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The Skyrest Is An Abomination

January 28, 2009 at 10:30 AM | by egw | 15 Comments

We've all seen those brave travelers who bring their own pillows on airplanes as their "personal item." It's hard to blame them, considering airlines like JetBlue and US Airways have started charging for the wafer-thin comforts that used to be free. Of course, your other option is to buy a pillow specifically for traveling -- something like the Skyrest for $29.95.

The Skyrest is a self-inflating coated PVC pillow that puffs up to 14 inches wide and is designed to sit on a tray table. Vendor SkyMall, an emporium for all the gadgetry you didn't know you needed, boasts that the Skyrest carrier "is able to sleep comfortably in any seat" with the "uniquely different" pillow, much improved over the U-shaped model sold in every airport gift shop.

He might be sleeping, but most likely he is hanging his head in shame. Its website boasts that Skyrest "is unlike any other travel pillow," and that is true: Any more than occasional traveler would be embarrassed to be seen with this monstrosity, the offspring of a dorm-room "boyfriend pillow" and the arm of a sofa. In fact, if you have purchased this product, please stay home instead, for you will never be comfortable otherwise.

Related Stories:
· SkyMall Monday: Skyrest Travel Pillow [Gadling]
· Hotel Pillow Loot Improves [Jaunted]
· Travel Gadgets coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: TransportTrends.com]

15 Comments

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  1. rdmcgeorge

    Jaunted Member

    Ugh

    The shirt adds to the embarrassment.
    January 28, 2009 at 11:47 AM
    #Permalink

  1. Victor Ozols

    Jaunted Editor

    Air Bag

    This looks like a photo of a victim of an automobile accident, after the airbag deployed.
    January 28, 2009 at 12:13 PM
    #Permalink

  1. kjb

    Jaunted Contributing Editor

    Look On The Bright Side

    At least it's your pillow and doesn't smell like farts.
    January 28, 2009 at 1:00 PM
    #Permalink

  1. rdmcgeorge

    Jaunted Member

    not so fast

    kjb, you are assuming you don't make your own pillow smell like farts.
    January 28, 2009 at 2:29 PM
    #Permalink

  1. kjb

    Jaunted Contributing Editor

    More Fart Pillow Jokes

    @rdmcgeorge -- True, but you are also assuming that the handsome gentleman pictured is not traveling to Hawaii.
    January 28, 2009 at 2:41 PM
    #Permalink

  1. TravelingGal

    Jaunted Member

    Travel Pillow - a better option

    TravelRest - The Ultimate Inflatable Travel Pillow - found on amazon.com or www.travelrest.net is a new twist on travel pillows and looks like it's getting a bunch of positive press.
    January 29, 2009 at 10:51 AM
    Parent #Permalink

  1. juliana

    Jaunted Contributing Editor

    ive seen this in real life

    on a real plane. that guy in the pic looks very similar to the person i saw. but i just dont get this. also, have you ever tried to blow up an inflatable pillow on a plane? i have. not only do you look weird but its really hard. i blame it on the altitude. however, i will say this is a great invention for hungover college kids. if only i had this in my seminar lectures, i would have actually been able to "attend" class.
    January 30, 2009 at 10:08 AM
    #Permalink

  1. Mike Barish

    Jaunted Member

    Get your own ideas

    Ellen- I'm flattered that you enjoy my SkyMall Monday posts on Gadling enough to steal my ideas. And it sure was nice of you to link to my post from THREE months ago (http://www.gadling.com/2008/11/03/skymall-monday-skyrest-travel-pillow/). But wouldn't it be refreshing if you, oh, I don't know, wrote about something original? Just a thought. SkyMallingly yours, Mike Barish Gadling
    February 2, 2009 at 2:27 PM
    #Permalink

  1. juliana

    Jaunted Contributing Editor

    hey mike, chill

    i actually had the idea for this story last week because i saw someone using it on a plane. so we were trying to do more of a "Would you ever use this?" type of post. i am sorry you seem to think that we are copying Gadling. i can assure you, we are not.
    February 2, 2009 at 3:13 PM
    Parent #Permalink

  1. egw

    Jaunted Editor

    Do you own SkyRest?

    If not, I suppose we can write about it whenever we want. Thanks for writing! -Ellen
    February 2, 2009 at 3:23 PM
    Parent #Permalink

  1. Mike Barish

    Jaunted Member

    All good

    I kid cause I love. SkyMall is a personal passion of mine and I protect it dearly. I do appreciate the link love you showed and enjoy the stuff you guys are doing on Jaunted. Keep it up!
    February 3, 2009 at 1:24 PM
    #Permalink

  1. portcolumbus

    Jaunted Member

    SkyMall

    I laugh every time I see this in the catalog. I think, "who the fuck would buy this?" I know that if I was the person sitting next to this douche, I would ask the FAs for a fork and poke the damn thing until the man's head is successfully either in his lap or on the tray table...then I would take a picture and send that to SkyMall...Compact, and uncomfortable!
    February 4, 2009 at 10:13 PM
    #Permalink

  1. travelina

    Jaunted Member

    Banterist

    Brian Sack of Banterist pokes hilarious fun at this and other Sky Mall atrocities: http://www.banterist.com/archivefiles/000340.html
    February 8, 2009 at 11:47 PM
    #Permalink

  1. fly frequently

    Jaunted Member

    sky rest pillows

    We own four sky rest pillows and absolutely love them. Not only can I finally sleep on a plane but if I have a long lay over in an airport, I use my sky rest pillow there for a foot stool or to sit against a wall if no seats are available. We also use our sky rest pillows in our RV for footrests.
    October 25, 2009 at 10:37 PM
    #Permalink

  1. Bryan Scholtes

    Jaunted Reader

    SkyRest

    Mine is coming in the mail tomorrow. Can't wait to use it on two 14-hour legs to India. For those of use that can't sleep sitting up, this looks to be a godsend. All the detractors must be INfrequent flyers, because once you fly for a living (20-30 trips/year) you really don't care what anybody else on the plane thinks. It's the noobs that dress up and "network" while the road warriors are praying for them to STFU.
    December 27, 2009 at 7:41 PM
    #Permalink

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