The Unofficial Memory Foam/Visco Elastic/NASA Pillow Thread

[Atrac]

KTG: Is this the same pillow that you bought?

Sealy Memory Foam Pillow at JCPenney

If so, you got a good deal on it (based on JCPenney's price). Can you tell me who the actual manufacturer of the foam is? The Pillowcase should have a "Under Penalty of Law if Removed" tag. On the bottom it should say the company that made the foam (like Carpenter Co., Foamex, Louisville Bedding Company, etc.).

Actually if someone like zervun could check the Costco pillow, that would be cool too.

Thanks!

 

[zervun]

double DOH my tag is gone =p (I have no idea who could have removed it )

 

[Atrac]

zervun: The police have been notified!

Oh wait, you're the consumer so it's ok.

 

[RadioactiveMagpies]

update on my pillow:

The one I brought from samsclub is named "Tempsoma: Contour Channel Pillow". It is by Sleep Innovations. There is 10 year warranty on the box, foam is made in USA, 100% cotton cover made in China. Also on the box are "memory foam molds naturally toy our body", "ususes body weight and temperature to mold around you, providing incredible comfort in any sleeping position." and "using foam especially engineered for NASA astronauts...", "space age foam...", and also "ALL NEW MATERIALS CONSISTING OF POLYURETHANE FOAM". At first I slept with an additional pillow case, and it was uncomfortable. Then I used an extra pillow below it, odd thing is I think i can auctually feel the pillow below it when I sleep. Then I decided to just use it solo and things are working out pretty well. I'm getting used to it and falling alseep alot faster as well as tossing a bit less. My neck had a bit of uneasiness for the first week, but now I wake up feeling better than my old pillow. I think it is because this is the first time in slept in the correct neck position in decades. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, $30 is still alot for a pillow, and many people are fine with a $5 one. Still, I'm very interested in the more expensive ones now. Keep up the research fellow pillowhunters!

 

[joekker]

I've been using a NASA space age foam pillow for about a year and would never sleep with another. It's only 18" wide but then again it only cost $20 from Overstock.com. I'm wondering if visco-elastic and temperature foam are synonomous.

 

[LurkingInNC]

"I figured since the pillow is only 3# density and could be "thin" I would, if necessary, just superglue two together and have a pillow with 6# density, and at an amazing price. Plus, the size of the pillow is 18x24 which makes it 4" - 6" longer than other pillows in the 18" dimension. It will fit my chair seat perfectly!"


Spotdancer- gluing two pillows together won't change the density of the foam. If you start out with 3" high, 3# density foam you'll end up with a 6" high 3# density cushion, not a 6# density cushion. However, it may work out well for your needs so good luck!

 

[ktg]

atrac----

I happened to check the tag last night (before I read your post at work this morning)---my recollection is the manufacturer is someone called "National Sleep Products" (or something very close to that). Found it interesting that the tag gives their address as Washington State but the box lists Nebraska.

I'm not sure if this is the same pillow at JCPenney. The description sounds about right, but the picture at the JC Penney website is of a typically-shaped pillow; the one I bought has that "scooped out" contour that most of the memory pillows seem to share. Mine does mention a 5-year limited warranty, like JC Penney, so maybe they are the same.

Had a good nights' sleep on it!

 

[Mears]

As some of you may know, it is fairly simple to make your own pillows using your own fill. Also, most larger cities will have some type of foam distributer where they distribute different types of foam for industrial uses. The one I know of is in Muskegon, MI. I picked up some very high density foam (don't remember the exact type) for use in audio applications(portable port adjustments). It was pretty cheap and they cut everything to your specifications. Now if anyone knows exactly what type of foam the higher density pillows use, we'll be able to whip these up for cheap.

 

[Atrac]

Thanks for the tag info guys. It looks like there is more than a few manufactuers of these foam pillows.

KTG: Click on the "Alternate View" of the Sealy Pillow at JCPenney. That shows the contours. It just looks like the cover with that one is not form fitting. If yours has a form fitting cover, it's an even better deal.

And I definately wouldn't put any kind of superglue on these pillows; if I'm not mistaken, superglue will cause the foam to dissolve.

 

[Muadib]

Can anyone tell me which brands do not have the form fitting section? I bought one from linen & things a while back that has it, and I think I would perfer one without it. As I recall, it came in a dark blue box. I'm curious which type I bought as I can't tell now.

 

[clarkmo]

Custom Cut and free sample
WARNING *** Slooow Site.

 

[Bobomatic]

The one from costco is from Sleep Inovations Inc.

 

[tedbearz]

I prefer a buckweat pillow. I found a place that sells a large size for 29.99

 

[KarmaWahoo]

SmartBargains has a Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattress Pad for $29.99-$49.99 depending on size:

From a famous name leader in sleep products, this elastic memory foam mattress pad makes all the difference in getting a comfortable night's sleep. It relieves strain and pressure on your back, while providing customized support to your contours.


Features:
? Adjustable memory foam mattress pad
? Cut slightly smaller than your mattress to allow proper fit of your bottom sheet
? Relieves back pressure and increases comfort
? 100% polyurethane foam
? Dimensions:
Twin: 34 in. x 72 in.
Full: 50 in. x 77 in.
Queen: 55 in. x 77 in.
King: 74 in. x 77 in.
? 1.75 in. peak over 0.75 in. base
? Spot clean with warm water and mild detergent
? Made in USA

 

[huesmann]

I cannot believe a memory foam thread has this many posts.

 

[anji65]

i've had back and neck pains for over 10 years...and i'm only 23..never wake up without pain. i'm going with costco..so i'll let ya'll know how it works for me.
thanks for all the info

 

[Atrac]

Originally posted by: huesmann
I cannot believe a memory foam thread has this many posts.

Everyone's a critic.

Anyway....moving along to those that *are* interested...

If you have a Strouds in your area, all three of there memory foam pillows are made by Sleep Innovations. Sleep Innovations makes the NovaForm at Costco, so perhaps those without a membership may want to check them out in the store:

Down Topped Bed Pillow (NovaForm Supreme): $49.99 This one is memory foam that has a layer of down in the cotton cover.

Strouds Essential Foam Pillow: $34.99 (On Sale in Store for $24.99) Made by Sleep Innovations for Strouds. Could be an exact clone (or similar) to the one at Costco.

They just added another "Down Covered" Memory Foam Pillow by NovaForm in the store (hasn't made it to the website yet). It is $79.99 (!) but on sale for $69.99 (still !) right now. It looks pretty similar to the other Down Topped one, but this one has the down going all of the way around the pillow (still in the cover though). The packaging is much nicer than the other NovaForm, but still I think that's a lot of moola. It must be the down!

Let the hunt continue!

 

[SpotDancer]

Originally posted by: huesmann
I cannot believe a memory foam thread has this many posts.

What I cannot believe is that someone who does not believe a memory foam thread can have this many posts, adds an additional post thereby maing their unbelieveable memory foam thread post more unbelieveable by adding another post!

Whattaya, stupid or somethin????

 

[RadioactiveMagpies]

Quote

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by: huesmann
I cannot believe a memory foam thread has this many posts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before the invention of the lightbulb, the average human slept for 9-12 hours a day.
Now we sleep like 6-7 hours, so you better make the most of it.
Some people sleep only 4-5 hours:Q
Technology has allowed(forced?) us to stay awake longer, so why shouldn't it allow us to sleep better?

 

[HepDude]

If you go the ebay route, remember the following:

- Check the feedback comments of the seller (and by the way, there is more than one reliable sellers)

- Check the "Completed Items" to see how much they have been selling for. This is the biggest ebay tip ever. Usually, if you are patient, and wait for that one particular auction, day, and time, where you happen to be the only savvy bidder, then you can get the item for close to the lowest price it has sold for recently (as shown in the completed items). If you are in more of a hurry, don't pay more than the average price you see in completed items (you can add 10% if you are really in a hurry). This helps you to avoid situations where someone is totally clueless wants the same item, and will bid it up to the point where it is no longer a deal at all.

- Check the previous bids on that particular item/auction. If the last bid is not recent, or is on a different day than the closing day, then that is a good situation - since the high bidder may have bid and then stopped tracking the auction. The best way to go about bidding is to not make any bid until the last two minutes - and if you have a good connection and you are signed on correctly for bidding, don't make the final click until about 30 seconds before closing. (FIrst you type your bid and click on the review-bid-button, you then get a second review-your-bid page, and then that submit button is the one.) If you bid a lot earlier, then it only drives up the price of the item. If you bid at the last moment, bid the maximum you would accept on this auction --- so that someone else doesn't end up with the item at a price you would have been happy to pay. (If that doesn't make sense to you, read the ebay Help on "Proxy Bidding".)

- The more you are willing to wait, the lower price you can get. Auctions that have PayPal, Bidpoint or other credit card payment methods go for (in this case) $10 to $15 more than the sellers who only accept checks and money orders. So, you either have to wait 10 days for your check to clear, or go to the Post Office for a money order (and then wait for the mail to deliver either one). I needed to go to the Post Office anyway to get 3 cent stamps since the rate just went up 3 cents, so I just bought my pillow from a no-credit-cards seller.

 

[Atrac]

Nice summary, HepDude!

I'd just like to add that within the context of this thread, don't bid in any "Private" auctions. You'll most likely be disappointed.

Hopefully you know what I mean.

 

[Atrac]

OK, so you've got your perfect pillow.....your head and neck feel great now. So what about the rest of your body?

Today I received the foam mattress pad that I got from eBay. It's terrific! 2" Thick & 4lb Density. It's from The Carpenter Company (Isotonic). The thing is the packaging refers to it as the "Comfort Zone Dreamhugger Mattress Pad." To me, it totally feels like Isotonic material. I'm guessing that Carpenter changed the name or has tried different names for the product and decided last year to go with Isotonic.

At any rate, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say any pillow or mattress pad made by Carpenter Company is pretty damn good! Just make sure it's at least 4lb Density (pillow and mattress pad), at least 2" thick (mattress pad only), and is 100% Visco-Elastic foam (for example, the Dreamcoil from Linens 'n Things is only topped with Visco-Elastic foam and it sucks).

On a sidenote, I had to laugh when reading a review somewhere of the Tempur-Pedic mattress sleep system. The guy raved about it but did say one thing negative, "Also, on a personal note, you may find it more difficult to have sex in this bed than a conventional bed. This may be a personal thing, but my wife and I have moved to other beds, floors, tables, etc. instead of the foam mattress..." I suppose that's because there is no "bounce" to the mattress or mattress pad. I guess that's something to keep in mind.

 

[Bobomatic]

I went to brookstone yesterday and felt the temperpedic pillows there. I must say that the are different from what I initially thought.

They slowly sink the weight and really form around it. This is a little different from the one I Have from Costco. The Costco one is

probably a medium density pillow. Your head doesent sink in to the extent that it does with the temperpedic. The temperpedic also

seems stiffer that the costco one, yet allows more sinking(if that makes any sense).


I still like the costco one, and for less than $30 its a great deal.

 

[ktg]

Okay, here's my entry as the 2nd least expensive memory foam pillow:
Contoured viscoelastic foam pillow for $17.97

Also found this in this company's print catalog today; in the printed ad, they show the much-copied "handprint" picture and again plug the NASA thing. Certainly looks a little more inviting than the other cheap pillow mentioned in this thread. Plus this outfit usually has online coupon codes floating around. Check your favorite coupon site...

 

[Atrac]

I can't tell, but if the pillow that ktg mentioned is the same as this one, then it's actually not very good. The pillow is hot pink (even shows the color through the cover) and is quite marshmellow like. It's low density. In comparing the pictures though, it's hard to tell so it may be a totally different pillow.

Also, I noticed that the Strouds Essential Memory Foam Pillow is on sale this week for $19.99 (in store as well as website):

Strouds Essential Memory Foam Pillow

This pillow is made by the same company (Sleep Innovations) that makes the NovaForm at Costco. The only difference is the Costco pillow has a nicer terry cloth cover, while the Strouds Essential has a standard pressed cotton/poly case.