Hello,
Im so over the big box stores and getting the answer “I have no clue” when asking questions about longevity, quality, materials, etc. I am having a hard time finding a Canadian company (We are in Ontario) that provides quality mattresses that not only feel good in the 10 minute store trials but that will still feel good in the months and years to come.
We have tried all latex and do like the feel of laying ‘on’ rather than ‘in’ the bed. We both (DH and I) prefer medium firm for side sleeping. My DH needs more give in shoulders and I need support for hips and shoulder but we both like a similar firmness.
We prefer a softer top to cushion and help alleviate pressure points but a firmer core for support. I have concerns that an all latex mattress might not provide the support we need over the long run but am willing to entertain opposing opinions.
My thoughts are that a hybrid mattress would be the best choice for us but, again, I want to buy from a quality brand/supplier and not the big box or “S” companies as they are not able to answer my questions or provide adequate information and only regurgitate the same old phrases to convince the consumer to buy now.
Welcome to The Mattress Underground and thanks for your question !
Congrats on your new mattress shopping adventure ! Please take some time and explore our forum, including Phoenix’s extensive consumer resource library to get you acquainting with the ins and outs of mattress shopping. Can you give us some of yours and DH’s sleep history? To better help you, please tell us about your personal stats of weight, height, body profile type, and preferred sleeping position(s). Also, what type mattress are you currently using and how old is it? What size mattress are you shopping for and what is your budget? Will you be replacing your foundation as well?
Good work on the store visits and mattress testing, as that is the best way to know what type mattresses would likely work best for you both. It sounds as though you’re on the way to narrowing down comfort and support preferences. This is a process and it will take time to find the mattress that “will still feel good in the months and years to come,” we’ll be happy to help you as best we can. Looking forward to your updates, Sicats .
Hi again, My stats:
side sleeper, 5’5", 145 lbs, curvy, PPT: shoulder, hip
My husband: 5’9" 185 lbs, wide shoulder, narrow hip, side sleeper, PPT: shoulder
We want Queen size and our budget is 2000 preferably but up to 3000 if necessary.
We have a bed frame with wood slats, though need new slats. will buy what is suitable for the mattress we purchase. Prefer as much organic, natural, little VOC as possible.
We had a very old, worn out innerspring mattress that I couldn’t even tell you the name of but we got rid of it in our move across country. We have been sleeping on a tempurpedic firm (memory foam) for about a month (borrowing from Sister in law.) It’s comfortable and no pressure point issues, but we don’t like the “in” the bed feeling and prefer being ‘on’ the bed more.
We did try latex zoned beds and really liked them. Now IM looking at MFC and plan to visit SOMA in North York, ON to see options that are not the big “S” brands and that are more transparent and knowledgeable. MFC price range looks good. Waiting to talk to Mario.
I have read tons of info on this site that has really helped me weed out the low quality or high priced for low quality brands and styles. That is why Im here now wondering my next steps and how to know what will last and not waste my money.
Since you had mentioned North York, I presume you’re in the GTA. If so, I would highly recommend checking out Luxurious Beds and Linens (lbal.ca) in Oakville. Although I didn’t end up buying from them, their customer service was truly exceptional. I visited their showroom to learn more about latex and the hybrids, and I wasn’t under any pressure to buy. They have a variety of latex and hybrid products, including those made by Naturepedic.
There are also a couple of company-owned Naturepedic stores (not dealers) in the GTA, but of course, they won’t have latex and hybrid products made by other manufacturers.
SOMA I believe also carries Savvy Rest, which makes latex and hybrid products. Although I haven’t been there, I have visited another Savvy Rest dealer (Earthscape in Royal Oak, Michigan), and I found the Savvy Rest quality to be excellent.
Both Savvy Rest and Naturepedic have hybrid latex-over-spring products, while the MFC Presto is all latex. They have a very different feel, and for us, having springs was our preference. It wasn’t really about support but rather the feel of the mattress.
Good to hear that the “tons of Infor on this site” helped and thanks for providing the additional stats and info. You did well connecting the dots based on your site readings and experience with other mattresses you’ve tested. Looking at your stats (side sleeping, normal BMI ranges) it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a good mattress that matches both you and your DH.
With latex or hybrid latex mattes at your BMIs, I would not have concerns in terms of mattress longevity. . As a group they will certainly be more durable than any other foam materials. It is not unusual for latex to last 15 - 20 years (and in some cases 40 years for single layer latex mattresses) although the softer layers on top of a mattress or mattress toppers will likely be less than this. Innersprings that are good quality will also be very durable (often 15 + years) and can last longer than the foams above them. While the latex in a core layer is a more durable material even than good quality polyfoam or an innerspring since the core layer is less subject to mechanical compression than the upper layers and are generally firmer (firmness is a durability factor) they will last longer than the same materials used in the comfort layers.
Next, once you have a few finalists, I’d focus on selecting the right balance of comfort/pressure relief and support/alignment. A customizable product may offer more options for fine-tuning it to your needs and preference. There is a bit more about how the suitability of a mattress choice and the sensitivity of each person to a range of comfort/pressure relief and support/alignment can affect the useful life of a mattress for each person in post #2 here.
Good progress! While zoning can be beneficial to accommodate more unusual circumstances… with latex zoning may not be as necessary because of the nature of latex itself and its higher compression modulus than other foams (particularly with Dunlop) but even here it can have some benefits and allow for the use of softer foam under wider/lighter shoulders than may otherwise be possible. There’s more about zoning and some of my thoughts about it in this article. This said some people with curvier profiles or wider shoulders (less surface area than the hips ) and prefer a thinner mattress may also choose zoning.
It is hard to say from a distance if anyone would need zoning but generally, I’d keep in mind that how far each part sinks in has to do with how much weight it carries and the surface area that carries the weight, Thin or narrow shoulders will sink in easier than thicker wider shoulders. Narrow more pointed hips will sink in easier than the greater surface area of the same area on the back. This is part of the reason that weight and body shape are so important and that they are matched to a mattress.
An all-latex mattress is very adequate for providing support … Among the highest quality materials that can be used in a mattress and it is unusual for its ability to be both soft and supportive at the same time. This is connected with a specification called support factor (also called compression modulus or comfort factor). What this means is that latex has the ability to be soft and conforming when it is initially compressed and then becomes firmer more quickly than other materials when it is compressed more deeply. At the 40 ILD support core from MFC’s Presto line, I would not have concerns about lack of support… Even a relatively soft latex (28 ILD and higher) can be used as a mattress core where its upper softness can help to form a pressure relieving cradle while its deeper firmness can still provide excellent support (the ability to prevent heavier parts of you from sinking down too far) and keep your spine aligned. This also gives it the ability to adjust itself to different sleeping positions, body weights, and body profiles as you change position in your sleep. Of course the higher density the latex is the more “supportive” it is.
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