Im buying a bed for the first time and I went to a couple of stores but all they had were mattresses with bumps or peaks. They felt uncomfortable but maybe Im just not used to them.
Is there a reason they make them all like this now? Do they make flat ones anymore?
Hi Rosie,
I’m guessing by “bumps and peaks” you mean the look of tufted (like these) or quilted (like these) mattresses?
If this is what you mean then they certainly make “smooth top” mattresses (like these) as well but they are less common with innerspring mattresses that use polyfoam comfort layers which usually have a tufted or quilted cover and more common with mattresses that use memory foam or latex in the comfort layers which are fairly widely available without quilted covers or tufted designs.
Phoenix
Yes thats what I meant. So its mostly more expensive ones that use flatter mattresses these days? Is it unlikely Ill find a cheaper simpilar flat one no matter what store I go to?
Do you think I should just settle for buying a bumpy one from sleep country and try to get used to it? Any idea why they make them like this now? Are they better for you or more comfortable for most people?
Hi Rosie,
You will find smooth top mattresses in most price ranges depending on the quality of the materials inside the mattress but a lot of budget innerspring mattresses will have one because most of the padding is in the quilted cover instead of inside the mattress itself.
The mattress quilting helps the mattress to keep its shape and prevent the foam from shifting and the quilting (or tufting) can also precompress the foam in a cover which can help with durability. It’s also used because many mattresses include the fire barrier as part of the cover so the quilting is what is used to “attach” it to the the cover. You will find many quilted mattresses that are closer to a smooth top which don’t have the same type of “bumps” as a tufted cover but your testing will tell you if a mattress is a good match for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences).
I personally wouldn’t consider any mattress from Sleep Country and I would make sure you’ve read the tutorial post here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines you will need to make the best possible choices … and learn how to avoid the worse ones.
Phoenix
I was going to just get something from there but now Im going to try visiting a few other stores. I read a bit of the articles in the tutorial (a lot of reading for me) and Im going to try looking up whats inside some of the mattresses that I like. Hopefully I can find some places that have flat ones.
Do you know any good retailers in Vancouver BC that have alternative brands and work more closely with the manufacturers or should I post a new thread?
I know right off the bat that I dont like polyurethane because I tried buying a mattress topper made of that and it made me feel really hot at night and it also stuffed my nose up. But I wonder if it will still bother me if its actually inside the mattress.
Hi Rosie,
This thread is fine 
The better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Greater Vancouver area are listed in post #2 here.
You can read about some of the factors that can affect sleeping temperature in post #2 here. Soft foam materials where you sink in more deeply and that don’t have some type of breathable cover or material over them or that use a mattress protector or sheets over them than don’t ventilate or wick moisture well can be more insulating and sleep warmer than firmer materials or materials that breathe and wick moisture more effectively. In other words … it may have been the type of polyurethane in combination with the other materials that were in or over your sleeping system rather than just the polyurethane itself.
Phoenix
I visited 3 more stores today but not much luck yet.
These are the stores I went to:
Majestic Futon and Frame: Only foam mattresses but they make them custom made and I think they were organic or something. They also had a really good price on a double which was about $400 - 40%.
Essentia Mattress: Very small and expensive, $1000 minimum.
The Foam shop: Good place, friendly and knowledgeable staff.
But Im not sure foam is for me. Im currently sleeping on a very broken down spring mattress and I think it might be making me think its more comfortable (in a way) because its so broken down and kind of supports my bad posture better. It kind of feels nicer and more distinct than anything Ive tried laying on at any store, until all the springs that are sticking out start poking at me and driving me crazy.
It seems like foam is becoming more popular now. I stil haven’t found a store that sells smooth innerpsring mattresses and I still wonder if I will like one of those better or will a foam bed just take some getting used to. You seem to reccomend foam more Phoenix, is foam the way to go?
Im going to try a place called Mr mattress tomorrow which has a 5 star rating on yelp and say they sell flip mattresses.
Hi Rosie,
I know they have some good choices there in different materials and my daughter bought a Dunlop latex mattress there that she loves.
Essentia isn’t on the Vancouver list and I would be very cautious about considering them. You can read more about my thoughts and discussions with them in this thread and this thread and posts #3 and #4 here. The information and claims on their website are misleading IMO and they are a manufacturer that I would be very cautious about considering.
I agree with your thoughts here as well.
Each person has different preferences for different types of materials and components in a mattress. There are also different types of foam (memory foam, polyfoam, and latex foam) which are all very different from each other and can also be combined with other materials and components that are also “non foam”. Finding out which type of mattress or combination of materials and components is best for you is one of the main reasons for testing different types of mattresses. There are many people who prefer innersprings (and there are different types here as well) with various types of foam in the comfort layers. There is no right or wrong in this … only preferences.
I’m guessing you mean foam support layers rather than foam comfort layers or foam materials overall because your mattress also has foam in the comfort layers (that have probably broken down). While foam support layers (latex or polyfoam because memory foam is too soft to be used as a deep support layer) are certainly becoming more popular because they are usually used in specialty mattresses like memory foam or latex … innersprings are still by far the most popular type of mattress construction. I don’t recommend any specific mattress design or materials because this is a personal preference that only you can know. My recommendations are based on “how” to choose rather than “what” to choose and are to help you make sure that no matter which type of mattress or materials you prefer that they are suitable for you and use good quality and durable materials.
They carry Spring Air mattresses made by Restwell (a Spring Air licensee) in Surrey but you may not be able to find out the quality/density of the foams in the mattress. Unless you know the density of all the foam layers in a mattress you are considering you won’t be able to identify any weak links in their mattresses or make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses. They are good people but Restwell doesn’t provide them with all the information you would need about the materials in their mattresses to be able to make a well informed choice.
Phoenix
Dang, so far from all of the beds I’ve tried at 6+ stores nothing has felt comfortable 
They all feel too firm so I think Im going to have to end up just going with the bed that feels good (if I find one) and cant be too picky about getting a quality mattress right now.
Im going to try 2 more stores along with Mr mattress tomorrow but I have to make a decision soon, I cant keep sleeping on this broken down thing and ruin my back.
Hi Rosie,
If you follow the steps in the tutorial post you will have the best odds of success.
If you are most interested in testing a variety of innerspring mattresses that are good quality and value then I think a visit to Northwest Sleep would be well worthwhile.
If quality or durability is a less important part of your personal value equation then of course that would be up to each person but it does increase the odds that you may be doing the same thing all over again fairly quickly.
Phoenix
I know my odds are bad and it probably wont last very long but I’ve put this off too long. I also dont want to risk spenidng money on what seems to be a better quality mattress but have it end up being uncomfortable. I think I need to just get something “for now” that works for me and make a better decision when I have more time and energy. Thanks for your help Phoenix.
Hi Rosie,
Better and worse quality is available in every price range so it’s not as much a matter of the money you spend but about knowing what is inside a mattress in your budget range. Even if your budget is as low as say $500 or so … there are better and worse quality mattresses available.
You can test a mattress to make sure it’s a good match in terms of PPP so there would be much less risk of a mattress being uncomfortable and if the quality of the materials are better and there are no weak links … it will maintain it’s comfort and support for much longer than a mattress that costs the same that uses lower quality materials.
Regardless of where you make a purchase or what mattress you purchase … I would still be a very good idea to find out the quality of the materials inside it so that a mattress you purchase doesn’t lose it’s comfort and/or support in a very short time (in some cases it can even be a matter of months).
I can certainly agree that there would be little “value” in buying a mattress that isn’t a good match and comfortable for you and there is would also be very little value in spending any money on a mattress (even in a very low budget range) if the odds are high that it won’t last you very long and the warranty exclusions prevent you from replacing it under warranty.
Phoenix