Good Places for Buying Local or Delivery in Boston

I’m in the process of replacing a mattress I’ve had for the last 6 years and I was looking at both Memory Foam and Latex mattresses as these seem to be the 2 most highly regarded of new mattress types.

Im currently living in the Boston area and was wondering if anyone had good recommendations of local places to go check beds out, and/or if any of the outlets approved for membership by The Underground would deliver to this area.

Any suggestions?

Hi Dangeresque55,

You are fortunate to live in the Boston area because there are some very good choices there. The better options and possibilities I’m aware of are listed in post #2 here.

The tutorial post here also includes links to two lists (in the optional online step) that include the better online options I’m aware of that will ship anywhere across the country and they include retailers and manufacturers that sell both memory foam and latex or latex hybrid mattresses.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix!

As they say around here, Ya Wicked Ahsome

Hey Phoenix,

As a quick follow up question, I notice that Spindle seems to be a popular choice for the area, but I also noticed in a post you mentioned that they exclusively have continuous pour Dunlop latex, (no Talalay, which seemed to be the higher quality choice from the pros/cons of latex?) . Would this be a negative at all?

I plan to check out several options for purchasing a mattress, so some of the other places may have Talalay as an option, however im working on a relatively short time frame so any time saved on research would be a big help for me.

Thanks again for all the great work!

Hi Dangeresque55,

I consider the choice between Dunlop and Talalay to be a preference choice and not in any way a better/worse choice so it certainly wouldn’t be a negative no. They are just different. The 100% natural continuous pour Dunlop at Spindle is a very high quality material and it comes in firmness levels that are similar to Talalay (most molded Dunlop doesn’t come in firmness levels that are as soft as Talalay). There is more about the difference between Talalay and Dunlop in post #7 here.

Phoenix

Hey Phoenix,

Started looking at mattresses today and was able to check out some Savvy Rest arrangements at Furnature (Barry was great!), some foam and latex at Bedworks in Cambridge, and some of both at Boston Bed Company. I’m in a bit of a conundrum now though.

After trying the Savvy Rest and the Latex and Foam beds at Bedworks none really jumped out as being super comfortable to me, so I started to doubt whether Latex would be for me, but at Boston Bed Company I tried both the Blue Heaven and Natural Splendor mattresses (latex + “ecogel” and all Latex) and these actually felt very comfortable.

The issues I have are, unfortunately I wasn’t able to tell how my alignment and pressure was as I was only able to be at each location for a short time and didnt have anyone there to help tell me how my alignment looked, as well as not knowing the best route to go as I know from other posts on here that some of the materials from the Natural Splendor and Blue Heaven are unknown and thus potential weak links.

Any suggestions on being able to determine if your alignment is good if you are solo-shoppping?

And any potential thoughts or suggestions on those 2 beds or how I might be able to find similar feeling mattresses from an online retailer like SleepEZ (I know they are often able to help with comparisons to Savvy Rest but I don’t know about Therapedic)?

Additional notes of potential interest:

  • Currently sleeping on an air mattress and the 2 beds are Boston Bed Company are particularly appealing since they could deliver within 2-3 days as opposed to the 7-10 most other places quote, but I don’t want to compromise on long term quality just to save a few days now
  • I’m 6’0 about 175 if that might help toward suggesting layer configurations for mattresses that provide that option.

Hi Dangeresque55,

There are so many versions of latex mattresses that can be so different from each other (depending on the types and firmness of the latex and the specifics of the mattress design) that it’s often surprising to some people when they have come to believe that they don’t like latex (or any other material) and then find a mattress that seems to be “different” from what they have experienced. In many cases a combination of materials (such as memory foam and latex) can also be a strong preference or some people that don’t really prefer either one of them by themselves.

While it’s usually a good idea to use a combination of visual and experiential cues to test for alignment … the tutorial post here includes links to information that can help you with both (in step 4).

There is more about the different ways that you can “match” one mattress to another one in post #9 here but the designs of both mattresses are really too different to be able to “match” them to another mattress with a completely different design. They can be useful as a general pointer about whether you like specific materials or tend to prefer softer or firmer mattresses but the goal is always to match your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP rather than the “feel” of another mattress which may not be possible unless all the layers, components, and the cover is the same or at least very similar.

Only you can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone to be able to make any specific suggestions for someone else based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance”. The most reliable way to know which mattress is the best match for you is your own careful testing and experience but when that’s not possible then the best approach is always a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced online retailer or manufacturer who will know more about their mattresses than anyone else and can help “talk you through” the options they have available that have the best chance of success based on “averages” for your body type and sleeping style (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

I’m guessing you’ve seen the Boston list and you are fortunate to live there because you certainly have some good options available in the area and as you know there are many good online options available to the members here as well but it’s much more difficult to match one option to another based on specs or theory than it is to match all the mattresses you test to a common “ideal” in terms of PPP and the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Phoenix

Hey Phoenix,

I’m planning on contacting Therapedic directly to see if I can get some more information about the support foam they used in their “Ther-a-foam” base to see if these might disqualify these mattresses based on quality.

Is there anything besides whether it is HR polyfoam and the density that I should inquire about to help determine the quality of the non-latex components?

Hi Dangeresque55,

The information you need to know is in this article.

Phoenix

Hey Phoenix,

I spoke to a guy at the local Therapedic manufacturer and they said all their memory foams (both the gel and support memory foam) are 5 lb density, and that their support foam has a 2.0 density and is Soy based (apparently not poly-urethane?).

So in review I believe the Natural Splendor all latex model has the following specs
Quilt/Top Layers:
Natural bamboo stretch-knit fabric cover
Safeguard fiber
Comfort Layers:
2" Talalay latex - 19 ILD (quoted as 70% natural, 30% synthetic blend)
2" Talalay latex - 24 ILD
2" Talalay latex - 28 ILD
Support System:
6" Soy-based poly foam support core - 2.0 density , 23 IFD (this IFD is from a website -mattressexposed.com- not the guy I spoke with)
Base support foam - 35 ILD (this ILD is from the website as well)

and the Blue Heaven Memory Foam/Latex hybrid model had the following
Quilt/Top Layers:
Stretch Knit Zippered Cover
1" DynaFlow® Cooling Fabric
Comfort Layers:
2" Talalay Latex
2" EcoGel® Memory Foam - 14 IFD
2" High Support Memory Foam - 12 IFD
1" Latex Enhanced Support Foam - 2.0 lb Density 18 IFD
Support System:
6" High Density Foam Support Core - 1.8 Density 30 IFD

Do you see anything that would be a cause for concern in any of these components or any obvious weak links?

Hi Dangeresque55,

If this is the case then there certainly wouldn’t be any low quality materials or weak links in either of the mattresses you listed and from a durability point of view they would certainly be a suitable choice.

Phoenix

Just to provide an update on my process, I’ve now also gone to Spindle and tried out the mattresses there as well. Neal was super helpful and very knowledgeable in terms of addressing my questions about the mattresses themselves and how they might compare to others.

At this point my options have narrowed to the following:
Spindle Abscond 10" Dunlop Latex Mattress
SleepEZ Sleep Select 10000 100% Natural Talalay Latex Mattress*
SleepEZ Sleep Select 10000 Blended Talalay Latex Mattress
Therapedic Natural Splendor Blended Talalay Latex Mattress
Therapedic Blue Heaven Talalay Latex/EcoGel/Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress

I have also given some consideration to going with a memory foam mattress from Bedworks and adding a separate Latex topper from somewhere else due to liking the Blue Heaven, but that may be overthinking things.

  • As a note, I am assuming the Dunlop at SleepEZ is a molded Dunlop, not continuous pour, and having liked the somewhat softer feel of the continuous pour and with Talalay being, as I understand it, somewhat softer than molded Dunlop, I leaned this way

Any particular advice as I try to make my final decision?

Hi Dangeresque55,

Yes … the Dunlop that SleepEZ uses is 100% natural molded Dunlop. All three of these versions of latex (and all the different types and blends of latex) come in a wide range of firmness levels so any one of them may be firmer than any one of the others depending on the firmness of the specific layers you are comparing. The softest versions of continuous pour Dunlop though would be softer than the softest versions of molded Dunlop that you are likely to encounter and would be similar to the softest versions of Talalay. There is a little more about how Dunlop (of both types) and Talalay compare in post #7 here but the best way to know which one you tend to prefer would be based on your own personal experience.

I don’t know the specific layering and materials in the Therapedic Natural Splendor or the Therapedic Blue Heaven so I can’t make any meaningful comments about either of them but if you can provide the specs of both of them and list them on the forum I’d be happy to make some comments about either or both of them. I can make some comments about the other three however.

Both of the SleepEZ mattresses and the Spindle Abscond have a similar 3 x 3" layer design with a wool quilted cover so in this way they are similar. The SleepEZ natural provides the choice between blended Talalay and 100% natural Dunlop and the SleepEZ organic provides the choice between 100% natural Talalay or 100% natural Dunlop and has an organic cover but there would be little reason to choose the Organic version with Dunlop layers since the Dunlop is the same in both lines. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here. All of these mattresses use high quality and very durable materials and there are no weak links in any of them.

All three of them provide the option to choose the firmness of the layers before a purchase and have the option to either rearrange the layers or exchange them and both of them have a return policy but the exchange and return policies are different and there are different costs involved.

Any one of these three would make a great choice and when you are down to finalists that are between “good and good” and if there are no clear winners between them then making a final choice (see post #2 here) about which one would be “best for you” would be a matter of “best judgement” based on your more detailed conversations with each of them and on all the objective, subjective, and intangible criteria that are most important to you or in some cases it may even be a matter of which way you find yourself leaning.

Phoenix

Hey Phoenix,

Thanks as always. The specs for the 2 mattresses you said you weren’t familiar with are actually the ones listed in a previous post in the thread!

Sounded like there weren’t any obvious weaknesses to those either.

Hi Dangeresque55,

Sorry … I should have looked back in the topic but I believe the specs in your previous post may not have been quite correct (and are a little out of order). While it’s not the case here because I assume that you received the Blue Heaven specs from the manufacturer … specs can also change over time and can also vary from area to area with the different factories that make mattresses for licensee brands and they can sometimes be listed incorrectly on other websites so I always try and make sure that the members here have confirmed the specs in any mattress they are considering from the retailer or manufacturer when they are making the purchase so that they are up to date and so they don’t take anything for granted based on “historical information” or “other sources”.

Having said that … if these are the complete specs of the Blue Heaven (which they most likely are or I believe “should be”) …

2" Talalay Latex
2" EcoGel® Memory Foam - 14 IFD 4 lb density (not 5 lbs)
1" DynaFlow® Cooling Fabric (to provide airflow)
2" High Support Memory Foam - 12 IFD 5 lb density
1" Latex Enhanced Support Foam - 2.0 lb Density 18 IFD
6" High Density Foam Support Core - 1.8 Density 30 IFD

Then there would be no weak links in the mattress. You can also see some comments about it in this video which was recorded by Jeff Scheuer who is one of the members of the site and used to sell them before Therapedic replaced them with a different mattress (at least in his area).

As you know from your testing this would have a different “feel” than an all latex mattress because the top layer of latex would provide a more resilient sleeping surface and more freedom of movement than memory foam but the memory foam would modify the feel of the latex and provide some of the slower response and “feel” of slowly sinking in to the memory foam underneath the more resilient latex. A relatively thin layer of latex over good quality memory foam is a layering combination that many people (including me) like but of course this would be a preference choice based on PPP.

I would also confirm the specs of the Natural Splendor from the manufacturer/retailer because they are different from the specs for the Natural Splendor listed on the Therapedic website here which shows 2.5" of polyfoam on top of the latex and the specs you listed is a latex/polyfoam hybrid not an “all latex model”.

So called “Soy based foam” is just a version of polyurethane foam that has replaced a relatively small portion of one of the two main petrochemicals (the polyol) used to make polyfoam with a polyol that is derived from soy oil (see post #2 here). In terms of their quality/durability … they can be directly compared to regular polyfoam.

Phoenix

Hey Phoenix,

The Natural Splendor in the store is actually the Puretouch II, listed here http://www.therapedic.com/mattresses/puretouch/puretouch-ii/

On a related note, you mentioned you are one of the people who likes the latex over memory foam feel and I was wondering if you had any advice on constructing a mattress like this (as opposed to buying one pre-assembled in this configuration like the Blue Heaven).

If I decided that that was the particular feel I was looking for it would seem like the best way to achieve it would be get a memory foam mattress made from high quality foam and then a separate high quality 2-3" Latex topper, but I’m not sure how I would then choose the right memory foam mattress, as if you tried it out you wouldn’t be getting the “true” feel of the mattress overall without the topper.

Any advice?

Hi Dangeresque55,

That’s good news … and these are much better specs than the other Natural Splendor and assuming that it’s a good match for you in terms of PPP then there are no weak links in the design and it uses all good quality materials.

I personally prefer all latex to a latex/memory foam hybrid but if I were to use memory foam in a mattress I would use latex over memory foam rather than the other way around because I prefer it over having memory foam over latex.

My own preferences though may be very different from someone else and the design of a mattress that was a good match for me (or anyone else) in terms of PPP may be completely unsuitable for you to sleep on so I would never use “theory” or other people’s experience as a guideline for what can work well for you because there are far to many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved to use specs (either yours or a mattress) or theory at a distance to predict which combination of layers would work best for you (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

If you do decide to build a DIY mattress by buying your own materials and cover and then putting them together yourself then I would make sure you read Option #3 in post #15 here before you begin so that you have realistic expectations of success and the learning curve and trial and error that may be involved and in some cases the extra costs that you may incur if you make any “mistakes” in your initial combination of materials and components in your mattress.

If you have a local mattress that you know all the information you need (type and quality of the materials and the firmness of each layer and the details of the cover) then you can use this as a reference point for a design that you have tested and confirmed is a good match for you in terms of PPP and buy layers and a cover that are as close as possible to the layers and components in the design you are using as a target but I would also be aware that there may be some differences between some of the materials in your target mattress and what is available for you to buy that may make a difference in your final result (for example you could purchase memory foam in the same density that has different properties than the memory foam in the mattress you are targeting). If the latex is blended Talalay from Latex International then these would be available to you in any thickness and ILD that you would need from the suppliers in the component post here. There is more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” another one in post #9 here.

Layers that are glued can sometimes feel differently than unglued layers but I would use your own personal experience to decide whether this was necessary or even desirable because there are also advantages of having a zip cover that gives you access to individual layers that you can change if you find it’s necessary. There is more about finished mattresses vs component mattresses in post #2 here and the two other posts it links to.

Phoenix

Hey Phoenix,

After much debate I think I’ve eliminated the Therapedic and am deciding between the SleepEZ and Spindle Abscond.

For both, I was planning on getting the foundation sold by whoever sells the mattress, as I trust they would know the best support system for it, but as I’m a relative newbie at this whole thing I was wondering if there were recommendations on a frame to set the foundation into?

Hi Dangeresque55,

There is more about the different types of foundations or platform beds that are generally suitable for different types of mattresses and some sources for each of them in the foundation thread here but both of them sell a wood slatted foundation that would be a good choice for an all latex mattress and in looking at them they may even be the same foundation.

As far as a frame goes … if you are looking for a steel bedframe there is more information in post #10 here that should be helpful. An all latex mattress is heavier than most other types of mattresses so I would tend to choose a heavy duty bedframe under your foundation.

Phoenix

Right, my question was more around the rest of the “bedstead” or setup. If i assume I purchase the foundation from the same company as the mattress maker, is there anything I should consider with a frame or the rest of the assembly I would set the foundation into?