We’ve seen a lot of crowdsourced travel innovations lately, ranging from luggage to travel pillows. However, this has to be one of the most… odd things I’ve ever seen.
Yesterday Tech Insider published a video of a new travel pillow that’s now available for pre-order, called FaceCradle. The video already has over four million views, and I imagine it’s not because that many people are interested in travel pillows. 😉
Instead this has to be one of the most hilarious/bizarre travel pillows I’ve ever seen. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves:
I can’t decide what’s most amazing about this setup:
- That it looks like a toilet seat
- If you “strap” the pillow around the seat behind you, they’d be covering the entertainment screen of the person behind you
- Per the Facebook comments on the Tech Insider post: “You’ll get some *&^$head who will come and unclick it at the back just to watch you jolt forward and possibly faceplant the chair infront…………….. (i would probably be that *&^$head)”
- Just how ridiculous this looks overall
What do you think — is this a brilliant innovation, or does it cross the line into crazy?
Participated in original kick starter campaign and never received the item. Total charlatans avoid!
FaceCradle attaches to the winged headrest so it does not cover the TV behind. A regular neck pillow has looked like a toilet seat since it was invented in 1941. But like the toilet seat, the neck pillow is not good for getting sleep in transit. Some neck pillows claim to be an "evolution" but FaceCradle provides many more comfort options with support that holds you where you sleep. The idea that you can sleep...
FaceCradle attaches to the winged headrest so it does not cover the TV behind. A regular neck pillow has looked like a toilet seat since it was invented in 1941. But like the toilet seat, the neck pillow is not good for getting sleep in transit. Some neck pillows claim to be an "evolution" but FaceCradle provides many more comfort options with support that holds you where you sleep. The idea that you can sleep for long periods of time sitting with your head upright, is frankly rediculous. So no matter how old or new your neck pillow design is, it isnt a FaceCradle. We are very pleased to receive anyones comments on our statement "FaceCradle is the best option for sleep in transit, other than a bed seat".
I have sleep apnea, which means whenever I sleep my tongue slides back and blocks my air passage. When that happens, my body wakes me up and I start awake with a loud snort. At home, I use a CPAP machine which solves that problem. However, on a plane, I have to use the commonly used u-shaped pillow. I really hate it because I end up waking up with a big snort. It's very embarrassing....
I have sleep apnea, which means whenever I sleep my tongue slides back and blocks my air passage. When that happens, my body wakes me up and I start awake with a loud snort. At home, I use a CPAP machine which solves that problem. However, on a plane, I have to use the commonly used u-shaped pillow. I really hate it because I end up waking up with a big snort. It's very embarrassing. I still wonder whether I should warn my seatmates first or just let it happen and ignore their responses. Hmmm. It looks like this would work in one of the positions but I'm not willing to buy something with this many bad reviews.
I used it on a long haul flight recently and here are my observations.
No - it doesn't cover the screen of the person behind you as you are meant to wrap the straps around the headrest on your own chair, no talking or negotiation required.
It's nice and firm, so if you put it on sideways for the snooze, it's great, your head doesn't roll forward and cause you to fall on the person...
I used it on a long haul flight recently and here are my observations.
No - it doesn't cover the screen of the person behind you as you are meant to wrap the straps around the headrest on your own chair, no talking or negotiation required.
It's nice and firm, so if you put it on sideways for the snooze, it's great, your head doesn't roll forward and cause you to fall on the person next to you.
Yes, the neck space is too small. I am small so it didn't worry me, but my partner would not be able to use it.
The deep sleep mode didn't work for me at all because even with the pillow extended to the correct angle, the bracing doesn't feel strong enough and it eventually slips leaving you kind of hanging. Plus, your natural instinct is to have your back cradled too, so you will just wake up or roll onto your neighbour anyway.
For me, the only way it worked was on side snooze mode, but this was superior to bean bag style pillows so I'm fairly happy with it.It could be thinner at the widest part of the loop though as if you use it as a normal pillow, it just forces your head forward and those seats already do a good enough job of trying to snap your neck.
DISAPPOINTED
I placed my order on the 15th of January promised delivery for end of January I thought great I have 27hours of flight over 2 weeks starting Mid-February. I received an email mentioning that I would not get my pillow before end of February. At that moment I requested a refund if the delivery dates could not be as planned. I got a reply saying my pillow would be shipped out ASAP. So...
DISAPPOINTED
I placed my order on the 15th of January promised delivery for end of January I thought great I have 27hours of flight over 2 weeks starting Mid-February. I received an email mentioning that I would not get my pillow before end of February. At that moment I requested a refund if the delivery dates could not be as planned. I got a reply saying my pillow would be shipped out ASAP. So I waited. I finally got an email saying that my pillow had been shipped on the 16th of February, A MONTH after I placed my order. Upon tracking I realized my order was shipped from china, this was not mentioned upon ordering or payment as it's on their Australian website that the order is placed. My facecradle pillow arrived on the 2nd of MARCH. I took it with me on a 15 hour flight from New York to SA.
I tried the normal position (around my neck) the pillow was so stiff my spinal cord started hurting me.
I tried it on snoozing mode and the green attachement was digging in the back of my neck
I then tried the deep sleep mode and that was the most uncomfortable thing EVER.
I Really believed and that pillow from the ads and video but it didn't live to my expectations.
From the customer service to the actual product.
Asking for a refund would probably take 2 more months and cost me money to send it back to China.
I am very disappointed by this product.
I will not use it again.
Don't buy from these people it will take weeks if not months to get your purchase if you ever get it at all! They blame everyone and everything else except themselves when they screw up orders. They started out funding on Kickstarter and many original backers still don't have their backer purchases yet. These dubious people went straight for the cash grab and are now in the process of stabbing new customers in the back...
Don't buy from these people it will take weeks if not months to get your purchase if you ever get it at all! They blame everyone and everything else except themselves when they screw up orders. They started out funding on Kickstarter and many original backers still don't have their backer purchases yet. These dubious people went straight for the cash grab and are now in the process of stabbing new customers in the back as well.if you do buy and find the wait is just too long, don't expect their customer service to help, you probably will never get an answer. For more info on their suspicious activities see the comment section on their Kickstarter campaign and scroll. It may take you awhile to find positive feedback. Also read the comments under their Facebook posts, lots of very unhappy customers too.take my advice nothing like this is worth the hassle.
Don't waste your $$ it's made very cheaply and too small in the neck mode unless you are a child. Read the comments on their Kickstarter campaign or their FB page, its rather entertaining. Turned into a very poorly managed crowdfunding escapade, good idea but badly executed.
Sam above got there first in making the same comment that first came to my mind: If you want to be comfortable, fly up-front.
Otherwise, I'm for whatever it takes to be comfortable is whatever it takes to be comfortable .......
What an absurd device. We all have to suffer in coach now and then but I would hope people have enough dignity not to try and set up their own bizarre harness system for sleeping.
Also agree with Jo145 that people in the same row would be totally blocked in terms of both access and service - can you imagine trying to get the flight attendant to pass you a drink over some clown using this? I guess the airlines will frown on it; enough is enough.
Three thoughts:
1. It does look ridiculous, particularly when in use.
2. I'm a bit concerned that the strap can become a strangulation hazard when hooked around the seat.
3. Definitely airlines should prohibit (with extreme prejudice) anyone from using it in a way that obscures the IFE of the passenger behind them, like how they dealt with the knee defender. That video that the company put out is quite irresponsible in...
Three thoughts:
1. It does look ridiculous, particularly when in use.
2. I'm a bit concerned that the strap can become a strangulation hazard when hooked around the seat.
3. Definitely airlines should prohibit (with extreme prejudice) anyone from using it in a way that obscures the IFE of the passenger behind them, like how they dealt with the knee defender. That video that the company put out is quite irresponsible in showing the product being used like that, I feel.
@Jo145: That's true, but most of the time any window passengers would end up waking up aisle passengers anyway if they wanted to get up to go to the toilet, so it wouldn't change things too much, I think.
If you want to sleep well in the plane, then fly up in the front.
Problem solved.
No need for such a stupid contraption.
Everyone is talking about blocking the entertainment system behind - what about blocking the way for people to get past if you are sitting in an aisle seat. Positions 3 - 5 all make it impossible for pax in the same row to get past if you are sleeping.
Many economy seats these days have a winged headrest cushion, so the strap wouldn't actually cover the screen of the person behind you. I—and probably most people—have enough sensibility not to use it in a way that affects other people negatively. Except for maybe the same people (aka the absolute monsters) who use those knee defender things.
Positions 3-5 don't look comfortable to me at all, but I'd buy it for position 2. And folded up, it doesn't look much different than a regular travel pillow.
First reaction: I need it
Mode 4 - Deep Sleep pic reminds me of how I spend spring break when I was in college. Good times.
You think this is ridiculous looking. Check out the Ostrich Pillow.
http://www.ostrichpillow.com/
There is another design out there that just goes under your chin to keep your head up right and looks a lot less like a toilet seat prayer device, but it still has the issue of straps going behind the seat.
It would be a great idea if the airlines could build the straps into the seat sides so that you wouldn't have to bother the person behind you. However, then the airlines might have to acknowledge that economy is uncomfortable and awkward.
Oh by the way you will not block the IFE of the passenger behind you as the "STRAP" was design to wrap around on the headrest butterfly cushion you adjust when trying to sleep...
I believe it seems ridiculous to you because you never sit in coach and, if you do, it is never for an overnight on your way back from Hawaii. Trust me, the struggle in coach is real for thousands of passengers.
I am one of the travelers that belong to "cattle sections" and fly transpacific 3x a year mostly the 12:30 am flight out of SFO. I cannot afford to buy and seat on a lay flat to sleep like you while flying, so any help to get me sleep is very helpful. I think this product is promising and I already place a pre-order, it will solve three major heads swings during sleep time. I think this will work excellent if you are assign in a window seat ( left or right).
I couldn't sleep in this position. Agree, it does look ridiculous and who wants to lug a toilet seat pillow with them on travel? Looks like one of those donut pillows that people use after surgery in the derrière!
No problem blocking the TV of the person behind you on an AA 767 from MAN to ORD, there isn't one :-) I'd love to try one out, seems like it could work!
Sometimes your 25 year old self does come out
I don't like how the straps could potentially be used as a noose or a garotte if one shifts position in the seat.
I don't like how it could lead to an awkward negotiation with the person sat behind you
I think the straps over the entertainment screen of the person behind you is an excellent point. Get ready for some serious air rage lol. I like the idea of the product but there is some serious flaws in the design with regards to other passengers. I would be upset if I wanted to watch tv and couldn't sleep and the person in front of me blocked my tv.
+1 Cory. I always wake up because my head falls to the side. This ungodly looking "pillow" seems to fix that. If some dbag unclicked it, well karma is a .....
I don't care about the aesthetics. I would only care about whether this thing works, and it looks like it could potentially work. I know you don't spend any time in economy, but it does seek to address the big problem of sleeping, head/neck support. As a taller guy some of the ways to use that thing aren't going to work comfortably. If you can work with the person in the seat behind you to...
I don't care about the aesthetics. I would only care about whether this thing works, and it looks like it could potentially work. I know you don't spend any time in economy, but it does seek to address the big problem of sleeping, head/neck support. As a taller guy some of the ways to use that thing aren't going to work comfortably. If you can work with the person in the seat behind you to avoid blocking their screen, I could see how the strap on the seat would work out really well.