DIY Hybrid after long search in the midwest

Hi all,

Me and my wife have been mattress searching for a while now and had gone to just about every mattress store around us at the end of 2019/beginning of 2020…then COVID happened and we decided to suffer with our current mattress until everything calmed down. We’ve now restarted our journey and found that we are picking up right where we left off and are more sure on the type of mattress we are looking for. I’d like to get a mattress built by a someone since the feeling I get from reading posts on this forum is that by doing so you end up saving money while getting more quality. I’m having trouble figuring out how to build the bed that we would like using information from beds we’ve liked.

I’m 5’10 200 lb and my wife is 5’10 and 150 lb. She’s 1/2 side sleeper and 1/2 back sleeper. I’m 1/2 back and 1/2 stomach sleeper.
We are currently sleeping on a fairly cheap spring mattress that she has had for close to 10 years now. It’s pretty firm and I wake up with neck and back pain. I used to sleep on a Tempurpedic that’s now down in our guest room. I used to think it felt comfortable but now 10 years later every time I sleep on it it just doesn’t feel great anymore.

We went to Denver Mattress last year and tried out Aspen and Telluride but thought both of them are too firm so we did not go back this time.

We went to Midwest Mattress and found 2 models we liked: I didn’t get too much information other than on the pamphlet and pricing sheet on the bed.
Beautyrest (Simmons) BRX 1000
13.5" thick
3" gel memory foam
1" comfort foam
1000 pocketed coils
Thought it offered good shoulder support but my hips slumped a good bit.

Restonic Oxford Hybrid Luxury Plush
15" thick
Double sided
850 encased coils
Copper infused Latex
Gel Memory Foam
7" comfort core innerspring
Cashmere woven with “hyperperformance cotton jacquard ticking”
I thought it was comfortable but again hips slumped.

We tried out a few other models of Beautyrest but I’ve heard that the brand is very overpriced even though quality is decent.
All in all my hip did not feel well supported and even though the top layer was comfortable, when I laid there for a moment my shoulders start feeling like they’re folded in and my hip starts to slump. My spine was not straight when I was on my side.

We lastly went to Lebeda because during our shopping trip earlier in the year the Reve model was our favorite.
We tried out the 6" Talalay latex bed they have and found it too firm which was the exact impression we got earlier in the year.
We tried out the Opulence Pillow top Hybrid and found it comfortable but I found it a bit lacking in hip support even thought it was much better than any of the mattresses in Midwest Mattress.
Opulence had:
932 quantum edge coil base
steel border rods
1320 micro-coil unit in pillow top
Posturized center 1/3
2" Talalay Latex (24ILD 3.5 density)
.75" 2.7HR urethane foam 24ILD
We tried out the Reve Hybrid which was our favorite last time and again is our favorite this time.
Reve specs:
16" thick
932 quantum edge coil base
steel border rods
Posturized center 1/3
4" Talalay Latex (24ILD 3.5 density)-the spec sheet actually only said latex but I’m pretty sure they only use talalay latex in their mattresses

Since now we’ve gone twice to try out mattresses almost a year apart and the Reve remained our favorite says that we either need to get the Reve or have someone build something just like it.
The bed was very comfortable and the only thing I wished it did was offer me just a bit more hip support but I’d say out of all the mattresses it offer me to best support.
We would like to purchase an adjustable base. We don’t have a budget and would like to spend on quality even though I don’t like overpaying for a name.

I’m wondering if anyone has opinions on how I should build my mattress before I reach out to a few of the companies on this site.

Hey cornfedteeth,

Welcome to the Mattress Underground :slight_smile: ! Thanks for your question.

Congrats on your new mattress shopping journey :slight_smile: ! Indeed, COVID-19 has been a game-changer in our routines, especially ones involving shopping. Good to hear that you have safe access for making showroom visits as testing a mattress’s feel is a key part of compiling your research.

Thanks for including your personal stats as they help determine which materials, layering and construction would be better suited for your BMI/ body profile and sleeping position(s). Ten years is a decent life for an inexpensive innerspring mattress and waking up with neck and back pain is a likely indicator that it’s a good time to move on to something new. In the case of your guest room Tempurpedic that was once comfortable to you could simply be a result of your sleep preferences changing and responding to the natural aging process and body’s alignment changing needs.

Good job too on your most thorough, detailed mattress comparison notes from your store visits. Before getting into your specs too far, what size mattress are you purchasing? I read from your previous post #7/ Lebeda Latex, Pure Latex Bliss Nutrition - Any have one? Feedback? that you posted a similar question with emphasis on Lebeda’s Reve mattress but with more specifics. Thanks to TMU Ambassador @Sweet Dreams for pointing out the need for testing the specific adjustable bed base model in terms of a potential difference in mattress feel, a well-thought observation. So, in addition to asking what size mattress you are shopping, have you now narrowed your focus to a DIY modeled on the Reve’s configuration? Looking forward to your updates, cornfedteeth :wink: .

Thanks,
Sensei

Hi Sensei. Thanks for the reply.

We are looking for a king sized mattress. I really have no idea where to start replicating through one of the recommended retailers here. I was hoping maybe someone on the forum could give me a direction to start looking before I keep going.

Hey cornfedteeth,

Thanks for your response.

You are off to a good start by strategically placing your question in two places on the forum, one of them in a high-traffic thread and the other as a unique post of your own. If you’re looking for a manufacturer’s guidance and support, take the Lebeda’s Reve Hybrid specs that you’ve compiled from your store visit research and check with the TMU Trusted Member manufacturers, the following ones both offer Talalay latex and specialize in the DIY category:

Arizona Premium

Sleep EZ

FloBeds

Latex Mattress Factory

You can also use the “Ask an Expert” forums for posting questions to specific expert members, as well as see what kinds of questions consumers are asking them.

While you likely have already done a TMU site search on the topic “DIY mattress”, you may have found the large number of posts difficult to navigate from a sorting of interest point of view. Here are a few threads you may find useful for thought starters, project encouragement, and for meeting fellow DIYers who may be of help:

“Thoughts From My 5 year mattress building journey”, post #1by @Paracelsus462

“Simmons Beautyrest Mattress Rebuild”, post #1 by @Mattrebuild

“Pleaase help with my first DIY mattress design”, post #1 by @GeauxTigers

I wish you well as you embark on your DIY journey, cornfedteeth. You will find great satisfaction in all of your hard work after things come together, as you have carefully studied a variety of mattresses and have an understanding of the materials and layering arrangements that would work best for you and your wife. One final thought for you regarding a favorite Phoenix quote on mattress “approximation”:

"While this is a good pointer of what you like, I would avoid trying to design a mattress with the goal of re-creating or “mimicking” the feel of a particular mattress, and keep the focus on PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) the quality, durability, and type of materials you prefer and on how they feel and perform in your testing. Learning how all the mattress specs and designs work together can take years of experience and a great deal of knowledge and a steep learning curve to be successful."

Check in when you can, would enjoy hearing project updates as you move further down the DIY path.

Thanks,
Sensei