Hi Sleepless,
OK … now you’ve gone and done it. Opened up the “pillow” can of worms … er … feathers or shredded latex 
So we may as well make this the official “pillow” thread so I’ll link to a few other places where I’ve made some comments before.
I think that pillows are an even more personal part of our sleeping system than a mattress and subjective perceptions are even more important … although of course there are still necessities in what we need for the best spinal alignment as well. I have to say that while there are many pillows that I have liked for periods of time and sometimes even long periods of time … I don’t think that I’ve ever found the “perfect pillow” because my definition of “perfect” seems to change from time to time.
Some of my more generic thoughts on pillows are in post #13 here
There is also some information about many of the materials that are used in pillows in post #5 here.
From another post …
There are a couple of pillows that I’ve been trying lately. The first one is a zoned talalay latex pillow from Malouf
Because I’m primarily a side sleeper … I got the thicker one but also the plush version because I like sinking into my pillow and other positions need less thickness. While I don’t find it “bouncy” so much … like all latex it kind of “assists” or “encourages” free movement (and I can understand how some people wouldn’t like this). Maybe my head is just heavier and doesn’t bounce as much It’s also a little warmer for me than feathers. I like it and it works well for me but for my DH (who is also mostly a side sleeper but sometimes moves towards her stomach) whose shoulders aren’t as wide as mine and so her head doesn’t need to be held up as high, the slightly thinner one would probably have been better. She likes the feel but not the height even though it’s very soft. I haven’t tried the shredded latex version but I’m guessing it would be a little less “bouncy” but I’ve heard some people say they don’t like the feeling of the “pieces”.
The other one is the Biogreen Trillow here.
This one actually impresses me and it’s probably the nicest memory foam pillow I’ve tried. I wanted to test the biogreen memory foam which is an MDI (rather than TDI) formula and I specifically asked to have a brand new one so that I could see how it smelled before it had a chance to air out. There is absolutely no smell and even my DH who has an incredible sense of smell didn’t smell anything. Nothing chemical in any way. It is also a slightly faster reacting memory foam so that I don’t have a trapped feeling and movement is easier than other memory foams. It is also very breathable, cooler and “airy” feeling more so than other memory foam pillows I have used. I use it in the thickest configuration and DH uses it with the outer layer removed and with the 4" contour towards her shoulders and it’s perfect for her side sleeping and occasional forays onto her stomach. I haven’t slept on it as much as I’d like to as it’s been “taken” for most of the time we’ve had it
I also came across the totillow pillow in the last couple of days and it’s a down or down alternative pillow and also looks really interesting. there are some really good real time videos on the site about how it works with multiple sleeping positions like stomach side sleeping.
Another one that I will definitely try at some point is the technogel pillow. Besides the fact that the gel really interests me … I also really like cool sleeping pillows and the gel is probably one of the cooler options because of its heat conductive qualities. You can see some feedback about it from one of the forum members in post #3 here.
Another part from another post …
[quote]There are some good “pillow sites” on the web with very good information about pillows in general. They are a very important part of a sleeping system and spinal alignment. In general terms … side sleepers need firmer/thicker pillows to prevent the head from sinking too much which can cause misalignment and soreness in the neck and upper body area. Back sleepers need a slightly softer/thinner pillow that will support the cervical/neck area. Stomach sleepers do best with a very thin/soft pillow or no pillow at all. The type of mattress you sleep on and how deeply you sink into the comfort layers will also play a role in the type of pillow that is best. The deeper you sink into a mattress … the “thinner” a pillow you will typically need.
Pillow materials are a matter of personal preference and are typically made of similar materials to mattress comfort layers (latex, polyfoam, various natural and synthetic fibers, gels, feathers etc). For the same reasons that I like latex in the mattress comfort layers (a combination of softness, pressure relief, and support) … I believe that it also makes a particularly high quality pillow … assuming the pillow fits your sleeping position.
Some good information about pillows is here www.pillowsmtom.com.au/default.asp (makes customized pillows), here www.rejuvenite.com/ (latex pillows made by Latex International), here www.consumersearch.com/pillows and here www.sleeplikethedead.com/pillow-sleeping-positions.html[/quote]
So that’s it for “pillow talk” for the moment … and if anyone has any thoughts to add or pillow preferences or suggestions feel free to add them here. Thanks for starting up this thread.
Phoenix
PS: As time goes on I’ll add links to some good pillow information in this post as they appear in other threads on the forum.
Quick update a double stack pillow dilemma
Help in selecting the best pillows
Links to some good pillow information and comparisons
Some thoughts about buckwheat pillows in post 11 and 13
Some good information about down pillows post #5 onwards
Dreamfoam shredded latex, shredded memory foam, and shredded latex/memory foam combination reviews
Some DIY pillow material and stuffing sources
Some general discussions about pillows including a kapok/latex combination