Coming to the end of a long search: Nettleton vs Aireloom...?

[mg517]

Hello all,
Haven’t posted in a while, mostly following the discussions and taking my time with my research.

Anyway, thought I’d start a new thread, as I’m seeking to put my past bad choices behind me! For much of this year I’ve been attempting to make my too firm Norwalk latex mattress more useable through various toppers. Lately I tried Brooklyn Beddings’ 3" 4lb gel memory foam (soft but not good support) and their 3" 5lb memory foam (better supportive, but too much pressure on my body) and I think I’m ready to move beyond trying to reinvent my bed and just find something that will actually work as designed. I’ve been attempting this all year and have now spent as much on toppers as the original bed - I’m feeling enough is enough. (Inventing a bed for oneself is a daunting task!)

After much searching, my favorite option is a bed that Goldbond makes for CT Mattress which, above everything else I’ve tried, puts me in the best position on my back I’ve been able to find. But it’s a fairly new product, and it’s not something I can find any reviews on. Info about it can be found here: http://www.ctmattress.com/brandpage_nettleton.html (The video tells more than the page, oddly.) The one I like best is the pillow top, which is identical to the plush top, just the top layer is stitched on differently. If you had any thoughts about it, I’d love to get some advice before I order it. Unfortunately, as I’m out of state, I can’t enjoy the comfort exchange offer, so I’d like to be as sure as possible. (EDIT: seems unfair of me to send people browsing a link page, so: the basics of the bed:“Contains all natural latex foam rubber for pressure relief/Individually pocketed coils provide superior conformability and less motion transfer/Technologically advanced side support system for edge to edge comfort” etc. It has no memory foam at all in it.)

I also let myself be a bit seduced by the Aireloom Rip Van Winkle they sell at Long’s in NYC. It feels like it’s better quality than the Goldbond, but I know that ‘feel’ and ‘reality’ are far different things. Is this a brand that lives up to its reputation (and price) these days? They’ll give me a ‘Black Friday’ price if I buy it tomorrow. (Or maybe next week, for all I know - they gave me a real hard sell today, which is making me kinda not want to deal with them at all.)

The only other choice on my list after months of shopping are the new Sealy’s (Glen Falls or Foster Lane Plush) - like the Nettleton, they have a lumbar support section, and they feels great. Based on reputation, I guess it’s wise to avoid them, but I also can’t avoid that the PPP of their design suits me so well.

Having been everywhere in the neighborhood, I feel like these are my best options. Phoenix, any thoughts or advice that might come to mind, I’d be thrilled to hear.

Thanks to you and everyone else on the forum whose discussions have been so informative to me!
E

[phoenix]

Hi mg517,

Just as a reminder … it may be worthwhile to read the tutorial post again (if you haven’t already) which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice.

Nettleton:

The video doesn’t include the thickness of the foam layers which I would want to know but it does say that all the polyfoam is 1.5 lb density which is lower density/quality than I would be comfortable with. The spring and the side support are good quality. I would generally suggest a minimum of 1.8 lb density in a one sided mattress (and 1.5 lbs in a two sided mattress) so that you have much less risk of foam softening and the loss of comfort and support. You can read more about the factors that affect durability and the useful life of a mattress in post #2 here.

Aireloom:

I would want to know the specifics of all the layers and materials in this mattress as well because without this you would be making a completely blind purchase and without this information there is no way to identify any weak links in the mattress or make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses.

Aireloom and Sealy are both manufacturers I would tend to avoid (see the guideline here and the list of the top 15 manufactures here) because the odds are low that you will be able to find out the information you need to make an informed buying decision.

Having been everywhere in the neighborhood, I feel like these are my best options. Phoenix, any thoughts or advice that might come to mind, I’d be thrilled to hear.

Posts #2 and #4 here include some of the better options and possibilities I’m aware of in your area. I would always keep in mind that outside of testing for PPP that the most important part of a mattress purchase is making sure that you know the quality of all the materials and components in a mattress so that you can confirm that there are no weak links in the mattress and can make more meaningful comparisons with other mattresses.

Phoenix

[mg517]

So I heeded your advice, steered away from the Aireloom and the Sealy. I’m keeping the Nettleton on my short list as, on the whole, it seems like a reasonable well made unit, and I’ve been on a few innersprings that used the higher density foams and didn’t like them much.

I went back to the Clean Bedroom store, they have a newish product that’s probably my favorite bed I’ve tried yet… (http://www.thecleanbedroom.com/Organic_Mattresses/Cotton_Innerspring/Naturepedic-Essentials-Chemical-Free-Luxury-Mattress-Vegan.htm). Except I think I’m not going to be happy with any bed that doesn’t offer a zoned lumbar support system, and unfortunately this one doesn’t.

So I think what I will probably do is buy one of Rocky’s Mountain’s memory foam beds, and they seem like good quality and have a zoned support layer like I think I need. I’m thinking the Sundance is probably my best option, I tend not to like the tall memory foam beds other companies make.

The Sundance is:
3.3" of 4lbs Bayer Softcel Memory Foam 12 ILD
3" of Bayer Ultracel Convoluted Foam Density 1.8 28 ILD
3.7" of Bayer Ultracel Support Foam Density 1.8 36 IFD

They said they could push the support foam to 2.4 lb density if I wanted more support. I’m wondering if this is a good idea. When I’ve tried the MF beds from Macy’s or Bob’s, I tend to prefer the shorter plush (but not super-plush) ones, so I really wonder if upping the support density is the way to go. I’m a 130lb 5’6" backsleeper, I like a fairly firm bed, but I don’t want to go too far with it. (To sleep at all on my 36 ILD latex bed from Norwalk, I’ve had to layer 3" 5lb memory foam, then 3" soft Dunlop, and then a feather bed. It’s quite a mountain.)

As usual, any advice? This has been a long trek for me, I’d love to start the year with something great!
E

[phoenix]

Hi mg517,

So I think what I will probably do is buy one of Rocky’s Mountain’s memory foam beds, and they seem like good quality and have a zoned support layer like I think I need. I’m thinking the Sundance is probably my best option, I tend not to like the tall memory foam beds other companies make.

Outside of actually testing a mattress for PPP or your own personal experience … the best way to improve your odds that a mattress will be suitable for your specific needs and preferences is a more detailed conversation on the phone with a retailer or manufacturer who can use the “averages” of their customers as a guideline to help you make the best possible choice (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

They said they could push the support foam to 2.4 lb density if I wanted more support. I’m wondering if this is a good idea. When I’ve tried the MF beds from Macy’s or Bob’s, I tend to prefer the shorter plush (but not super-plush) ones, so I really wonder if upping the support density is the way to go. I’m a 130lb 5’6" backsleeper, I like a fairly firm bed, but I don’t want to go too far with it. (To sleep at all on my 36 ILD latex bed from Norwalk, I’ve had to layer 3" 5lb memory foam, then 3" soft Dunlop, and then a feather bed. It’s quite a mountain.)

The density of a foam is the most important factor in the durability of a foam material but all foam densities can be made in softer or firmer versions so density doesn’t necessarily indicate the level of support in a mattress … and is more about its durability. I would also keep in mind that alignment in all your sleeping positions is the goal and to do this a mattress needs to be less “supportive” in some areas (such as under the shoulders for side sleepers) and more supportive in others (such as under the heavier pelvis). Some higher density foams also have a higher compression modulus as well (which is the rate that a foam becomes firmer with deeper compression) so in that sense some higher density foams may also be more “supportive” under the heavier areas of your body that sink in more deeply but focusing on these types of detailed specs would be outside of the knowledge or experience of most consumers and would have little meaning. The specs you listed don’t have any obvious weak links and you are in a lower weight range so foams that are in a medium density range that would be less durable for heavier weights (such as 4 lb memory foam or 1.8 lb polyfoam) would still be more durable for you although higher density materials (particularly in the upper layers of a mattress) of the same thickness and softness level will be more durable for anyone so it always depends on whether the extra cost of the higher density foam justifies any higher cost that would be involved.

I would also make sure that changing the design or foam in one of their mattresses doesn’t affect the return policy because most custom mattresses can’t be returned. If changing the type of foam means that you would have no return policy then you would need to have a high degree of confidence that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of PPP if you don’t have any recourse if you make a mistake and need to exchange or return the mattress. All of this is part of the conversations I would have with any online manufacturer you are considering so you can decide if a mattress is the best “match” for your personal value equation relative to any other final choices you are considering.

Phoenix