I m Test: Blackroll  Recovery Pillow:

About the Blackroll brand :

Most people probably associate the Blackroll brand with the well-known fascia roller. This was the first product in 2007 and really made the brand famous. It was not until 2016 that further products were developed and added to the range. In 2020, Blackroll won the ISPO Award with the Recovery Pillow and then the German Design Award 2020. 

The most important features of the Blackroll Recovery Pillow in brief : The pillow is 50x30 cm in size, is designed to relieve pressure on the spine, is suitable for all sleeping positions and is made of elastic and breathable memory foam . It can be rolled up and is delivered in a bag. It complies with the OEKO - TEX  STANDARD 100 , Class 1 and is made in Germany. The RRP is €99.90 and you have a 90-day right of return.

The pillow can be used in 4 positions:

My experiences :

I won the cushion about three years ago in a competition from OutsideStories and have been using it ever since. I am not being paid for the review and it contains my personal experience. 

Material and care :  The upholstery cover is washable at 40°C . The core of the upholstery and the dark protective cover are not washable. The holes in the foam ensure that the upholstery is sufficiently ventilated and protected from moisture. The protective cover also protects the interior from moisture. Around 30% natural oils are used in the production of the inner cushion (foam). This is of course beneficial for the environment and the cushion does not develop any chemical, industrial smell. Since only environmentally friendly materials are used for the entire cushion, which is produced in Germany, the cushion has been certified with the OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, Class 1. The cushion is also partly produced by hand. Therefore, the smallest deviations in the upholstery cover can occur.

Sleep feeling : 

• "Initial situation":  I always struggle with tension and knots under my left shoulder blade. I am a side sleeper and usually sleep on my left side. I also sleep very "crouched down", which of course is very conducive to tension. I had a normal, higher quality side sleeper pillow and didn't think that changing the pillow could improve my tension, as I had already tried this several times. However, as my previous pillow had already served for a few years, I wanted to replace it. I didn't have great expectations of the Blackroll pillow. 

• "Progression":  The first few weeks went by and I wasn't really worried about how comfortable I was sleeping. After about 2 months, my partner said that I hadn't had any major tension for a while and I started to pay attention because it was really "strange" since we were physically more challenged than before due to the construction of our own home and I actually had almost no time for any exercise. Carrying heavy things for a long time usually caused me to feel tension in the days that followed.

• "Result":  But this time it was different. I was happy, of course, but at first I couldn't connect this with the cushion. However, when I washed the cushion and used a different one, the tension came back and it became clear to me that the cushion was the cause. 

Another positive side effect: I rarely wake up during the night and sleep really well . 

The pillow is basically very soft, but stabilizes the head and cervical spine perfectly and always returns to its original shape.

Conclusion:  I can say 100% that this pillow has really optimized my sleep . I would absolutely recommend this pillow to people who struggle with tension. €100 sounds a bit much when I can get a "normal" side sleeper pillow for half the price, but it is so worth the price . I would spend more on it. I regularly recommend the pillow to friends and colleagues. My partner then bought this pillow and has been thrilled with it since day one. I have now been using it for 3 years and it still feels the same.