Completely overwhelmed - not sure what to look for.

So I’m sure I’m going to oversimplify at times here but we just moved in to a new apartment and our current king size won’t fit. We have to downsize to a queen which is fine but I haven’t shopped for a mattress in almost 10 years and I don’t even know where to begin. I’ve been browsing the last few days and reading the forum and I’m even more confused now than I was before. Do I want a hybrid mattress, a foam, a latex, I have no idea. My brain feels like it’s trying to escape my head but I’m in a bit of a rush because we don’t have a comfortable place to sleep at the moment. Im located in Vancouver, Canada and was looking at fawcett mattress in Victoria since my parents got their mattress there and they love it but it’s a little out of my budget for one of the same model. Im ideally wanting to stay in the 1000-1500 range. The part that complicates matters is the difference in size and sleeping position between my partner and I. I sleep on my stomach 100% of the time and am 6’3 and 230lbs. My partner shifts between sleeping on her back and her side roughly 50/50 and is 5’1 and 120lbs. I don’t know what would work best for us in terms of striking a balance for support and comfort for both of us or what type of construction would be suited best for us.

Any insight would be MASSIVELY appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi foofy and welcome to The Mattress Underground :slight_smile:
Glad to have you here.

It’s’ easy to get overwhelmed, faced with all the available info, and sink into ‘analysis paralysis’ when you first start looking for a new mattress.

First, as you righty imply, any mattress that you and your partner finally choose will be unique to each of you, based on your stats (height, BMI, sleeping position(s) and any underlying health conditions) and your PPP(posture & alignment, pressure relief , and personal preferences). If you have not already, I suggest you read theMattress Shopping Tutorial, and the Mattress Specifications You Need To Knowas well as theMattress Durability Guidelinesto get an idea of the components and materials to look at and how long specific materials hold up over time.

You mentioned looking at Fawcett Mattress in Victoria, so you are definitely on the right path - the next step is to decide which type of mattress you and your partner prefer: memory foam? Latex? Hybrid? How firm? How thick? What type of base? There are no right or wrong answers –
~ The most important step you can take to get the answers you seek is to go to any store that has all type of mattresses to test in terms of feel what you and your partner prefer and decide which materials you do best with in the comfort layer (Latex, Poly, Memory Foam, Microcoils etc)
~ Once you are closer to an answer I’d try to decide what style of mattress you both like (traditional innerspring, pocket coil, hybrid, or all foam mattress)
~ As your budget is limited I’d carefully look at your personal value equation and prioritize what is most important to you.
~ Reevaluate if you want to purchase in a store or on line. There are advantages and disadvantages with each but if you interact with a transparent and knowledgeable manufacturer or retailer, you’d have very good chances of finding a good mattress that matches both you and your partner.
~ To narrow your mattress search to a few finalists you have to check each of the components in any mattress you are seriously considering. For this you’d need to look at the Mattress Specifications You Need To Knowas well as the Mattress Durability Guidelines to get a clear idea of the components and materials and how long specific materials hold up over time.

You have a higher BMI and sleep on your stomach, but your partner is a side/back sleeper, and has a lower BMI. For your stomach sleeping you need a firmer and more supportive mattress to keep your spine in neutral alignment. She on the other hand needs something softer for her side sleeping position. Because she is lighter some of these different “needs” are compensating each other and you may find a construction that is perfectly suitable for both of you in terms of comfort/support balance. If this is not possible, then you may want to consider a split mattress which has a different configuration for his and her side. Only the two of you can decide which mattress ultimately feels good to you both.

Once you have tried out some mattress types in person and have a ‘short list’, There are a few of the theTrusted Members
of the site near you, such as MFClocated in Delta B.C., CBH Wood Furniturecarries all natural latex beds; Dormio also carries latex and though not a member, even though SnugSleep is not a Trusted Member also has a factory and showroom in North Vancouver. If you are considering purchasing online, many of the Trusteed members of the site also ship to Canada; these all have a commitment to quality, and proven transparency in their materials and construction. By giving them a little information on you both they can find a mattress which will be comfortable and durable for many years. You have a medium-range budget, as long as you do a bit of ‘leg work’ you will no doubt be able to find a great mattress that works for you!

I hope this helps

~ Basilio