Advice on safe natural / organic mattress

Hello Phoenix

Really enjoy your site, helps take the mystery out of mattress shopping.

I recently spent time researching crib mattresses as I just welcomed my first child into the world about a week ago. Organic non toxic was a big concern of mine and I ultimately landed on a Naturepedic for her crib.

Now that my daughter is here I am realizing how much time we spend hanging out in our bed. Our mattress is a cheap costco memory foam mattress that I now would like to replace because of safety concerns as well as problems with heat retention.

The Naturepedic EOS seems like a good bet, as it addresses my safety concerns and I like the flexibility it provides in being able to change layers and customize for the preferences of my wife and myself. I went to my local mattress retailer Ergo Bedrooms to try out the EOS , they didn’t have it at that showroom but they did show me their house line Silhouette that seems similar to the EOS. I am going to go to their other showroom to try both mattresses side by side. Do you have any thoughts on the two? Any other suggestions, I am in south Orange County California.

Thanks!

Hi Dcg,

The issues surrounding organic, natural, safe, and green mattresses are very complex (and confusing) and similar to dietary choices where each person may have very different opinions about “how safe is safe enough for me?” and there may be no clear answers to some very complex questions. A recent reply in post #2 here and the posts it links to may help you clarify what is important to you and some of the differences and “connections” between organic, natural, safe, and green materials and components.

The Silhouette is made by Berkeley Ergonomics and both the BE mattresses and Naturepedic mattresses use high quality and “safe” materials. They both have a component design that provides for good options to customize a mattress before and after a purchase and there are no “weak links” in any of their mattresses. From a quality/durability perspective both of them would make good choices. Post #13 here has more about how I would assess the relative “value” of a mattress purchase when you are making comparisons between mattresses. A forum search on Naturepedic and Berkeley Ergonomics (you can just click both links) will bring up more information and feedback about both of them as well.

The better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Greater Los Angeles area are listed in post #2 here.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix great to hear that silhouette is Berkeley Ergonomics as I have read good things about them here. One follow up question, it seems you view latex cores as superior to innerspring. Would an innerspring core with latex comfort layers be cooler than all latex?

Hi Dcg,

I would treat this as a preference choice not a “better worse” choice. While latex would tend to be more durable than an innerspring “in theory” … in practical terms the weak link of a mattress is normally in the comfort layers not the support core of a mattress regardless of whether it’s an innerspring, polyfoam, or latex. There is more detailed information about latex vs innerspring support cores in post #2 here but this may be more technical than you need to know and I would make a choice based on which one was a better match for you in terms of PPP or the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price and the options you have available exchange or return a mattress or individual layers after a purchase).

Again in theory yes because an innerspring allows for more airflow than any foam material (including latex) but the layers that are closer to your body will have more effect on the sleeping temperature of a mattress than the deeper layers in a mattress so in practical terms sleeping temperature will depend more on the comfort layers, the cover and quilting materials, your mattress protector, and the type of sheets and bedding you use than it will on the type of support core in the mattress. Post #2 here has more information about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress.

Phoenix

Great, thanks. And I lied, I have an additional follow up- what are your thoughts on a latex wool topper they are trying to sell with the Berkeley Ergonomics bed?

Thanks !

Hi Dcg,

This would be another preference choice. There is also more about wool toppers in post #8 here and posts #3 and #6 in this topic that may help you decide whether to add it.

I would personally make my choice based on whether your testing indicates that you prefer the mattress with or without the wool topper (keeping in mind that the wool will “firm up” somewhat over the course of the first few months).

For those that prefer the “feel” or temperature regulation of sleeping on thicker layers of wool nothing else will do and for those that prefer the “feel” of a softer foam material then it probably wouldn’t be the best choice.

Phoenix

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Cntrygal4evrr54’s Avatar
Mattress Forum Index Mattress Forum General Mattresses Side Sleepers looking for Soft/Plush Mattress Recommendations!
× Welcome! Any mattress questions are welcome here … but make sure you’ve read the mattress shopping tutorial linked in the top right of the page :).
normal Side Sleepers looking for Soft/Plush Mattress Recommendations!

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unclecrystal
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More 05 Aug 2017 12:32 - 05 Aug 2017 12:43 #1
We have an 8 year old pillow top king mattress from Denver Mattress company I believe it is the “Madison” model. We really liked this mattress but when moved from CO to WA a year ago it seems to have really gotten messed up during the move, there are noticeable dips in it now. My husband is complaining that he can feel the springs and he has started to wake up every day with severe back pain. I have noticed the dips and don’t sleep well either. Time for a new mattress.

For some reason we thought that our mattress had become too “soft” and thought we needed a firmer bed. We bought the Ghostbed and this turned out to be a huge mistake. It was so hard it felt like sleeping on the floor, we are both side sleepers and we could not sleep on this mattress longer than a few nights as our limbs were falling asleep and it was just too painful. We realized we prefer a plush feeling and need a soft mattress that just isn’t broken down like our old one.

I have been researching mattresses for months now and cannot decide on anything. I am fearful of picking the wrong mattress again as I found the return process for the Ghostbed quite painful. We went to a mattress store to test a few types of mattresses out. We aren’t sure if memory foam or latex would be right for us, the only memory foam bed that felt soft enough was the “tempur cloud luxe” which is their softest model and I have not found anything super comparable in a cheaper price range. (Probably closest thing is the novosbed but I found out they had a 60 night minimum trial and this makes me not want to try them)

Because of this I am thinking of sticking with traditional pillow top innerspring mattresses and have almost purchased the Saatva in plush soft several times. It just feels like so much money for a mattress that may not even last 8 years. I’ve also considered buying the same model from Denver Mattress again but the reviews seem to indicate that mattress is only good for 6-7 years (similar to our experience).

We are both in our early 30’s husband is 6’1, 165 pounds. I’m 5’8 165 pounds. We both sleep 95% on our side 5% on back. Need a soft bed or limbs fall asleep. Prefer plush feeling beds similar to pillow top. Would prefer to spend around $1000, would spend up to $1500 if for right mattress. Prefer an easy to deal with company in case mattress is not right for us.

I’ve considered the Helix as it seems they can customize it to feel soft but I have read for some side sleepers it is not “soft enough”.

I’ve considered the Novosbed but I’m turned off by the 60 day trial requirement.

I’ve considered the Alexander Signature soft and I’m not sure on this one still, but I dislike that you have to find a charity to donate it too if it isn’t the right mattress. (We had an extremely difficult time finding one to donate the Ghostbed to and had to find a way to deliver it ourselves)

I’ve considered the Soft Brooklyn Bedding mattress but when I asked the representative about it she seemed worried it might not be soft enough.

I’m still considering and leaning towards the Saatva Plush soft but it’s over our budget and it doesn’'t sound like it is anything super special for the price.

Have any side sleepers on here with similar preferences had good luck with any of these mattresses or could you recommend one that has worked well for you? We are becoming desperate for a good nights sleep but have become paralyzed by indecision. Thanks!

Last Edit: 05 Aug 2017 12:43 by unclecrystal.
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Phoenix
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06 Aug 2017 11:05 #2
Hi unclecrystal,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:
We have an 8 year old pillow top king mattress from Denver Mattress company I believe it is the “Madison” model. We really liked this mattress but when moved from CO to WA a year ago it seems to have really gotten messed up during the move, there are noticeable dips in it now.

Unfortunately this can happen often in moving. A mattress can be bent past normal limits, or materials can shift depending upon transport position and the level of securing of internal materials when the mattress was constructed.

For some reason we thought that our mattress had become too “soft” and thought we needed a firmer bed.

This certainly could have been the case, as foam materials tend to get softer over time, but too often people confuse surface softness with firm support. It’s best to differentiate between the “deep support”, which is mainly provided by the support core or innerspring unit, and the surface comfort, which is mainly determined by the padding materials on top. It is possible to have both “firm” support, but also a more “plush” surface comfort.

It was so hard it felt like sleeping on the floor, we are both side sleepers and we could not sleep on this mattress longer than a few nights as our limbs were falling asleep and it was just too painful. We realized we prefer a plush feeling and need a soft mattress that just isn’t broken down like our old one.

Your own personal testing will always be the best as far as determining comfort preference, and while the Ghostbed does use 1.5" of synthetic Dunlop latex and 2" of 4 lb memory foam on top of its 7" 2 lb polyfoam core, for you that wasn’t enough surface plushness, in either the overall softness of the material or perhaps even the depth of the “comfort cradle”.

I have been researching mattresses for months now and cannot decide on anything.

The process I recommend for selecting a mattress is to begin by reading the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has 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”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

Outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out the information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

I am fearful of picking the wrong mattress again as I found the return process for the Ghostbed quite painful.

I believe they have a 30 day trial period and then ask that the product be donated to a local charity if a return is approved, which is becoming quite “standard” with boxed-bed online mattresses. I’m not sure how this might become a “painful” process, but maybe what was required for you was different.

We went to a mattress store to test a few types of mattresses out. We aren’t sure if memory foam or latex would be right for us, the only memory foam bed that felt soft enough was the “tempur cloud luxe” which is their softest model and I have not found anything super comparable in a cheaper price range. (Probably closest thing is the novosbed but I found out they had a 60 night minimum trial and this makes me not want to try them)

Memory foam and latex have very different feels, with latex having a higher resilient comfort (more buoyant) and memory foam having more hysteresis (returning less energy, less supportive). Of course, all the layers of a mattress work together, so your overall comfort will be determined by the entire mattress, not just the top layer of comfort material, which is why it is important to learn of everything within a mattress as I linked to earlier.

Novosbed (a site member here, which means that I think highly of them) does require you to keep their mattress for 60 days before requesting a return, but after 30 days you may request a Comfort+ kit to fine-tune your softness. There will be a break in and adjustment period for any new mattress or sleeping system as the mattress loses any of its “false firmness” and the cover stretches and loosens a little and your body gets used to a sleeping surface that is different from what it is used to (see post #3 here ). This would typically be a few weeks but it can be shorter or longer depending on the specifics of the person and the mattress. Many online mattress companies (and brick and mortar stores offering similar policies) require you to keep their product for at least 30 days to go through this adjustment period, for both you and the mattress.

Because of this I am thinking of sticking with traditional pillow top innerspring mattresses and have almost purchased the Saatva in plush soft several times. It just feels like so much money for a mattress that may not even last 8 years. I’ve also considered buying the same model from Denver Mattress again but the reviews seem to indicate that mattress is only good for 6-7 years (similar to our experience).

Pillowtop is not a comfort designation, but a construction process (pillowtops mattresses can feel hard or soft), so don’t choose a mattress based upon that. Instead, use the guidelines as I posted earlier.

I would be cautious though about using other people’s feedback as a reliable indication about the durability of a mattress or how long it will maintain its comfort and support for you because a mattress that would be a durable choice for one person may not be nearly as durable for someone else depending their body type and sleeping positions and on where they are inside the comfort/support range that is suitable for them. For example if a mattress is “on the edge” of being too soft for a particular person then it may not take long at all before even minimal foam softening puts them outside the comfort/support range that is suitable for them and the mattress may no longer be suitable to sleep on even though the materials are still in relatively good condition while for someone else where the same mattress is well inside the comfort/support range that is suitable for them it may last for many years (see post #2 here ).

The most reliable way to assess the quality and durability of a mattress regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label is to make sure you know the type and quality of all the materials inside it so you can identify any lower quality materials or weak links in the mattress.

It’s always more realistic to think of about 7-10 years as a reasonable expectation for a mattress with better quality materials and then treat any additional time after that as “bonus time” because after about 10 years the limiting factor in the useful life of a mattress will often be the changing needs and preferences of the person sleeping on the mattress and even if a mattress is still in good condition after a decade … a mattress that was suitable for someone 10 years earlier may not be the best “match” any longer.

We both sleep 95% on our side 5% on back. Need a soft bed or limbs fall asleep. Prefer plush feeling beds similar to pillow top

Post #2 here has some generic guidelines for different body types and sleeping positions, and side sleepers generally do require a bit extra plushness or contouring in the upper layers of the mattress, but again whether or not the mattress is a pillowtop doesn’t matter.

Would prefer to spend around $1000, would spend up to $1500 if for right mattress. Prefer an easy to deal with company in case mattress is not right for us.

While price is certainly important of course … the “value” of a mattress purchase is what is most important and price is just one of many factors that can affect the “value” of a mattress purchase. There isn’t a “formula” that can be used to assess or “calculate” the value of a mattress because there are so many different variables and criteria involved that can affect the price of a mattress that can each be more or less important to some people and not to others who may have completely different criteria or definitions of “value”. The value of a mattress purchase is also relative to how a mattress compares to the other finalists you are considering or to other mattresses that are available to you in your area (or online if you are also considering online options). There are many reasons that a mattress that may be “good value” for one person or in one area of the country may not be good value for someone else that has very different needs and preferences or that lives in a different area. There is more about the 3 most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here .

I’ve considered the Helix as it seems they can customize it to feel soft but I have read for some side sleepers it is not “soft enough”.

While other people’s comments about the knowledge and service of a particular business can certainly be very helpful … I would always keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and I would be cautious about using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress (either positive or negative) or review sites in general as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you. In many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words … reviews or other people’s experiences in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here ).

I’ve considered the Novosbed but I’m turned off by the 60 day trial requirement.

As I mentioned earlier most online mattress companies have some sort of a minimum timeframe for you to keep the mattress (30 days is usually the minimum) before a return, and it does take time for your body to adjust to a new mattress and for it to break-in as well. Novosbed offers their Comfort+ kit option after 30 days.

I’ve considered the Alexander Signature soft and I’m not sure on this one still, but I dislike that you have to find a charity to donate it too if it isn’t the right mattress. (We had an extremely difficult time finding one to donate the Ghostbed to and had to find a way to deliver it ourselves)

If approved for a return, donating to a charity is more and more common with simplified choice mattresses, so if you find this to be too difficult for your location/situation, I would make sure that you are aware beforehand of any return/exchange polices that a manufacturer may have, and make that a priority on your pro/com list.

I’ve considered the Soft Brooklyn Bedding mattress but when I asked the representative about it she seemed worried it might not be soft enough.

In the soft version, this product uses 2" of a 13 ILD and 2" of an 18 ILD 4 lb polyfoam in the comfort layers, which will be more resilient than memory foam, but not as resilient as latex in its “feel”.

When you can’t test a mattress in person, then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc.) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs, options, and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else, and I would trust the advice they provide (Both Brooklyn Bedding and Nest Bedding are site members here, so I would definitely trust their thoughts, as I they are quite knowledgeable about mattresses and configurations). If the representative from BB thought that their product wasn’t going to meet your needs, I would certainly strongly consider their opinion.

A good online retailer or manufacturer will generally make suggestions that they honestly believe have the best chance of success based on the information you provide them when you talk to them on the phone because this is in both your own and their best interests but again … at the end of the day the only way to know for certain whether any specific mattress is a good match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own careful testing and/or your own personal experience so if you can’t test a specific mattress in person then the options you have available after a purchase to either exchange the mattress or individual layers or components or return the mattress for a refund (and any costs involved) would generally become a more important part of your personal value equation just in case a mattress you purchase doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.

I’m still considering and leaning towards the Saatva Plush soft but it’s over our budget and it doesn’'t sound like it is anything super special for the price.

There is more information about the Saatva mattresses in the simplified choice thread post #2 here .

Overall, the best advice I can provide is to follow the steps outlined in the mattress shopping tutorial that I linked to earlier. And it may be that in your case you’ll be better served by shopping closer to home. One of the advantages of trying mattresses locally is that you can try many different types and styles and combinations of materials and components and firmness levels and compare them to each other in “real time” based on your actual experience rather than just “theory” instead of trying one online mattress at a time and not knowing how it compares to the other mattresses that you could have tried or purchased instead (see post #4 here and post #10 here ).

Phoenix
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Cntrygal4evrr54
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08 Dec 2017 16:08 #3
I have researched so many mattresses and tried 4 all to be returned as they were not comfortable. So the first was the Saatva Zenhaven, which has 2 sides, one firm and the other plush. Both were too firm for me so it went back, even though the Saatva company reps stated it needed to be broken in, Excuse me, but I want a bed that is comfortable from day one, none of this breaking in business. I then bought the Saatva Plush Soft in a full size for my murphy bed guest room in the 11.5". It is the best, most comfortable bed in the world!!! So because I always wanted to try an organic latex bed I researched the Naturepedic bed and found a retailer that had them to lay on and try before buying. I layed on a few and decided to get the firm coils and soft plush 3" latex top. Upon the delivery and first night sleeping on it it was way too firm, not the feel of the one in the showroom. These mattresses are non-returnable, they will only switch out the coils or latex layers. So they sent a softer coil layer, and replaced the soft latex but this combination was still not soft enough. Also beware that any latex mattresses you only lay on the surface, there is no sinking into the bed. I didn’t care for this at all. After much complaining about my not being happy and not wanting this bed they agreed to let me return it but it cost me $150 X2. Shipping both ways. Just to get rid of it was worth it as the queen size was pricey at $2,900.00.
So I am still now without my queen bed so I am sleeping on the full size Saatva Plush Soft guest bed and am so in love with this bed to where I can’t wait to go to bed and hate getting out of the bed in the morning.
So I ordered the same in a queen for my room and had it delivered and the first night I am sleeping on it it felt way more firm than my full size bed. After comparing the law tags on each and they list the components in a percentage I noticed there was less foam in the queen than the full. So I think that is why my queen is not as soft but why aren’t they the same feel? I am now talking to the Saatva company and the place that builds these beds to see what went wrong. I am hoping they can remedy this and build me a bed to feel softer like the one they built and I received in the full size. I will update as I get the results.