Which Is Firmer? 50/50 Pillow Or Down?

This is a common question we get all the time about which style pillow is firmer. There a number of options for buying firmer pillows and we will discuss some of the common ones.  First lets define each pillow style:

50/50 Pillow – This style pillow contains 50% down and 50% feathers. This type pillow usually has a firmer feeling to it. We would call it ‘Medium’ usually and some styles are firmer than others – but most are ‘Medium’.

Down Pillow – A down pillow has to legally have 75% or more in its weight in down clusters.  The other 25% can be more down, small feathers and or fibers [pieces of down clusters]. Down pillows can come in soft, medium or firm densities.

Chamber Pillow – Kind of like a pillow in a pillow. This style pillow has a feather core and down on the outside (top and bottom to be specific). This pillow usually has the ‘firmness’ of a 50/50 pillow or a firmer down pillow.

So wrapping up – if you enjoyed a 50/50 pillow at a luxury hotel – then by all means by a 50/50 pillow. If you used to use a 50/50 pillow and want a replacement recommendation – I’d feel comfortable suggesting a chamber pillow. I probably would not recommend a firm down pillow as a replacement for a 50/50 pillow.