advice on mattress selection (Dormio, Sleeptek, FoamSweetFoam)

[phoenix]

Hi goldilocks12,

Do you consider Sleeptek a good manufacturer? Does this sound like a good choice, or should I continue looking, and where?

Outside of PPP … the most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability and the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label so I would always make sure that a retailer or manufacturer you are considering is willing and able to provide you with the information listed here so you can compare the materials and components to the quality/durability guidelines to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress before making any purchase.

I would be very cautious about brand shopping because you are buying a specific mattress not the brand and most manufacturers have access to the same or similar components and materials. The name of the manufacturer on the label also won’t tell you anything about whether a specific mattress would be a suitable choice for you in terms of PPP or whether there are any lower quality materials or weak links in the design that would affect the durability and useful life of the mattress. There is more about the risks of brand shopping in post #5 here and post #12 here. Outside of making sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of PPP (or that you have good options after a purchase if it isn’t or if you aren’t sure) … in terms of assessing the quality and durability of a mattress I would focus much more on the design of the mattress and the type and quality/durability of the materials inside a mattress than I would on the name of the manufacturer on the label.

Having said that … Sleeptek is a Canadian manufacturer that specializes in latex mattresses and they do make some very high quality and durable latex mattresses although they can also be in somewhat higher budget ranges so I would make some careful “value” comparisons with other mattresses that use similar materials.

Do you know if there are any very good mattress manufacturers or small stores in my area that I should visit before I make this decision? I live in Greenwich, CT, and have shopped at the Clean Bedroom and could also visit Yankee Mattress Factory in Agawam, MA, if you think it’s better? Are there other better ones in my area? I could even go to Dormio in Mississauga in a couple of months during a business trip, but I would only really want to do that if their quality and value are better than what I can get closer to home. What do you think?

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Greenwich, CT area (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here) are listed in post #2 here. You certainly have some good options to choose from in the general area.

I know to evaluate a mattress for pressure point alleviation and spinal alignment, but is there anything else I should consider? How long should I lie on a mattress when testing it? Is there an algorithm based on body spec’s (height, weight, BMI?) to calculate what types of latex layers and in what configuration they should be in?

The first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more accurate than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or if you can’t test a mattress in person then your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

There is more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of comfort and PPP in post #2 here that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for once you actually sleep on your mattress in “real life” but your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) and personal experience will always be the most reliable way to know whether any mattress is a good “match” for you in terms of firmness, comfort, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences).

The testing guidelines suggest spending at least 15 minutes on any mattress you are seriously considering.

Phoenix