I designed Bolstie for passengers like myself. The exhausted traveler. The budget-conscious businessman on a red-eye. The mom juggling kids in row 34B. And honestly? I love it when I’m that passenger — it was nap time for me. But most of the time, I was the driver. Focused. Upright. Left out. While everyone else got to snuggle up with Bolstie on planes and trains, I’d sit behind the wheel — tense, tight, crawling through traffic like it was a full-contact sport.
Then something changed.
I Discovered It on an 11-Hour Road Trip
Somewhere around hour four of an 11-hour drive a friend's wedding, I was deep into discomfort. In my friend’s Crossover SUV, my back was supported by the car seat, but my neck? Screaming. I wasn’t slouched. I wasn’t sleeping. I was just… stuck upright for hours, clenching my jaw and adjusting every few minutes to release tension. That’s when the idea hit me like a lightning bolt and I couldn’t wait to get to the next gas station totest out my theory.
“What if I strap Bolstie to the headrest?”
We brought 2 Bolstie: one for me and one for my friend —both stuffed with a couple outfits. So I grabbed mine, wrapped it around the seat’s headrest, and adjusted the bundle so it sat perfectly behind my head and neck.
Then I leaned back.
And wow.
It was my aha moment.
Bolstie filled the awkward gap between the headrest and my neck with soft, structured support. No slipping. No collapsing like memory foam. Just real comfort — made from the clothes I already packed.
I Brought It Home to LA Traffic
After that road trip, I applied the same idea to my daily commute to my car’s driver seat — and it was a godsend.
I live in LA. That means a 25-mile drive often takes 2 hours.
Every bump. Every red light. Every inch of traffic used to build more tension in my neck.
But now? Bolstie is a permanent fixture around my headrest —I just lean back and let it support me. I sit taller. My head and neck stay aligned. My shoulders drop. It literally turned my worst time of day into the most restful.
Not Just a Travel Pillow — A Commute Game-Changer
I designed Bolstie as a compact travel pillow for economy class flyers, backpackers, and light packers—for all of us travelers who can’t afford business and first class. But it’s evolved.
Now, it’s also:
• A car head/neck support pillow
• A commute pillow that eases stiffness
• A packing cylinder (way better than any packing cube)
• And a seat cushion, lumbar support, and leg rest — depending on the day
It’s machine washable. Lightweight. Packs flat when empty.
And it wraps perfectly around your headrest ( never ever around our necks) like it was born to do it.
The Real Problem? I Thought It Wasn’t for Drivers
That’s the truth.
I created Bolstie for travelers and passengers. But I was frustrated about something important because I had figured it out: Drivers get sore too. Maybe even more than passengers. We’re upright. Alert. Focused. But we’re also stuck. Still. Unsupported.
And that tension builds fast — especially in the neck and shoulders.
The irony?
I had the solution with me the whole time. I didn’t think beyond the box, not just outside of it. I just didn’t realize it could help me—the driver! Bolstie was never just for planes and trains. It was always a comfort tool for anyone sitting too long — even behind the wheel now.
Neck Pain While Driving? Try This
If you:
• Commute daily
• Drive rideshare or delivery
• Do long road trips
• Wait in school pickup lines
• Or just have tight neck and shoulder muscles from driving…
Try this:
1. Take your Bolstie.
2. Stuff it with soft, supportive layers (I used two outfits and a towel).
3. Wrap it around your car’s headrest.
4. Position it where your neck naturally leans back.
Then drive.
Within minutes, you’ll feel real alignment. No more slouching or straining. Just steady, reliable support — made from the things you already pack.
And the best part?
You don’t need to be on vacation to feel it.
The Commute Is Still Long… But Now It’s Better
Traffic hasn’t changed.
The 25 miles still take 2 hours.
But now, I actually look forward to those quiet moments behind the wheel. I lean into my Bolstie. I play my favorite playlist. I relax. It’s like my car turned into a mobile reset zone. So yeah — I built Bolstie for travelers. But it turns out, the person who needed it most… was me and all the drivers out there.
Founder of Bolstie — designed for the traveler in every seat, especially the one driving.
