Bucky travel pillow as bean bag?
 

Has anyone ever done this? I thought I might actually buy one of these since I'll have two back to back long flights. Couldn't I use it for my bean bag, as well? Just curious! Thanks

That is exactly what I did and it worked very well. I gave it away after my two weeks on safari so I didn't have to carry it around the rest of the trip (I couldn't really use it for things like Gorilla tracking, etc.). I had an inflatable thing to use for the flights home called a First Class Sleeper so didn't really need the Bucky.

wanderlust123,

I just picked up your reply to cooncat2 about the bucky travel pillow. I haven't used one, but I do have the inflatable 1st class sleeper. I took it on my last flight to Africa from Atlanta, but didn't use it. We were fortunate to have the whole row of seats (four in tourist class) on the flight to Jo/Burg, so I didn't bother with it. On the return flight I was wedged in a four seat section, the last row, so I didn't even try to inflate the thing. I'm not sure that I could have moved out of the seat at all during the flight with it inflated, and I'm of average size, not tall or heavy. Have you had good luck using this seat, even on full flights? Is it really as comfortable as it looks? I did use a self inflating seat cushion that really was comfortable on the flights and in the car we leased in South Africa. I hate all this extra stuff, but at my age, comfort is important on these long flights. - Joan

Thanks Wanderlust. I may look into that. I would think, given weight restrictions, that all camps would have bean bags on hand for guests!

I recently used my Bucky as a bean bag and it worked. I used a bungee type cord and clipped it to the handle on my suitcase. It didn't take up any room in a bag and was easy to remove to use on the plane or on game drives. Some of the others brought their bean bags empty and filled them with rice (sand would work also).

Cool - OK so here's an inane follow-up: Would you recommend the Bucky filled with buckwheat or millet? Yes, they now have one stuffed with millet. Since I've never seen one, not sure if one would be better for the bean bag purpose. I heard that giggle. :-)

Actually, I believe that all of the camps that I have ever visited in Southern Africa DID provide bean (sand) bags on the vehicles--or could if you requested them. (Sometimes they seem to wander around between vehicles, but they could always locate one if asked.) I've never had to carry one. But the bucky does seem like a good alternative, as long as it is something you would also use during flights.

I filled a bag with sand the first day in South Luangwa, took it on all the safaris but didn't know what I was supposed to be doing with it, and honestly to this day I still don't know what it would have been used for. I didn't see anyone with anything like a bean bag or sand bag so I just left it and dumped out the sand in Livingstone. :)
Dennis

I didn't see beanbags in vehicles on my East Africa safari so was glad I had the Bucky for that part of the trip. It was filled with buckwheat. I used a carabiner to attach it to the outside of my camera bag - day bag combo. But still it just got in the way so after two weeks and figuring I didn't need it, I gave it to someone ready to start home. If it had gotten annoying (in the way) prior to that, I would have simply used a zip lock I brought along and filled it in Africa. I liked the shape of the neck pillow for draping over the side of the van. But I am sure many things would work just as well.

The First class Sleeper has come in handy on several flights (12 hour flight to Egypt, for example). I was fortunate enough in the past to get an aisle-window 2-seat combo and able to sit sideways, with my seatbelt loosly fastened (in case I was sleeping and the seatbelt sign came on) and the "sleeper" worked nicely as a back rest against the window. I have also used it in a crowded plane situation where I sat upright. I would arrange it prior to take off but not inflate it and then when the time was right, all I had to do was turn my head to inflate it. That works for me. While it is not like sleeping on a bed, I was glad I lugged it around for the month and that I had it on the trip home.

The first class sleeper looks intriguing but doesn't it take up a lot of room in the actual seat? It's always so cramped in economy anyway, I can't imagine having that thing in there. But if so many people like it, maybe I should consider it!

Dennis,

I assume that you were in an open vehicle in Southern Africa - in that case a bean bag wouldn't have been useful. Bean bags are useful as camera supports with the closed vehicles in East Africa where you're shooting from a window or from the sill of a roof.

Also, bean bags are probably less useful if you're shooting with light weight lenses.

that was the case lifelist...so i needn't have carried the sand bag all over zambia? :)

Wow! I've never looked at the Africa & ME forum before and I have already learned something useful--the FirstClassSleeper! Needless to say, I promptly ordered one from Amazon.com.

We are going on the 17th to Africa nad I quickly got on Amazon and ordered 2 of the First Class Sleepers for our use. Thanks for the tip, hope it works as well as advertised

With regard to the "sleeper" taking up space in the seat uninflated,I didn't find it to be a problem. I would suggest that for any of you who ordered one, try it out at home in a chair similar to an airplane seat (if you have anything close), or on a domestic flight before using it on a long trip.

I personally find it difficult to nap sitting upright but the "sleeper" provides anough support and a bit of an incline to help me catch a few more winks en route. I am sure it is not for everyone, but I was glad to have it. Otherwise, I would be trying to find a comfortable spot amongst the armrests and leaning against the window wall. The extra cushioning against the window wall is worth it for me even if I can't use it upright. It can be folded and inflated less to use that way. I also found some opinions on it on the web before I got it and used those to help decide if it would work for me. Hope that helps.