Experience with Mattress City in Los Angeles?

[patela]

Hi,

I’m wondering if anyone has experience with Mattress City in the Los Angeles area, or can help me decipher some information about their house brand mattresses.

They are a small family owned chain with a few stores Pasadena. They say they are focused on educating purchasers to decide on the right mattress, rather than pushing big brands, and it seems to be at least somewhat true.

The owner spent a lot of time explaining the difference between firm feel and actual support, and about support and pressure, which all seem right.

They steered me toward their house brand of foam mattresses. The mattress that seemed to be a good fit for me is described on the law tag as being 84% latex, 10% pu foam, and 6% fire-retardant. He described the support layer as being “latex,” not “latex foam,” and described them as being different, though I didn’t get a convincing explanation of how. (He said it that latex foam meant that there were petroleum ingredients involved, while latex was just the natural latex itself. The process he described for the “latex” did involve pin cores).

Regardless, my recollection is that the support layer was VERY firm. (I described it to my girlfriend as feeling like a soft rock with a layer of padding on top).

I asked him who made the mattress, and the answer I got the first time was “sleep haven” and the second time 'Englander." He noted that the difference between these mattresses and others made by the same company was that they had also spec’d firm edge support.

The other mattresses that appealed to me were also their house brand mattresses (I think, or maybe Englander mattresses), one of which I think was called “Lilly Latex” and I had 24% latex (the rest was “soy and corn based foam”), and another that was all pu and visco-elastic foam. Neither of these have edge support. The all pu/visco mattress actually felt like the much more expensive mostly latex mattress. All of these mattresses appeared to have a very firm core.

The price range for these mattresses is roughly between $1000-2000. If it helps, I’m a side sleeper, about 5’7" and around 150lbs.

I think I have two three questions: (1) should I be concerned that in a short period of time, the cushion layers will compress or wear out, and I will find myself sleeping on an uncomfortable “soft rock;” and (2) is clear value to the much more expensive (mostly) latex mattress over the much cheaper synthetic mattress, or the one with a smaller proportion of latex.

I suppose I should also note that I took a trip down to foamsweetfoam, where I tried out the various mattress combinations. The best feeling was a 12" combination of talalay with 1 layer of med, and 3 layers of extra firm foam, though it still felt a bit “spongy” or bouncy for my ideal taste.

Any help in clarifying this for me is much appreciated!

[phoenix]

Hi patela,

The only way you can know the quality of a mattress or to make reasonable quality and value comparisons with other mattresses or identify any potential weak links in a mattress is to know the details of its construction and the materials inside it. This includes the thickness and order of all the layers and components and the type and quality of the foam or materials used.

The law tag only shows you the percentage of the materials by weight (not by thickness or their order) and the category of the materials and doesn’t say anything about their quality or durability.

This is the type of information that a better retailer will provide you on request from a spec sheet (or a call to their manufacturer or sales rep).

They steered me toward their house brand of foam mattresses. The mattress that seemed to be a good fit for me is described on the law tag as being 84% latex, 10% pu foam, and 6% fire-retardant. He described the support layer as being “latex,” not “latex foam,” and described them as being different, though I didn’t get a convincing explanation of how. (He said it that latex foam meant that there were petroleum ingredients involved, while latex was just the natural latex itself. The process he described for the “latex” did involve pin cores).

All latex used in a mattress is a foam whether it is made using the Dunlop or Talalay production process or uses natural rubber or synthetic rubber or a blend of both. All of it is foam. You can read more about the different types of latex in this article and in post #6 here.

I asked him who made the mattress, and the answer I got the first time was “sleep haven” and the second time 'Englander." He noted that the difference between these mattresses and others made by the same company was that they had also spec’d firm edge support.

The Englander factory that covers California and the pacific northwest is in Tualatin, OR which could sound like “sleep haven” if you mumbled a bit or said it fast

There is also a Restonic licensee in KS called Sleep Haven but whose label is on it isn’t as important as what is in it.

I think I have two three questions: (1) should I be concerned that in a short period of time, the cushion layers will compress or wear out, and I will find myself sleeping on an uncomfortable “soft rock;”

Soft rock is an apt description :). I would be concerned about this as a matter of course with any mattress which is why it’s so important to know the details of every layer so you can identify any potential “weak links” in a mattress. since the weak link of most mattresses is in the top layers which are more subject to mechanical compression forces and the softening and breakdown that goes with it … it’s especially important to make sure that there isn’t more than an inch or so of lower quality materials in the upper layers of the mattress.

(2) is clear value to the much more expensive (mostly) latex mattress over the much cheaper synthetic mattress, or the one with a smaller proportion of latex.

Again you would need to know the details of any mattress to make any meaningful comparisons but post #2 here has more information comparing a “good” latex / polyfoam hybrid mattress (where the latex is near the top of the mattress) and a “good” all latex mattress (or mostly latex with only minimal layers … no more than about an inch or so … of other foam or materials over the latex

I suppose I should also note that I took a trip down to foamsweetfoam, where I tried out the various mattress combinations. The best feeling was a 12" combination of talalay with 1 layer of med, and 3 layers of extra firm foam, though it still felt a bit “spongy” or bouncy for my ideal taste.

I think highly of FSF and the quality and value of the mattresses they make and the ability to customize them as well (before or after a purchase) but of course it also needs to suit your needs and preferences. (NOTE: They are now a member of this site).

Any help in clarifying this for me is much appreciated!

It sounds to me like Mattress World is on the right track but they would need to provide you with a little more specific and detailed information so you can make more informed decisions about their mattresses and compare them to others that may be available to you.

Phoenix