Foam pillows (of any kind) can be whatever degree of soft and conforming, but they'll always be that same shape. This adjustable pillow is made out of foam shreds instead of a single molded shape, so if you want to punch it up into a shape to make it conform around your shoulder, if you're a side sleeper like me, it'll do it! It took about 2 weeks of me sleeping on for it to get really pliable and easy-to-shape. I decided I wanted a little less stuffing in it, so I pulled a couple handfuls out and it's been great. Since it's filled with shredded bits instead of being a single block, mine hasn't retained any more heat than an old conventional pillow would. The only downfall I've found is figuring out what to do with the stuffing I've pulled out, lol. A resealable plastic baggie did it for me. You could also stuff it into another pillow if you wanted that one firmer.