It is a recurring theme in these pages, as regular readers will know. The quest for the perfect inflatable pillow is a subject constantly brought up by travellers seeking a little ease, particularly in economy aircraft seats, on buses, and during long waits at airports.
Many readers who have searched for inflatable pillows online will have seen the Sondur pillow. This is likely not because they specifically searched for it, but because algorithms tracking their behaviour pick up on their interest in travel pillows and then serve it up to them. The internet works in mysterious ways.
The Sondur has been heavily marketed by algorithms, especially on TikTok. It is a black, square pillow featuring 24 interconnected air cells (or pockets) underneath, each roughly the size of a large potato when fully inflated.
One of the corner air pockets has a small label marked “inflate”. Squeezing this valve blows up the 24 pouches. It takes approximately 90 squeezes to fully inflate the pillow. The little push-valve is quite stiff, so placing the pillow’s corner on a hard surface and using the palm of the hand makes the process easier.
Once inflated, the pillow is generously sized at 44cm square, providing a comfortable surface to sit on. Full inflation is a bit of a task, and upon first use, one might think it is all a bit of a faff — too much effort for the beginning of each flight.
However, after using the Sondur pillow repeatedly in different situations, it becomes easier with practice. In the end, the two minutes of effort are worth the hours of comfort. It is indeed comfortable to sit on, allowing you to float on air above the seat.
The company claims it “prevents back and tailbone pain”, and after extensive use, this assessment rings true. The pillow is also durable and built for frequent use, as advertised.
Unlike smaller pillows that contain foam and can be deflated to become very thin, the Sondur offers a different experience. In another corner, there is a small label marked “deflate”. This squeeze valve can be used to lower the air pressure, allowing the user to make the pillow softer or firmer in conjunction with the built-in inflate air pump.
To fully deflate the pillow, there is a pull-plug type valve that lets all the air out quickly. This is useful when packing away. After deflating, the pillow can be rolled width-wise towards the valve, then rolled up like a bratwurst. This process also becomes easier with practice.
The Sondur travel cushion was purchased from sondurtravel.com for testing purposes. Its full price is $187, but at the time of purchase it was reduced to $114. Import taxes of $11.40 are added, bringing the total to $125.40. Shipping is free with Australia Post tracking.
The pillow comes with a travel case — a substantial round bag with a strap and snap-clip. It also includes a one-year warranty.
