REVIEW – I needed a new pillow. The one I had was several years old and just wasn’t supporting this big melon of a head well anymore. I was sleeping on a shredded memory foam pillow and it was good, or at least I thought it was. I still woke up with neck and shoulder pain most mornings, but I chalked that up to getting older. It was also hot to sleep on. I think that pillow helped coin the phrase “cooler than the other side of the pillow.” I was flipping it a couple of times a night. When the Elegear cervical neck pillow came up for review, I threw my hat in and was lucky enough to get it. It boasts an Arc-chill pillow case and the ability to stop neck pain, headaches, sore shoulders, and snoring. Sounds like they made this pillow just for me! Let’s see if it can live up to the claims.
What is it?
The manufacturer describes the Elegear cervical neck pillow as a cervical memory foam pillow with inductive springs and an extractive cooling pillow cover.
What’s included?
- Elegear cervical neck pillow with arc-chilling pillowcase
Tech specs
Click to expand
Viscoelastic foam
Inductive bread springs on one side
Cooling pillowcase
Design and features
Let’s talk about the shape of the pillow. It’s rounded with notches to aid in supporting your neck and head, whether sleeping on your back or side. Additionally, there are cavities or depressions in the body of the pillow. In the center, there’s a bowl-shaped depression to cradle your head. Next, there are depressions on either end for your ears. In the middle edges, there’s a slight depression on the foam-only side for neck support, while on the other, there are inner springs if you need extra support. Not only that, but the foam-only side has a height of 8 cm while the bread spring side is slightly higher at 9 cm.
Elegear calls the bread spring a “neck protection induction spring”. I couldn’t find anything online describing exactly what an induction spring was. I did find an article that talked about shape-memory alloys, but don’t all springs have shape-memory to a certain degree?
Next, Elegear says they use the latest generation of viscoelastic foam, read as memory foam, that is softer than other memory foam or latex pillows. It’s also supposed to have a high rebound so as not to flatten or deform during prolonged use. They also state that the softness or hardness of the pillow isn’t affected by temperature change.
Finally, Elegear calls the pillow case the Arc-Chill Q-Max cooling pillow cover. They claim it can lower the PERCEIVED maximum temperature by more than 5 degrees Celsius / 41 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also more breathable and absorbent than a cotton pillowcase.
Assembly, Installation, Setup
The Elegear cervical neck pillow arrives in a box and is rolled up in plastic so you won’t be sleeping on it the first night. You will have to remove it from the packaging and let it sit for 24 hours to return to shape.
Performance
I’ve tried several different cooling pillows like this one over the years and was never impressed. I really couldn’t tell a difference in the perceived temperature. This pillowcase wasn’t any different, but let me say this. The pillow itself doesn’t hold heat like my other pillow. I don’t have to try to find a cool spot on it during the night. So, if that’s what they mean by cooling, then Elegear has succeeded. Since I’ve been sleeping on the Elegear foam neck pillow, I haven’t woken in a pool of sweat. Yeah, I know. Gross. But like I said, I haven’t had that experience with this pillow.
I’ve tried both of the sides for neck support and I prefer the side with the bread spring. I don’t know if there are other memory foam pillows out there with springs in them, but the Elegear pillow with the springs is very comfortable. The cavity for my noggin is also a nice feature, coupled with the springs gives my head and neck excellent support.
My previous pillow has a traditional shape and shredded memory foam, but I’m a side sleeper so there wasn’t that notch for my shoulder. I never thought much of it, but now that I’ve slept on the Elegear pillow, I’ll make sure to look for that feature next time I’m in need. Also, I like the depression in the pillow for my ears. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has rolled over on a traditional pillow and folded my ear over, only to wake up later because of it. Hopefully, you can see the cavities in my pictures. I captured as best as I could with my camera.
I will admit, it did take a couple of nights to acclimate to the new pillow. It wasn’t like I woke up the next day after sleeping on it for the first time and thought, “OMG! Where has this pillow been all my life?” I can honestly say now I have less neck and shoulder pain. Yes, I still have some but nothing like I used to, and what I do have, I attribute to age. You know, the normal aches and pains after you reach a certain age.
If you’re looking for a pillow that stops snoring, I’m not sure one exists. The Elegear foam neck pillow sure hasn’t stopped mine. My family can attest to that and I sleep on a wedge as well. I find this claim to be a little disingenuous. I don’t hold that against Elegear. A lot of companies brag about this, but I’ve never seen a pillow that can actually stop snoring.
What I like about Elegear cervical neck pillow
- Very comfortable
- Bread springs
- Depressions for the head and ears
- Doesn’t get hot while sleeping
What needs to be improved?
- Remove the claim it can stop snoring or at least provide evidence
- Explain the perceived maximum temperature when referring to the cooling pillow cover
Final thoughts
To be honest, I didn’t expect a lot from a pillow with all the claims it made. Elegear nailed the important ones for me. It’s comfortable and supports my head and neck better than any of my previous pillows. I wake up with less pain, which is a huge plus, and it doesn’t make me sweat. I’m going to call it a win for me. If you’re in the market for a new pillow, do yourself a favor and go check out Elegear.
Price: $59.99 for the smaller one that I received, $69.99 for the larger size
Where to buy: Amazon and Elegear
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Elegear. Elegear did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
