Hi alfie,
[quote] I suppose what I’m getting at here is that I want to make sure I get the coil system right for my DIY build (I’ve decided that spending 3-4x as much on the Naturepedic is not a worthwhile investment). I’ve narrowed down my build to as follows:
- Split layer Dunlop topper (plush for my side, firm for my wife’s side)
- Pocket coil base (I tested both a “firm” and a “plush” coil system at Naturepedic and both my wife and I preferred the firm)[/quote]
I understand! From the budgetary point of view a 3-4K pricing does not make sense for you. The setup you describe can work quite well if you make the correct choice of firmness. Remember that firmness and thickness work together and that the thicker the finished mattress the more firmness you’d need to get the similar effects. Your plan for your DIY looks good, no issues jump out for me - as long as you enjoy the feel, looks like you have a winner!
As for the coils…yes there seems to have been a lot of flack last fall about manufacturers failing to announce coil source changes, which seemed to be primarily that they did not disclose that they switched from Legget & Platt for the 8" coil. I saw just as many people saying quality wasn’t the issue as ones that said the opposite- this is the downside of Reddit; like review sites it gives individual opinions on a very subjective topic. Hopefully people who own mattresses that use the Ascension coils can return with some feedback given a couple of years or so as they are the best to notice any change over time.
That’s correct! There is a direct dependency between firmness and number of coils all else being equal. There’s also a inverse dependency between coil height and firmness (higher the coil with same material, diameter, gauge, etc.) the longer the travel and the softer will feel. In the case of the two systems you are looking at, even though the coil height increases the number of coil count increases which can make it softer or firmer depending on the coil count.
The way coils ‘feel’ are a combination of materials used, gauge of the coils, height, and number of coils. You can read a more detailed discussion of coils and coil ILD vs foam ILD in phoenix’s reply in post #2 here . I would say that as Ken from Arizona Premium’s description of the Caliber edge vs Bolsa that he mentions in this post. Are you considering the firmer Caliber Edge or the more body conforming, higher coil count Quantum Edge, as it sounds like you want to stick with Leggett & Platt coils; the tradeoff is higher the coil count the less motion transfer, so that’s the final consideration.
Sounds like you’re almost there but remember nobody can say for sure how the final combination would feel for you and your wife as each sleeper is unique and has different perceptions, needs, and preferences. I’d suggest that you work closely with Ken at Arizona Premium Mattress as he is familiar with Naturepedic and has the coils you want and are time tested. He will be the best to guide you towards the best possible outcome for your mattress.
~ Basilio