It sounded like a gimmick you’d see on a late-night infomercial. A polyester arm sling that can help you sleep soundly on a plane! And for only $24.95!
But that’s what the Armbie promised.
I’ve tested dozens of neck pillows, foot slings and seat cushions, and I’ve concluded that while some travel gear is worthwhile, most items overpromise and under-deliver. (I’m looking at you, eye mask with Bluetooth headphones.)
So when I first heard about the Armbie last year, I thought, “wow, this is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.” Still, I decided to test one on a long-haul flight to London. Perhaps it would, at least, make for an entertaining social media video and save someone from buying one more piece of junk destined for the landfill.
When I boarded a Norse Atlantic Airwaysred-eye, locked into my economy seat with my Armbie at the ready, I was prepared to suffer. But then, relief.
Reader, I slept. The moment I wriggled into what is essentially a tube top, a calm washed over me. I felt swaddled like a newborn. My Gatorade-blue straitjacket took away a restless anxiety I didn’t realize I had.
Usually when I’m trying to sleep on a plane, I’m focused on preventing a craned neck and aching back. I never gave much thought to what to do with my arms beyond not jabbing my neighbor. Sometimes I’d tuck them into my seat belt, which should have tipped me off that the Armbie had potential.
The torso sleeve became a staple in my carry-on kit of road-tested accessories I bring on every long haul, including compression socks, a Turtl neck pillow, corded headphones, an eye mask, a scarf and sometimes a foot sling. Unlike some bulkier neck pillows — which can take up a lot of room in your luggage — it packs down to about the size of a tennis ball and can be washed easily.
A few cons: I did get a little hot in it on one particularly warm flight. But in other, colder cabins, I’ve found it helps me maintain a comfortable temperature for snoozing.
I also don’t think it needs to be so … neon. (Different sizes come in different colors, so you can’t pick a color unless you get another size.)
Will it work for you? I don’t believe any piece of gear will satisfy every traveler, and I’m not sure the sizing will suit every body. The Armbie comes in sizes small to XXL, for chest measurements from 32 to 54 inches. It also requires a level of dexterity and arm flexibility to get over your body, which may be a tall order when crammed in coach. Some people might even find it claustrophobic.
But it has helped me sleep soundly, with or without the extra support of a travel pillow. I even used it on a recent red-eye to Italy at nearly five months pregnant, belly and all (although it did take some extra adjusting to avoid putting too much pressure on my midsection). So it keeps making the cut for my carry-on.
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