Hi MAC,
[quote]Mind you I’m 6’3" at 255 lbs, my wife 5’8" 150 lbs. Both combo sleepers (although I do find myself mostly waking up on my side) and prefer a mild to soft feel. We live in southern California and both sleep some what hot (her more than me). We’re fairly health no neck or back issues, just looking for a comfortable sleep (currently on a 6 yr. Old Call king spring mattress).
With mattress do you think would fit the bill? I’m concerned about my weight in the way of durability and longevity, my wife is concerned about sleeping hot and sex (She believes these types of mattresses could hinder or activities). [/quote]
I would keep in mind that the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more accurate than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or if you can’t test a mattress in person then your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
I’m assuming that you’ve read the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice.
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” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and 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 when you sleep on it in “real life” 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).
There is also some information in post #3 here and the posts it links to that would be helpful for those that are in higher weight ranges. While the process of how to choose a mattress would be the same … most people in higher weight ranges will generally need or prefer firmer mattresses (firmer materials will feel softer because you will sink into them more) and materials and components that are higher quality and more durable (the materials and components in a mattress will soften and break down faster for those in higher weight ranges than they will for someone that is in a lower weight range that doesn’t compress the mattress as much) so I would reduce or minimize the use of lower density materials that would be suitable for people that are in more “average” weight ranges and focus more on higher quality/density and more durable materials (5 lb or higher memory foam, latex, or 2 lb or higher polyfoam) … especially in the comfort layers of a mattress which are more likely to soften or break down before the deeper layers or components in a mattress.
While it’s not possible to quantify the sleeping temperature of a mattress for any particular person with any real accuracy because there are so many variables involved including the type of mattress protector and the sheets and bedding that you use (which in many cases can have just as significant an effect on temperature as the type of foam in a mattress) and on where you are in the “oven to iceberg” range and because there is no standardized testing for temperature regulation with different combinations of materials … there is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range. I would keep in mind that in very general terms … memory foam can tend to sleep warmer for some people than other types of foam materials that are more breathable.
There isn’t any consensus between people about which type of material is best for sex and it’s certainly a very personal preference that can vary widely between people but in very general terms there would be more people that would tend to prefer more resilient, faster responding, and less motion restricting materials (like latex, polyfoam, or innersprings) than less resilient, slower response, and more motion restricting materials such as memory foam. There is more about sex and memory foam in post #2 here.
[quote]1. Christelil: Lux Estate and Palais Grand Royale (both have latex cores with foam on top).
2. Brooklyn Bedding: medium firmness (all latex, I think)
Mind you I’m 6’3" at 255 lbs, my wife 5’8" 150 lbs. Both combo sleepers (although I do find myself mostly waking up on my side) and prefer a mild to soft feel. We live in southern California and both sleep some what hot (her more than me). We’re fairly health no neck or back issues, just looking for a comfortable sleep (currently on a 6 yr. Old Call king spring mattress).[/quote]
Assuming that the materials in a mattress you are considering are durable enough for your body type and meet the guidelines here (which all of them do) … the choice between different types and combinations of materials and components or different types of mattresses (see this article) are more of a preference and a budget choice than a “better/worse” choice.
The Christeli Luxe Estate and the Palais Grand Royal have memory foam comfort layers (with a latex support core which is fairly unusual in a memory foam mattress) and the Brooklyn Bedding BestMattressEver is a latex hybrid mattress that has latex comfort layers so these would be very different types of mattresses that would have a very different “feel”. There is more about how memory foam compares to latex in post #2 here but the most reliable way to know which type of materials you tend to prefer would be based on your own local testing or personal experience.
I or some of the more knowledgeable members of the site can certainly help you to narrow down your options, help you focus on better quality/value choices that are available to you either locally or online, help you identify any lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you may be considering, act as a fact check, answer many of the specific questions you may have along the way that don’t involve what you will “feel” on a mattress, and help with “how” to choose but only you can decide which specific mattress, manufacturer, or combination of materials is “best for you” regardless of whether anyone else has the same criteria or would make the same choice.
Phoenix