Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow Review
A supportive and firm pillow that's very comfortable
Verdict
Comprising three internal layers, the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow is a firm but adjustable pillow with a touch of softness, often not present in foam models. I found it a little too fat with all three layers, but removing one gave me the right balance of comfort and support.
Pros
- Adjustable
- Soft yet supportive
- Easy to look after
Cons
- Doesn’t dissipate heat fast
Availability
- UKRRP: £159
Key Features
- FillingTwo Simba Renew and one Aerocoil internal pillows.
- TrialComes with a 30-night trial period.
Introduction
While a firm pillow can be good for support, they can often feel uncomfortable and hard compared to a traditional pillow.
The Simba Hybrid Firm attempts to compensate for that with its adjustable internal layers, which let you switch around the pillow height and firmness. For those that need a slightly harder pillow, this one is supportive and comfortable.
Design and filling
- Height and firmness adjustable
- Washable cover and interior
- Heat-reducing tech
Externally, the Simba Hybrid Firm uses the same pillow cover as the company’s Hybrid pillow. This has a mesh front for better airflow, and has two different surfaces. Place it with the turquoise strip facing up, and you get the Stratos cover. This draws heat away from your head to keep you cool.
If you prefer, you can flip the cover over and use the standard cotton cover instead. This uses cotton sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative, which helps growers and aims to reduce the environmental impact of cotton production. This cover can be washed at 40C.
Inside the main cover are three separate layers: two Simba Renew and one Aerocoil. Simba Renew consists of soft fibres, giving a more traditional pillow feel; the Aerocoil layer uses micro springs, similar to the ones used in its mattress.
How you use the layers, and how many you use, affects the feel and height of this pillow. Simba recommends that side sleepers should use all three layers, but the combination can be adjusted for taste: the Simba Renew layers on top make for a medium feel; placing the Aerocoil on top makes the pillow feel firmer; Aerocoil in the middle is a compromise between the two.
For back sleepers, Sibma recommends using one Renew layer and the Aerocoil layer. Again, Aerocoil on top provides a firmer feel, and on the bottom, a more medium feel.
I found that the three layers were a little too high, even as a side sleeper, and the pillow was hard to get into a regular pillow case, so I went with the two layers, preferring the Renew layer on top. This meant I had to find somewhere to store the spare Renew layer.
Both Renew layers can be washed at 40C, but the Aerocoil layer shouldn’t be washed in a washing machine.
There’s a 30-day trial on the pillow, so you can buy and test before you decide whether or not to keep it.
Comfort
- Firm but comfortable
- Good level of support
There’s no escaping that this is a firm pillow. If I were a front sleeper, I wouldn’t even consider this model.
As a side sleeper, I found the best combination was to put a Renew layer on top and the Aerocoil layer underneath. While the pillow was still firm, the Renew layer added a bit of softness and made this feel more like a regular pillow. I found this combination much better than the Emma Original, which I found too hard.
Testing the pillow, I laid on my side with my head in the sleeping position. My head was lifted 12.5cm from the mattress, which is about spot-on for keeping my neck straight while sleeping.
I also measured heat dissipation. Lying on my back for ten minutes, I used a thermal camera to take a photo every minute. I found the Simba Hybrid Firm held onto heat more than the Simba Hybrid, and it took five minutes before the outline of my head had almost gone.
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Should you buy it?
If you want a firmer pillow, yet one with a hint of softness to it, this adjustable one is a good compromise.
If you prefer a softer pillow with a more feather-like feel to it, you’ll want to look at an alternative.
Final Thoughts
If you like a firmer feel to a pillow but like some softness in the mix, the Simba Hybrid Firm is a good choice. Its choice of layers makes it easy to adjust to suit your way of sleeping and your preferred comfort level. If you prefer a softer, more feather-like feel, the Simba Hybrid is a better choice but this is a fine firm pillow.
How we test
We test every pillow we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Used as our main pillow for the review period
We use a thermal camera to see how quickly the pillow can dissipate heat for a comfortable night’s sleep.
We measure how far off the mattress our head is kept, to check how supportive the pillow is
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FAQs
The outer cover and two Renew pillows can be washed, but the Aerocoil layer should not be washed.
Yes, you can choose which internal pillows you use and the order that they’re inserted in.
Full specs
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
