Iso-Cool Memory Foam Pillow, Gusseted Side Sleeper ,Standard

I suffer from two herniated cervical disks and it is very difficult for me to find a pillow that is just right, not too soft, not too firm, not too low, not too high... Over the years I have tried many, many memory foam pillows, amongst them the Dream Coil pillow, the Tempurpedic, Therapedic, you name it.All worked somewhat but it seems that the main problem with most memory foam pillows is that they are too firm at first (especially in the winter when it is cold in the bedroom), then mold perfectly to a person's individual anatomy until the material gets too warm from the person's body heat and finally it does not provide perfect support anymore because it gets too soft and allows the head to sink in too far.Because I was at the point yet again where I was changing out my various memory foam pillows several times a night in order to get comfortable, I was looking for just another pillow to try. Which in this case was the Iso-Cool pillow (the contoured model).What a find! This is a truly different pillow. For me who sleeps mainly on her side and sometimes awakes on her back, it strikes the perfect balance between support and softness. I simply love it. It does not feel too firm in the beginning, just supportive, and it does not end up being too soft during the night, it simply remains exactly the same. That it doesn't overheat is another perfect feature but I admit I did not buy this pillow primarily for that although it is advertised as a "stays-cool-pillow".I am very impressed with this pillow and can highly, highly recommend it to anyone suffering from the same condition as I am.Of course I know from experience that these pillows come on the market and also disappear from it quickly, so I've already bought a second one and will get a few more. Just in case it will wear out one day. Because I want to avoid having to hunt down the overstocks all over the web as I had to do with the Dream Coil pillow a few years back...UPDATE: I just received my additional Iso-Cool contour pillows. Contrary to the one I had recently bought at JC Penny's, these Amazon-sold ones come without the retail box and a thinner, considerably more basic pillow cover. The pillow cover from Penny's is the nicer one. The one I received from Amazon does not have blue or for that matter any piping, no stitched Iso-Cool logo, quite a bit thinner fabric.But otherwise they seem to be made of the same material and have the same 15-yr. warranty. Just thought I'd mention that these differ a bit from other Iso-Cool pillows available out there...UPDATE II:In September 09 someone commented on my review here saying that Amazon now ships the pillow with the Iso-Cool cover as pictured. That's great - it's a much nicer cover than what I got from Amazon when I first posted this review.

Updated after one year of owning - this pillow is still going strong! It's an incredible night's sleep, hasn't worn down whatsoever. My guests all love them and they in turn end up buying a set because they've never slept so well before!My only advice: order this in sets. I bought one to try it out and then opted to a second and they are definitely differences in production. The first one is much heavier in weight and the second one isn't quiet as firm. I don't think I'd notice if I had ordered them at same time, but I tend to prefer the first one I got as it's a little more firm!Original review: This pillow is amazing. I had no idea there were different types of pillow styles for different angles of sleeping - back, stomach and side. My whole life was spent sleeping on down pillows and double stacking them, but still waking up with an achy shoulder or neck. After blowing out my back 2 years ago, it only intensified. Turns our, if you're a side-sleeper, you're supposed to use a firm, foam pillow. Down pillows are for stomach sleepers or to hug as a body pillow, not for side sleepers. Gusset sides means extra firm foam around the side of the pillow, which keeps your neck in line with your head, rather than having the awkward bend in your neck while sleeping on a pillow too flat to a mattress.Magical difference. I ordered the gusseted side-sleeper version for myself to have over at my boyfriend's house, then ordered another set to replace an older foam pillow at my house as well as to get one for my boyfriend because it made such a difference for both of us. He also loves these pillows - he's the odd duck that rotates and sleeps all 3 ways and I still use a body pillow, so we keep the down pillows around still, but it got to the point where he kept stealing mine or sleeping on mine on the nights when I didn't stay over. Both of us sleep much more soundly and wake up with zero neck pain.As for the ISO-cool pad, you can definitely feel the cooling sensation right away for about an hour. It does eventually warm up, though, the longer your body is touching it, so it's only for a quick shot of relief during sleep each night. I found that in the middle of winter, it's a bit too cool right now and flip the pillow over to sleep without the cooling agent. It comes in handy if I wake up hot, though, to flip over, and I am looking forward to having on those hot summer nights. It's a nice, tingling, cooling sensation on my cheek and forehead.