So I bought a bed and foundation yesterday, and left the store with two free latex pillows. They’re full latex, and I tested one last night (on my old sagging mattress). I’m (extremely) happy to report I liked it and, more importantly, I didn’t wake up with upper back and neck pain (which forced me to abandon my old pillow for a very thin one that is just not as comfy as I like for side sleeping). Yay :silly: I also like the bounciness just fine.
However, It’s still a tad too high, and more importantly, doesn’t allow for on-the-fly customization (I tend to like bunching them up in the hole between my neck and the mattress, and flattening them a bit under my head. It will work fine, after some getting used to, but it got me thinking it would be perfect if it was either softer, or shredded latex (with the possibility of adjusting the amount of filling) instead of one big piece.
So my questions : is there any difference between shredded and noodles, or do they feel and perform exactly the same ? Or, are there any retailers that sell one-piece latex pillows with different loft and softness ?
(I read the pillow master thread but it’s a tad old and didn’t exactly answer my questions :))
Your question is much to broad and subjective to provide any specific answers because there are so many types of shredded latex pillows that use different types and blends and firmness levels of shredded latex that would have different particle sizes and different levels of fill and the lanoodles pillows also have different options as well in terms of the thickness and fill levels that are available (and some shredded latex pillows and the customizable lanoodles pillow also have the option to change the amount of latex fill in the pillow as well which would change how they feel and perform). Different people would also have very different opinions about how two pillows would compare.
Having said that … hopefully some of the members here that have tried some version of both will see your post and share their comments but in the meantime a forum search on “shredded latex lanoodles pillow” (you can just click the link) will bring up all the forum posts that mention both of them. In very general terms the lanoodles will likely be softer than latex that is shredded because of their shape and consistency but again this will depend on the specifics of the pillow and the specifics of the shredded latex inside it.
There are also many solid latex pillows that come in different shapes, thicknesses, firmness levels, and types and blends of latex and there are new latex pillows that are constantly becoming available in the market but I don’t have any personal experience with most of them or keep a list of the hundreds of different latex pillow options that are available (although a few of them are mentioned in the reference topic for pillows that you read).
I tend to keep the pillow reference topic fairly up to date and add additional links in post #3 as new comments are added to the forum that would be worthwhile adding (the last edit was in June, 2014). The last post in the topic was also in October, 2015.
Thanks for your reply. I know it’s all very subjective.
My question was more about the difference in feeling (I read somewhere shredded can be lumpier than noodles, that kind of things). Of course, all other things being equal (including filling and size).
Anyway,after a few more nights with my “one-piece” pillow, I’m starting to like it a lot. I think the loft and softness are good - even if I still have the reflex to try and bunch it up against my shoulder - which, obviously, doesn’t work, but I’m not missing that nearly as much as I did at first.
In any case, I’ll wait until I have slept on my new bed/mattress before I issue my final judgment on the pillow ! All I can really say for sure now is, I like the feel of latex under my head as much as I like it under the rest of my body !
Again it would really depend on the size and consistency of the pieces. If a shredded latex pillow has different sizes of latex then the smaller pieces will “fill in” the spaces in between the larger pieces which would result in a firmer pillow and if the pieces were larger then some people may feel the individual pieces as being "lumpy. You can see in the video here that the Lanoodles are consistent in their size and shape but how they compare to a shredded latex pillow would depend on the specifics of the filling in a shredded latex pillow you were comparing it to (you can see some images for shredded latex here).
Like you I also like the resilience of a solid latex pillow although not everyone likes it as much as others and some people (generally the ones that don’t like it) have compared it to sleeping on a balloon.
To see if I can tolerate latex I bought some Dupont process solid latex pillows. Seems that I can tolerate the material. It seems I can.
I appreciate the softness of the pillows. I wish a few things: that I could reshape them into “shoulder pillows” a little cut-out so my head could go further out over pillow.
I would like the surface to be flatter. I find the bounciness from different angles (my head being roundish as well) a little too much and I end up wedging my hand under my head to stabilize.
I tried a wonderful memory foam shoulder pillow from Brookstone and returned it because of chemical reaction. The shape of that pillow was great.
Great idea ….checking latex tolerance with a latex pillow. I am glad that you are excited about your discovery and that you like the softness.
I can certainly understand what you mean about wanting a little flatter pillow, or even sculpted surface to contour around your head better. I have two latex pillows that I like one is shredded and the other one is solid plush Talalay. I love them both, but my definition of “perfect pillows” seems to change over time so I am also on the lookout from time to time.
Getting just the right pillow can be as difficult as getting the right mattress as it involves too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences and it both need to keep your head and neck in good alignment for all your sleeping positions. The good news is that there are many online options and you can even have your own custom-made pillow, provided that you know exactly what you need. Here is a good site for customizable latex pillows.