I live in Northern VA and am leaning towards a couple of mattresses by the Urban Mattress company. I like a firm feel and am an innerspring coil fan so am looking at their Bloom collections. I wonder if anyone here on the forum has experience with either the store or/and the mattresses available at the store. I live in the Haymarket VA area if anyone has other suggestions about a reputable dealer/retailer. I have visited the Mattress Firm, and also the Mattress Warehouse (Haymarket/Gainesville). I was a dedicated Sealy Posturpedic customer (advice from my chiropractor that I need a firm mattress for my back). but in decision paralysis now because of the rich awesome information here.
I wanted to shout out to Phoenix in advance- great site you have here and I can tell it is a labour of love. I’m turning into a mattress geek thanks to you 
Liz
Hi ldordal,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum!
You can perform a forum search on Urban Mattress (just click on the link) to see where they’ve been previously discussed here on the forum. They do offer some items using better quality materials, but make sure that you find out the information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that you are considering.
And just in case you missed it (I know you said you’ve ben reading here on the site already), the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
When you read through the posts of others here on the site, while other people’s comments about the knowledge and service of a particular business can certainly be very helpful, always keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and I would be cautious about using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress (either positive or negative) as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you. In many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words … reviews or other people’s experiences in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here).
Thank you for the kind words! If you have more specific questions after doing your research or testing in person, I’ll be happy to do my best to be assistive.
Phoenix
HI Phoenix-I replied to a poster in response to their experience with Urban Mattress- here also so I can get your take. Th only thing the gentleman didn’t know was the gauge of the coils, but he said they were the “strongest” or something to that effect in the industry.
I visited an Urban Mattress store here in Vienna, VA today and my original analysis based on my education here is that I would go with the Bloom line, but was leaning towards the “firm” option (the Iris) because a few years ago I was presented with a medical opportunity to have back surgery and instead visited with a Chiropractor who pretty much resolved my issues- but he said I needed a firm mattress. Today in the store the salesperson (without me saying anything) took me to the Silver Lake Firm and I liked it. He then took me to the Iris (which from the above you see was my preference) and I liked it much better because it seemed cooler. He then took me back to the Silver Lake- this time the Plush model, and I felt like I could also go with that option. He then did the same with the Bloom model- the Iris and then the Dahlia (which is not so firm) and I liked both of those. I have had pillow top Posturepedic mattresses of which 4 I have purchased in over the last 20 years- and decided this was a point of failure and didn’t want another pillow top. The Silver Lake is much like a pillow top because of the amount of tufting. The firmer one had more than the less firm, but I think my original feeling that the Bloom line is for me was confirmed. However, I have a second person who needs to feel the mattress, and I feel like he likes less firm- but I think in the end we will go with the Dahlia. BTW, I am 125 lbs and the other person is 160- so fairly light. Also, the Dahlia with the base is $2150- so maybe you should check the pricing again- this spot between $1500-$2000 was my sweet spot for budget.
I really liked the store and am happy to finally be closer to the decision.
Hi ldordal,
Yes, I saw your similar post in another thread - thanks!
Phoenix
Phoenix-
I asked some questions of Urban Mattress regarding the construction of the Bloom Iris and the Bloom Dahlia. What do you think about the blend of materials in the comfort layers? I did ask about the gauge of the coils but the salespeople do not seem to know. They are pocketed with a fairly high coil count. I’m sort of afraid of the almost non-existent amount of latex in the quilting.
What do you think?
Thanks
“The Iris and Dahlia both have 1057 individually pocketed coils—each in their own fabric sleeve. The difference comes in the comfort layer with the Dahlia having a 2” layer of 28 ILD Talalay latex and the Iris going straight into the quilt. The quilt is the same with a 1.5" layer of 2.1lb/cubic foot HD foam (not HR) and .4" of N1 natural talalay latex, wool and a bamboo cover. The Iris is better for back and stomach sleeping and the Dahlia is typically more comfortable on your side, but still works for stomach or back."
Hi ldordal,
Both products (I’m assuming you mean the firm of each model - you weren’t specific) use good quality and durable materials. You can determine that by reading through the durability guidelines I posted in my previous reply to you. Then you would want to trust your own testing of each item that you did in the showroom to see if you had a preference for one versus another, as nothing can replace the information you receive when going through that process in a showroom.
Phoenix
Thank you- yes I’ll be doing a second testing this coming weekend. This is what he said about the coils “hey both have a 15.5 gauge solid steel (recycled alloy steel) coil.”
I was just a little leery of the less than half an inch of the latex in the quilt only.
Thanks again for your timely and informative responses.
Hi ldordal,
I forgot to address the spring unit in my previous reply. The innerspring unit is rarely the weak link in a mattress, and the gauge of steel is one of many things that go into innerspring design (see this article).
As for the latex, I wouldn’t be “leery” about one model using less latex than another. It’s just one of the comfort layers being used to create an overall feel, and while a thinner layer, it’s still a good quality and durable material. The latex is not normally part of the quilt panel (that would be the polyfoam and wool in this mattress), as it would have to be a special quiltable style of latex (that is not very commonly used). It’s normal placement in the design would be beneath the quilt panel.
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix,
From the above " The quilt is the same with a 1.5" layer of 2.1lb/cubic foot HD foam (not HR) and .4" of N1 natural talalay latex, wool and a bamboo cover." Also, I asked them about the 2 additional inches of latex in the Dahlia, which I assume are NOT in the quilt- and they say it is a “blended latex”.
It seems like pulling teeth just to get to the answers.
Thanks…
Hi ldordal,
I would disagree. Perhaps you’re personally encountering sales people who don’t have the complete specifications off of the top of their head, but Urban Mattress has clearly posted all of the specifications you need to know (with the exception of the Talalay being blended in the 2" layer of the Dahlia Firm) on their web site (see here and here). They’re providing you all of the information that you need to know regarding component quality, and I would avoid attempting to make deductions about the construction of the mattress that would make little meaningful difference, and overall focus upon the comfort of each product when you test it in person. The main difference is that the Dahlia Firm is adding an additional 2" of latex to achieve a slightly “less firm” mattress as compared to the Iris Firm. Whether or not you like that would come down to your own personal testing.
Phoenix
Phoenix,
Going back to the web links because the specifications are different than what has been given to me by the sales people in 2 different stores and also by the person answering for the company (via email). I’m confused by your comments above because you have warned us to not accept “generalities” - especially when talking about foam. Additionally, when you made the comment about the quilted components, I showed you that the gentleman did indeed state the elements were in the quilt. Just as you said, the Dahlia adds the 2 inch “blended latex” for a less firm feel. So, you are telling me that none of those things really matter because overall they seem transparent on the web pages? And just go with the way it feels?
Sorry for the back and forth but I’ve done a good about of research on your site. I tend to be very analytical so perhaps I’ve taken the information too literally.
Thanks again!
Hi ldordal,
While knowing the details if what is inside of mattress is very important, I do agree that your analytical nature may be working against you in this instance 
. Unless you have a great deal of knowledge and experience with different types of mattress materials and components and their specs and different layering combinations and mattress designs and how they combine together and can translate them into your own “real life” experience that can be unique to you (which would generally be a very small percentage of people), I would tend to avoid using complex specifications to try and predict how a mattress will feel or perform for you. When you try and choose a mattress based on complex combinations of specs that you may not fully understand or only based on specs for single layers or components that may not be as relevant or meaningful as you believe it is then the most common outcome is “information overload” and “paralysis by analysis”.
I wasn’t part of your conversations with the salespeople you’ve encountered, so I can’t attest to what you were told and if it was incorrect, if you misinterpreted it, or if it was a combination of the two. And whether or not .4" of latex is included in the quilt or not (it’s even not clear to me with the information you provided) would have no bearing on choosing between these two items. All that is germane is that the correct specifications are provided for the products as I linked , they are durable and better quality materials, and you’d make a choice between the two based upon which one best suits your comfort preferences. In effect, you’re choosing between “good” and “good”, which is a nice problem to have.
Phoenix
Thank you- I agree- I’ll let you know what I end up with- the online rep offered me $100 off for ordering online- but since we do have a store in the area I will be going back! Appreciate your help and guidance- I have already provided your site to other people. This is a great source of information and you’re saving me money too!
Hi ldordal,
Thank you for the recommendations! And I hope your shopping experience is productive.
Phoenix
Okay- so the Dahlia has been very good. I ended up buying an Urban Mattress brand for my guest bedroom as well. What I have especially been enjoying is the UM pillow that I purchased. The fill can be taken out and added back in as the comfort level is achieved. Really grateful Nathaniel didn’t point me in the direction of the more expensive pillow. I loved my conversation with the owner and really appreciated his candor. I think although the price point was double my last mattress- it was an excellent experience and I would do it again!
Urban Mattress is great!
Hi ldordal,
Thanks for taking the time to provide an update! I’m glad that you are happy with your UM Dahlia and the adjustable fill pillow. I hope you’ll be able to provide future updates after you’ve had a chance to sleep upon your new mattress for a while longer.
Phoenix