Another Newbie

Now that I have put anyone reading this to sleep in the previous comment, I do have actual questions/concerns.

At Basista there was a mattress which I am confused about. Manufacturer: Englander, Natures Finest, “Marcilly Smooth Top”. Top 3" are latex, the rest are various foams which I did not write down. Normal price $1199 current “sale” price $599. Out of every store I have looked at none of them had any latex mattresses of any sort near the $599 range in the Queen size, not even close. I did see the post https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/latex-mattress where #6 states “None of them are likely to be nearly as good quality/value as a smaller local manufacturer” along with the rest of the text in there. I am almost positive that the colorful label stated that the top 3" were latex (a concern made in the link that there may be foam over the latex), however I have nothing in writing in front of me and a quick google search brings me nothing on that particular model. I am mentioning this because I did enjoy that model, it felt good, but that price tag seems too good to be true for any latex mattress, even more so one with latex on top of (most likely poly) foam instead of on top of springs. When I saw the original pricetag of $1199 I thought “Hey, I think that is a good price for what I am feeling” then when I saw the sale price (and confirmed the price with the salesperson) it just sounded wrong compared to any other foam mattress I have seen until now.

Hi cn1ght,

Thanks for all the “Cleveland” feedback … I appreciate it and I hope it will be helpful for others in the area :slight_smile:

I can make a few comments about some of your experiences or the information you were given …

Unfortunately these types of “salespeople” are far too common in the mainstream industry where they use misleading information or sales techniques (such as fake “MSP” prices) to sell any mattress they can convince you to buy.

He is certainly not correct about this and there are “all latex” mattresses available for less than half this price.

I certainly wouldn’t call memory foam “latex like” and if anything they are more “opposites” than similar. There is more about how they compare (or don’t) in post #2 here. A forum search on octaspring (you can just click the link) will also bring up more information and feedback about them and the materials and design they use.

As to your second post …

I would need to know the specifics of the mattress to make any meaningful comments about it and there are certainly some lower cost versions of latex (such as synthetic Dunlop latex) or thinner layers of latex that would be in lower budget mattresses. There also are some latex hybrid mattresses that are in lower budget ranges (such as here) but it’s also very possible that they were selling a floor model or a comfort return or selling out the last of a model that isn’t made any more. If you look at the law tag you would be able to confirm that it had latex in the mattress (it would have the materials listed by their weight percentage) or the date it was manufactured but I would still want to know the specifics of the materials and the layers.

Thanks again for all your feedback!

Phoenix

While I would hate to disagree with you as it would be my error to do so, I would suggest that the Dormeo which I tested did have a more latex-feel than a memory foam-feel. It is possible that I misunderstood something about the particular Dormeo as a different store salesman told me that some of the Dormeo do use a layer of latex, perhaps it was latex I was feeling and not memory foam. HOLY COW, Dormeo actually lists some specs on their website! http://www.dormeo.com/products/simplicitybed-mattress/ That is model which the salesman wrote down and it did not quite feel like latex, but given the choice I would readily state it felt more like latex than memory foam.

As I stated I know the tag was Manufacturer: Englander, Natures Finest, “Marcilly Smooth Top” however I can find absolutely nothing from google about this mattress to link you to. Perhaps they only use this name in this one store? Despite you mentioning many times not to rush things due to a “sale” I am tempted to buy the questionable mattress tomorrow for $599. I tested over 50 mattresses (I would not be surprised if it were almost 100 actually as I tested more than a dozen in most of the stores I mentioned), few of the non-latex mattresses I tried seemed right for me and of the latex mattresses the price difference of $2,100 versus $599 for comparable feel is hard to pass up. From the 1 or 2 law tags I looked at it appears that the tag only states “latex” or poly foam of some sort, I do not recall it listing which latex or which poly foam is used. I remember that talalay is considered to be more consistent and better for softer latex than dunlap, but I recall nothing about how to compare 2 latex foams to know which is better quality other than “does it feel good or not?” Can you provide some sort of information (or link) to which latex and poly foams are worth purchasing for a long term mattress versus which are going to fail in a short duration?

I went to most of the stores which you recommended in a previous link (the few I skipped were due to the area being unlikely to carry the type of mattress I want) and I recall you mentioning that buying something online without being able to clearly state “mattress A is almost exactly mattress B” is not a good idea, and since this is all but impossible most of the time… I am finding it difficult to think of a better choice. What am I missing?

Hi cn1ght,

Yes … some of the newer Dormeo mattresses in the Serenite line do have a layer of latex on top (see post #38 here and some of the previous posts before it in the same topic) so for these you’re certainly correct that they would have a more “latex like” feel than the Octaspring models where the top layer is memory foam.

There should be a law tag on the mattress which lists the material inside it (by weight not by thickness or the order of the layers). If this is missing then the odds are much higher that it’s a used mattress. A good retailer should also be able to provide you with the details about what is inside any mattress they sell and if nothing else they could call the factory and find out what is inside it. This shouldn’t be up to a consumer to find this out and in many cases if the information doesn’t come from the factory it may be incorrect anyway. I would be very cautious about buying any mattress where you don’t know what is inside it or where it’s possible that you are buying a used mattress that won’t have a warranty.

The basic guidelines I would suggest using in terms of foam type and quality so you can identify whether a mattress has any obvious weak link in the materials are in post #4 here. There is also more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here (any latex is a durable material relative to other types of foam) and there is more detailed information about the many variables that can affect durability and the useful life of a mattress relative to different types of people in post #2 here and the posts it links to.

The most reliable way to know what they currently have on their floor would be to call them before you visit them and I would always suggest calling any store you plan to visit first anyway since it will save you a great deal of time if you can do some preliminary research about the store itself.

I’m not sure where you read this but it sure wouldn’t have come from me and there are many forum members who are very happy with the online purchase they made. The two most effective ways to choose a mattress would either be with careful testing on a mattress in person or if you can’t test a mattress in person then based on a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced online retailer or manufacturer who can help “talk you through” the options they have that would have the best chance of success (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). In the case of an online purchase that you haven’t tested in person or where there aren’t any closely equivalent mattresses available locally then the options you have after a purchase to rearrange or exchange layers if you need to do any fine tuning or to exchange or return the mattress itself if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped would also become a more important part of most people’s personal value equation as well.

Phoenix

PS: I did find a couple of references to the Englander Marcilly including here which indicates that it’s a latex/polyfoam hybrid. It doesn’t say the thickness of the latex or the density of the polyfoam underneath it but the latex is most likely 100% natural Dunlop.

I hate spending so much time on a single purchase like this… I hate it almost as much as I hate continually bugging you.

So the Marcilly which I loved yesterday was “meh” today. If anything I would have to say it was too firm and my shoulder had too much pressure on it (side sleeper). I also believe there was mis-communication about the price, the salesperson originally agreed that the price of the mattress was $599 (without actually checking) and said something about a half off sale. However, I suspect that the bed frame is actually $599, NOT the mattress, and the salesperson really should have checked when I made a point about this twice previously. There was again no verification today as the salesperson was “swamped” with customers today and I did not want to push the point on a mattress which I would be buying simply because of the price without it being the most comfortable or suitable for me.

On a not-so-negative note: the Restonic “Bliss Plush” which I did also enjoy yesterday still felt great today. To say the least it would be prudent of me to try the mattress on a few more days to make sure this is not another mirage… Having said that, I am highly hesitant to spend $2,200 on a mattress, I was hoping to keep it closer to $1,500. I have some form of info about the mattress, however based on other postings it is probably not the info needed to be able to match it online.

Brand: Restonic
Model: Bliss Plush
Upholstery: Ticking, FlameFighter, Bamboo
Comfort layers
1" Quilt Flex
15/16 SS RestoFoam
2" SS Latex
Support System
6" Latex Core
1-7/8 Medium RestoFoam

9" HW Foundation

Info off of the law tag:
87% LT
11% Poly
2% FR Rayon

FMP 056-0050 FR5.4 1" QF + .9375 12019
HYL021-0050 6 LAT T-2"C1LAT B-1.87512032
FCO132-0050 5/0 6x59.4x79.3 C2 LATEX CORE
FT0158-0050 5/0 2X60X80 LATEX C1
FT0146-0050 5/0 1.875x60x80 FE12032

So, I know that 5/0 means queen size and the #x#x# are dimensions for the layers, but I have no idea what C1 or C2 mean nor if that FE12032 means something… The salesperson at MattressMatters (where I tested the Bliss Plush) did not know what the densities were and had no paperwork which stated one way or another. Also, one of the papers she found mentioned that it is 100% synthetic latex, which if I recall is not as good as a mix which is also not as good as 100% natural. I am also disappointed that it appears that there is a layer of poly foam above the latex, this took the salesperson by surprise actually.

Let us assume that during this coming week I test the Restonic “Bliss Plush” a few more times and each time it still feels like what I want not only in terms of support and comfort but also spinginess, heat, and everything else you have linked me to and which I have at least skimmed through. What would I need to do in order to have a worthwhile conversation with an online company such as sleepez (I just mentioned that as it was recommended elsewhere on this site and I glanced through it)? Is it likely that I would have to call up Restonic and ask them for the type and thickness of the layers (to supplement what I just typed out), the densities of the poly foams, and type of fabric and quilt? Or is most of that already in the description I have above and in the part numbers I typed? I have read through "Major" Brands Sealy Optimum? - #46 by phoenix
but I am unsure how much of that can be answered by stating that I want them to closely match the Restonic Bliss Plush.

Thank you again for all of your help so far. I can be very difficult at shopping sometimes and I am sorry for being as much of a time consumer as I have been so far.

Hi cn1ght,

While I can’t help you with comfort or firmness choices because your own testing will be more reliable than any suggestions I could make … I can certainly make some comments about the information you need to make sure there are no weak links in a mattress and so you can make more meaningful comparisons with other mattresses.

[quote] I have some form of info about the mattress, however based on other postings it is probably not the info needed to be able to match it online.

Comfort layers
1" Quilt Flex: This would typically be lower density quilting polyfoam. If this was the only “unknown” or lower quality layer it would still be fine (it’s less than “about an inch or so”) but if there are other unknown layers then it could be part of a “weak link” in the mattress.

15/16 SS RestoFoam: According to the specs you listed this is 1.2 lb density which in combination with the quilting layer would be a total of 2" of lower quality/density materials which would be more than I would be comfortable with and is on the edge of being a weak link in the mattress (2" or more is what I would consider to be a possible weak link).

2" SS Latex: This is a good quality material (any latex is a durable material) but I would want to know the type and blend of the latex.

Support System
6" Latex Core: This would also be a good quality material but once again I would want to know the type and blend of the latex.

1-7/8 Medium RestoFoam: this is the deepest layer of the mattress and is used as a stabilizing layer so the density isn’t as important because the upper layers would be the weakest link of the mattress. Restonic has typically used 1.5 lb firm polyfoam layer for their stabilizing layer in the past but the specs you provided indicate that this is a 1.2 lb layer which is lower quality/density than I would be comfortable with and is just a money saving measure. Even though it “probably” would be OK … I’m just not comfortable with such low quality/density materials in a mattress in this budget range.
[/quote]

My comments are beside each layer.

C1 and C2 are firmness ratings which most likely indicate that the latex is from Mountaintop foam (see post #70 here) although it’s also possible that it’s a firmness rating used by another manufacturer. The ILD’s for different types and blends of latex aren’t directly comparable so these won’t “match” the ILD of other types of latex. Having said that … ILD or other comfort specs aren’t important because what you “feel” is more important than knowing comfort specs.

It’s very unlikely that you would find an online mattress that was the same as a local choice anyway but your local options and testing can still be used as more generic “datapoint” in your conversations with online retailers and manufacturers if you are considering an online purchase. There will be many combinations or materials and layers and different mattress designs that would normally be suitable for someone in terms of PPP although they may all “feel” different.

Synthetic latex (if that’s what it is because Mountaintop foam makes anything from synthetic to 100% natural) is a high quality material and is more durable than other types of foam material. It can be a good choice in a comfort layer but it’s not as “supportive” as 100% natural Dunlop in support layers (although here again your own testing is the most reliable way to know whether a mattress is a good match for you in terms of PPP).

Overall I would tend to be somewhat cautious with this mattress because it’s a little “over the edge” of the quality of materials that I would be comfortable with in this budget range.

There really isn’t anything much to do except pick up the phone and talk with them and provide them with the information they will need to help “talk you through” your options. They have a set of “standard” layerings that would work well for the large majority of people based on “averages” and then you can use your own sleeping experience to decide whether you need to do any re-arranging or exchange any layers.

No … there was some “translation” involved but all the information you need was “buried” in the specs you provided.

This won’t be possible because the materials and designs are too different and they won’t likely be familiar with the materials in the Restonic. They will suggest the layering that their knowledge and experience and the information you provide indicates will likely be the best possible match for you in terms of PPP … but they won’t be able to match another mattress that uses completely different materials and has a different design.

Phoenix

Another Northeast Ohio shopper here – I came across this thread when I was doing another search. cn1ght, are you still searching, or did you finally find something you liked?

While the Englander Nature’s Finest Marilly Smooth Top discussed earlier apparently isn’t under consideration anymore, I happened to have some notes about it from when I was looking at the same mattress at Taylor Furniture in Brunswick last weekend, so I thought I’d share the specs that I had. This was the information posted in the store that I copied down (but it included no information on the density or anything):

Englander Natures Finest Marcilly Smooth Top:
3 in natural latex
3 in super poly foam
3 inch racetrack foam
5 in firm poly foam
Soy based poly foam
The price at Taylor’s was $1499 (so the under $599 quote you got was either in error on the part of the salesperson or an amazing deal!)

I rather liked the feel of the Englander mattress, but with little specifics as to the quality of materials, I haven’t been considering it. Taylor also had some hybrid (latex/innerspring) Englander mattresses. They’re apparently going to be expanding their Englander offerings in the showroom as they clear out some of their other mattresses.

Today I came across a store that actually had various Dormeo Octaspring mattresses to try out. Mattress Warehouse in Macedonia has several. (I tried them and found them too soft for my taste, but I like a firmer mattress.) I didn’t get the specs on them, but I don’t think these had any latex. (I could be wrong about that.)

It seems we’ve been to many of the same stores. Here are my notes on my experiences (along with some information to help update the “Cleveland” list):

I also went to Taylor Furniture in Brunswick. My experience was different than yours — there was a salesperson working with me the whole time I was there. While he was able to direct me to the types of mattresses I wanted to look at, he was totally unable to answer my questions about the density of the foam or the type of latex in any of the beds. I was very unimpressed and don’t plan to go back.

A note about Taylor Furniture for the Cleveland list — I went there because they carry Dutch Craft, and they did have a couple of Dutch Craft beds, but the salesman said they weren’t ordering from them any more because delivery was too slow (up to four weeks). They also had a two Boyd mattresses (mentioned in a post somewhere on this forum), but both were floor models that they were selling off. I was told that they are going to stop carrying Boyd in order to make room for more Englander mattresses. So it looks like they are getting rid of both the Boyd and the Dutch Craft mattresses that they have.

Another store that is supposed to carry Dutch Craft (according to the manufacturer’s website) is Griffith Home & Auto in Geneva. They no longer carry Dutch Craft either. The salesperson didn’t seem to know why; he thought maybe Dutch Craft had gone out of business, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. They did have a couple of Enso mattresses — the Dreamweaver and the 12" PureGel Blue Mist (I think)— which I found really comfortable (despite the fact that they apparently have lower quality materials, which is the only reason I haven’t pursued those yet, though I’m still tempted). I was surprised that I liked these, since I’ve found most gel-infused foam mattresses too squishy feeling. (I later learned that my mother had purchased an innerspring mattress from this store that developed a huge impression in the middle after only three months, and the store apparently told her they couldn’t do anything because her husband must have been “too heavy” for the mattress, even though he isn’t even overweight.) So, while the salesperson I dealt with was friendly enough, I don’t think I’d purchase anything from this store.

I did find Dutch Craft mattresses at J B Furnishings in Burton (an Amish store), but they are going out of business at that location, so they were selling off their floor models. While they did have one Dutch Craft Paradise Gel mattress (too soft for my taste), they no longer had any regular memory foam mattresses. They do however sell Dutch Craft mattresses (and other Amish furniture, crafts, and quilts) at a marketplace in Boardman and say they are doing good business there (they just started there in July). They gave me a card with their new business name and address:

Dutch Craft Furnishings (not to be confused with Dutch Craft, the mattress manufacturer)
Located at The Valley Market Place
6121 South Ave.
Boardman, OH 44512
Phone: 330-550-4192
Hours: Thurs. 9-6, Fri. 9-8, Sat. 8-4
(I believe the owners names are Betty and Levi Yoder)

Another Amish mattress option, which I learned about on these forums, is Country Bedding in Apple Creek, Ohio. They manufacture and sell their own mattresses. You have to go there in person, because they don’t have a phone. I took a trip down there last weekend. My experience was pretty much identical to brianj, who had posted some pretty detailed information about them on another thread here.

Country Bedding, 2696 S. Carr Rd, Apple Creek, OH 44606 - talked to Atlee Miller
They offer two memory foam mattresses
Both of them have 2 inches of memory foam on top and bottom (so they are flippable), with 6 inches of 2.4? pound polyfoam in middle (I have notes somewhere and can’t find them — I know it was more than 2 pounds for the polyfoam layer, but can’t remember the exact number)
The gel foam version has 4# Gel memory foam (I think it’s Aerus)
The regular memory foam version has 5# Sensus foam

I found the gel foam to be too soft for me (again, I like a firm mattress). The regular memory foam mattress felt really good overall and I rather liked it — my only reservation was that the edge sank more than I would like when sitting on the edge of the bed. (It was fine when laying on it though.) The construction is simple but solid, and Atlee talked at length about the quality of the materials they use. Prices are good - a queen set (mattress and foundation) is $864. Mattress only would be $768. He said they try to have one of each mattress in stock, but if they are out of stock it takes about a week to make one. They don’t deliver, but can provide the name and number of someone who does.

Original Mattress Factory - I went to the store in Macedonia, and found the sales staff to be very knowledgeable about their mattresses. I tried the two Serenity memory foam mattresses and the Serenity Latex. The regular Serenity memory foam mattress is a good firm mattress that I really liked a lot (said to be similar to the Tempurpedic Rhapsody Luxe - I would agree with that assessment). The Serenity Plush was too soft for me, so I didn’t get the specs on that. I rather liked the Serenity Latex as well, but probably not enough to spend the extra money.

Here are the specs on the Serenity (firm) memory foam - part is from the website and part I got from the salesperson:

10 1/2" thick overall:

⁃	1 1/2" High Density Memory Foam Topper ~ 10-16 ILD, 8 lb/ft Density
⁃	Air-Flow Layer  (if I recall correctly from viewing the cut-out, this was in between the two memory foam layers - it was relatively thin and looked like two layers of fabric with soft bristles or hairs in between.  Or it might have been between the memory foam and the core.)
⁃	2 1/2" High Density Memory Foam Topper ~ 8-14 ILD, 5 lb/ft Density
⁃	6" High Density Foam Core - 28-32 ILD, 2.25 lb

A queen Serenity set is $1499 (or $1319 for just the mattress), plus delivery and tax. (Delivery was $45 and tax was $104.22, bringing the quote to $1648.22 — a bit more than I’d like to pay.)

My notes on the Serenity Latex are not quite as complete. The latex has the advantage of being double-sided (flippable), while the memory foam is not. There are 3 inches of latex on each side (specs listed on their website), with a 4 1/2 inch 2.5 lb density core. They use Talalay latex (40% natural, 60% synthetic). Price for a queen set was $1719 (plus tax and delivery).

MattressMatters - we went to the one in Macedonia. The salesperson there was very personable and helpful and seemed to know her stuff, but I didn’t ask many in-depth questions there, since there wasn’t anything I fell in love with. In terms of memory foam, they had Tempurpedic (so I took the chance to try those out for comparison), as well as some of the other major brands (iComfort, etc.) which I’d previously tried in department stores before I found this forum. They also had AmeriGel (made by Southerland). Specs listed for the AmeriGel Atlanta (a medium firm mattress) were:

⁃	2 in of 3 lb gel infused memory foam
⁃	1.5 in luxury foam
⁃	7 in core high density performance foam

They also had some latex mattresses (Restonic).

Hope these notes are helpful to someone! I know I’ve benefitted greatly from all the detailed information that others have posted here. I’m still searching (endlessly it seems) for the perfect mattress at the perfect price point. I have calls in to the Amish manufacturers in Sugar Creek, and I’ll probably check out the Valley Market Place in Boardman, but now I’m shifting to seeing how online offerings compare to what’s available locally that I’ve liked.

Hi a2dox,

Wow … thanks for taking the time to share your comments, information, and experiences in such great detail … I really appreciate it :slight_smile:

I’ve also added a link to your post to the Cleveland list as well so that others can easily find it.

It’s great to see you are making such good use of the information here and while I realize that it can sometimes be frustrating to “extract” some of the specs you need to make an informed choice from some retailers … it’s always a breath of fresh air when you are dealing with better manufacturers or retailers that are more knowledgeable and that provide it more easily. In the end … it will be worth the time and effort it takes to make the best possible choice in terms of suitability, quality, and value.

I would be very cautious with Enso because they tend to use lower quality/density memory foam in their mattresses (in the range of 3 lb) which can result in the issues you mentioned.

I’ve added them to the Cleveland list as well … thank you.

Yes … the 1/2" airflow layer is in between the two memory foam layers. These are all high quality materials and there are no weak links in the mattress.

There is more about the Serenity Latex with the specs in post #4 here. They use two layers of latex (one is 19 ILD blended talalay and the other is 24 ILD blended Talalay) and the top 19 ILD layer is apparently 1" and the second 24 ILD layer is apparently 2". There would be no weak links in this mattress either. The Talalay blend would actually be closer to 30% Natural and 70% synthetic but this wouldn’t make any practical difference.

Thanks once again for taking the time to share such detailed comments and feedback.

Phoenix

a2dox did a significantly better job than I did in terms of finding material information. Compared to him I am actually a little embarrassed by how little material information I gathered. I am going to give a terribly formatted reply below, my apologies.

Just to give an update, since I rudely ceased posting without giving some sort of info, I am moving into a new apartment in the near future. On the 22nd (so just over a week from today) I will be signing a lease with a different apartment. The plan had been to find something and have them not ship it until after I had moved. I burnt myself out a bit having looked at so many mattresses within a week and have made no progress since my last posting. Also the whole apartment searching, failed job replacement searching (I am currently employed, I just hate my job)… Anyway, I may go back and review a few mattresses again in order to utilize the extremely useful information provided by a2dox.

Interestingly, I had tested the Serenity Latex mattress at the original mattress factor, however I was told somewhere else that “oh, they use sand” in the latex mattress by someone and never bothered to fact-check. This was compounded by the fact that I showed up just before they were closing so I rushed and did not do a thorough job there.

When I was at taylor’s there were no latex hybrid mentioned. However since I was basically pointed in a direction and left to go solo it is not surprising I was lacking info.

The Dormeo have some with latex and some without latex. I was told that there are (3) stores in the area which have Dormeo with latex, most have Dormeo without latex, so it depends on which location you visit.

I have not fully decided, but I may shift gears and attempt to order a latex mattress online in the end. From the very little I have looked into the matter (so a chance exists of me being wrong) sleepez ships the mattress in pieces (perhaps 3 layers each layer made from 2 pieces) which you easily put together. You call them, answer some questions, and based on their experience they decide which layers are which firmness. If you try it out and it is not to your liking you explain what you would prefer, they ship a replacement layer (maybe the first layer changes from soft to medium) and it can be customized for the first 90 days.

a2dox, if you read this I hope you can answer a question since we seem to have vaguely similar taste in mattresses (not the same, but similar enough for my question). What price range are you looking in? I ask because you mentioned that $1,648 is a bit more than you want to pay and I agree and am still arguing with myself if I want to drop over $1,500 for a latex mattress… I have never purchased a mattress before so I do not really have a basis for comparison other than “that is a lot of money” haha.

Hi cnight,

Thanks for the update.

Dormeo has three model lineups (see post #38 here and some of the other posts in the same topic) and the Serenite line is the one that has latex. A forum search on either Dormeo or on Octaspring (you can just click both links) will bring up more comments and feedback about them as well.

You are right on all counts here except that you can also adjust the comfort/pressure relief and/or support/alignment by rearranging layers and if this is all the “fine tuning” that’s necessary then you wouldn’t have to exchange a layer.

Phoenix

cn1ght, I can SO identify with being burned out looking for mattresses. And you’ve been apartment and job hunting at the same time?? Yikes!

In terms of price range, I keep vacillating on that. I really would like to be under $1000, but most of the things that I find that sound the most appealing are in the $1500 - $2000 range or higher. I just really have a hard time justifying spending that kind of money. Some days I think I should go ahead and find a way to take the plunge (hey, if it’s a great bed, it will last awhile, right?) and part of me says to forget about durability and go with a cheaper mattress – if it lasts 5 years or so, then I can afford to get another later. Then another part of me says I don’t want to have to go through this again that soon! Or maybe I should do a DIY and buy it in pieces … Having looked at my finances, I think I need to squelch the urge to get something expensive and focus on being a bit more frugal. It’s just hard to “settle” when you see that there are some really nice looking options out there.

Like you, I’m now considering online options, and maybe latex instead of memory foam, though I think a combination would be perfect. Or maybe something like Dreamfoam. Or maybe I’ll get the Country Bedding memory foam, or go back and check their latex bed. (They have a queen size two-sided latex euro-top mattress/foundation set for $963, or the mattress only for $799. I didn’t get the specs on it when I was there, though, so I’d have to make another trip down to Apple Creek to check it out. And they don’t take credit cards, which is another limiting factor.) Update: I just remembered that the latex bed is a hybrid with coils … so not an option after all, since I don’t want springs.

Another part of me is thinking I should forget traditional beds and just put some cushions on the floor.

Hi a2dox,

FWIW … and you will see this in many of the reference posts I link to … when you look back on a mattress purchase when the time comes to replace it you will remember much more about how well you slept and how long you slept well than you will about the price you paid for it (although price of course will always be an important part of “value”) and since a mattress can have a bigger effect on your overall wellbeing than almost anything else you can purchase … I would generally suggest the highest quality mattress you can comfortably afford and where you can notice a meaningful difference in terms of PPP and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are important to you.

Phoenix

Sweet, we are both in the same boat in terms of price. Now if only we knew which boat we were in that might be useful.

Just to throw 2 things out there: I personally think there is nothing wrong with just grabbing some good quality comfort level (maybe a 3" memory foam topper) and placing that on the floor. I suspect a reason this is not more mentioned is that you really are unable to test this strategy out until after you have purchased it and for most people this would be too firm, they would try to cheap too much and get a poor quality topper, and it would be too awkward for most to get into and out of. I have been switching between a blanket on top of carpet and my air mattress lately, and pathetically enough the blanket on carpet is more comfortable as often as not…

The second thing, some people love sleeping in a hammock. You can buy a stand or punch holes in places and support it that way. I actually own a hammock and I intended to sleep in the hammock. I really did intend to. Problem being that it is my personal experience if you do not sleep on your back then you are not going to sleep on a hammock for more than a an hour or 2.

The only other thing to mention, as I suck at short messages and must make them longer when possible, is about the price. If you spend $1,000 and need to replace it in 5 years or spend $1,500 and replace it in 15 years one of those ended up being cheaper than it originally seemed. This ignores the fact that you would probably have slept better on the $1,500 one. I am trying to retire early and so am cutting costs where I can (is why I am changing apartments), even so I figure if I can talk you into getting the more expensive mattress then you can return the favor and talk me into paying a healthy amount also.

Hi cn1ght,

Interestingly enough there is a hammock forum here that is amazingly active and it seems that there are many people who like sleeping in a hammock as their primary sleeping system :slight_smile:

I completely agree with your reasoning here. While I know there is a strong pull to the logic of choosing a mattress that costs half as much as another one in the hopes it will last half as long … this rarely works out in “real life” because there are so many variables involved and many of the lowest budget mattresses use such low quality materials that for many people it may only be a very few years (or in some cases only a few months) before foam softening and breakdown takes its toll and the loss of comfort and support means that are only “tolerating it” at best and at worst they may no longer be able to sleep on it at all and may need to replace it much sooner than they expected.

Phoenix

Just to give an update: I just got off the phone with Shawn from SleepEz. He was friendly over the phone. There were only a few questions about which mattress specs. I ordered an 8" Queen mattress currently on special for $1,245. 2" Talaly, 3" Dunlop, 3" Dunlop. The firmness for these in same order will be soft, medium, firm. I was told it will be shipped tomorrow and it should arrive by no later than Friday, Oct 10. I mentioned that I am a member of this website and since the mattress is already on special instead of the 5% discount I will receive a free pillow. I did not order a cover nor a support for the mattress at this time. Due to moving apartments there are a huge amount of costs hitting at once: deposit+normal rent, AT&T charged $99 for installation and $100 for the modem which I am required to use, renter’s insurance needed to be renewed, the list goes on actually… Point being that were it not for the fact that the air mattress is clearly not the best sleeping choice I would have put this off for another month, but my sleep is a bit more important right now hah. I do suspect that I will purchase a support in the future as I noticed in a posting made elsewhere that while good airflow is less important for latex mattresses relative to other types, it is still helpful to have and I do not think the wood floors allow for much airflow…

Somethings I perhaps should have asked over the phone and did not:

  1. Is buying some sort of bug/sweat protection cover a good idea for latex?

  2. The Latex goes into a cotton covering. Does this covering need to be washed or only the bed-sheet on top?

I will give updates after I get the mattress and try it out for a few days.

Hi cn1ght,

Thanks for the update … and you certainly made a great quality/value choice!

Congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

Yes … a mattress protector is a good idea for any mattress regardless of whether it is latex or any other material. There is more about the pros and cons of the different types of mattress protectors in post #89 here that can help you choose the type that is the best “match” for your criteria.

Generally it doesn’t need to be washed if you have a mattress protector on top of it that can easily be removed and cleaned and which will protect the mattress from stains and accidents along with the body fluids and skin cells that we release each night so you can keep your sleeping surface in a clean and hygienic condition. It will also protect the warranty because most warranties are voided if there are any stains on the mattress. For the most part … mattress covers only need to be spot cleaned when necessary or vacuumed once in a while but if the care instructions indicate that it can be washed or dry cleaned without damage then you can clean them once in a while as well if it becomes necessary.

I’m looking forward to your feedback when you’ve received your new mattress and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.

Phoenix

Hello…
The mattress underground is one where we are able to find new and interesting topics of our interest
Enjoying a lot …
:woohoo:

Hi kelly3car,

I switched your post to a more general topic.

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

Phoenix

So the mattress arrived today. I am actually a little confused by this as I thought the UPS site said that a signature was required, but when I got home from work it was sitting there waiting for me. Works out better this way, do not need to somehow fit it into my car.

So silly me spent like 15 minutes getting the 3 layers (3" Firm Dunlop, 3" Medium Dunlop, 2" Soft Talalay) to fit semi well only to realize that I forgot to put the covering down first… I spent another dozen or so minutes trying to cram the layers into the covering most of the time thinking that they must have sent a full size cover or something as the layers did not want to fit.

As I was finally about to zip close the cover I noticed something which I am not thinking is good.

http://imgur.com/d9KBwqM,jfJWxYA

The 2" Soft has an area maybe 6" X 6" or so where the layer has tears. I failed to take good pictures I now see, but the first image shows that there are very rough spots between the holes, the second image shows one a few tears where the latex just pulls apart maybe an inch to and inch and a half deep. This is not something which is consistent through the top layer so I suspect that either maybe I tore it or more likely (I think due to all of the “defects” near the holes) that the latex was not manufactured properly. I also did not check the other 2 layers and I do not know how much of an issue this is and honestly as this point me sleeping on an actual mattress for the first time in more than 6 months matters more. I do not recall this being mentioned elsewhere on this forum, is this something I should contact SleepEZ about?

Initial impression: S,M,F is too soft. I think that my thighs/hips are sinking too much, my shoulders are fine. I am not about to screw around with it and will leave it be for a few days as my body gets used to a real mattress instead of the air mattress which I was only to happy to deflate, hopefully forever.

Other details, I bought a mattress protector from MattresMatters, it is the basic “Protect-a-bed”. I was going to buy the $99 one but the salesman told me that it would not make much of a difference for a latex mattress? I will admit that the samples he had out I could not tell the difference between the $99 and the $39. He insisted that the $99 was better at transferring heat, but who knows. I then made up for this immediately followed as I bought a Sheex Queen mattress sheet set for $161.99… I did glance through the forum and this was a very highly rated sheet in one of the other threads. On the other hand, I really probably should have spent like half of this on the linen one right next to it.

After the fact I now see that I could have added the pictures directly to this site instead of using imgur. Today is not a good day for doing things correctly it seems.

Hi cnight,

Thanks for the update … I appreciate it!

This is fairly typical and most people that are putting together a latex component mattress go through a period of time that they don’t think that the layers will fit … until they do :slight_smile:

Judging by your pictures this seems to be in a very normal range and there is nothing to worry about. Latex usually has small tears, voids, imperfections, or discoloration that is a normal part of the manufacturing process and in many cases there are more than your layer which looks fine to me. There is more about this here.

Latex can also be fragile if you tug or pull it and can tear easily so it’s important to lift and “wave” it into position when you are positioning the layers but this also isn’t something that will affect the performance of the material if there is a small rip or tear. There are some assembly instructions on the SleepEZ site here as well.

There will always be an initial break in and adjustment period with any new mattress and your body will need to get used to a sleeping surface that is different from what it is used to and I would generally wait at least a couple of weeks before considering any changes unless for some reason there was no other reasonable alternative (see post #3 here).

Phoenix