I tried this strange-looking travel pillow, and it's the only time I've ever slept on a plane

I'm not a fan of flying, so I've spent years trying various travel accessories to help make it as comfortable as possible. But I'd yet to find anything to help me sleep on a flight. Until now.

The Trtl Pillow Plus is unlike any other travel pillow I've seen. And I was skeptical. The neck brace-style design didn't look in the least bit comfortable. But there's science behind how it works, and, for me, it paid off.

Unlike inflated travel pillows, it features a patented support system that is designed to hold your neck in a comfortable, ergonomic position. You can place it on either side of your body or infront (essentially under your chin), whatever suits. And it's held in place by soft, hypoallergenic fleece, which wraps around your neck and is secured with velcro.

I would recommend trying out each position as it took me a bit of time to get the support system in a comfortable place. In the end I settled on the left side as that appeared to be the direction my head wanted to naturally fall while relaxing.

The height of the support system is adjustable with a simple toggle that you can twist to make it bigger or smaller. I didn't need to adjust it from the default setting, but it's good to know the option is there if family members want to use it.

Once the pillow was in place, my head simply rested on top of it. It feels odd initially, and definitely looks strange (I got a few intrigued sideways glances). But the stability it offers means you quickly get used to it – I didn't experience any movement or bobbing. After a short period I felt so relaxed I managed to sleep for four hours of a nine hour night flight home from Jamaica recently. Which never happens.

It's the first time my body has felt comfortable and my head secure enough to fall asleep, which was a lifesaver after travelling for almost 21 hours.

I did find the pillow wasn't as comfortable in a reclined position. I moved my chair back the tiny amount it allowed during the flight to get as close to lying down as possible, but found I was more comfortable sat fully upright while wearing it (which I'm sure the person behind was thankful for).

I also found it warmer than other travel pillows I have tried. The fleece material is lovely and soft, but it's quite thick and covers your whole neck so there's little room for air to circulate. I did find myself breathing a sigh of relief when removing it after a sleep, but more thankful for the sleep it had enabled me to get in an environment I have always found it very difficult to do so.

Being able to sleep aside, the size of this travel pillow is a real pull over other designs. Trtl says it's 'lighter than an iPhone and about the size of a book'. I haven't tested this, but I will say it is much easier to travel with than some of the very space-filling inflatable pillow I have used in the past.

A waterproof carry bag with clip is included for safe storage, so I was able to attach it to my hang luggage (rather than put it inside) with no trouble or questions asked by airline staff.

Machine washable, I was apprehensive about doing so due for fear the plastic support system might get damaged or warped in some way. But so far so good. The material washes very well actually, a quick wash to give it a nice refresh for my next flight and it's come up like new each time.

The price of the Trtl travel pillow places it at the high end of these travel accessories, but for me, being able to actually sleep while travelling makes it worth every penny.

More travel pillows

I have included some more travel pillow options below at a range of budgets and variety of styles. I haven't used any of these myself, but theses all come with at least a four star rating from hundreds (if not thousands) of others.