Hello! My partner and I are in need of a new mattress, as we have been sleeping on Full-sized Serta of some sort for the last 2 years. This will be the first mattress purchase either of us have made, so we are trying to be diligent in our research to pick the best mattress for us. Given the current pandemic, we were unable to go mattress testing as planned, so are now looking at mattresses available online that come with generous return policies (which luckily most online options seem to have).
My partner is a hot sleeper, so based on the very helpful articles about materials and constructions provided on this site, we are thinking the best option for us would be a hybrid mattress: pocket coils with a latex (preferable talalay) top. While looking for mattresses that fit this general construction, I have found that many hybrids have: 1) foam comfort layers that are not latex, and/or 2) zoned pocket coils.
As you can see from the topic title, I am concerned about zoned coils. The information provided on the TMU zoned construction intro along with a few comments about zoned coil mattresses that I was able to find on the forum have me worried about zoned coils, especially given the height difference between myself and my partner. Even if the zoning fit my partner, who is average height, I am much shorter and also have wider hips and chest area. My partner also tends to sleep on his back much more than I do, as I am a back/side combination sleeper.
I was highly interested in the MyGreenMattress Natural Escape, as well as other coil/latex hybrid mattresses from Avocado, FlexusComfort, and Arizona Premium Mattress, but they are all zoned (commonly the “Combi-Zone” system).
My main questions are:
Can zoned mattresses work for couples with different heights and body shapes?
Should we try out a zoned mattress at all if it isn’t expressly recommended for our body types?
Are there any coil/latex hybrid mattresses that aren’t zoned? (Our budget is up to 1.5k)
I appreciate all the information and recommendations on this site. I am a big researcher who is also very anxious about big purchases, so more information is always better.
Look at the My Green Mattress Kiwi. They have it tagged for kids but there is no reason to label it that way other than to drive adults to the Natural Escape. The Kiwi doesn’t have the zoned coils.
From the web site:
Safe, healthy, and affordable. New for 2019, our Kiwi mattress is a firm yet contouring mattress, which makes it the perfect choice for growing children or for adults who are looking for an affordable hybrid mattress. We handcraft our Kiwi mattress with a pocketed coil innerspring and all-natural and hypoallergenic materials, including: GOTS Certified organic cotton, GOTS certified organic wool, and GOLS certified organic Dunlop latex. Make your new Kiwi mattress two-sided for an additional $125 – any size.
My friend bought the Kiwi after looking at our too hard Natural Escape. Neither of us liked the hard zone in the center of the Natural Escape that resided right under our hips. She put another latex topper on her Kiwi and loves it. I thought the quality of the My Green Mattress Natural Escape was very good. I bought a My Green Mattress Pure Echo for my mom and she loves it but she likes a firm mattress. The Pure Echo does not have any latex.
Another one to look at is the Happsy mattress. I read somewhere that it was the on-line Naturepedic offering so should be good quality although I’ve never tried it. We ended up buying Naturepedic EOS Pillowtops with microcoils to avoid the latex smell but they are pricey.
Thanks for the Kiwi recommendation. There is less latex in the comfort layer, but an additional latex topper (perhaps a talalay one from elsewhere) could adjust for that!
I also haven’t heard of Happsy, so I will need to look into that. I did find Naturepedic when looking for additional mattress brands. They look nice, but pricey as you mentioned.
That is a good idea. I liked Talalay better when we had an all latex bed. Also you can customize the toppers if one of you ends up liking it softer or get a thicker topper than is offered at My Green Mattress.
My friend who bought the Kiwi got a latex topper on Amazon and then put a wool mattress pad over that to get the feel she wanted. Try to buy ones with return policies so you can experiment.
I ended up with the Naturepedic Plush coils topped with two layers of their medium microcoils. My husband got Naturepedics firm coils topped with two layers of their soft microcoils.
My mom got the Pure Echo and isn’t using the latex topper that I had bought her for her previous bed. She likes it just the way it came.
Everyone has a different configuration that works for them.
It’s always gratifying our TMU moderators when our visitors are doing some preliminary research so it is nice to see that you are already quite deep into it.
I am not sure what the weight differential between you and your partner is, but you may be surprised that some types of layering may work well for both of you, even with you being shorter and having wider hips and shoulders (which need a bit more cushioning for your side sleeping) You have a good starting point as both of you seem to be mainly back sleepers. You may even find that due to your body conformation you may benefit more from a zoned construction. I don’t know the width of the center third zoning in the combi-zone unit but I suspect that you are still tall enough and that your hips and shoulders would comfortably rest on the top/bottom zoning if you position yourself with your waistline in the center zone. Horizontal zoning can be successfully used in a less thick bed design to introduce some adaptability because in the case of a thicker mattress that is easier achievable with slightly thicker layers that can “act” softer and you can use firmer layers on top that are more adaptable to a greater range of weights and sleeping positions. See post #14 about layer or mattress thickness
Without knowing your BMIs it’s hard to make specific commentary. If you’re both within a similar BMI range, it’s very possible that a zoned mattress could be a perfectly acceptable option. If one of you is very heavy, and the other very light, one of you may struggle to find comfort based on the support factors involved and may want to consider a split mattress instead. You can read more here about side by side layering in post #2. One really high-quality option sold by one of our valued trusted members on the site is the Alexander Nest Bedding Split King Hybrid (within your budget!). They are extremely knowledgeable and transparent and would be able to answer any questions you have regarding your sleep styles, height differences, etc.
Much of mattress buying ultimately comes down to PPP (Preference, Pressure relief, Posture, and alignment) – so I am glad that you are looking at good return policy options. I’d make sure to call each of your finalists to get some guidance and help to “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses as it relates to partner differences and what zoning is likely to do for you…
All beds you mentioned could work out for you. but some use slightly different Combi-zone units in their designs and you would need to talk with the manufacturers to see how these differences translate withing their designs.
For example, Arizona and Avocado use QE Combi-Zone® 8" Leggett & Platt Quantum Edge Combi-Zone For the Queen: 1,130 support coils
— Perimeter, Top + Bottom: 144 coils (16 gauge, 10 turn fabric encased coils)
— Perimeter, Sides: 200 coils (16 gauge, 10 turn fabric encased coils) ~ NARROW diameter
— Head + Foot: 462 coils (14 gauge, 5 turn fabric encased coils)
— Center: 324 coils (17 gauge, 10 turn fabric encased coils)
My Green Mattress seems to be using a slightly different Combi-Zone with 1,074 springs, for enhanced lumbar and edge support.
• - 8" tall coils (8 turns)
• - 13.5 gauge perimeter for a firmer seating edge,
• - 15.5 gauge coils Head + Foot sleep surface
• - 14.5 gauge coils throughout the center third of the mattress for improved lumbar support.
These fabric-encased innerspring (made from recycled steel) are arranged in 3 distinct zones with a reinforced perimeter to float independently and reduce motion transfer.
There are also several ways to accommodate two people who have very different needs and preferences on the same mattress discussed in the first part of post #2,(sleeping hot is discussed in part 2 of the same post) but side to side split layering can be one of the most effective if your testing indicates that most of the “non-split” layering you’d test doesn’t work equally well for both of you
Provided that you talk through with the manufacturer/retailer of your contenders and give a “fair try” to a zoned system, here are some not zoned options to look at.
Alexander Nest Bedding hybrid mattress is not zoned.
The GhostBed Flex has Spirited Edge™ support coil unit that is not zoned (just edge support).
The Luma Mattress is a latex + coil hybrid that doesn’t appear to be zoned, either.
I’d recommend combing through the hybrid mattresses offered by our many Trusted Members because I’m certain there are more. Many offer discounts to forum subscribers as well, so definitely keep your eye out for those!
Which of these would work best would depend on the needs and preferences of each couple. Careful testing with both of you on the mattress can tell you whether any of these options would be a good match for both of you but if you are considering an online choice where you can’t test the mattress in person this is where the help and guidance of a knowledgeable and experienced manufacturer or salesperson who knows every detail of the mattresses they make and sell, how they interact with different people and couples, and that has your best interests in mind can be invaluable.
I look forward to any additional questions you may have, or just hearing any updates you may have!
Thank you for your detailed response! After going through the options with my partner, we have decided to reach out to MyGreenMattress to see if the Natural Escape may work for us, as our top choice of the zoned options. I have also looked into a few more non-zoned options, such as the MyGreenMattress Kiwi with a topper that Marshmallowforme suggested. We are now also considering the Luma Natural Latex Hybrid, the Del Mar mattress from Mattress Makers, and the Ecoterra mattress as our non-zoned options to research further.
I appreciate the links to additional posts to read. We hope to order our new mattress within the month and I am glad we found TMU before making the decision.
Pheonix,
Am I correct in reading that the Arizona zoned coils have a softer center than the My Green Mattress zoned coils? If so I would be very interested in getting just the base coils to try in my Naturepedic Pillowtop. I liked the zone coils in the Joybed LXP as they did not push my hips up whereas the My Green Mattress ones did.
Thanks!
I just answered my own question. The Arizona TwinXL coils are 772. This matches the Joybed LXP Medium Firm = 772. However their LXP Medium Plush is 736 so a different zone set up.
It looks like you’ve narrowed down and have a good quality/value batch of finalists. I look forward to hearing more about how your mattress shopping journey goes!
@ Marshmallowforme … just keep in mind that the number of coil turns is also a factor.
Phoenix
