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Say goodbye to that sore neck.

If traveling is supposed to be “about the journey, not the destination,” then it should be a more comfortable and enjoyable experience. However, many travelers suffer from a stiff, sore neck from the weight of their head flopping on long plane, car, bus, and train rides, which can result in neck and back pain. Travel pillows will provide the support you desperately need to catch some Zs, but you shouldn’t just go with any old u-shaped neck pillow sold at the airport.

Many of today’s options are designed with components like high-density memory foam, washable covers, compact stuff sacks, and more. In addition to being lifesavers on flights, plenty of these travel pillows are also excellent for road trips to campgrounds, the backcountry, hotel rooms, or just to visit relatives.

Many of the travel pillows on this list don’t look like the average u-shaped pillow with delated microbeads—for good reason. Those pillows have rounded backs, which push your neck forward without supporting the chin due to the opening in the front. If the cushioning isn’t high enough on each side, your head may flop from left to right. Kelly Conaboy even examined in the Atlantic how they fail to support your head because they don’t maintain neutral alignment of the spine. Despite the lack of published studies on the effects of sleeping with a u-shaped travel pillow, you probably don’t need science to tell you that your head drooping forward may cause kinks, stiffness, and soreness.

However, many travel pillows now exist that seek to solve this problem. Some still have a general u-shape, just with subtle—yet important—differences. Namely, squared or flat cushioning behind the neck and more coverage under the chin to keep the head upright. Though these varying pillow designs appeal to different types of sleepers and travelers, all have this basis of support and comfort in common.

In addition to travel pillows designed to be used in an upright, seated position, we also included several standard—but compact—pillow options made to support your head when horizontal for camping or perhaps crashing on a friend’s couch. These pillows are smaller than a standard bed pillow, but offer similar support and comfort, and also compress down into packs that are easier to manage while traveling.

After researching over two dozen pillows and considering expert and consumer reviews, we wore and slept with these pillows for over 100 hours in total on red-eye flights, road trips in cars and on buses, camping in tents, and even lounging on the couch. We took neck support and comfort into consideration, as well as portability, durability when machine washing and drying, and how inconspicuous each pillow’s design was. We stored each pillow in its included bag (if it came with one) for at least a week to determine if it would retain its original shape. We also evaluated their weight, cushion height and materials, and packed dimensions versus overall size. These 11 pillows represent the top options for back, side, and stomach sleepers, as well as those who primarily travel by car, plane, bus, and train, or even campers who sleep on the ground.

Materials: Memory foam with velour, micro-fiber cover | Packed Dimensions: 6 x 5 x 4 in. | Cushion Thickness: 5 in. | Weight: 13 oz.

With limited space for a bulky pillow when traveling, packability is one of the most important features. Out of all the options we tested, the Travelrest managed to pack the most memory-foam cushioning into the smallest stuff sack. Even after being compressed in its bag for over a week, the pillow immediately puffed right back into its original shape. Despite its compactness, it doesn’t compromise on support. With five inches of memory foam on all sides, it’ll keep your head in place no matter if you tend to loll to the front, back, or sides. Unlike most u-shaped pillows, its angled back sits nicely against any seat surface without pushing your head forward. Bonus points for the nonslip panel to help prevent it from sliding off airplane seats.

At $40, this pillow is more reasonably priced than some others—and Travelrest throws in accessories, such as memory foam earplugs, to sweeten the deal. Its removable cover retains its velvety soft surface after cycles in the washer and dryer, though it’s a bit of a tight fit to pull the cover back on over the foam’s contours. The dense foam also makes it a little challenging to fold up into its bag, but once you get it in there, it can compress down to a quarter of its original size. The only real downside we experienced was that the high cushioning could pinch earrings or larger headphones.

Materials: Memory foam with polyester cover | Packed Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 4.5 in. | Cushion Thickness: 4.5 in. | Weight: 12 oz.

Coming in at a close second to the Travelrest, the Cabeau Evolution S3 has many similar features at the same price. It may look like a u-shaped memory foam pillow, but its back is flat so it doesn’t push your head forward. The back surface isn’t angled and grippy like the Travelrest, but it does come with straps to loop around your headrest to keep it in place, though these may not be compatible with all seat designs and may disturb the person behind you on a flight.

Our tester said that the Cabeau provided support without causing any ear pressure by preventing the head from falling to either side. However, due to its thick cushioning, it may interfere with some headphones. We loved the Cabeau’s travel case, which can easily fit inside or be clipped onto the outside of your bags and luggage. The dense memory foam takes a few seconds to roll up into the travel case, and a few minutes to decompress after being stored for a week, but overall, it will retain its shape well after packing away many times. Plus, the polyester cover was easy to slip on and off to wash and dry.

Materials: Plastic brace with polyester fleece | Packed Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 2 in. | Cushion Thickness: 1.5 in. | Weight: 9 oz.

Trtl may have the most unconventional travel pillow design, but plenty of people—especially those who prefer to sleep on their sides—swear by it. Inside the fleece fabric that gets wrapped around your neck is a cushioned plastic brace that rests on one shoulder and props your head up. We found that the fleece may be a little too warm for some but ideal for those who are always cold on airplanes. It’s also easy to detach the fleece wrap from the plastic brace for washing.

While the Trtl Plus is expensive, it includes two plastic knobs that adjust both sides of the plastic panel for a more custom fit. Its travel bag is also useful if you don’t want to lug it around on the outside of your bag when traveling. If you balk at paying this much for a travel pillow, the original Trtl is half the price and a bit more subtle than the Plus, appearing more like a fleece scarf than a neck brace. Though it doesn’t have a case, it still folds almost flat with a Velcro latch, about the size of a large book, so you can fit it in your bag. Which version you should get will depend on if you want the waterproof travel bag and the freedom to adjust the size for more custom support.

Materials: Shredded memory foam with polyester and cotton cover | Packed Dimensions: 11 x 5 x 5 in. | Cushion Thickness: 5.5 in. | Weight: 19 oz.

The new Klymit Drift is a camping pillow stuffed with shredded memory foam surrounding a gel fiber core. Compared to a solid memory foam pillow, its padding has more forgiveness, without being as squishy as a down pillow. Its case is reversible, with a hardy ripstop polyester on one side and soft jersey cotton on the other. The polyester side is waterproof and repels dirt, which is especially convenient when traveling and unloading at a campsite.

The Drift packs down by folding into a built-in stuff sack, though it’s still a bit bulky when packed. We found that when stored for some period of time, the foam may crease where it’s folded, but it fairly quickly reverts back in shape once you fluff the pillow and let it sit for a few minutes. Available in two sizes, the regular is 5.5 inches tall and fits in most sleeping bag hoods, while the large, best paired with a hoodless sleeping system, provides more surface area and an extra inch of height. Combined with its heavier weight (19 ounces for regular, and 27 for large), the Drift is more suited for car camping than backcountry excursionS.

Materials: Foam with micro-suede or jersey cover | Packed Dimensions: 6 x 4 x 4 in. | Cushion Thickness: 4 in. | Weight: 9 oz.

A great pick for camping or backpacking, the NEMO Fillo seriously impressed us with its inflatable but cushioned design. The layer of foam on top of the air pocket makes it feel like a regular pillow you’d use at home, while the inflation provides up to four inches of depth. In our testing, it stayed full through the night. We also found it to be superior to other inflatable backpacking pillows due to its push-and-pull nozzle—instead of a twist valve—which prevents air from escaping as you’re blowing it up. Plus, it took only about three breaths to fully inflate.

Despite being 17 inches long and 11 inches wide, the Fillo still fits into the hood of most mummy-style sleeping bags. It may be the largest full-size pillow on this list, but it also packs into the smallest stuff sack. Like the Therm-a-Rest, the pack is integrated into the soft (and washable) microsuede cover. While we had to use a bit of force to stuff it into the 6-by-4-inch case, it’s certainly manageable. Obviously most people don’t want to inflate a full-size pillow on a plane or in a car, but for campers and backpackers who want a light load and a good night’s rest, the Fillo is hard to beat.

Materials: Shredded memory foam fill with polyester and rayon cover | Packed Dimensions: 8 x 7 x 6 in. | Cushion Thickness: 6 in. | Weight: 36 oz.

We love Coop Home Goods’s regular bed pillows for their balance of supportive but soft memory foam and microfiber fill. But since they can be a bit large, we exchanged the standard pillow for Coop Home Goods’s Travel and Camping Pillow for a week while camping, and it proved that you don’t have to sacrifice comfort from home when escaping to the woods. This smaller version was best able to support a side-sleeping position of all the camping pillows we tested. It held its shape with minimal fluffing necessary night after night for the week, but if it were to eventually deflate a bit, it’ll plump right back up after tumbling in the dryer for a few minutes.

Although it’s one of the thicker pillows we tested, it’s easy to roll it up to fit into its included travel bag. The straps will help compress it a bit more, though its packed size is still bulkier than others—but we think its support is worth the extra couple inches of space it may take over in the car. If you plan to use this pillow a lot outdoors, it’s worth purchasing the water- and dirt-proof cover separately, though we ended up preferring the removable cover it comes with more since it was softer and less slippery. It’s also stylish and comfortable enough use as a throw pillow on your bed or couch when not traveling, instead of stored away with the rest of your camping gear.

Materials: Bamboo nylon fabric and polyester filling | Packed Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 5.5 in. | Cushion Thickness: 1 in. | Weight: 18 oz.

If you’re the type of sleeper who just can’t get comfortable, the Huzi Infinity pillow offers more than enough potential positions to keep you content. Shaped like an infinity scarf with some extra padding, it wraps around your neck to support your chin, your back for lumbar support, or even around your ears or eyes to block light and sound. We also love its soft and breathable bamboo material (which you can machine wash, but not dry).

However, the Huzi doesn’t provide as much support as memory foam options when wrapped twice around your neck. It doesn’t come with a travel case, but rather a simple strap to hold it together when rolled up, though this method can be challenging—like trying to roll up and compress a slippery sleeping bag—and can come undone easily when traveling. Now Huzi also offers a cotton travel bag that you can buy separately, or in a pack with the pillow and a sleep mask for $56. Still, due to its bulk even when rolled up, we don’t necessarily recommend the Infinity for frequent fliers, but it has an impressive amount of configurations for when you’re in the car, relaxing at home, or even studying at the library.

Materials: Brushed polyester, urethane foam fill | Packed Dimensions: 11 x 4.5 x 3 in. | Cushion Thickness: 4 in. | Weight: 7 oz.

This light and compressible camping pillow is filled with foam left over from Therm-a-Rest’s sleeping pad manufacturing. Though it’s designed for camping, reviewers enjoyed using it against the window in a car or on flights too. Because it’s hard enough to keep track of all your belongings when traveling, we appreciated that this pillow’s stuff sack is built into the pillowcase. With about four inches of cushioning, it offers enough depth for most sleepers to get a full night’s rest, and stomach sleepers should find it comfortable because the foam compresses.

When we first unrolled the Therm-a-Rest from its built-in sleeve, it appeared flat and lumpy due to the foam blocks inside, but it expanded to its full size within two minutes. After we left the Therm-a-Rest decompressed for weeks, we had no trouble rolling it back up. However, when leaving it rolled up or using it night after night for a week, the Therm-a-Rest will eventually flatten. As a result, we recommend not leaving it stored away for longer periods of time than necessary. Fortunately, machine washing and drying it will rejuvenate the memory foam back into its original thick form.

Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 5 in. | Cushion Thickness: 2.5 in. | Weight: 7 oz.

If your head tends to fall forward when you try to sleep upright, the Bcozzy keeps your head up by curling around your whole neck, with the ends overlapping under the chin. There are also a few more ways you can wear it, such as folded in half to elevate just one side of your head. But for anyone who doesn’t need their chin propped up, we recommend going with a different option here that has more support on the sides. The Bcozzy doesn’t come with a removable cover, but the whole pillow is machine washable. While we didn’t test the Bcozzy with an included travel case, it’s now been updated to include one to make it more packable. It also comes in children’s and extra-large size options.

Materials: Memory foam with viscoelastic cover | Packed Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 6 in. | Cushion Thickness: 6 in. | Weight: 15 oz.

Made by the same creators of the ridiculously impractical original Ostrich pillow, the “Go” model is the surprisingly sensible and stylish relative that you can actually take with you on the go. It packs down into a stuff sack about half its original size, and it easily expanded even after it was stored for over a week. While other options may compress into slightly smaller packs, we do like its dense memory foam padding and the Velcro fastener for a custom fit. Since its cushion height is higher on one side than the other, the taller side may interfere with headphones. The cover is luxuriously soft and held up after machine washing, and the Go certainly feels like a premium product—as it should, given it’s more expensive than most other quality options.

Materials: Polyester fiber | Packed Dimensions: 9 x 8 x 5 in. | Cushion Thickness: 5 in. | Weight: 6 oz.

The J-Pillow also diverges from the traditional u-shape, but co-opts another letter for its design. The curve of the “J” cradles your chin, and the rest of the pillow supports one side of your head. While this design is best-suited for those coveted window seats, we found that the J-Pillow didn’t slip off our shoulder even when we weren’t leaning against a window. There is plenty of cushioning, but its biggest flaw is its slightly awkward and bulky shape. Though it comes with a travel sack, it doesn’t compress nearly as much as other travel pillows. Because it didn’t fit into our backpack, we had to carry it separately—not exactly ideal for frequent fliers—though you could use its snap loop to attach to luggage or tie the bag’s drawstring to a gear loop.