Best Pressure relieving Mattress or Topper 8lb density 6lb? if its avaiable

[phoenix]

Hi AnointedMatt,

I bought the 7.5 lb density 9 ILD topper 2" from fbm 100 bucks. im concerned about the low ild after reading a blog, but whats done is done.

I would be concerned as well and I’m sorry to hear that you decided to purchase from and support a company that IMO isn’t completely reliable or ethical.

what is the best pressure relieving density and ILD ONE SHOULD LOOK FOR.
i notice that a lot of beds have high density top layers and than taper down as they get to the base. Is THIS IDEAL AND IF I WAS TO MAKE MY OWN BED WOULD i do this and just put them together?
i currently have a 9" mem. base probably 3lb very soft yet not very pressure relieving i than have 4" 4lb soft and bet better pressure relieving so what would i want to put on it ( im goin to try the 7.5lb i bought w/9 ild) i was thinking to buy a 5lb 4" to put underneath so any help would be appreciated ty

There is no “best” pressure relieving density that you “should” look for because density is more closely related to durability than to pressure relief. Every layer and component in a sleeping system (such as a mattress/topper combination) will also affect the feel and response of every other layer and component in the sleeping system and a topper that may work well for one person on a particular mattress may be completely unsuitable on top of a different mattress or for someone else to sleep on.

There is also no “ideal” in terms of quality/density as long as the materials are “durable enough” for your body type and your budget range and the materials in your mattress don’t include any lower quality/density materials that would be subject to premature foam softening and breakdown and would be a weak link in the mattress although of course more durable materials (higher density up to a point in the case of polyfoam or memory foam) will last longer than less durable materials. The primary cause of foam softening and virtual or visible impressions are the continuous and ongoing deflection and compression of the materials inside a sleeping system and since softer top layers will be subject to compression and deflection more than the deeper firmer layers they will tend to soften and break down before the others and in most cases the deeper layers will still be fine if the softer top layers need replacing.

ILD is also only one of several specs that makes a particular layer or topper feel softer or firmer than another (see post #4 here and post #2 here) and the ILD of different materials or in many cases between different versions of the same material aren’t directly comparable to each other anyway (see post #6 here) so using ILD by itself as a reliable indication of how a layer in a mattress will “feel” for you can be misleading.

The IFD/ILD of memory foam in particular is also very misleading because ILD/IFD testing produces different results for memory foam than it does for other more resilient materials and the ILD/IFD of memory foam also changes with temperature, humidity, and the length of time the memory foam is continuously compressed. The firmness/softness of memory foam will also vary with the specifics of the chemical formulation for the memory foam that affect its temperature sensitivity and its response time not to mention the thickness of the memory foam layer and the type and thickness of the layers underneath it

Unless you have a great deal of knowledge and personal experience with different types of mattress materials and specs and different layering combinations and how they combine together and can translate them into your own “real life” experience that can be unique to you or a small percentage of people overall … I would tend to avoid using individual specs such as layer thicknesses or ILD numbers or other complex combinations of specifications to try and predict how a mattress will feel or perform for you and focus more on your own actual testing and/or personal experience. When you try and choose a mattress or a topper based on complex combinations of specs that you don’t fully understand then the most common outcome is information overload and “paralysis by analysis”.

The only reliable way to know with any certainty whether any topper will work well for you on your mattress will be based on your own actual sleeping experience.

As I mentioned in my first reply to you in this topic … there is more information about how to choose a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to about firmness and thickness which along with a conversation with a reliable supplier (which certainly wouldn’t include FBM) that can provide you with good information about how their toppers compare to each other or to other toppers they are familiar with that are available on the market can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success. It also includes a link to a list of some of the better online sources for toppers I’m aware of as well and a link to the suppliers that have good exchange/return policies as well.

Phoenix