First I want to say I’m thankful for finding you before our purchase. We started at sleepy’s and from what it sounds like, are lucky to walk out without buying. Even though our experience was pretty good and our sales person was nice I always like to do a lot of research before any big purchases.
My wife and I are sleeping on 2 twins pushed together with a 2" (some kind of) memory foam topper that cost around $100 on amazon. When we went to sleepy’s I was fitted for the my side beds as a RED and she was GREEN. I’m 6’1" 265lbs I have lower back pain and usually don’t have a problem falling asleep anywhere. My wife on the other hand has trouble sleeping and toss and turns through the night. She is about 5’8" 135lbs. I’m a side sleeper and she is a every side sleeper, every time I wake up she is on a different side/back/stomach. In one of the forums I saw you talked about big shoulders having an impact on the bed. I wear a size 50 sport jacket and 38"/36" pants.
For beds that we tried out in the store the only one we could agree on were the my sides because I didn’t like how soft of a bed she liked. I tended to like the foam beds better like the phantom I think it was called, and she liked beds that felt like marshmallows.
Our budget is $2,000 and travel from Atlantic City, NJ to Brick, NJ for work. We are looking for a King size bed b/c we already have a bedroom set that fits it. Any and all advise is very appreciated.
Hi Mattglo,
There’s no doubt with your widely different weights and sleeping positions that you would benefit from a side to side split as your needs are likely very different. You especially with your higher than average weight would also benefit from a more durable material and unfortunately the Sleep to Live My Side falls very short here because of the use of mostly lower quality polyfoam which is the cheapest and among the least durable of foams. Qualatex is a polyfoam “substitute” for latex but there is only a thin layer of it. While the different color “constructions” on each side are a good idea in theory, the materials they use to accomplish it are not the way to go … especially at the highly inflated prices they are charging. Side to side splits using much higher quality materials like latex have been available for many years from independent manufacturers.
I suspect the “Phantom” is the Phenom which is a Simmons Comforpedic model which also has poor value (like most major brands) and uses some lower quality memory foam which with heavier weights will break down quickly.
In your area of NJ, there are not a lot of choices nearby as most of the independent manufacturers are towards Philadelphia or Newark. You will find them in post #4 here (Trenton / Philadelphia / Wilmington) and post #7 here (Monroe Township / Newark, NJ region) which also talks about the My Side mattress and may give you other helpful information as well.
There are a few retail outlets near your area where you could test higher quality mattresses but it is unlikely that they will offer side to side splits. They may prove valuable for each of you individually to get a sense of mattress constructions that work for each of you individually that use higher quality materials.
http://www.thebedroomgalleries.com/ Howell, NJ. Retailer who carries a range of mattresses including latex in a range of budgets and brands including WJ Southard and Classic Brands.
http://www.mrmattressusa.com/ Toms River, Manahawkin, NJ. Talked with Eddie and he knows his stuff. Carries some Gold Bond two sided mattresses which would be worth considering here. Very knowledgeable about mattress materials and specs but doesn’t carry any latex.
There is also a list for the Red Bank, NJ area in post #2 here and a list for the Vineland/Millville, NJ areas in post #4 here.
I would do most of my initial research on the phone including explaining your circumstances and budget so that if you decide to take a longer drive that you will know there is something there worth testing.
The worst case is that if you test higher quality materials and mattresses for what is suitable for each of you … your testing will be helpful as a rough model for an online purchase of a mattress that uses high quality materials that will last and has good value.
Feel free to post any questions you may have along the way.
Phoenix
Phoenix,
Thank you for your knowledge and time, we are going to look into those options and I'll let you know how it works out.
So Sleepy’s corporate called today and asked me about the bed that we were looking at (my side series 4 I think was the on that we were looking at) And I told them we couldn’t spend the money and they went from 3,100 in store to the store rep calling 2 days ago with a black friday sale for 2,700 to a call today from corporate to 2,000… lol I should go in the bed business, thats a lot of inflation. Just thought you would like to here this.
edit: Also my father-in-law told me to look at DUX beds, any thoughts?
Hi Mattglo,
That’s hilarious 
… but sadly not surprising.
Duxiana is an ultra premium mattress which has some great features and exceptional quality. They live in the more “exclusive” domain of mattresses like Hastens, Relyon, Carpe Diem, Hypnos, VI-Spring and others. I could even go as far as saying that in the world of ultra premium mattresses where 5 figure and multiple 5 figure price tags are not so uncommon … they could even be considered a bargain.
While there is no doubt that they are well made and have exceptional quality, I do have some difficulty with paying these kinds of prices for a mattress when individually customized mattresses which have the same level of “performance” are available for much less. Having said that … while they may not be “better” in terms of pressure relief, spinal alignment, overall comfort, or even most preferences, there is always a segment of the population who are fortunate enough to have the ability to purchase anything they want and measure “best” in different ways that most people.
For these people, where the “value” of a mattress is not as much about function but also includes the more aesthetic elements of its artistry and beauty and where hand crafting or uniqueness is valued for its own sake … these mattresses are the way to go.
Phoenix