Hi! I’m trying to find a mattress that has no more than a 1" or 2" comfort layer in any material above a support core of any kind. Luma and maybe Winkbeds seem like options. Are there any others out there?
Hey Maybe54,
Welcome back to the TMU Forum 
! Thanks for your question.
Maybe54, this is a really broad question, unless I’m missing something here…could you give a few more details? What mattress do you have now and what would you change about it? Can you talk a bit about your sleeping habits/ BMI, price range, quality range, or other specifics that would give a better idea of your needs? Looking forward to hearing more on your research process…
Thanks,
Sensei
Hello,
I am 125 lbs, 5’3, pear shaped, and sleep on my stomach and side. I have a weak SI joint that flares up from sitting on too-soft couches and, most of all, sleeping on too soft mattresses.
I do well on springs that I can sink directly into and that also strongly push back. I do terrible on zoned mattresses where the hip area is firmer than the rest of the mattress. Specifically, I have had a hard time with Quality Sleep Shop’s zoned mattresses in which the center third is 15.5 gauge steel. I am not heavy enough to sink into them. I just float on their firmness and there is no push back. I have tried the Katherine and Emily, and didn’t understand the problem. My kids have two versions of their Pure Echo mattress, one made with the zoned coils, one with uniform coils. I’ve slept for several weeks on each and my body loves the uniform coils and suffers horribly from the zoned coils.
Aside from coils, another data point I’ve gathered over time is from living in France for a month every year. The vast majority mattresses are much lower profile than in the U.S.—about 6 inches. I normally do terribly on firm mattresses in the U.S., which all feature a 3" or larger comfort layer that is too thick and firm to let my hips sink into the base and hit a push back. However, in France, everywhere we go the mattresses are far more firm than you would find here in all settings from hotels, family homes, and Airbnb’s, but I do fantastic on these mattresses. I think it is from their lower profile and therefore thinner comfort layer. Interestingly, they are not spring mattresses but foam, latex, or a combination. None have anything as huge as a 3" comfort layer on top or anything as gushy as you find here. The comfort layer is thinner and subtle. It allows contouring, and I certainly hit the supportive base layer.
A quick side note: I visited a Chicago warehouse where you can try all the latest and greatest bed-in-a-box brands. They all seemed cartoonish with a hopelessly thick and overly soft comfort layer. Great marketing appeal but I have a hard time believing this predominant design works well for anybody less than 200 pounds.
Meanwhile, this all makes me conclude I need a simpler mattress, even what may be considered here as a children’s mattress, that features no more than a 1-2 inch comfort layer over uniform springs or any foam or latex base.
I am likely going with a Pure Echo, but would like to know if I have other options I do not know about. I have an open budget and I am in the Chicago area.
Many thanks for any recommendations.
Hey Maybe54,
Thanks for your reply and for your patience; my apologies for the delayed response .
[quote]I am 125 lbs, 5’3, pear shaped, and sleep on my stomach and side. I have a weak SI joint that flares up from sitting on too-soft couches and, most of all, sleeping on too soft mattresses…I do well on springs that I can sink directly into and that also strongly push back. I do terrible on zoned mattresses where the hip area is firmer than the rest of the mattress….Meanwhile, this all makes me conclude I need a simpler mattress, even what may be considered here as a children’s mattress, that features no more than a 1-2 inch comfort layer over uniform springs or any foam or latex base.
I am likely going with a Pure Echo, but would like to know if I have other options I do not know about. I have an open budget and I am in the Chicago area.
[/quote]
Thanks for being a loyal TMU consumer subscriber, I see that you’ve recently had a year 5 anniversary with the forum ! After reading several of your past conversations with Phoenix and others, I gather you have a good grasp of what has and hasn’t worked well for you in the past and of what you feel is best for you in terms of personal preference/ PPP. Indeed, finding the balance between comfort and support can be a challenge for petite sleepers, and generally speaking, lighter weight sleepers will need softer and thinner comfort layers, there is more on the subject of personal statistics in Phoenix’s article “Your Sleeping Style”.
I’ve pulled out some highlights here for discussion, if that’s okay. From your earlier post, you mention an interest in Luma Sleep as well as the My Green Mattress Pure Echo here, both are TMU trusted members with “Ask An Expert” forums for answering questions and making product recommendations directly. It may be worth the time to check in with them if you need specific product recommendations for your individual preferences; you can reach Team Luma’s forum here and My Green Mattress’s forum here. Both Luma and MGM offer mattresses similar in specs/ construction to what you’re looking for. And as a consumer subscriber who has previously posted a question, you would receive a bit of a discount for shopping with a TMU trusted member, a nice Thank-You for your support. BTW, do you have any updates on your research since your last post? Looking forward to hearing more and good luck 
.
Thanks,
Sensei