Towards the end of last year I was travelling through Singapore, and having tried out a bunch of Secretlab gear before, made a slight detour to visit the brand’s global HQ to see what’s what. It’s an impressive space that shows off not only the insane array of TITAN Evo designs alongside the expanding range of desks and add-ons, but also the technology and testing that goes into them too.
And while seeing the process behind the chairs was interesting, it was something entirely unrelated that left the most lasting impression on me. Sitting amongst the SKINS and an adorable child-size version of its marquee chair was a Secretlab branded travel pillow. My interest obviously didn’t go unnoticed because before heading off to another hawker centre, I was kindly gifted one.
Designed by the same engineers and constructed using the same materials as its flagship chairs, the Secretlab Travel Pillow is covered in SoftWeave upholstery on the outside with lusciously soft velour on the inside. It’s filled with PlushCell memory foam, the same as you’ll find on its upgraded TITAN Evo armrests. It’s basically what you’d get if you melted down a Secretlab chair and turned it into a neck pillow. A travel neck pillow has no business being this good.
I’ve never been one to use a neck pillow on flights. The polystyrene-filled ones seem to offer little in the way of meaningful support and the funky foam shapes I’ve tried all get a little too clever with what they’re trying to do. The Secretlab Travel Pillow, on the other hand, was a revelation. Resembling more of a neck brace than a cushion, it actually held my head up in a way that meant that on my flight home I got meaningful sleep – and that’s a rarity for me, even on long-haul flights.
I’ll admit that $79/£59 is a lot for a travel pillow, even one as good as this. It’s also not particularly widely available. It’s listed on Secretlab’s UK website but has never been in stock, and like the PlushCell armrests it borrows materials from, isn’t actually officially for sale in the UK market. But if you can get your hands on one, do so, even at that price. It’s by far the best flying companion I’ve found in recent years and I won’t be travelling without it now, even if it’s only a short hop.
