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The Skyrest Is An Abomination

January 28, 2009 at 10:30 AM | by | Comments (16)

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]

Comments (16)

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Ugh

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

Air Bag

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

Look On The Bright Side

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

not so fast

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

More Fart Pillow Jokes

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

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.
TravelingGal on January 29, 2009 at 10:51 AM #Permalink
Parent

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.
juliana on January 30, 2009 at 10:08 AM #Permalink

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
Mike Barish on February 2, 2009 at 2:27 PM #Permalink

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.
juliana on February 2, 2009 at 3:13 PM #Permalink
Parent

Do you own SkyRest?

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

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!
Mike Barish on February 3, 2009 at 1:24 PM #Permalink

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!
portcolumbus on February 4, 2009 at 10:13 PM #Permalink

Banterist

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

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.
fly frequently on October 25, 2009 at 10:37 PM #Permalink

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.
Bryan Scholtes on December 27, 2009 at 7:41 PM #Permalink

Try a RestEaz

Tell you what I agree about skyrest but I just got something from the UK and used it all over Asia for the last 6 mnths. It's called a resteaz. This thing is really good. I'm 6'4" and I always have problems but with this resteaz, small seats are not a problem. I used it everywhere. I even kipped in a train station with it, in Japan. You should check it out.
thewanderer on November 21, 2011 at 10:46 PM #Permalink

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