Customer Reviews

Rick Steves Deluxe Neck Pillow, Brown

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I really hate the conventional neck pillows and I wasn't about to spend $70 on a full neck ring thing so I tried this pillow out on a trip to China. It looks strange but it blows up easily and works quite well. It can be reversed for either side of the head (just remember to push in the spout). I carried it around everywhere. Great Job Mr. Steves (or company)!

This pillow is really comfy and the head rest part is genius. I was concerned about getting an inflatable pillow because the edges are often rough and rub your neck raw. That is not the case with this pillow. Once it's inflated, the pillow is awesome. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars, though, is because I had a heck of a time getting it inflated. I had to pinch the valve in a really particular way and blow really hard to get air to go in, so I wouldn't recommend this for someone with breathing problems or weak hands unless you have someone else that can inflate the pillow for you. Otherwise, a really excellent product.

I ordered the Rick Steves Deluxe Neck Pillow in anticipation of a 14 hour flight to the far east next month. I thought: Hey, this looks like an improvement on those U shaped pillows that don't give side support. I inflated it at home and immediately discovered the following problems:

Problem #1: The continuous seam along the inside part of the cushion that makes contact with your neck has a raised and rather sharp edge. It really irritates the skin and gave me tiny paper cut-like abrasions on the sides of my neck. My rigged solution was to put a small wash cloth around my neck as a protective shield.

Problem #2: It's very difficult to inflate out of the package. The sides of the flattened pillow seemed almost fused together. It took a lot of pulling and twisting to get the pillow wall to unstick from itself so that air could be blown in. And even then the inflation was not easy. The valve design, plus the multi-chambered shape make it a pain. It took some really hard blowing to get the thing fully inflated. I'm an adult male in excellent cardio-vascular health and it was still an eye popping struggle. Reminded me of the time I watched a Scotsman inflate the bag of his bagpipes!

Problem #3: The darned thing has a slow leak! I tested it out while watching tv in my living room. Within 10 minutes it had lost 1/3 of the air inside. That's just poor manufacturing and quality control. I'm going to return the product, hopefully for a full refund.

I will say this much: The shape does give lateral support so that your head is cradled by the side extension of the pillow. It would definitely keep my head from bobbing and nodding on a long flight. Unfortunately, the pillow has major flaws that are not acceptable. Too bad Rick Steves has affiliated himself with what seems to be an inferior product. I enjoy watching his PBS series and listening to his travel show on public radio.

This travel pillow is great for people who like to sleep on their sides since it provides support on the side of your head. It also does not push your head forward since the piece that goes behind your neck is not very thick. If you have a window seat on the airplane, this pillow stays between your head and the side of the airplane nicely. You won't wake up with your head bouncing on the bare plastic.

My head is relatively small, so I can't speak to how well it will work for people with larger heads.

this item was not described as a cheap plastic pillow with sharp plastic edges that scaped your neck. As a matter of fact it was not described very well at all

My husband and I were going to Israel and thought this would be great for the long plane ride. I ordered 2 Rick Steves Deluxe Neck Pillows. We were on the plane and it was time to get them out, blow them up and sleep. Well, one of them would not hold air and kept deflating. I was so frustrated, I suppose I should have tested them out but who thinks of that, you just expect a new item to work. But it was too late to do anything about it. I think it is a good idea but the company needs to test thoroughly for leaks.

While prepping for another trip, I came upon this product again and was reminded of how disappointed I was that the pillow leaked.

I've bought another (generic brand) inflatable pillow to try -- and decided to throw this Rick Steves product in the trash.

Lesson learned: for an inflatable product, any leakage (as reported by reviewers) is a huge sign to stay away.

I've had 2 or 3 of these. The design is great. But they never last two flights before leaking, which is a real drag on an 18 hour flight. Won't buy any more.

The design might be good but about 5 minutes into my 8 hour flight I realized this pillow was deflating. About 10 minutes later it was basically empty. I could feel air escaping from one of the seams. Make sure to test this pillow if you buy it--BEFORE you leave!

I just received my pillow and decided to take it on a test spin before the trip ( 17 hour flight). Material is soft, design seems to really fit the needs of my head and neck. The big flaw is blowing it up. It is tremendously difficult to inflate. Someone with a lung condition would never be able to inflate, even before flying! It took all I had to get air in over about 10 minute time frame. Once inflated, it is a very functional pillow. I am not sure why it is so difficult to inflate....material? multiple compartments? my value is faulty? Hopefully, the product will be durable.