I have spent a few hours reading the blogs, and have read your advice in the past. Also went to your ‘old’ site and observed a few mattress surgeries. (I actually operated on a Sealy once. The patient did not make it.) My brief mattress story might help someone, and then I have a few questions for you,if you can indulge them.
I have added foam (poly) to mattresses for years, before natural latex caught on. In my quest to sleep better, I tried the Select Comfort, and then a Sears, and yes, back to Sleep Number (who does THAT twice)…and realized I would have to go rogue, and build my own. I bought 3 layers of Tally/Dunlop and arranged in what you refer to as a “Progressive” type set up.
One problem … I did not have a cover/case. I bought the foam layers through Habitat. I knew enough by this point that I did not want anything but a stretch cover (no wool, no cotton weave, NOTHING that could not conform). And, I am not a fan of memory foam. took months…but I got up the nerve to call Temper-pedic to see if they would sell their zipper cover. (a few on Amazon were cheaply made). And thankfully they did! Made a fine mattress. And I built the slats foundation (actually, my husband got the wood, and the screws, and the drill…but I was the engineer).
I am now seeing that a little more plush…to adjust for a side sleeper (aka your article) would be really nice with foam. This great bed will replace a guest bed. I will either get a mattress with foam in it. or a firmer spring and add the Talalay top, or build another duplicate of what I have.
One question has to do with memory foam. I do not like the creepy feel on the surface, but you make some points (as the salesman did) for memory foam as pressure releaving. Mattress store had Scandinavian brand models, and the two simpler ones had a more resilient type memory foam. And, one model uses plush quilted to a latex layer. (However, they may be selling out…so who knows).
Any way, I wondered about your take on the air vents in those mattresses…do they really make a difference? Do you feel the layers they pile together now will keep me from getting bruised by a Pea? Do you like the role of the memory foam in these beds (they are all quite similar…but seem like they would hold up. ) Lastly, is there another product similar to Scandinavian that you would suggest?I looked at Jamieson, and that is like what I already have…nice, but nut as cushy.
Thanks. And allow me to say you are some kind of brilliant when it comes to disecting a mattress!!