Face Cradle Wanderlust Lite Travel Pillow

My family of 4 had a 9-hour overnight flight as part of our travel itinerary. I knew that regular U-shaped pillows never worked for me so I looked up alternatives and selected these two: this 'face cradle' pillow and a wrap-around 'trtl' (turtle) pillow (adjustable 'plus' style). I bought 2 of each. I can happily report that both styles are far more effective than U-pillows for me. They each have strengths and weaknesses but overall, I probably give the edge to the face pillow. It's main drawback is that it is bulkier than the TRTL so you'd only take it if you were pretty sure you were going to nap, whereas the TRTL could tag along on a 'just in case' basis. That said, the face cradle is nowhere near as bulky as a standard U-pillow. The TRTL looks much less conspicuous when used but you wouldn't want to wear it in a hot climate as it's essentially a scarf - and incidentally, I tried a TRTL Cool version and think the adjustable and cushioned Plus style is the only way to go if getting a TRTL. The face cradle was too wide for my 8 year old, but it worked great for me. I napped on a long boat ride as it skipped along the Mekong River in Laos. I passed the strap under my right armpit while my head lent to the left and slightly forward on the face cradle. That gave me peace of mind in case I fell so deep in sleep that I didn't notice the face cradle slip out and off into the water. Any bounce from the ride was easily absorbed by the hinge of the 'pillow'. Very comfortable indeed and others remarked on how comfortable it appeared. On the plane, I found that the strap actually wasn't that necessary when laying the head to the side as I could squeeze my head into it a bit to hold it - but after some hours, that slight pressure did become uncomfortable. I also tried using the pillow to lean forward against while sitting (against my forehead), with the strap going around the top of the seat's head rest behind me. That was good just to change things up a bit. I think if I was flying domestically with guaranteed air con for a shorter trip, I'd probably take the TRTL, but if flying long haul again or on a hot bus, I'd take the face cradle. I look at others with their bulky U-pillows and wonder when they'll give up on them. Both these options are very good alternatives. (Posted on 1/27/25 )

Much better than traditional neck pillows (Posted on 2/5/24 )

The concept is good for economy air passengers but it simply doesn't work. I wanted to lean my head forward and adjusted the headrest accordingly but when the passenger in front moved his seat backwards it was impossible to use the headrest! The passengers next to me couldn't get it to work when strapped behind my head either. (Posted on 1/22/24 )

Bought for long plane trip & it was perfect. You can adjust the height & angle easily. Also makes a good pillow. Used it on the plane, the bus, as a pillow against the seat arm, as a back insert on bad/old seats...the list goes on. Also purchase/delivery was quick & painless. Very happy & have recommended to fellow travelers :) (Posted on 12/6/23 )

Bought this for my dad who was recovering from eye surgery. He was able to sit comfortably and Allie his eye surgery to heal without hurting his back or neck. He can then use it for travel afterwards. An absolute lifesaver! (Posted on 12/20/21 )

My family of 4 had a 9-hour overnight flight as part of our travel itinerary. I knew that regular U-shaped pillows never worked for me so I looked up alternatives and selected these two: this 'face cradle' pillow and a wrap-around 'trtl' (turtle) pillow (adjustable 'plus' style). I bought 2 of each. I can happily report that both styles are far more effective than U-pillows for me. They each have strengths and weaknesses but overall, I probably give the edge to the face pillow. It's main drawback is that it is bulkier than the TRTL so you'd only take it if you were pretty sure you were going to nap, whereas the TRTL could tag along on a 'just in case' basis. That said, the face cradle is nowhere near as bulky as a standard U-pillow. The TRTL looks much less conspicuous when used but you wouldn't want to wear it in a hot climate as it's essentially a scarf - and incidentally, I tried a TRTL Cool version and think the adjustable and cushioned Plus style is the only way to go if getting a TRTL. The face cradle was too wide for my 8 year old, but it worked great for me. I napped on a long boat ride as it skipped along the Mekong River in Laos. I passed the strap under my right armpit while my head lent to the left and slightly forward on the face cradle. That gave me peace of mind in case I fell so deep in sleep that I didn't notice the face cradle slip out and off into the water. Any bounce from the ride was easily absorbed by the hinge of the 'pillow'. Very comfortable indeed and others remarked on how comfortable it appeared. On the plane, I found that the strap actually wasn't that necessary when laying the head to the side as I could squeeze my head into it a bit to hold it - but after some hours, that slight pressure did become uncomfortable. I also tried using the pillow to lean forward against while sitting (against my forehead), with the strap going around the top of the seat's head rest behind me. That was good just to change things up a bit. I think if I was flying domestically with guaranteed air con for a shorter trip, I'd probably take the TRTL, but if flying long haul again or on a hot bus, I'd take the face cradle. I look at others with their bulky U-pillows and wonder when they'll give up on them. Both these options are very good alternatives. (Posted on 1/27/25 )

Much better than traditional neck pillows (Posted on 2/5/24 )

The concept is good for economy air passengers but it simply doesn't work. I wanted to lean my head forward and adjusted the headrest accordingly but when the passenger in front moved his seat backwards it was impossible to use the headrest! The passengers next to me couldn't get it to work when strapped behind my head either. (Posted on 1/22/24 )

Bought for long plane trip & it was perfect. You can adjust the height & angle easily. Also makes a good pillow. Used it on the plane, the bus, as a pillow against the seat arm, as a back insert on bad/old seats...the list goes on. Also purchase/delivery was quick & painless. Very happy & have recommended to fellow travelers :) (Posted on 12/6/23 )

Bought this for my dad who was recovering from eye surgery. He was able to sit comfortably and Allie his eye surgery to heal without hurting his back or neck. He can then use it for travel afterwards. An absolute lifesaver! (Posted on 12/20/21 )

This product is really good. I've managed to get some decent sleep with it while travelling. It's soft, and it has certain settings that are quite good in terms of its position. However, two things: first, the spring-loaded buttons that shift the pillow's position can be difficult to press down, and second, when the pillow is hung from the headrest of a chair, the two settings you can put it in are just a little too far apart. One doesn't allow me to lean forward enough, while the other asks my neck to do a little too much work. But I support this pillow and its idea. (Posted on 12/5/19 )

Good service and quick delivery, but disappointing that the neck cradle didn’t fit well and doesn’t work as hoped. (Posted on 10/5/19 )

Excellent quality and service (Posted on 5/22/19 )