Atlanta Area

Hello all. I am looking for a place to get a high quality mattress in the Atlanta area. I know Original Mattress Factory but have not been able to find any others. Thanks for your help.

Hi MBrill,

A few independent manufacturers that I know about besides Original Mattress Factory (which I consider to be a good regional manufacturer) in or near Atlanta are …

http://www.southernnightsmattress.com/Residential.html
http://www.tuckermattresscompany.com/id51.html

http://www.ashleysleep.com/StoreLocator/storelist.aspx?countrycode=USA&country=United%20States&statecode=GA&state=Georgia&city=Atlanta
http://www.decourcyco.com/contact.htm

Some others that are not manufacturers but may be useful for mattress testing includes …

Store Locations - Room & Board Retail direct outlet for Restwell mattresses
http://www.theecoemporium.com/contact.html Carries Greensleep and Savvy Rest (a choose your own layering latex mattress) NOTE: Appears to now be closed.
http://www.mattress-choice.com/contact.php Retail direct outlet for American Bedding and Sterling & Thomas

This should give you a few “choices” in your mattress search. Feel free to post if you have any other questions

Phoenix

ADDED LATER: Post #2 here will give you some additional information about the better choices in the area.

Thank you so much Phoenix. Are there one or two of these that you would suggest over the others? Original Mattress is very transparent on their site regarding the materials that they use.

Hi again,

I’m not sure of the specific type of mattress or price range you are looking at so I would probably recommend these three for their combination of a wide selection of pricing and materials along with good value. They are all transparent in terms of their mattress construction and will give you a clear picture of what “works” for you and the comparative value between them for a mattress that fits your circumstances and needs.

While original mattress may have the “best” value overall … the other two may carry certain types or options in a mattress that is more “perfect” for your needs and their value is not far behind.

They are …

http://www.verlo.com/
http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/subcategory/list.do?catalog=room&category=rm_bedrooms&subcategory=mattress

Phoenix

Phoenix
I took your advice and have tried out original mattress as well as the local savvy rest dealer and I am more confused now. The savvy rest folks had a limited supply of latex and it was all Dunlop. I spoke with the people over at sleep ez and for me (5’8 220 side and stomach) he suggested ex firm, firm, medium because of the stomach sleeping. When I told him that I always wake up on my side he said firm, medium, soft with talalay on top. For my wife (5’6 140 back and side) he suggested firm, medium and soft. I have no idea. Dunlop vs talalay? Firmness? Any suggestions?

Hi Mbrill,

There are really only 2 main functions of a mattress … and it is usually a good idea to test for each of these separately when you are “field testing” mattresses. The first of these is pressure relief and the second is spinal alignment. If you find a mattress that provides for both in your sleeping positions … then you would have a good idea of the overall mattress layering that is best for you. This is why field testing is so important and why it is important to know what is “inside” every mattress that you test.

This article on the website goes into much more detail about the basic functions of a mattress

Unfortunately … most people just test “overall” for how “comfortable” a mattress feels which really says very little about how suitable a mattress may be. Sometimes they will buy what the sales person says is a “supportive” or a “firm” mattress which also says very little about how suitable a mattress may be. Both “comfort” and “support” are terms that are generally completely misused. Mattresses are comfortable when they relieve or distribute pressure so you don’t feel pressure points in your “protruding” parts (for side sleepers usually your hips and shoulders) and mattresses are “supportive” when your spine is in alignment in all your sleeping positions (your hips are not sinking in too far, there are no gaps under your lumbar area, and your shoulders are sinking in far enough (especially on your side). On your back or stomach … your spine should have the same natural “S” curve as it does when you are standing up straight with good posture. On your side … it should be straight. For some people … even a very soft mattress can keep them in alignment depending on the materials used and a person’s weight distribution.

The Five Steps to your perfect mattress article goes into more detail on how to test for comfort and support in a mattress

A good place to start your testing for a comfort layer is 3" for side sleeping, 2" for back sleeping, and less than 2" for stomach sleeping.

The support layers can be any firmness that keeps you in alignment. If your heavier parts are sinking down too far … it would need to be firmer. If some parts of you (like your shoulders when you are on your side) are not sinking down far enough … it would need to be softer.

Once you know the comfort layer that works and the support layers/firmness that works for you … then it’s time to make decisions on different mattresses that work for you based on the durability of materials used. More durable materials generally cost more while less durable materials generally cost less (or at least they should).

Of course … any good story or mattress outlet should know all of this (so you don’t have to) but you would be surprised at how few salespeople actually take the time to help you test for pressure relief and spinal alignment and instead tell you stories about “how great” some particular mattress is, how much you would be saving if you bought it, or some other meaningless story. That’s why independent manufacturers and good sleep shops are so valuable … they have employees and owners who actually know how to help people find a suitable mattress instead of being “trained” how to make a sale regardless of the suitability of a mattress (which is unfortunately all too common).

So it would help me to know which mattresses you tested in Original Mattress and how each one seemed to you for pressure relief and alignment. If you didn’t test for these individually … it would still help me to know your overall feelings about each mattress you tested there. With Savvy Rest … it would also help to know the layers that you tested (soft medium firm etc and whether it was Dunlop or Talalay) and how you felt about each type of layering arrangement that you tested.

In general … side sleepers need thicker softer comfort layers (the top layers of the mattress), back sleepers a little thinner and/or firmer and stomach sleepers need the thinnest firmest comfort layers of all. A heavier person can use firmer foam on top as it will feel softer. A lighter person can use softer foam on top as it will feel firmer. Since you sleep on both side and stomach but usually end up on your side … then the thinnest/firmest possible comfort layer that provides you with good pressure relief would be the best (to accomodate spinal alignment with your stomach sleeping)

With this information … we would be in a much better position to narrow down the best choices from an online manufacturer. While their recommendations are usually suitable “on average” it always helps to have specific feedback from your testing to make more accurate choices which reduces the chances you will need to make a layer exchange to get it “perfect”.

Hope this helps … and I’d be happy to be a bit more specific if you could let me know the feedback and details of your mattress testing. :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Phoenix
We tried both latex mattresses at Original Mattress. We both agree that the softer of the two was too soft. The top layer is more of a latex egg crate. The firmer of the two was ok but we have a platform bed and it was way to firm on the floor.
The Savvy Rest mattresses were medium, medium, soft and firm, firm, medium. All were dunlop. They also had a soft talalay topper that they threw on top of the mattress. We liked the medium, medium, soft with the talalay topper the best, but were not able to put it on the floor or try other combinations.
I am still going to go to try the restwells to see how they are.
Matt

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the feedback … it certainly helps :).

If you let me know your approximate height, weight, and overall body shape and your normal sleeping positions it would also help me to make a few suggestions/comments based on your testing results.

Phoenix

I am 5’8 220 and my wife is 5’6 140.

Hi Mike,

I just realized that you had already answered what I asked … oops sorry :slight_smile:

One of the difficulties with mattress testing (or advising) is to “translate” feelings of softness (or firmness) as the perception of softness can come from 3 separate areas. That’s why its important to relate “softness” to either pressure relief, spinal alignment, or just a subjective “overall perception” or preference.

The first is when the comfort layer has too much soft foam in it (is too thick) or the thickness of the foam is correct but slightly too soft. While this may work for pressure relief … it can lead to alignment issues as the heavier parts of the body (like the hips) will sink through the comfort layers and into the support layers while the lighter parts will not sink in as far and may not even “reach” the support layers. If the layer is too thick … then usually there will be no areas that feel “suddenly firmer” when you “bounce” the hips slightly. If the foam is too soft … then usually you will feel the firmer layers underneath when you “transition” from the comfort layers into the support layers. The “fix” for this is to make the comfort layer a little thinner which holds the hips up higher (if the comfort layer is too thick) or to use a slightly firmer (but still soft) comfort layer (if it is too soft). Either way … the issue here is in the comfort layer.

The second is when the comfort layers are “correct” but the support layers are not firm enough. This too can lead to the heavier parts sinking down into the mattress too far. This can also be caused by the supporting foundation not being firm enough. The fix for this is to use a firmer support layer and/or to use a more solid foundation. Either way … the issue here is in the layers under the comfort layer.

Finally … some people will feel that the mattress is too soft “overall”. This is the “subjective perception” of softness and is usually about the depth of the cradle that is formed by the comfort layers (memory foam for example forms a deeper pressure relieving cradle than other foams and some people will call this too soft because they are sleeping “in” the mattress more than “on” the mattress). Sometimes it is the perception of the overall mattress itself (such as a softer innerspring or softer foam) which is more “giving” with movement even though it provides good pressure relief and good spinal alignment. These types of “softness” are more a matter of preference or “feel”.

In general … foam mattresses do best on a firm platform foundation and not on a boxspring (which is usually designed for use with an innerspring mattress).

Because of how you felt with the savvy rest … and the change you perceived with the latex mattress on the floor … I am strongly suspecting that your feeling of the OMF latex supreme being “too soft” was directly related to the innerspring underneath it and secondarily to the foam in the comfort layer possibly being too soft. The comfort layer of this mattress uses an inch of supersoft quilting foam and this is over an eggshell which effectively makes the 19ILD latex even softer (about 14 ILD or even softer).

The fact that you liked the savvy rest with the talalay on top tells me that the 3" dunlop comfort layer (similar thickness to the comfort layer on the OMF supreme) was probably a little on the firm side.

Overall … this suggests that you would do best with about 3" of talalay latex in the 19 - 24 range in your comfort layer with a firmer support core underneath it (likely in the range of low-mid 30’s or firmer). If you lie on a comfort layer that is slightly thinner (say 2") then a slightly softer middle or support layer (around 28-32) would also likely work well as it would “help” the comfort layer more with pressure relief. These are fairly “standard” configurations.

Dunlop is a denser latex than Talalay and feels a little bit less “lively”. If you have two pieces of both that are rated the same softness … the Dunlop will feel firmer because foam is rated by how much weight it takes to compress a layer 25% of its thickness. Dunlop will get firmer faster as you “go past” 25% compression than Talalay (it has a higher progressive resistance) and since most people will compress a foam more than 25% (unless the layer is at the very bottom of the mattress) … it will feel firmer than Talalay. This could work to your advantage in the middle and/or lower layers of a mattress as it will help “hold up” your hips more … especially when you are on your stomach.

If you spend a lot of time on your stomach … I would pay particular attention to testing every mattress you try for alignment when you are in this position. Test for any strain in your lower back when you are completely relaxed and have someone look to see if you are in a “swayback” position (hips too low). Stomach sleeping needs the thinnest/firmest comfort layers possible which can “conflict” with side sleeping needs which needs thicker softer comfort layers.

Hope this helps and let me know your experience with any other testing which will certainly help with fine tuning the best layering scheme which will work well for each and both of you.

Phoenix

Phoenix
My wife and I were finally able to get to RoomandBoard to try their mattresses with is actually one mattress that you turn over for the firm or soft side. We both preferred the firmer side of the mattress but were not overwhelmed with excitment. I did notice some strain on my back on the softer side. The employee knew virtually nothing about the product so we did not learn very much about the actual mattress. Does that information help you to suggest a final product?
Thanks

Hi mbrill,

It’s unfortunate when a mattress store doesn’t know the details of their own mattresses. They are a retail outlet and carry the Restwell mattresses but they have quite a few outlets and its likely that some of their stores are more informed than others.

The mattress you tried was Dunlop latex with a 2" layer over a 6" layer. I believe that the 2" layer (the soft side) was 22 ILD and the 6" layer (the firm sided) was 27 ILD but they are emailing me to confirm the ILD.

At OMF … the firmer mattress (32 ILD) was also too firm on a solid base.

At Savvy Rest … the soft talalay (probably around 24 ILD) over medium also was the best for you but I don’t believe you tried it on the floor or a firm base. I’m assuming the topper was 3".

All of this “points to” a comfort layer in the range of 24 ILD talalay as a medium (30-32) would seem to be too firm. If you are mostly a side sleeper … then 3-4" is a good idea for your weight. Closer to 3" will help more with your stomach position and closer to 4 will help with your side position. In your case I would probably put this 3" soft over a medium and firm Dunlop core because of your higher weight. The medium Dunlop underneath will give you a better transition between layers (you will sink into the middle layer more due to your higher weight) and you may need a little extra effective thickness on the comfort layers. For your weight … medium dunlop will be softer on top of the layer but then get firmer faster than talalay so it will “allow” you to sink in a little more on your side when needed but then “stop” you from going too far. For your wife … the same layering may work best but for different reasons. Because of her lighter weight … 3" of soft talalay will likely be enough and then medium dunlop over firm will be firmer for her and “stop” her from sinking in too far better than talalay. In other words … for your weight … medium Dunlop will add a little softness and then get firm quickly while for her lighter weight it will act as if it was firm.

A trip to Verlo will probably help zone things in better if you feel its needed as they have a much wider range of latex to choose from (if they had a mattress that was “right” rather than just close then it would certainly help) however with the testing you’ve done so far and your feedback (and pending the ILD confirmation from Roomandboard) … I’d tend towards 3" of soft talalay over 3" of Medium Dunlop over 3" of Firm Dunlop for both of you as the best “compromise” for your sleeping positions and preferences as Shawn suggested.

Phoenix

PS: your wife seems to like a firmer feel but if I changed anything then it would be to put a little softer for your wife on top (because of her lighter weight) for her side sleeping which would mean a special request to see if they would put 19 ILD on top. The slightly firmer would help more with her back sleeping though but her experience in testing mattresses with 3" of softer on top would be the final “decision maker” as experience is always more accurate than theory :slight_smile:

PPS: http://atlmattress.com/ carries a line of mattresses called Pure Latex Bliss which all use various thickness layers of 19 ILD talalay latex on top with different layering underneath. This would also be a good place for testing latex mattresses as well especially to see how you feel about softer talalay in various thicknesses on top.