Component Hybrid Mattress

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

My husband and I bought a S&F Estate Abby Lynn in 2011, and we loved it. However, within the first six months we had body indents in each side. This mattress has a pillow top, so no matter how many times we call the big store at which we bought the mattress, and and they send out someone to measure, we don’t meet the 1.5" indent required. The pillow top, just bounces right back when you take weight off of it. We are now at the point where we can’t take it anymore, and we need a new mattress. We know one thing for sure: we want another hybrid mattress, or possibly an innerspring with a latex topper… Even though I know they are the least durable, I prefer the innerspring or spring/foam/latex hybrid feel. I don’t like the feel of just latex or just foam. From reading some of your previous posts, I gather that the springs are not usually the problem when a mattress breaks down, but the comfort layers. So, it would make sense to find a hybrid spring/foam/latex mattress where the foam or latex layer could be replaced down the road if it starts to break down.

I see a lot of companies that let you “build your own mattress”. As in they let you pick the components, but I can’t find any that specifically state that the comfort layer can be removed and replaced down the road. The closest I’ve found is Joplimo based out of Joplin, MO (I live in KC) that says the top layer can be switched out while the mattress is under warranty if a different firmness is needed… But you have to meet all of the warranty requirements which makes me leery because of the way the warranty has not worked out for us with S&F. I would like to find a company where I can just call up a year from now and pay for a replacement comfort level.

Do you know of any such companies?

Thanks!

2

Hi beths,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

[quote]
My husband and I bought a S&F Estate Abby Lynn in 2011, and we loved it. However, within the first six months we had body indents in each side. This mattress has a pillow top, so no matter how many times we call the big store at which we bought the mattress, and and they send out someone to measure, we don’t meet the 1.5" indent required. The pillow top, just bounces right back when you take weight off of it
[/quote].
I’m sorry that your Stearns & foster mattress hasn’t worked out as well for you as you had hoped :frowning: . It is unfortunately a common situation that with lower density foams, and mattresses that are made with too much foam, low quality convoluted foams or fibers, or a combination of many of these things, that body impressions can quickly develop, and worse, the development of what I term “virtual” or “phantom” body impressions, where they don’t show up when measured by someone testing for a warranty challenge, but the excessive softening of the foams in the area where you sleep is felt when lying upon the mattress. The 1.5" depression is considered a “standard” within the innerspring industry for a warrantable defect, but there is no measurement for loss of comfort (this is not covered under a normal mattress warranty, as that would be too subjective).

A mattress using a pocketed coil innerspring unit, combined with high quality foam and comfort layers in the upholstery and quilt layers, can be a very durable product. There’s nothing wrong with choosing to go in this direction if this is your personal preference.

Excellent observations! Yes, innersprings aren’t usually the weak link of a mattress – the comfort layers are usually what breaks down and causes a consumer to replace a mattress.

While not a complete list, starting with the members listed in post #21 here, who are all very experienced and knowledgeable, Mattresses.net, Bay Bed, and Luma (Hybrid Slumber System) all offer some sort of a spring/foam component system with replaceable layers. Post #2 here also has a listing of some hybrid (spring/latex) mattress offerings (with a few repeats), some of which are customizable. The component post here has a listing of latex, memory foam, innerspring and mattress cover suppliers, should you desire to go with a complete DIY system.

As I mentioned, this listing isn’t complete, as I don’t keep a record of the individual mattresses or their specs that the retailers and manufacturers in the hundreds of forum lists throughout the site carry on their floor or have available online (it would be a bigger job than anyone could keep up with in a constantly changing market). If you do come across any specific models, make sure that you find out the information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase. You can also post any information here and I’ll be happy to comment upon what you find out.

Phoenix

3

love, love, love my naturepedic eos classic. check them out if theres a dealer near you. they offer a variety of models up and down the price scale, but the eos classic is their benchmark model. has 8" pocketed coil in two firmnesses and a 3" comfort layer of dunlop latex in 3 firmnesses or as i opted, microcoils in 2 firmnesses. all assembled in a zippered case of cotton with wool and pla batting and a burly brass zipper. you can do left and right the same, or if the two of you have different preferences, you can do totally different configs. they have several recommended configs, but i fout there was a big comfort gap between their “plush” & “cushion-firm” and with their help came up with a “medium” (plush coils and medium comfort layer) originally convinced i wanted the latex top and ordered medium and firm latex. liked them both, but after30+ days of not quite loving it like i expected i would had them send me the microcoils. that was it. i find it incredibly comfortable and supportive. and a terrific family owned company to deal with. it was definitely on the high price side, but if you get the sleep you’re looking for and consider it a mattress that could very well last 15+ years (or longer if selectively update components) the $ is well worth it. if what i hear phoenix saying about the springs outlasting the rest of the mattress, then i could be sleeping comfortably for even longer. the case for this mattress is much denser than i found in other lines, so the compaction is already there and part of the feel, so while a little might happen over time, i don’t think it will be nearly as noticeable as other brands.

4

Hi deuxcv,

Thank you once again for pointing out your happiness with your EOS mattress - I’m glad you’re still enjoying it.

Phoenix

5

Thank you for your very thorough answer. I did go through all of your links, and this last weekend we did some more mattress shopping, and I came up with something even more frustrating. We tried a hybrid mattress (at Joplimo) much like you would find in a replaceable component mattress where it feels like the layer of latex is placed on top of the coils, and then the whole thing is encased in a cover. Although, those were hybrid, it didn’t feel right to me, and I couldn’t figure out why.

We then laid on a mattress with similar layers (latex on innersprings) except this one had a button tufted top (Joma Wool, 1" supersoft foam and 1.5" inch convoluted foam in the tufted top) which was not a pillow top, but the layers of the button tufted top are almost identical to what is in my S&F pillowtop. I LOVED the one with the button tufted top, and as I think more about it, this seems like is a huge comfort thing to me. Every mattress I’ve ever slept on in my life has had some sort of tufted top on it. I’m not sure I am able to be completely comfortable without one. However, it was way too expensive (over 4K) and will have the same problem we experienced with the S&F where I know that it will get body impressions really fast.

So now I think I’m looking for something that doesn’t exist. A component mattress with a tufted top where the tufted top could be replaceable? Maybe a mattress topper with tufts in it, so I can buy a component hybrid mattress and put something with tufting on the top? I don’t think those exist. I am starting to think my only option is to buy a mattress with no replaceable components just so I can get that soft tufted top, and then have to buy another mattress every three years or so. I’m not liking that idea very much.

If you or anyone else has any ideas, I would appreciate all of the advice I can get.

Thanks!

6

Check out Sterling Sleep Systems, they have component mattresses with replaceable tops that are described as quilted, not tufted, but they look quite puffy.

7

Hi beths,

[quote]Thank you for your very thorough answer. I did go through all of your links, and this last weekend we did some more mattress shopping, and I came up with something even more frustrating. We tried a hybrid mattress (at Joplimo) much like you would find in a replaceable component mattress where it feels like the layer of latex is placed on top of the coils, and then the whole thing is encased in a cover. Although, those were hybrid, it didn’t feel right to me, and I couldn’t figure out why.

We then laid on a mattress with similar layers (latex on innersprings) except this one had a button tufted top (Joma Wool, 1" supersoft foam and 1.5" inch convoluted foam in the tufted top) which was not a pillow top, but the layers of the button tufted top are almost identical to what is in my S&F pillowtop. I LOVED the one with the button tufted top, and as I think more about it, this seems like is a huge comfort thing to me. Every mattress I’ve ever slept on in my life has had some sort of tufted top on it. I’m not sure I am able to be completely comfortable without one. However, it was way too expensive (over 4K) and will have the same problem we experienced with the S&F where I know that it will get body impressions really fast.[/quote]
You didn’t provide specifics about the particular models to which you’re referencing, but it sounds as if you’re describing the difference between a mattress with a stretch knit cover that isn’t quilted (your first model tested), versus a mattress with a traditional quilt panel containing various polyfoams and fibers.

While the tufting certainly makes a difference in feel and reduces much of the artificial loft of the upper comfort layers, the largest difference in comfort would have been from the addition of the polyfoams in the quilt panel, and this may be what you’re referring to that you prefer. Again, without actual specifications, I can’t be as accurate with my guidance as I would prefer.

The way you would know about the potential for quick body impressions would be through learning about the actual componentry within the quilt panel of the mattress you were testing, and comparing that information to the durability guidelines I listed in my previous reply to you.

Tufting will normally run through the entire mattress, not just the quilt panel, which of course would render it impossible for a mattress to be a component-style system. Off the top of my head, I’m not aware of a separate zippered topper that is tufted just in the quilt panel, yet still has changeable component layers. And as I mentioned previously, I’m thinking that it may be more the polyfoam quilt panel (tufted or not) that you seem to prefer, in which case there are hybrid systems in the links I provided previously that use quilted polyfoam panels on top of the hybrid system.

Amity mentioned Sterling Sleep Systems as an option, but as stated those quilt panels are not tufted, and they tend to offer more polyfoams in their mattresses, although they do have offerings with some latex in them. They are in a higher price range, so I would make some careful value equations regarding them.

Phoenix