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Where can i buy a pillow like the spanish albergues?

kendra11

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2024 frances
Unlike some, the Spanish pillows worked well for me. I am back in the us and having back pain (a concern I was worried about on the camino!) and would like to purchase a pillow like the spanish albergues. Any idea where I can get one in the US?
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Unlike some, the Spanish pillows worked well for me. I am back in the us and having back pain (a concern I was worried about on the camino!) and would like to purchase a pillow like the spanish albergues. Any idea where I can get one in the US?

Try Target or Home Goods.
 
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If you just google something like "buy spanish size pillows in USA" you will get a number of websites. Wide range of prices and materials.
Believe it or not, i tried google before coming here ;) It's not just the size, but also thr composition. I'm hoping someone with hospitalero experience is on this forum and has some insight maybe?
 
Believe it or not, i tried google before coming here ;) It's not just the size, but also thr composition. I'm hoping someone with hospitalero experience is on this forum and has some insight maybe?
Try Ikea. I got a pillow there that was the same size and roughly the same composition. You will need a pillow case from a King size sheet set to fit this pillow.
 
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Believe it or not, i tried google before coming here ;) It's not just the size, but also thr composition. I'm hoping someone with hospitalero experience is on this forum and has some insight maybe?
If you don’t hear from any hospitaleros, you should look at this website, which provides a ton of info about Spanish pillows. I had no idea they were unique! Only available in UK and EU, but it will give you some insight. I can’t imagine that there is one standard albergue pillow used by all in terms of anything but size, and the Dutch business offers a variety of different compositions.
 
Try Ikea. I got a pillow there that was the same size and roughly the same composition. You will need a pillow case from a King size sheet set to fit this pillow.
Maybe i need to look again but my ikea has normal us pillows. it's the composition that I'm having difficulty figuring out. As someone w neck pain, trial and error comes w a price, so I'm really trying to find out where to go to
 
Amazon.es has the long ones, and pillowcases. I don't remember the composition of the pillows in the albergues, but Amazon has a few different kinds.
 
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
If you don’t hear from any hospitaleros, you should look at this website, which provides a ton of info about Spanish pillows. I had no idea they were unique! Only available in UK and EU, but it will give you some insight. I can’t imagine that there is one standard albergue pillow used by all in terms of anything but size, and the Dutch business offers a variety of different compositions.
Thank you! I will take a look at those links when I get home from work today.
 
Believe it or not, i tried google before coming here ;) It's not just the size, but also thr composition. I'm hoping someone with hospitalero experience is on this forum and has some insight maybe?
While almost all the pillows that I encountered in Spanish albergues were the long narrow shape, they were not all the same composition. Some were floppy and flat, while others were stiff and thick. It sounds like the size/shape may not be as important for your neck issues as finding the right composition. For that, I suggest that you go to a good bedding store and try as many as you can. Or a mattress store - they usually also sell pillows, and it seems that there is a mattress store on every block in the US!
 
While almost all the pillows that I encountered in Spanish albergues were the long narrow shape, they were not all the same composition. Some were floppy and flat, while others were stiff and thick.


That is definitely my experience as well — there is not one standard pillow composition in albergues. The Dutch website talks about some health advantages of having the pillow extend to the length of the typical Spanish pillow, but of course I have absolutely no idea if it’s just marketing hype or not.
 
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
While almost all the pillows that I encountered in Spanish albergues were the long narrow shape, they were not all the same composition. Some were floppy and flat, while others were stiff and thick. It sounds like the size/shape may not be as important for your neck issues as finding the right composition. For that, I suggest that you go to a good bedding store and try as many as you can. Or a mattress store - they usually also sell pillows, and it seems that there is a mattress store on every block in the US!
Unfortunately, as we all know, pillows seem to transform in the weeks following their use. Nothing seems to retain it's original shape.
 
That is definitely my experience as well — there is not one standard pillow composition in albergues. The Dutch website talks about some health advantages of having the pillow extend to the length of the typical Spanish pillow, but of course I have absolutely no idea if it’s just marketing hype or not.
As a side sleeper and tosser/turner, I think this was really helpful for me.
 
Are we talking about the super long ones that basically span the width of a queen size or double bed? I am often alone in those beds so I like them too... but I always wonder how couples deal with having one super long pillow rather than each having one for their own head...
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Maybe Tempur might be an option.

 
Hi Kendra11, I too found Spanish albergue pillows of all types of composition, thick or flat and soft or firm. If this can be of any help to you: decades ago I discovered the pillow below by the Italian company Permaflex who make matresses and a huge variety of pillows and they still produce this one. Springs(?) like in a matress are covered with a layer of wool. They are medium firm and I find them extremely comfortable. As I said I have used them for decades and they keep their shape. Measuring 75 x 40 cm they are not as “long” as the Spanish ones. At 60 euros they are not cheap, but well worth their price seeing how well they last.
I forgot to look for information whether they deliver outside Italy. Don’t know how to do this interupring this post, so I will sign off and check and come back later.

Guanciale Permaflex Gransonno

ALTRE VISTE​

GUANCIALE PERMAFLEX GRANSONNO

MOLLE E POLIURETANO​

60,00 €
DISPONIBILE
Il cuscino Gransonno racchiude in sé caratteristiche di comfort, elasticità e sostegno.
Con la sua struttura interna a molle insacchettate singolarmente, avvolte da una soffice imbottitura collocata tra due morbidi supporti in poliuretano espanso, offre un appoggio delicato su tutta la zona cervicale.
È il cuscino che assicura un corretto e salutare riposo quotidiano. Supporto medio-morbido
 
Unlike some, the Spanish pillows worked well for me. I am back in the us and having back pain (a concern I was worried about on the camino!) and would like to purchase a pillow like the spanish albergues. Any idea where I can get one in the US?
Do you have by chance a picture of it? I am very curious to know if these are that different from the ones I have at home! Maybe also people can help you in a better way with the picture.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Maybe you don't know what kind of pillows I am referring to.

The madre/padre/matrimonio long pillow?

I saw pillowcases at Target for those pillows.

Home Goods has some fairly long pillows.

Maybe not quite the length of Spanish pillows but long.
 
Last edited:
Amazon.es has the long ones, and pillowcases. I don't remember the composition of the pillows in the albergues, but Amazon has a few different kinds.
Re the Amazon.es link, I use it here in Spain and you have the option to seek or look for things in Spanish or in English ( just in case your Spanish isn't up to it)
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Maybe you don't know what kind of pillows I am referring to.
Maybe you could have another go at describing what you’re looking for - obviously there is more than one type of pillow in use in Spanish albergues. You were replying to someone who was trying to help you.
 
Last edited:
Maybe you could have another go at describing what you’re looking for - obviously there is more than one type of pillow in use in Spanish albergues. You were replying to someone who was trying to help you.
A fair question in reply to your request, it seems to me! t
There is a material, branded Dunlopillo, could it be what was in the pillows you found helpful?
The sad thing is, it is rather expensive nowadays... but yes, my experience is that it beats any of these modern memory whatever materials that the boss people try to tell us we need. 😈
(Mine broke in two after many years and I can live without replacing it.
One of my four sisters in law threw out all pillows after a year of use, an unnecessary additional piece of information.)
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Sorry if this has already been suggested, but couldn’t you contact the specific albergue and ask them to send you the details about the pillow (size, composition, etc.)?
 

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