Tempur neck pillow: the best neck pain pillow?

Hi Frugalistas!  I must admit I don’t normally use neck pillows.  I’ve tried them numerous times, but never found one I really liked.  I’ve tried the cheap foam neck pillows from the airport. I’ve tried the blow up neck pillows too.  But when I was asked if I wanted to try the Tempur Neck Pillow, I thought it looked different.  Because I know so many travellers struggle with neck pain, I wanted to know if the Tempur memory foam neck pillow was good, and more so, would it work as a neck pain pillow for travel.

The Tempur Transit pillow Photo credit: Tempur Australia

Why the Tempur neck pillow is different

The Tempur pillow is quite different to any other neck pillow I’ve ever seen.  If you are familiar with other Tempur products, you will know they are made of memory foam.  The pillow is heavy compared to other neck pillows as the foam is very dense, and molds to any position you push it into.  It also has a quality velour cover – none of that that nasty cheap nylon.  The cover has a concealed zip so it can be easily removed for washing.  The Tempur product is definitely built to last more than that one overnight flight from Bali.

Using the Tempur neck pillow

I used the Tempur neck pillow on two separate trips.  The first was a short haul flight from Sydney to Coolangatta on a family trip.  I took the window seat, and snuggled the neck pillow up against the wall of the plane for the journey.  Offering excellent neck support, I think it would certainly be a great neck pillow for sleeping on a longer haul flight.

Settling in for the flight to Queensland

On my recent trip to Europe I took the Tempur neck pillow again.  As I was flying Business Class I elected to pack the neck pillow in my bag.  Yes, in my tiny little carry on.  And I fitted everything in perfectly.  The memory foam worked a treat, as I squished it into my packing cube.  I found that by filling the packing cube, zipping it shut, and squashing it down, I was able to open the cube and put more clothes in.  A lesser quality neck pillow would have immediately sprung back into shape.

Yes, I packed the Tempur transit pillow, and my clothes for a two week trip into my usual carry on bag

I knew the one time I was going to be really able to test the Tempur neck pillow was on my almost 6 hour train trip from Paris to Nice.

But I didn’t realise just how useful it was going to be…….

As we hopped on the train I was thinking about how Paris had changed and reflecting on the soldiers patrolling the Gare de Lyon.  I needed to write my thoughts down immediately, so got typing.  The only thing was, by the time I finished my piece, my neck and shoulders were killing me.  They hurt even more when I tried to sit back and relax into the seat.  The muscles were tight and stiff, and I couldn’t relax them.

So out came the Tempur neck pillow to see if it would help.  I found the pillow particularly helpful because it made me hold my neck and shoulders in a more relaxed position, rather than hunching up.  I found it was an excellent pillow for neck support.  I was able to squash it down and really cradle my neck and relax my shoulders.  By the time we arrived at Nice my neck and shoulders were relaxed and pain free.

On the train from Paris to Nice the Tempur Transit pillow came into its own

Is the Tempur pillow a good neck pain pillow?

There are plenty of travel pillows for neck support on the market.  But if you have a neck or shoulder problem, I do think the Tempur pillow is an excellent option.  Based on my own experience, it was an excellent neck pain pillow for travelling.

The pillow is excellent quality, and the ability to wash the cover gives it a definite advantage over other products on the market.  I loved how easily I was able to pack it.

However, the Tempur neck pillow is not a cheap option.  This is probably its main drawback.  In Australia, it retails for AUD$210.  But if you are a frequent traveller, or a person who won’t travel because of neck and shoulder problems, I do think it could be the neck pillow for you.  It is very worthy of your consideration.

Author’s note:  I was provided with my Tempur transit pillow by Tempur Australia.  As always, my comments and opinions are my own.