General Questions - and Seeking Recommendation Foam vs Coil vs Latex

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
3

We just checked out Verlo in McHenry. Thanks to your site, the manager asked us if we 1. worked in the mattress industry before and 2. were engineers…good compliments.

Anyway, we liked the Kodiak as well (but now I’m rethinking that I may go down to the ‘firmer’ model with 2 layers instead of 3, because maybe Kodiak will be too soft over the course of the night?)

Here is the information the guy gave us on the lbs.
3 inch Gel Foam - 4 lbs
2 inches memory foam - 4 lbs, open cell structure
2 inch transitional foam - 1.5 D (poly layer)
6 inches acreloflex - 33

With the Kodiak, when I was laying on my side, I felt relief from off my pressure points (mainly hip and ribs) and on my back, my spine felt very aligned(I didn’t feel like I needed a pillow under my lower back). However, I always thought that I liked a harder mattress (and always bought them in the past), so I’m worried that if I buy the Kodiak, over the course of the night it will just be too soft/not supportive.

I am really really torn because last weekend we looked at the big box store (before finding this site), we liked the TempurPedic Contour Signature and the iComfort Insight model (no longer considering Serta now)…however today, I was not liking those beds and I really loved the Renewal Refined iComfort and Verlo Kodiak, but my husband liked the iComfort Revolution and the step below Kodiak.

I’m just having a hard time because I went from one extreme to the other. My bones ache a lot because I have a lung disorder, causing me to cough and my spine is always out of whack, my back/shoulders/neck always hurt…I’m just really confused.

We tried the latex Verlo - too springy! We tried the Verlo interspring w/ memory foam on top, but I didn’t care for the plushy top on the bed. I suppose I could ask them to change that. Do you think this would be a better option based on my description over 100% mem foam?

4

Hi ldude916,

It seems that you are somewhat “all over the map” in terms of mattresses that are quite different in terms of pressure relief, support, and “feel”. I’ll make a few comments that hopefully will help.

Outside of your sleeping positions (you mentioned side and back but not your stomach?) I don’t know your other “stats” (your weight, height, body shape) and I don’t know anything about your husband’s. There are also a few unknowns about the Verlo gel mattresses (although they would probably easily answer them). Both of these … and especially your missing “stats” would make a difference in any comments I would make.

But that aside I’ll make some more general comments about the mattresses you mentioned.

TempurPedic Contour Signature: This is on the slightly firmer end of the Tempurpedic line and has 4" of memory foam over their 8" base foam. Part of the firmness is that their memory foam will take more time to conform to your body shape but it would be more conforming and softer once your body heat has softened it. This would be a slightly “firmer” memory foam choice.

iComfort Insight: this is one of the firmest choices in the iComfort line with 3" of the gel memory foam (which is also on the firm side) over their base support layer.

It seems like last weekend you were more attracted to the firmer versions of memory foam or gel foam mattresses although not the absolute firmest.

Renewal Refined iComfort: This has softer and thicker layers in the comfort layer and is towards the softest end of the iComfort scale.

Verlo Kodiak: This too has the softest comfort layers of the 3 Verlo gel models. The good thing is that the gel foam is on the surface which can help with cooling. 4 lb memory foam will be softer and less durable than most 5 lb foams and subject to softening more rapidly but this will be slightly offset because it is a little deeper in the mattress which would make it less subject to repeated deeper compression.The 2" of 1.5 lb polyfoam is also quite low density/durability but it also is even deeper and this would help extend it’s lifetime. Overall though there is 7" of “softer stuff” in the mattress (although they don’t show the softness/firmness of the 2" convoluted layer) and this is a fairly risky construction … especially when you take any initial softening into account.

So today you are all the way over towards the other side of the scale.

iComfort Revolution: This is their second softest model in the lineup and has 5.75 inches of “soft stuff” on top (4.75" of memory foam and an inch of polyfoam). How appropriate this was would depend on your husbands stats but again the comfort layers are quite thick and this could also be risky. He also liked the middle of the line in the Verlo line instead of the softer Kdiak although this would likely be a little closer to the Revolution with 5" total of memory foam but no extra polyfoam vs the 4.75 of the Revolution. The problem also is that the different memory foams have different properties so they are not directly translatable to each other.

Bear in mind too that whatever you are buying now will go through an initial softening period for the first 90 days or so which is followed by the more gradual long term softening of the foams. If you are “on the edge” of your range for alignment, then any further softening could easily put you on the other side of the support range that is suitable for either you or your husband.

I would also want to know the type of memory foam that Verlo (and Ecosleep who makes the same mattresses and you can see the Kodiak equivalent here) are using and I would take into account that if it is the version that used gel particles or beads that it’s not likely to be as durable as the infused or co-mixed types of gel foam.

My guess without any real reference points or “patterns” of your preferences to validate it is that you may be more “in the middle” and I would suspect that the firmer models of last weekend may be be too firm for you in the long term and you may have been drawn towards them because of your past choices. This would depend on your actual experience though and at this point you are on both ends of the scale and I would test further … possibly with the help of a good salesperson … to decide where you really belong.

There would be some “risk” in the softer versions you tried today because they both have thicker comfort layers which could easily allow your heavier parts to sink in a little too far for best alignment. I would pay special attention to this possibility and ask yourself if it even felt a “little too soft” for your best alignment because it will get somewhat softer yet fairly quickly as it is “breaking in”.

Gel foam is a little less likely to have “creep” (meaning that over the course of the night you would slowly start to sink deeper) because it gives the memory foam a little higher sag factor which means that it will get firmer with deeper compression faster than other memory foams so this may slightly reduce the risk of thicker comfort layers although they could still be on the thick side. I would be very tempted to test one model down and see how it was for pressure relief because the support and alignment would likely be better.

I would also consider giving Tim at my Green mattress a call to see what he says about alternatives that he makes and whether a trip there would be worth the drive. He is also an “expert” in helping his customers make great choices.

Phoenix

5

Thank you for your thoughts. I am 5’5" 130 lbs and my hubby is 6’1" 190 lbs. We usually don’t sleep on our stomachs, unless we’re uncomfortable from the pressure points of our other positions. I asked about the gel layer, and they said it was co-mixed with memory foam.

In your comments below, you mention Verlo “Overall though there is 7" of “softer stuff” in the mattress (although they don’t show the softness/firmness of the 2" convoluted layer) and this is a fairly risky construction”, which is the convoluted layer (mem foam or transition poly layer)? They were 4# and 1.5#…or do you mean the ILD number is not known?

We are going to visit green mattress/quality sleep…it’s just far so we have to plan a whole day to go down there.

So I think part of my problem is that our innerspring mattress now is firm support and medium-firm comfort, so in my head I ‘liked’ that style…however I think mem foam is totally different and I have to get used to the fact that softer may be better for me in terms of comfort layer. I was trying really hard to concentrate on my hips pressure and spine alignment. Another thing that may be taking me to the extremes is that my lung disorder makes it hard for me to breathe (I am on the list for a lung transplant), so I am very sensitive some days and others my bones/muscles aren’t as sensitive and it takes a LONG time for me to relax in bed. I think you’re right about the “middle of the road” and I appreciate your comments on the 5 lb. versus 4 lb. durability factor, because that was concerning me at Verlo. The fact that Verlo has the 365 comfort guarantee and lifetime comfort commitment (they can replace the layers anytime for a fee rather than buying a whole bed) made me a little more OK with the 4lb. foam. What do you think of those guarantees?

I’ll keep you posted on Green Mattress visit, and if you have anything to add re: Verlo based on our body stats, let me know! Thank you!

6

Hi ldude916,

This was meant more a a caution so when you are testing this you pay particular attention to spinal alignment in all your sleeping positions (and this would apply to sleeping on your back as well as any stomach sleeping which is not one of your normal positions … which is a good thing)

The top 5 inches would quality as “soft stuff” because even though there is a range of firmness with memory foam … it’s all “soft” once it heats up and allows for more sinking in than other materials. The ILD of all memory foam is also soft and the differences between them are all degrees of softness ranging from “super ultra soft” to just soft. This is why there is never memory foam used in the support layers of a mattress. Even with 5" layers … there is some risk with alignment for the “flatter” sleeping positions and depending on what is below it.

The next 2" layer is what they call “transitional foam” which means that it would likely be in the middle ranges of ILD. This could still be fairly soft or it could be firmer. Either way it would be softer than support foam used in the base layers. For some reason I wrote “convoluted” rather than “transitional” and I have no idea why :). Convoluted foam is softer than the ILD that is used to fabricate it so a normal transitional layer would not be as “soft” as it would be if it was convoluted but it’s still less than a support foam.

So this means that you have between 5" and 7" of “softer” foam which is why the caution about your testing.

This is not to say that you won’t be in alignment because some people sink more evenly into a mattress than others and are easier to “align” with more even weight distributions or body shapes … only that it would be more “risky”.

This is one of the more confusing things about mattresses (as you know from your comments) because there are really two “ratings” that apply to each. One is the comfort/pressure relief “softness” and the second is the support/alignment “firmness” and while they are connected … they are also independent and most people only talk about one which can mean many things. It would be nice if people and manufacturers rated their mattresses in “double” ratings such as soft/firm or medium/medium or even extra soft/ultra firm. This would be a lot more descriptive even though it would still be a relative description … it would be more meaningful.

I tend to test each of these one at a time because you are trying to sense different symptoms and parts of the body with each. Once you are completely finished with pressure relief … then you can “switch” to alignment and focus on any strain or tension in your muscles and it also helps to have an “observer” who can tell if you look like you are aligned in all your sleeping positions.

I think these are good policies and I especially like the idea of changing out layer for a reasonable charge if it becomes necessary. This is a service offered by many manufacturers that I like and can be valuable.

The choice between 4 and 5 lb is really a tradeoff because many people prefer the feel and response of a 4 lb memory form and you could easily be one of these because of your lighter weight. Most (but not all) versions of 4 lb memory foam tend to be a little less heat sensitive more responsive and softer than most (but not all) 5 lb memory foams. Lighter weights also compress foams less so a mattress wll generally last longer. If I had a choice and there was a cear difference between the two and comfort was an unusually important factor … I would be tempted to choose a less durable foam that performed better for me. There is also only 2" of 4 lb which has less risk than if the whole 5" was 4 lbs.

I hope that means that it is not particles because particles are also c0-mixed with the memory foam. They are closed today but I hope to confirm that when they are open again. I suspected from this picture that it was particles but it’s difficult to tell for sure and they may even have a generic picture.

I’m looking forward to your report. Tim is great to work with and has some great options available so regardless of what you choose … it’s always better to have choices between “good and good”.

I think most of this has been covered with my “caution” but if I was in your shoes with your circumstances … I would tend to trust my body over “theory at a distance” anyway :slight_smile:

Phoenix

7

Thread starter here.

After a ton of research I have decided to go with a natural latex due to some of the scary stuff i have seen about memory foams. I just feel safer with going for latex. There is a local store that carries latex mattresses (Ken Michaels, as recommended above) that I plan to go test at. However to keep them honest I would like to cross price a similar product with an online competitor. I will buy local if price isn’t too different, however I do want a more natural mattress, and I’m afraid that an online retailer may be a better option for this.

  1. What online retailers are recommended for natural or organic mattresses?

  2. I came across plushbeds.com, are they recommended or any comparable alternatives?

  3. Also one last question, how thick of a comfort layer and total thickness should I be looking for? ( 6 ft, athletic 190-ish male).

Thanks!!!

8

Hi terminaldawn,

Post #21 here includes the members of this site who specialize in online purchases. There is a wide range of different styles, types, and budget ranges among the list but for many (and sometimes different) reasons they are all IMO among the best value in the country and are good reference points for a local purchase.

Plushbeds has good quality mattresses and better than average value but is not in the same “value range” as the outlets in the post I listed. A forum search on Plushbeds (you can just click the link) will bring up more comments and information about them.

The actual construction of a mattress is much more accurate if it’s based on local testing with the help of a person who knows all the details of the specific mattresses they sell rather than “theory at a distance”. Even for an online purchase, it’s always better to use the help and suggestions of the specific manufacturer because they know all the smaller details of their mattresses that can sometimes have a big effect on how the mattress may feel and perform for a particular person. They all have a large customer base which gives them more insight into how each of their mattresses may work for people that are similar in height/weight/body shape and sleeping positions based on “averages” that work for most people.

There are some general guidelines for height/weight/body shape in this article however and some guidelines for different sleeping positions here. These are all based on averages and are meant to give people an idea about how ILD’s and layer thickness can work together in how a mattress interacts with different people. There is also some information here about “putting the layers together” (and more detailed information in some of the sub pages in the same section) that may also help give some understanding about how different types of layering and some of the other components can affect the feel and performance of a mattress.

In general though … it’s better and more effective to gather enough information that you have a starting point and so you you can ask better questions and make more sense of the answers than to try to design a mattress based on either personal or mattress specs or what I call “theory at a distance” which is more about “averages” and don’t include the many variables that can apply them to specific people.

Good luck in your research and I hope you let us know how it goes … or of course post any questions you may have along the way.

Phoenix

9

Thanks Phoenix. You are truely kind in answering all these questions.

So I went to kenmichaels and their prices are pretty outrageous (over 4,000) unfortunately so I am going to have to look online. Thanks for providing me the links for alternative companies.

Can you help me to decipher a few things. They had two mattresses that I liked. Honestly I wasnt that impressed with either one, but either i could live with. I was more impressed with the icomfort at big box stores. However I am determined to find a latex matress for fear of offgassing issues with memory foam.

Runner Up.

Flat / Basic Wool quilting - 1.5 inches of Talalay latex (14 pound rating) on each side as comfort layer with a 6 inch layer of dunlop latex (28 pound latex core).

Winner
Jump and Tack Wool Quilting. 1.5 inches of Talalay latex (14 pound rating) on each side as comfort layer with a 6 inch layer of dunlop latex (28 pound latex core). This one also supposedly had an extra layer of quilting in between the comfort layer and the support layer. I couldn’t get a straight answer out of the guy so will have to call to see if anyone else knows.

Anyways… What is the 14 and 28 pound rating mean? How can I use these numbers to find a similar mattress?

Also, does the 1.5 comfort layer seem slim to you? Shouldn’t there just be a 3 inch comfort layer?

Thanks!!!

10

Hi terminaldawn,

These were both $4000 ???

That would be outrageous but also strange. When I talked with him about his mattresses … he quoted me a rough price (queen mattress only) that was a LOT less than this. What was included in this price?

In any case … the thickness of the comfort layer is relative to the overall design and there are many mattresses that are just a 6" core with quilting on each side (no separate comfort layer because the comfort “area” is the upper part of the support core and the quilting) and many others that would have a much thicker comfort layer on each side. All of this depends on the needs of the person and the design of the mattress. I know that they can use either a 28 or a 36 (firmer) support core and they can also customize the comfort layers both in terms of firmness and thickness.

14 ILD talalay is the softest they make and it is very soft. While this is not bad … and it is fairly thin so the base layer will “take over” sooner as you compress into the mattress … it is definitely on the very soft side.

28 ILD is also quite a soft support layer. Support layers usually range from about 28 ILD up to about the mid 40’s (very firm). This may be because with such a thin and soft comfort layer that a softer support layer was used to “add” to the pressure relieving abilities of the comfort layer. Once someone has “gone through” the very soft foam on top and into the soft upper part of the support core … then it would firm up as they went deeper and become more supportive. This is what I call on the site “progressive construction” which uses thinner comfort layers which are “helped” by softer support layers.

If it was a “quilting” layer then this would have been part of the cover and been above the comfort layers. This is a fairly common construction. This would be similar to say the OMF latex supreme which uses a 6" talalay core with 1.5" of convoluted talalay on each side with 1" of polyfoam quilted into the cover.

If you weren’t impressed with either one … then I probably wouldn’t use these specs as a model either. Did you have a chance to try any other options there either with firmer support layers of different comfort layers? While I would need to know your specs and sleeping positions and more precise information about what you experienced when you were testing the mattress in the specific terms of PPP (pressure relief, posture and alignment, and your preferences) to make any specific comments … it seems to me that this wasn’t “the one”.

Phoenix

11

The $4000 was for a king set (included basic foundation). The first i mentioned was 4k, the second was 4.5k. Absurd.

They had 4 models available in latex. I tried all 4.

the two i didnt mention were a 6 inch blended latex i believe it was 36 pounds. It was far too firm. the other was 1.5 inches latex on the outside and and a 6 inch 38 core.

My specs according to your information is that I should have average comfort and support layers.

I have exhausted all my local options in the area without having to drive over 3 hours, so I guess I will start contacting some online retailers that you have recommended. Thanks for your help!

12

Hi Terminaldawn -

I just thought I’d join in the conversation. I am originally from your neck of the woods and am quite surprised at that pricing! I now live near SleepEZ in metro Phoenix, which is one of Phoenix’s recommended online manufacturers. I have been to the showroom and can vouch for their friendliness, although I have yet to purchase. Anyhow, I was searching the internet for other options near you and found these:

Penny Mustard - they seem to have all kinds of mattress options including innerspring with latex on top. Not sure on the pricing, but they have a showroom in Greenfield which should be pretty close to you.

If you’re willing to drive a little, there’s a mattress manufacturer call The Sleep Shop in Appleton. You could give them a call to talk to them before making a trip there, but after reading their site, it does seem they can offer latex as an option. They also say they can make a custom mattress if their predesigned models don’t suit you. They have a showroom with all their models and sizes available to test. They might be able to help you find your perfect mattress, even if it isn’t totally latex foam.

http://www.thesleepshopappleton.com/contact.html

Finally, according to the “Savvy Rest” website (a latex mattress manufacturer), there is a retailer in Milwaukee that sells Savvy Rest mattresses. Now Savvy Rest appears to be quite expensive, but from what I can tell, they seem very similar to the models that SleepEZ sells. So, you could try them out, see what firmness/thickness you like (or if you even like the feel of an all latex mattress), and then you can order the same or similar model from SleepEZ or other similar online manufacturer. For example, the Savvy Rest Serenity “pillow top” consists of 4 - 3" layers of latex. This is the same as the SleepEZ 13000 model. The Serenity is priced at $4629 for a King. SleepEZ sells the blended Talalay or Dunlop latex 13000 for $2395 for a King size with free shipping!

http://www.savvyrest.com/dealers/olive-fine-organic-living

https://www.sleepez.com/latex-mattress-13000.htm

Hope this helps give you a few more options. Good luck!

13

Hi terminaldawn … and Maia,

@Mai

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I’ll also add a few comments about each of them based on my thoughts about and conversations with them :slight_smile:

@ terminaldawn,

You still have some very good options in the general area (including maia’s suggestions) which IMO would well justify a phone call and probably a visit. the travel time (after a call) would easily be justified by the time it would save you in researching and finding a great choice and based on the prices you were quoting there is a lot better value available to you in the area. (I’m still somewhat shell shocked by the prices they quoted you)

http://www.pennymustard.com/ They are a retail direct outlet for Claire Bedding which is a wholesale mattress manufacturer in Escanabe, MI. They are a Restonic licensee and also make their own line called Platinum Dreams which are very nice and include several 2 sided all latex mattresses and others. In my conversations with both Clare bedding and Pennymustard I have found them to be open and helpful about their mattresses and they are good people. Of course each of the pennymustard outlets may have different people but I would suspect that they would all be higher quality salespeople that are more knowledgeable than most.

Directory of Verlo Mattress Locations. Find a Verlo Mattress store in your town. also makes a full range of mattresses including all latex and other styles. They too have better quality and value and would be well worth a trip. They have outlets that are within @ 20 miles from you.

The two members of this site that I mentioned in the previous post #2 in this thread are also reasonably close. I would definitely talk with them and include them in your research. they both make great quality and value mattresses and as you know the members of this site include some of the best value in the country.

http://www.thesleepshopappleton.com/contact.html They are a factory direct manufacturer in Appleton which is closer to Green Bay and a little further yet (which is why I didn’t list them in the earlier post) but they also make some great quality and value mattresses. They make all latex (Talalay), latex innrspring hybrids (of various types), memory foam (5 lb) and use very high quality polyfoam in their mattresses that use it. The lowest quality poly they use in the comfort layers for example is 1.8 lbs in their low budget mattresses and it goes up from there. They are the type of manufacturer that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend and are also among the best in terms of quality and value. They are also very open about the materials they use, knowledgeable and clearly “mattress people”.

Savvyrest is a good testing ground for different latex layers in preparation for an online purchase as maia mentioned (they are also priced too high IMO) but when you have such good quality and value available to you within reasonable driving distance … I would tend to focus on local first.

So you still have some great options remaining which would allow you to have the best of both worlds … the chance to test a mattress locally and the quality and value that of course everyone wants.

Phoenix

14

Thanks for the suggestions Maia and Phoenix!!

I stopped out at the savvyrest dealer. We switched out just about all combinations of the mattress and we just weren’t a fan of latex. Its a huge bummer because I really wanted to get it due to it being more natural than memory foam. However since its just not comfortable i don’t see the point.

Stopped at PennyMustard and not a fan of their mattresses.

We stopped back out at Verlo and they had one latex mattress that was more comfortable than the savvyrest and I think that as to do with the fact that it was a synthetic blend. maybe… As far as comfort goes I really like the memory foam models that they have… HOWEVER. The salespeople at Verlo are pretty misinformed. I called over a half dozen sales people from different locations, only 2 had answers for foam density. And of course their numbers didn’t match. I am just getting an over-all bad feeling about Verlo.

Verlo Kodiak
3 inch gel foam - 2.6 or 4
2 inch memory foam - 2.6 or 4
2 inch transition layer 2.0 or ?
6 inch acella flex 5.5 or ?

I think I either go with icomfort, or risk online purchase. Online purchase just seems so risky. And yes there are other places in the state, however not willing to drive 3 plus hours to test mattresses.

15

Update.

Got another call back with information for density.

Verlo Kodiak
3 inch gel foam - 4
2 inch memory foam - 4
2 inch transition layer 1.5
6 inch acella flex 2

would the 1.5 and 2 pound layers be a concern assuming these specs are accurate?

16

I have my eye on memoryfoam.com is http://www.personalcomfortbed.com also worth checking out?

17

Hi terminaldawn,

This is an online outlet for Boyd Specialty Sleep.

They use CertiPur certified foams (you can see the email exchange I had with them in post #5 here) but I would still want to know the quality/density of the materials they use (all the memory foam layers and the polyfoam layers) so you can determine the quality of their mattresses (they only list some of them). A forum search on Boyd will bring more information about them.

So with the caution that the density of the layers is the only way to know the quality and make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses … and if you are OK with materials that are sourced in China … they may be worth further research to see if you can ask the questions and get the answers you would need to make meaningful comparisons and a good decision.

Just FYI … post #12 here lists a few of the better online memory foam options.

Phoenix

18

Hi Terminaldawn

My apologies first of all for missing your posts. There was a post after yours that put the thread over to a new page and I didn’t notice them till today.

Verlo was recently sold by Vymac to another company called Marcus Investments and it’s always interesting to me to see what if any changes that may entail in the corporate culture and focus of the company.

One of the difficulties with larger franchise factory directs (which is what Verlo was) is that the level of knowledge and expertise from outlet to outlet can vary. It appears that you were unfortunate to find some of the worst of them.

This of course doesn’t change the value of their mattresses … only the difficulty of getting accurate information about them.

The first set of stats is jumbled up and clearly not correct but the second set looks accurate.

The gel memory foam and the 2 inch regular memory foam are both 4 lbs which is “mid range” and fairly typical. The transition layer below these is 1.5 lbs which is on the low end of density (the low end can range from an average of 1.2 to 1.5 and in some cases lower) but 1.5 is generally regarded as much superior to the “cheap” 1.2 lb foam which is commonly used. It is only 2" and is also under other foams which would increase the durability compared to being on top where it would be subject to greater mechanical compression and softening. The better gel foams (without the particles in them) are quite durable and in this case it is on the top where the benefits of the gel are more apparent (in terms of durability and cooling).

The Acellaflex is 2.0 lbs which is average to above average for a support layer and perfectly suitable (many only use 1.8 and less than 1.8 is not really a good idea).

So overall this would be a mattress that used “mid range” foams on top and good quality on the bottom and would likely be “better than average” value but of course this would depend on the price you are paying (either for a mattress or a set) and on your weight. If I’m not mistaken this is in the rage of $1000 set price for a queen?

For your wife this would probably be fine. For you, because of your heavier weight … there would be some risk of early softening and I would make sure you had some room for the mattress to soften in the upper layers (in other words you weren’t “on the edge” of your heavier parts sinking in too far).

Hope this helps but if you have more questions then feel free to ask … and once again my apologies for the delay in answering

Phoenix

19

Hey, no problem with the delay. The fact that you are answering everyone’s questions like you are is impressive, and truly kind. You are truly a saint. If it wasnt for your site I would have bought some cheap Serta coil mattress.

Verlo just gave us a bad vibe with their lack of knowledge. So getting a mattress localy just isnt an option for us unfortunately. Sure we could have driven several hours to go to another shop but we just didnt have the time. Honestly I know this is a bad excuse for the ammount of time we as humans sleep it probably would have been worth it, but alas with just closing on a new house and preparing to move its just not possible right now.

We went out and tested some Tempurpedics and agin the iicomforts, and sealys foam series today. We both agreed that Tempurpedic line was in general more comfortable for us. My wife really liked the Cloud series but it just seemed too soft for me, and my wife agreed when she saw how much I sank in to the mattress. We tested out the AlluraBed and I really liked it and my wife was willing to compromise. Honestly I think I may have preferred some of the Contour line, so in a way the AlluraBed was a compromise. :slight_smile:

We decided to give SelectFoam a shot due to the tremendous cost difference and ended up going with the Allura equivalent Aurora-HD 13.5".

THe Aurora HD has a 2 inches 8lb, layer then 2.5 inches of 5.3 lb foam. I am not sure what the main support layer is after that?

Do you see anything wrong with my decision on paper, I still have time to cancel my order :slight_smile: ? Wife is 5’3" 130 and I am 6ft 190.

20

Hi terminaldawn,

I completely understand and I would have been hesitant as well. The type of “quality” specs that are important to make meaningful comparisons should be easy to obtain and even though they have better than average value compared to most “regular” options … I would hesitate as well if the service and knowledge of the local outlet wasn’t up to par. I appreciate your feedback about them.

You are probably wise to go with the allura rather than the cloud because even though you are just under 200 lbs … if it was clear that you were sinking in too far on the Cloud then with some softening this would become worse and I think you made a good choice. The Allura is a medium rather than a soft (strangely enough the 7 lb foam can be softer than the 5.3 lb foam because density and softness are independent of each other) and if your wife tested it and was OK with it then I think it would likely be a better choice.

The SelectFoam / Memoryfoam is one of the online memory foam outlets that I like (listed in post #12 here) and their advantage is that they have designed their mattresses to be similar to the Tempurpedic line so people can have an idea of what they may feel like.

They use similar density and layer thickness of memory foam in the comfort layers and their 8" base foam is actually a bit higher density/quality than the Tempurpedic support layer. While no two mattresses that use different foams are exactly the same … they are designed to be similar so I think I would also go by the “tempurpedic test method” :slight_smile:

No … I would have made the same choice between the same two options and IMO the additional risk of an online order of a mattress that very similar in build and quality would be more than justified by the large difference in price.

I think you did well and I hope you have a chance to give us a report when you’ve had the chance to sleep on it for a few days.

Phoenix

21

OK, Great! Truly thank you. You do good work here. I will update to share my experience with Select Foam. Hopefully all goes well.

PS a tip about Select Foam. If you call them, they are willing to work out a better deal for you. When I called yesterday I was able to get a better price than what is advertised online :slight_smile:

22

Hi Phoenix,
I am back to give you my report on My Quality Sleep/Green Mattress. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with their customer service. The owner was not there (Saturday), and the sales woman was not knowledgeable at all about the pound densities used, whether the gel was beads/infused/particle, and didn’t ask us questions about how we sleep, etc. to help find the best mattress in the store.

I was surprised to find out they don’t really have all memory foam mattresses, but instead they are memory foam/latex mixed, and my husband and I don’t like the bouncy feeling we get from latex. We laid on all of the mattresses they had that were “memory foam” type in the store (only 3), plus some other innerspring ones just to make sure we gave them all a fair run. My husband was okay with one of the innerspring ones with a mem foam topper, but it still really bothered my hip pressure point, so unfortunately we didn’t find anything we liked. The sales woman suggested I call and talk to the owner during the week and he could ‘custom make’ a mattress based on my preferences, but I’m not going to buy a mattress I can’t try first.

So, we high-tailed it back to Verlo in McHenry where the owner was in the store, and he was very knowledgeable (he mentioned the gel/mem foam layer in the Kodiak is not beads b/c they found that the beads will deconstruct over time). We ended up purchasing the Sitka mattress which is 3" Gel Foam and 2" Mem Foam on top of the Acella layer. The mattress comes tomorrow! Thanks for all your advice!