Canadian Options - Tempur-Flex Alternative (Novosbed/Casper/LoomLeaf)

[phoenix]

Hi RandomSanity,

I just realized that I didn’t answer one of your questions in your previous post …

The Loom and Leaf website also makes a big deal about how their mattress doesn’t come stuffed in a box. Should this be a deciding factor? What difference does this actually make?

A mattress that can be compressed can lower the cost of shipping and the overall cost of the mattress (a compressed mattress can be shipped via courier which is less costly than shipping a mattress that isn’t compressed which requires a common carrier). If the materials in a mattress are suitable for compression then it certainly doesn’t do any harm to the mattress if they are only compressed for a few weeks or less but it wouldn’t be a deciding factor for me either way.

My postal code is N2L 3G1, if you happen to know of any quality options in my area, but I’m certainly open to the online purchasing. I would just prefer to try a similar type (materials, quality) of mattress before I make a purchase.

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Cambridge/Kitchener/Waterloo areas (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here) are listed in post #2 here.

How easy are the returns for most of the online retailers if you absolutely can’t stand the mattress? They all make it sound like a breeze, but returns are usually a huge pain in the butt for other products so I worry.

It would depend on the specifics of the return policy and they would be the best source of information about any specific requirements that they may have (such as covering or boxing the mattress) but all of the manufacturers you mentioned have a return policy that picks up the mattress from your home so it’s a simple process to return it.

I’m surprised to hear that the Loom & Leaf uses lower quality materials. It’s marketed as a luxury mattress and all the direct comparison’s I’ve seen to Casper and other similar retailers rate the Loom & Leaf much higher. Any comments on how the “medical grade cooling gel” helps with heat retention? That was another worry of mine when switching to memory foam.

The Loom & Leaf does use some high quality materials (such as the gel and the 5 lb memory foam) but in terms of durability a mattress is only as durable as it’s weakest link regardless of whether some of the materials are higher quality.

The top comfort layer is a thin layer of a soft solid gel material that covers the middle section of the mattress and would add some additional firmness and support under the heavier part of the body (hips/pelvis) and would provide “some” cooling benefits in this area of the mattress as well. It’s a good quality and durable material. There is more about soft solid gel materials in post #2 here and in post #4 here.

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.

Phoenix