Hasta La Ideas

Compact travel gear to keep warm and comfy on the open road or in the sky

Whether travel plans include a redeye in economy or a night under the open sky, trying to get some sleep outside of the typical sheets-mattress combo often means a stressful following day. Rather than desperately buy the overpriced, bulky versions at the airport, I recently checked out Design Salt’s Cocoon collection of travel sheets, pillows and blankets.

The lightweight “sleep gear for adventurers” squashes into small packs and unfolds into any number of sleep systems designed around specific needs. With 11 fabric choices, choosing a a climate-appropriate cloth—from all-purpose, fast-drying silk to SeaCell for humidity—is simple.

I took the inflatable u-shaped pillow on a cross-country flight recently and was happy to deplane kink-free. For those who prefer the window, the rectangular pillows work perfectly as window-fillers and similarly pack into a compact size.

The Travel Sheets are great on the go as a lightweight sleeping bag or liner (for those who like to sleep in the nude). Perfect for long flights, the sleep sack comes in various weights for adding an extra layer of warmth inside a sleeping bag and they make a version specifically-designed for mummy bags.

Modern travel means packing light, and the Cocoon gear fits that requirement without sacrificing quality construction and fabrics.