I tried some random memory foam pillow from target, and while it was good the first few weeks, it lost its shape very quickly and I started having neck and shoulder pain. I like my pillows to be pretty high, other wise I get neck pain, but most pillows lose their shape pretty soon. Also, I'm a side sleeper. Any recommendations would be appreciated. |
I tried a latex pillow and absolutely hated it. I didn't like the "push back" feeling of the latex and prefer the "dead" feeling of a feather/down pillow. I agree that finding a comfortable pillow is tougher then finding a mattress. |
Take Budgy's advice, go to a upolstery shop and buy shreded foam and make your own! You can buy quilted, zippered pillow cases, stuff it, slap on a pillow case and you have a pillow. Not high enough? Add some more foam. Want it firm but with a little soft? Add a little loft. Don't have a shop in your location? Buy a bag of shred on line, waterbed stores sell it for bean bags. |
I too haven't had any luck with latex. I like a pillow that is soft and as pliable as possible, probably because of the weird performance art type of positions I seem to wake up in. But also I have tried a lot so I can atleast give people an idea of what they really feel like before they buy one and take it home (and I have to, because I carry pillows from $30.00 to like $3000.00). Tried wool, latex (solid and shredded), feather, Tempur-Pedic, 'down' with latex core, and I always end up going back to white goose down. I really do recommend them but I think if someone wants a thick pillow with a lot of support you should try a latex, that is exactly what I didn't like about them myself. |
I love my latex pillow with a thin, fluffy pillow on top. Overstock has GREAT latex pillows!! |
Pillows are like mattresses we all like different types. I use a latex international talalay pillow (queensisize because it is thicker). It depends on your mattress also, if it is firm or you sink in some. |
Pillows are such a personal choice... we all seem to like something different. I love goose down pillows and slept on them most of my life; nothing else ever compared. But I decided to try Flobeds natural talalay shredded latex when I got my mattress form them last summer. They sell them very, very overstuffed and then you adjust it how you like--just unzip and take out excess foam, and you can add back some later if your needs change. Turns out they're better for my neck when I sleep on my side than the down ones are (as down compresses too much), and I really like them. I got standard size and took out about a quarter of the shredded latex and it's working quite well. But down is much better if I sleep on my back as then I like to lie quite flat (though I could take out more latex, of course, but then it wouldn't work when I lie on my side.) So I keep both down and latex on my bed. The latex keeps it shape, but you can also squish it around how you like. I'm actually surprised they work so well for me, and I even have less neck pain. Sorry the formatting isn't working with my browser so this will come through as one long paragraph... |
I bought a memory foam pillow a few years ago and thought it was going to be fabulous ... it was for about 10 days and then I woke up with SPLITTING neck shoulder pain the like I have never experience. I read information on www.chem-tox.com and found others had the same experience. I think I will look into a shredded latex bed next. Cheers. |
As usual, I take matters into my own hands and make my own pillow from leftover foam. For example, the Venus and Sensus foam we got from overstock were King size so we cut them down into 2 twins but there was about 6" too long so we cut them off. I used those extra 6" to add to another memory foam pillow that was too low for me. So it's good not only because it's higher, but it's only higher for about half the pillow and the other 6" or so is still low. So I can turn it around and sleep on the high side when I'm on my side or sleep on the low side when I'm on my back. My wife recently bought a fiberfill pillow at Ross for about $10 and then she cut it open and took out a few big hands full of the innards from the middle of it and now she likes it. |
I have tried a number of pillows, but I always seem to go back to goose down. Memory foam seemed too firm. Latex and shredded latex push back to much (plus they might have some latex smell for a while). If you want high fill power goose down (700, 800) the cheapest place I have found in Unitedpillow.com (read about them in the Wall Street Journal) I will warn you though that their customer service can be a bit spotty and slow (though they have always come through in the end) and the firm is very stuffed with feathers. I started with a firm and ended up with a soft. Another interesting place that got a good review in the Wall Street Journal was myidealpillow.com. They pick out the firmness of the pillow based on at the data you input (height, weight, sleeping style, mattress firmness, etc.). I have not tried them, but I might order one some time soon. Both of these places have a return policy, but obviously buying a pillow over the internet is tricky. |
www.stgeneve.com check out their section called 'Quality Defined' incredibly informative about many things, textiles, down, and even proper down pillow design. Their products are expensive but are considered to be among the best in the world. |