Final decision on BB vs SF

[phoenix]

Hi amr2625,

I have been unable to try the Grand or Allura on a showroom but was wondering if you felt this recommendation to be justified?

Yes … they know their own mattresses better than anyone and the goal of every good manufacturer is to help you choose the most suitable mattress that they offer both in the short term and in the long term.

Each manufacturer can have very strong views about which of their specific mattress may be most suitable for any specific person based on their knowledge and experience with their own mattresses with different types of people. In most cases “strong recommendations” are based on what they know about their customer and on the specifics of the information you have given them and what they believe you would be most happy with in the long term. These are always based on their “best efforts” because the goal of every good manufacturer or retailer is the long term satisfaction of their customers. You can read more about this in post #8 here.

It is my understanding that the higher density of the foams used in these will last longer, but would the 5" comfort layer of the Grandis be too much?

Higher density foams are not only generally more durable but they also tend to have a higher compression modulus which means they get firmer faster than foams that are lower density and can be more supportive. The suitability of a mattress depends entirely on how well itd keeps you aligned and relieves pressure in all your sleeping positions and tthe thickness of the layers are only one part of all the many factors that are part of the “best” design for each person. 5" of softer lower density materials could well be too much but 5" of different types of foam may well be perfect depending on the type of foam and the particular properties of each layer and how they all interact together.

1.) Given my weight, the durability of the Luxe model may only last 4-5 years before breakdown, while the Grandis and Aurora could last up to 20 years due to the higher density foam.

What they are talking about here is the loss of comfort and support that goes with form softening not the “final breakdown” of the material itself. Higher density foams are more durable than lower density foams and they keep their original properties for longer. There is more about the many factors that can affect durability in post #4 here and the posts it links to.

2.) Also, is it safer to err on the side of caution and go w/ a slightly firmer feel given that the mattress may “wear in” some?

What initially feels comfortable and soft in the showroom may not give me the adequate spinal support I need based off my measurements.

Unless you test specifically for what I call PPP (Posture and alignment, pressure relief, and Personal preferences) they using effective testing methods wuch as the guidelines I suggest (linked in post #1 here) you chances of predicting your long term experience based on testing may not be high. If you only test a mattress for “subjective comfort” then there is some good evidence that your odds of making a suitable purchase are less than random chance alone (see this study).

All mattresses will also go through an initial softening period over the first 30 - 90 days or so as foams lose some of their initial “false loft” or firmness, materials settle, and the cover stretches. You will also go through an adjustment period as your body will get used to a different sleeping surface. Both of these happen together and in general they are in the range of 30 days or less but sometimes … especially in the case of higher density foams … it can be longer and be up to about 90 days or so.

3.) You can always make a firm mattress softer.

This is also very true. A mattress that is too firm can be fine tuned by adding a topper but a mattress that is too soft can only be effectively “fixed” by replacing layers not by adding something on top of them.

Secondly in regards to the BB Cool Supreme, would the initial 1.5" 4lb gel memory foam of the comfort layer be too low for my body weight of 195lb?

Evey layer of a mattress acts in combination with every other layer and both the suitability and the durability of a mattress depends on how all the layers interact together and with your particular body type. It’s certainly true that 4 lb memory foam is not as durable as 5 lb memory foam if you consider the material independently but it’s also true that nothing is as durable as sleeping on the floor and every type of foam can provide benefits that are part of a particular design in a suitable thickness and position in the mattress. There are many factors involved with durability besides just the density of the foam and with a 1.5" layer of medium density memory foam and your weight it’s unlikely that it would have a significant effect on the durability of the mattress if the rest of the design was suitable for you.

Ovrall … I would listen carefully to the guidance of each manufacturer because they know more about their own mattresses than anyone else and then use your own “best judgement” when you make your final choice.

As Justso also mentioned … both BB and SF have a money back policy where they pay for the return shipping so they both have a great deal of “incentive” to provide their best guidance

Phoenix