Velpeau Neck Brace for Neck Pain and Support - Soft Cervical Collar for Sleeping, Snoozing, Sleeping Upright, Anti-Snoring, Sleep Apnea for Women & Men (Khaki, Dual-purpose Version, L: 14-16.5"/3.3")

This neck brace has been a game-changer for my recovery after neck surgery. It combines the softness and comfort of a regular neck brace with the added benefit of a hard plate for extra support. The soft material is gentle on the skin, lightweight, and breathable, so it’s comfortable to wear for extended periods without irritation or discomfort. The hard plate provides excellent stability and prevents any unwanted movement, which has been crucial during my healing process. The Velcro closure is strong and adjustable, ensuring a secure fit without being too tight or restrictive. I also love that it’s washable, making it easy to keep clean while I’m recovering. If you need extra support during your recovery, this neck brace is an absolute must-have. It provides the perfect balance of comfort and stability. Highly recommend!

Well made, very comfortable. Can be used any time of the day to help relieve pain , affordable.

My neck measurement was 16 inches, and clavicle to mandible was three and a half inches so I ordered large as recommended on the sizing chart. There is still a very wide gap in the back, which does allow a lot of neck extension. The soft padded part of the brace itself does measure 19 and 1/2 in. The removable sleeve is nice for keeping the neck brace clean. I don't really think the plastic stiffener adds anything to the brace, but when I ordered it didn't cost any more to order the dual purpose brace anyways. I wore this after neck surgery, after I was allowed to stop wearing the hard cervical collar. It does not seem to limit neck extension very much if at all, but it does significantly limit flexion, and limits lateral bending to about 20 degrees. It does not limit rotation of the head at all. The photos demonstrate limits of flexion, extension, and lateral bending with the collar on, as well as the gap in the back.

I measured my neck for this neck brace and followed their instructions to order it, to choose the larger size. The Large size I ordered is too wide for my neck. The Medium would have been better, but wouldn't be long enough to go around my neck as the large was about right. I had trouble getting my chin on to the brace. Then I tried sleeping with it on. It kept my head elevated and my mouth closed. However, my snoring got worse, more from the back of my throat vibrating. As soon as I relaxed to go to sleep, I would snore and wake myself up. I had to take it off and it will be returned. The neck brace is well made and sturdy. The fabric is soft. Just be sure that the size will work for you.

Update: After I initially wrote this review in 2018, Velpeau has now introduced more height choices. Now the old Classic version is called the 'Comfort' version, and the old Plus version is now called the 'Enhanced' version. I'm here to try buying the Enhanced version to see if it works as a collar for sleeping when sitting up on a plane or car ride. I use the comfort version every night in bed for reducing sleep apnea and it is perfect for that, but it is not quite stiff enough to use as an airplane pillow, thus I will try the Enhanced. Original review: Be careful, there are several different models of Velpeau neck collars, there are two on this page (the Plus and the Classic) and a different Velpeau model (also blue) sold on a different Amazon page. I bought the blue VP0201 Classic. If you wanted a harder brace (e.g. to prevent movement), I think you would buy the the Plus (brown). The blue VP0201 Classic has medium support, it is cushiony but somewhat firm. I have tried several types of neck collars and some were a lot softer and some much firmer and all have different uses so it is important to know what you are ordering and what you need. I love that there are different circumference sizes to choose from, and you should measure your neck to choose which one will fit. Unfortunately, there are not different heights, I wish Velpeau would offer that. Based on the reviews for this collar and other collars that I looked at, people with the same neck circumference have a great variety of neck heights. Some say the collar is way too high, others say it is too short. If you don't get the proper height collar, it is just not going to work for you at all. I wear this while sleeping to help reduce sleep apnea episodes and it also seems to help reduce acid reflux during sleep. (If I'm having reflux, I have to really tighten up the collar to push on neck.) Even though I wear a full-face CPAP mask, without a cervical neck collar, my mouth opens and I think my tongue position causes apnea episodes. I am not comfortable wearing a chin strap (or taping my mouth as some people do) and this works much better for me. If I forget to wear my collar on a specific night, my CPAP machine statistics shows I have about 4-5 times more apnea or hypopnea episodes. The shape of this collar works a lot better than most cervical collars I've tried since my chin doesn't drop behind it. This collar is very well designed anatomically, the manufacturer simply needs to make more heights available to fit more people.

I am very satisfied with this purchase, I got the basic comfort version. I was having neck pain with nerve impingement that was very uncomfortable. Using this neck brace gave me a lot of relief. I followed their suggestion to also wear it at night when I went to sleep. Wow, big improvement the next morning. The foam and covering material are both comfortable to wear and it has a smaller, outer cover you can remove to wash. Be sure to check your neck measurements using their chart to get the right size. I was right between a medium and large, got the medium, perfect fit. I also appreciate the neck exercises they offered in the product material that came with the neck brace. These were very helpful as well. They are using the newest type of Velcro on the back to adjust the size that does not catch or hook on other material, like your clothes, a very nice feature. Also included with the brace is a fleece travel bag if you want to take it with you on the go or store it away at home. For me personally, this turned out to be exactly what I needed for a good price.

I thought I was being so smart by using this brace on an overnight flight to Europe to get better support than a neck pillow. Specifically I was interested because my head 'bobs' forward when I sleep and the coverage in the front for the brace is much better than a neck pillow. SO WHAT HAPPENED? It worked fine for the first 3 hours but at some point I slept in a position that put pressure on my carotid artery causing lack of blood flow to my brain. I got nauseous instantly upon waking up. I stood to race to the bathroom and passed out in the aisle of the plane. Fast forward, and they make the dreaded 'is there a doctor on the plane' announcement. After many tests to make sure it wasn't a stroke, heart attack, dehydration, or prescription drug interaction, we did a differential analysis to discover the only thing that changed was the use of the neck brace. I eventually recovered after 30 minutes and had no recurrence of any issues for the rest of the trip. I'm lucky that the lack of blood flow woke me up enough to pass out in the aisle where I was noticed, rather than in my seat with the neck brace still attached. There should be a WARNING on the pillow that the brace should not be used to sleep upright. (or at least a study to confirm if my experience is possible to happen to others.) BTW: never had this issue when sleeping in bed. (this pillow was purchased in 2021 and used for years without issue when sleeping horizontally).

Pro: soft, supportive, has a silky smooth comfortable cover that is washable