable.
Cleaning and maintenance:
- Remove the internal support and wash the fleece wrap in a machine (listing indicates machine-washable and quick-drying) (source: listing, checked 2025).
- Because the support piece is molded, avoid submerging it in water or placing it in the dryer unless the manufacturer instructs otherwise — check the included care instructions (Not specified).
- Store in the travel bag between trips to keep the fabric clean and compact.
Real-world use cases:
- Long-haul flights: Helps you nap without waking up with a cricked neck.
- Commuter trains and buses: Lightweight comfort for daily travel.
- Road trips: Useful for passengers who want support during long drives.
- Office naps: Keeps the head steady during short desk naps without needing a large pillow.
Pros vs Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lightweight at about 4.5 oz — easy to carry and clip to luggage (source: listing, checked 2025). | Different feel from traditional U-pillows; users expecting plush cushioning may be disappointed. |
| Patented internal support keeps head upright and targets neck alignment. | Not a full wrap-around cushion — limited side-to-side padding for heavy sleepers. |
| Removable fleece wrap is machine-washable and quick-drying, so it stays fresh (source: listing, checked 2025). | Exact dimensions and fit may vary by body size; some taller or broader users may find support low or small (Not specified). |
| Compact design and included travel bag make packing straightforward. | The molded support piece may feel firmer than foam; personal comfort is subjective. |
| Suitable for multiple travel modes — planes, trains, cars. | Not specified whether multiple sizes are available; one-size may not suit everyone. |
Who Should Buy
- Frequent flyers who want a low-profile, portable solution to neck strain.
- Minimalist travelers and backpackers who need weight savings and compact gear.
- Commuters who nap on trains or buses and want better neck alignment than a scarf or hoodie provides.
- Travelers who prefer washable travel accessories and simple maintenance.
Who Shouldn’t Buy
- People who prefer plush, enveloping memory-foam U-pillows for full lateral cushioning.
- Users who require significant neck padding due to medical conditions — consult a health professional.
- Those who want a pillow that doubles as a headrest for sleeping fully reclined; the trtl pillow is optimized for upright support.
- Travelers who need an adjustable-size system or specialized ergonomic features not listed by the manufacturer.
Specs
- Weight: 4.5 oz (source: listing, checked 2025)
- Outer material: Soft fleece fabric (source: listing, checked 2025)
- Internal structure: Patented molded support system (source: listing, checked 2025)
- Washability: Wrap is machine-washable and quick-drying (source: listing, checked 2025)
- Included accessories: Travel bag (source: listing, checked 2025)
- Product dimensions: Not listed
- Color options: Not listed
- Warranty: Not listed
- Manufacturer/brand: trtl (source: listing, checked 2025)
Closing — Should you buy the trtl neck pillow?
If you want a lightweight, compact alternative to bulky U-shaped travel pillows and your main goal is to prevent your head from falling forward while you nap, the trtl neck pillow is a practical choice. It’s particularly well-suited to frequent travelers and commuters who prize packability, easy cleaning, and head alignment. If your priority is thick plush cushioning or full lateral support, try a traditional memory-foam option instead.
If you’re ready to try a different approach to travel neck support, check current retailers and compare options to find the best fit for your travel habits.
CTA: Compare prices and reviews from multiple sellers to confirm fit and availability before purchasing.
Specification: trtl Pillow Review — Super-Soft, Ergonomic Travel Neck Support
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JerseyGirl119 –
I was skeptical, but this product didn’t disappoint. I have chronic neck issues and sleeping on a plane never ends well for me. This changed everything. It’s comfortable, lightweight, didn’t make me overly warm and fid a great job propping up my head to sleep on the redeye flight. My ONLY complaint is the Velcro is really loud-not ideal when you are on a plane with sleeping passengers. All in all, it’s great. Try it!
Sjoerd Witmont –
Slaap nu beter in het vliegtuig, bus of trein.
Morgan –
I have tried heaps of other travel pillows and this is by far my favorite. It is easy to throw into my carry on or personal item on a plane, and is super comfy to wear. It fits the curve of your neck or can be put at the front of your neck to prevent your head from dipping forward. I have actually gotten some sleep on long plane rides because of this pillow.
Eva Atienza –
Empiezo diciendo que soy incapaz de dormir en un avión, pero busco comodidad. Lo compré para un vuelo de 6 horas. Me ayudó a sostener y relajar la cabeza. En el vuelo hacia mucho frío, como en casi todos los vuelos largos, por lo q el material con lo que está hecho me vino muy bien.
RandomGuy –
I wanted to love the Trtl Travel Pillow. really, I did. The promise of a scientifically engineered, ultra-supportive neck brace (sorry, “pillow”) that would finally allow me to sleep on a plane without waking up feeling like I lost a fight with the overhead bin was too good to pass up.
Unfortunately, after several flights of dedicated testing, I can confidently say this: if you enjoy the sensation of being in a very mild, travel-sized guillotine, this is the product for you.
The “Support” Dilemma
The concept is clever. You wrap it around your neck, lean into the hidden support, and drift off into blissful, ergonomic slumber. The reality? The only way this thing provides any meaningful support is if you cinch it so tightly that you start questioning your blood flow situation. At optimal “support” level, I found myself teetering between “mildly uncomfortable” and “Is this what a giraffe feels like in a turtleneck?”
If you loosen it even slightly, it becomes a $60 piece of fabric wrapped around your neck for no reason at all. And if you tighten it enough to actually hold your head up, congratulations! You now have a built-in pulse-checking device because your body will let you know very quickly when your carotid artery has had enough.
In-Flight Performance
My hope was to finally achieve that elusive, graceful plane nap. Instead, I spent most of my flight adjusting, readjusting, and questioning my life choices as my seat neighbor side-eyed my increasingly desperate attempts to make it work. The “lean and sleep” motion they advertise? More like “lean, start losing feeling in your jaw, panic, readjust, repeat.”
The Verdict
For those with an iron will, a tolerance for slight oxygen deprivation, and perhaps a slimmer neck than mine, this might work. For the rest of us? Save your money and go back to the classic awkward head-tilt-against-the-window method or invest in a real neck pillow. Or better yet, just accept that air travel is inherently uncomfortable and move on.
Final Rating: 2/5 Stars – Points for innovation, deducted for it being a personal tourniquet for the worst possible location
Amazon Customer –
I bought this for a trip from Wisconsin to Brazil. Those big half pillow neck pillows are terrible. I don’t see how people can use those. I wrapped this thing around my neck and it was so comfortable and I slept on the plane. It’s so small and fits in my backpack. There is a clip as well so you can clip it on a backpack. I used it on both sides and worked well. Get this!!! It’s amazing.
Ducky –
I debated what to put for this one. It is an interesting form of airplane pillow or neck support. On its face I initially found it comfortable but It is not very comfortable with headphones (which are useful for flights), and it is not comfortable for overnight sleep. I could use it to get a few nods on a transatlantic flight, but not to sleep soundly. You can really only ever set it to lean in one direction at a time which naturally interrupts night sleep. You have to wake up to turn it around so you can lean your head the other way. In our sleep our head and body turn multiple times. It also is bulky in the luggage. I do not think it is worth the price. It could be worth maybe half the price. It’s confusing why it’s so hard for engineers to create a travel neck support/pillow that’s fully functional and not expensive. It would seem really easy to create an inflatable neck pillow that could be adjusted to offer different levels of firmness to people with different neck heights. I don’t know why that seems to be so complicated in the year 2025. This is not that. I think this does work OK for short naps. I do think it’s a matter of taste and personal economics. If you need neck support for plane naps, I would recommend trying it promptly and returning it if it doesn’t work for you. And I would not recommend planning on it for overnight sleep.
Ana Kilat –
I didn’t regret my purchase. Been able to sleep longer during a 15hr flight without being uncomfortable. This is the best traveling buddy for me.
soph –
I bought this for use on long flights to/from the Philippines for vacation. If I were rating it just on concept alone, I’d give it five stars, but there are a few aspects of the execution that made me feel I have to bump it down to four.
In general, this is the kind of thing I’ve actually needed on flights, particularly since I prefer aisle seats (I’m not tall, I’m actually pretty small, but I have a small person’s bladder and I hate having to make other people get up to let me out of the row). It aims to do exactly what I needed something to do — support my head in a comfortably upright position — but it could definitely use some tweaking.
-The height, tension/resistance against the weight of your head, and angle are all set features that are not adjustable, meaning this will work spectacularly for some people, and for some people it won’t work at all. I gave it to my friend’s husband to try — he’s around 6’3″ — and he almost folded the thing in half when he let it take the weight of his head. It worked far better for me, but I have a long neck, so it was still not really ideal. If I could have lessened the folded angle or increased the length of the arms of the plastic insert, that would have made all the difference.
-Related to this: the fleece wrap is comfortable, but it stretches. I found myself having to pull the wrap fairly tight in order to get the kind of support I needed, and with repeated pulling to refasten it anytime I had to take it off (to eat, for instance), the fleece did stretch. Washing might help, but eventually it’s going to stretch to the point that the position of the velcro won’t line up very well. It’s not difficult to add velcro, but still — these are the small things that would make a big difference.
In general, I think if you’re the kind of person who’s looking for this functionality in a ‘pillow’ for flying, and it fits you well, you’ll be over the moon with what it does for you. It’s the closest thing I’ve ever found to what I needed, and I’m excited that it exists. A few more options or the ability to adjust a few things would go a long way toward making this work for everybody — which is difficult for a start-up, of course, but I hope Trtl has enough success to begin exploring those options!
J. Yorek –
Like a lot of people writing reviews for this product, I’ve tried several different types of neck pillows, braces, etc. I bought the Trtl pillow to use on both business trips and on vacations… and only for flying. I take several international trips every year and I fly about once a month for work.
I’ve tried a squishy u-shaped pillow and didn’t like it because it wasn’t firm enough for the way I sleep and I didn’t care for it at all. An inflatable u-shaped pillow was so-so. I have brace-style sleep collar thingee that I actually like quite a bit, but the last few times I used it, my neck ended up a little sore. Honestly, half of the reason that I bought the Trtl is because I was intrigued and wanted to see how comfortable it is. I’ve used a couple of times so far, and I really like it. Is it as perfect as my pillows at home? Nope. But is it comfortable when flying? Definitely.
Pros:
– Once you figure out the position that is JUST right, it’s great. It took me a few tries to get it in a spot that supported my head while I slept. If you don’t do that, you’ll end up with a sore neck. Other reviewers say that it’s a bit flimsy, and I thought so, too, at first, but I fiddled with it a bit and once I got it in the right position: bingo! Was supportive and worked great.
– Super soft material
– Helps keep you warm on chilly flights
– Keeps fellow travelers from talking to you (if you want a little privacy) because when they see you put the thing on in order to take a nap, they know you’re serious about going to sleep. 🙂
Cons:
– Am a little concerned that the material won’t hold up. So far it’s been fine, but I secure the Trtl around my neck pretty snug, and am a bit worried that eventually the plastic prongs will come popping out of the seams. But again, it’s been just fine so far.
– It takes up a little more room in a travel bag than other pillows because it doesn’t lay completely flat. That’s not a huge deterrent for me, though, because I tend to pack pretty lightly and I had plenty of room for it in my bag.
All in all, the “pros” greatly outweigh the “cons” for me, and I really like it. If the material doesn’t hold up, I’m come back and change my review, but so far, I’d recommend the Trtl. 🙂
Marisol –
Sujeta el peso de tu cabeza muy bien y es súper práctica de llevar. La recomiendo ampliamente.
Myaplin –
Finally…a neck support that’s comfortable & not bulky for travel.
Amazon Customer –
I’d say this pillow is comfortable and worth a try but it didn’t work for me, personally. I was on a 6.5 hour plane ride that left at 9:30pm and I spent most of my time trying to sleep, not actually sleeping. I was wearing an eye shade and I adjusted the pillow a few times but just wasn’t able to sleep. Funny enough, I did get pretty comfortable. I also had my arms slung through the Pavilia travel blanket pillow so for a while it felt like I was cuddling with a body pillow. I don’t even know what I’d change about this pillow to make it work for me. I especially love the compact size of this pillow. Coming home we boarded at 12:30pm so I never planned on napping but I did and I was able to sleep comfortably without the pillow.