I tried 2 viral products meant to make long-haul flights more comfortable. I'd only pack one again.

06.12.2024 - 11:07 / insider.com

I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again: Long-haul flights suck. Long-haul flights in economy suck even more.

While it's a privilege to travel and explore destinations all around the world, getting there isn't always easy.

I'm clearly not the only one who thinks so. A quick search on Amazon shows over 10,000 results for travel pillows, and the market has expanded beyond the traditional crescent-shaped neck pillow. There are inflatable options, foot hammocks, compression socks, eye masks, and more.

As someone who has embarked on plenty of long-haul flights, I've set out to make the experience more bearable — and figure out which of the tens of thousands of plane accessories actually make a trip more comfortable.

I tested two viral products this year: a foot hammock and an inflatable pillow. Here's which one is permanently on my packing list.

I've had my fair share of issues with the circular travel pillow. The few I've tried never sat high enough on my shoulders. The result left me craning my neck and in pain.

For years, I booked window seats, bundled up jackets as pillows, and used plane walls as my support.

The system led me to my first viral product: the foot hammock.

I often wanted to scrunch up into a ball in my window seat. I longed to press my knees against the seat in front of me or dig my feet into the plane seat pocket, but I also wanted to avoid annoying the person in front of me.

With the foot hammock, I could wrap a strap around my tray table and position the hammock so my knees could hug my chest. In this system, my weight pressed down onto the floor versus against the seat in front of me.

I used the hammock on a 10-hour flight to Switzerland and loved it. It was easy enough to use, and when I wanted my feet on the ground, the product was so small that it didn't take up space. Plus, the one I bought off Amazon from the brand Zoklu cost just $9.

Now that I had figured out comfort for the lower half of my body, I was ready to figure out a replacement for my bundled-up jacket.

Another viral product I had eyed for years was the cube-shaped inflatable travel pillow.

Instead of leaning to the side, the traveler places the pillow in their lap or on a tray table and leans forward. I thought I'd prefer this sleeping position over craning my neck, so I went to Amazon and purchased the $21 Kimiandy inflatable travel pillow.

Well, it was a purchase I regret. I used the pillow for 13- and 15-hour flights and my biggest complaint was its size — it was enormous.

I was lucky to have empty middle seats when I tested the product, but if a passenger were next to me, it would've been impossible not to bump them with the pillow. Since there wasn't enough space to put the pillow by my feet, I