Hello all,

I love this forum and I need help again. I have 2 latex pillows at home--a standard size which is too low for me and a queen size which is too high for my head and wake up daily with neck pain. I've recently tried the memory foam contour pillow and found even the softest one too hard. I tired the down alternative and found it too soft/squishy. I'm considering ordering a latex contour pillow from Natura but they are so expensive with no return policy. Does anyone have any experience with latex contour pillows? Which brands? Please comment on support and softness of whatever you have tried. I love my new mattress but I can't get up in the morning without moderate neck pain. Thanks in advance for your input.

Sabra

Hi Sabra, I have the latex contour pillow from Natura and can't sleep on it. I tried a couple of times, and gave up on it. I find that two fairly flat down pillows are so much more comfortable (for me). It might be that it is so resilient it doesn't compress enough and also feels sort of bouncy which for my head, I can't deal with. It did feel better when I took it out of the cotton zippered cover it came in (which forces it to retain it's shape), but that still didn't feel great for my neck.

My boyfriend has a contoured memory foam pillow and I can sleep on the low side of that as it is much softer and more conforming. We got it a few years ago from Target for $20.00. He swears by it as he always woke up with a neck ache before this pillow. The Tempurpedic version of the pillow (which is way more expensive as you know) is made from heavier duty visco and is a lot firmer, so maybe in this case, cheap is the way to go. You can also get low profile contour pillows -- I think I've seen them at Bed Bath and Beyond. Can you take a knife to the queen size latex pillow and cut off a little bit on the other side of the contour to give it a slightly lower profile?

Pillows are such individual things I've found. Everyone has their own specific likes and needs. I know several people who won't leave home without their pillow....

Kim, Thanks for letting us know that you did not like the Nautura latex contour pillow since I had thought about buying this pillow in the past but was afraid to try something out that could not be returned. I am disappointed that I bought two more Overstock natural latex pillows thinking they would be smaller and flatter than the nice ones I bought last year that I wish were 1/2" less heigh. I thought this based on so many reviewers saying the pillow was smaller and softer than last year's pillow they bought from Overstock. My two new pillows are no different than last year. They are comfortable and so far the best I can find for my comfort but are a tiny bit higher than I like. I miss my old latex pillows that were 100% natural and flatter that I had for years until they finally fell apart.

Has anyone out there taken a knife to tallalay latex? I don't have an electric knife. Is it possible to slice a little thickness off and do a decent job with a standard sharp knife? I'd love to hear your stories.

Thanks Klm for the idea. Maybe I shoud buy your Natura pillow if I can't get mine flatter!

Lynn, could you possibly put a straight edge on top of your Overstock pillow and take a ruler and measure how many inches high it is? It would help to know if it might be a good option for me.

Sabra

I just measured the loft of my 2 latex pillows; one is 6" and the other 7". I guess I need one about 61/2". I feel this is being too picky, but I must find relief for my neck pain somehow.

Jimsocal has put up a few posts regarding using an electric knife to cut latex. Here is one link:

http://www.whatsthebest-mattress.com/forum/1800-0-1.html

I'll measure the Natura latex pillow and let you know how high it is unless you already have that information...

I'll measure all my pillows I have home that are latex and let you know tomorrow the measurements. I am so tired right now.....

I just measured my Queen soft latex pillow from FloBeds and it is 7" high.  I just measured 3 Overstock standard latex pillows and according to my measurements the highest point is 6.5" high and not the 6" the description says it is. Sabra so this pillow may be good for you but is a little high for me.  I think I would like a soft 5.5" high pillow.

Thanks Kim for the Jimsocial thread; I reread it and may have to go purchase that electric carving knife,

Lynn, Thanks for doing the measuring. I actually bought a 6.5" pillow at Dillards yesterday in an attempt to get rid of this pain. It seemed to work pretty well for me last night. Whoever said to take the latex pillow out of the cover and it would be softer is RIGHT! If I find one that is more your size, I'll ket you know.

Sabra, I am glad you found your pillow.  I have learned to buy 30 0to 400 thread count pillow case covers to use on the latex pillows to keep them from being soft since they come with crinkly 200 thread count pillow cases that are not that comfortable.  I guess I Must need 6" high than or 5.5" high. Dave shaved off a pillow for me that is soft but it is 4.5" high and that is too flat for me I have learned.  Hence, I am using the 6.5" high Overstock pillows that I now have too many of since I bough two more thinking they would be lower and smaller.

"Whoever said to take the latex pillow out of the cover and it would be softer is RIGHT!"

That was me. I found it made a big difference, as the latex can't really flatten and conform to the shape and weight of your head when it is confined by the fitted case.

I did measure the Nature contour pillow that I have and it sounds as if the profile is quite a bit lower compared to pillows mentioned here. One of the "humps" is 4 inches high and the other "hump" is 3 inches, with the low point being 2.75 inches. My boyfriend's memory foam pillow is about the same except that the lower "hump" which is the side he sleeps on, and the side that also feels comfortable to me, is 3.5 inches.

I'm wondering if the contour pillows you have been trying Sabra, are way too high. Hence the neck pain...