I have read hours of information on this great website. Unfortunately there seems to be so much involved in choosing a mattress that I cannot make a decision!
I am 5’ 7" at 225 lbs, my husband is 6’2" at 275 lbs. We are both side sleepers. I have about 8 hours invested in laying on mattresses trying them out.
I liked the Healthy Back Elegance. It was very comfortable. I did feel that my bottom sunk into the bed a bit. My bottom did not sink a lot but I did notice that my shoulders did not sink as much. I tried the Healthy Back Essence. It was not as comfortable to me but my bottom did not feel like it sank in at all.
I don’t know what direction to go in. Any suggestions?
The “best” suggestions I have for researching and choosing a mattress are in post #1 here unless you have specific questions that I can answer that may help you.
I would be very cautious with a mattress like the Elegance which has some thick layers of soft latex which could be “risky” for your higher weight.
They use good quality materials but I would make sure you test very carefully to make sure you are in good alignment because this is probably a softer mattressin terms of the thickness and softness of the comfort layers than someone of your weight would normally do best with although only your own personal testing and experience can really tell which mattress is best for you because each person is unique.
I have a Savvy Rest Store about 1 hour away from my house (Crownsville, MD 31032). I like the feel of Talalay. Is it wise for me to visit Savvy Rest to see what layers feel good to me, than write down what works and than call one of the better priced companies on your website? Will Savvy Rest tell me what the ILD’s each layer of Talalay is? Is the Dunlop from Savvy Rest OK to use as the bottom layer since I am a big gal?
I would love to try a innerspring with Talalay on the top but I can not find a mattress made this way.
Some of the better options I’m aware of in your area are included in post #2 here. It may take some phone research but you will hopefully be able to find an innerspring/talalay hybrid.
I personally always think it’s wise to visit local retailers and manufactures to do some local testing and also to give them a chance to earn your business. The guideline I usually suggest is that if a local retailer has a mattress that is about 20% or 25% more than a very similar mattress available at an online retailer then I would consider them to be roughly equivalent value because of the lower risk involved in being able to test a mattress and deal with a local business. Once the local premium goes above about 20% or so then I would start to look at online options.
They will usually give you an ILD range for soft medium and firm for their organic Dunlop and 100% natural Talalay which you can see in post #2 here.
Savvy Rest uses good quality Dunlop made by CoCo latex yes although it may be more costly than other equivalent Dunlop layers available elsewhere.
Embrace Comfort. The Embrace Comfort series sees an 11" profile with a dimpled stretch knit cover with microsuede as well as a 1.5" 4lb ventilated memory foam, 2" 4lb memory foam, 2" 1.8lb comfort foam and a 5.5" 1.5lb poly base foam. $1,225.00
Technogel Estasi+ Don’t know what its made of $2,850
Both were very comfortable. I did not feel like my hips were sinking too much. Both mattresses are at a discounted price. Would you recommend one mattress over the other?
The only way to make meaningful comparisons between mattresses is if you know the details of all the layers and then use this as part of a comparison based on all the objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you. Part of a retailer’s job is to provide you with this so you don’t have to go searching for it to make comparisons.
Fortunately … a forum search on Estasi (you can just click this) will bring up more posts about it and the specs are listed in post #2 here.
The Healthy Back Embrace Comfort is a fairly basic mattress with 3.5" of 4 lb memory foam over 7.5" of reasonable quality polyfoam (the 1.8 lb polyfoam is on top which is where it should be and the 1.5 lb polyfoam is on the bottom where it will be more durable even though it’s lower density) and would be reasonable (but not the best) value as long as your body type was suitable for 4 lb memory foam. I would tend towards 5 lb memory foam or at least thinner layers of 4 lb memory foam if you were in the 200 lb range or higher but I would have a particularly hard time justifying the Estasi unless there was a particularly compelling reason that justified the cost based on your specific personal criteria.
It seems I like the feel of the softer mattresses. I did not sink into the Healthy Back Essence but I did not think it was as comfy as the above mattresses. Is there a list of mattresses made with 5lb memory foam? I have someone who is picking up my old mattress tomorrow. I was hoping that I was going to have another mattress by than but it is not looking good!
Not that I’m aware of … and it would probably take many months of intensive research to put together a list of all the thousands of mattress that contained some degree of 5 lb memory foam (with or without other types and densities and layer thicknesses of foam) and by the time it was complete it would probably be out of date.
Keep in mind that 4 lb memory foam is not a “bad” foam and many people prefer lower density memory foams because they tend to be less temperature sensitive, more responsive, breathable, and in some cases softer … they just tend to be less conforming and less durable. With higher weights it would be a good idea to consider mattresses that have thinner layers of 4 lb memory foam or other design factors that would reduce the risk of foam softening (such as higher density foam over the 4 lb memory foam). You can see some of the many factors that contribute to durability in post #4 here.
When you are making comparisons in the same foam category … higher density equals higher durability but there may be differences in the feel and performance of a lower density material that are worth the tradeoff. A mattress will also tend to soften and break down from the top down so the quality and durability of the upper layers is a more important part of the durability of the mattress than the deeper layers. The closer to the top of a mattress a foam is, the the more compression forces (that soften or break down the material) it will be exposed to.
I, too, am having a tough time with this one. I don’t have any stores nearby to test anything except Tempurpedic. No other stores within 50 miles that carry anything except spring mattresses. I am trying to decide between latex and memory foam. I have had mem. foam toppers for the past 8 years and have really liked them. the one i have now is 3" of, i believe, 3.5 lb. But my innerspring mattress, abut 7 yrs old, is causing me pain and needs to go. I compare mattress shopping to tv/internet/phone shopping. it sucks. how do i find a store that carries a variety of foam mattresses that isn’t 100 miles away, if there is one.?
I am going to go to Savvy Rest and call FloBeds. I read that you think highly of Flobeds so I will check them out. Hopefully an education from Savvy Rest will help me make a decision. I am running out of time and energy!
Your help has probably stopped me from making a bad purchasing decision. Thank you.
I have so many hours involved in looking at mattresses. I will make the hour drive to Savvy Rest. Hopefully I will find a supportive and comfortable mattress. It might be easier to lose 60lbs! LOL
Just to follow up, I ended up buying from FloBeds. I bought the V-Zone with the Euro Slat foundation. I love the bed. It is so comfortable. This bed is in Maryland.
We have had a vacation home in Florida for the last 30 years. The mattress in Florida has only been slept on 3 years out of the 30 years. I have never had a problem sleeping on the mattress. I use to think it was comfortable. After sleeping on my FloBed I am no longer comfortable sleeping on the mattress in Florida. That mattress feels like I am sleeping on a rock!
I now need to buy a new mattress in Florida. I do not want to spend $3,000+ on a mattress that gets slept on one month out of the year. Any suggestions for a comfortable mattress that be more affordable for this situation?
Congratulations on your new mattress first of all … I think you made a great choice
I agree that this may not be the most cost friendly choice for a mattress that is only used very temporarily but if you like the overall “feel” of latex then a lower cost latex or even a latex hybrid mattress (latex/polyfoam or latex/innerspring) may be a good choice. There are some lower cost latex options in the list of online manufacturers that are members here in post #21 here and some of these also have one or more exchangeable layers so you can make comfort adjustments after a purchase if you need to do so. I would also keep in mind that while a latex hybrid will still have latex in the comfort layers so it will have some of the general “feel” of sleeping on latex … the design will also be different and it won’t be zoned so it will not be the same as your Flobeds.
I would also call the local stores in the Macon / Atlanta list in post #2 here and ask them if they have any latex / polyfoam hybrids or latex / innerspring hybrids inside your budget range if you want to do some local testing. There may be some good value there as well.
Hi,
Is there anyone in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area you would recommend besides Select Foam? I am going to visit Select Foam the next time I go to Florida but I would like other local options.
I truly appreciate the time and effort you put into this website.
Hi Phoenix,
I visited Zeno today in Ft Lauderdale. I am looking to replace ex-firm 30 year old mattress that has only been slept on for 3 years. I was hoping to spend about $1000 for a mattress and box spring since the bed is only slept in 1 1/2 months each year. I liked the feel of Zeno’s innerspring mattress with high density egg carton top (Queen about $1,300). What is the negative to this combination of mattress? I am a big gal 5’7" 200lbs.
PS My real bed is a FloBed with the vzone, & european slat box spring.
Thank you for your time.
That would depend on the quality of the materials in the mattress … and particularly the comfort layers.
In general polyfoam is less durable than latex and convoluted layers are less durable than solid layers of the same material.
If you can find out the specifics of all the layers and components in the mattress you are considering and list them on the forum (from top to bottom) I’d be happy to make some comments about it.
The information you need is the type and quality of all the layers and components including the thickness and type of any foam layers, the density of any polyfoam or memory foam, and the type and blend of any latex in the mattress. The type of cover and quilting and the specifics of the innerspring would also be useful (although the innerspring is not usually the weak link in a mattress). With higher weights especially … the quality/density of the comfort layers will be the most important factor in the durability and useful life of a mattress.
The most important parts of any mattress purchase is how well it matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP and the quality and durability of the materials in the mattress. Without knowing the specifics of all the layers and components in a mattress it’s not really possible to know if it has any weak links that could considerable shorten its useful life or make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses.
Zeno should be able to provide you with all the specs of the mattress including the density of all the polyfoam or memory foam in the mattress.
Here are the specifics of the Zeno mattress:
Type of cover: Cotton/Poly Blend
Innerspring: 13 gauge steel spring sprayed with rust inhibitor
2" High Density Polyfoam designed to be soft to conform to body.
The High Density Foam is on both sides of the mattress so I would be able to flip the mattress.
$1300
I went to Comfort Custom Mattresses. He sells a mattress that consists of 1" 1.5 Polyfoam Pillow Top, 3" 1.8 Polyfoam, 12.5 gauge innerspring mattress. He did not say anything about rust inhibitor being sprayed on the springs. $589 delivered.
I asked him if he would put Latex on top the innerspring. He said that he would do a 3" 32 IOD which is a 70/30 blend for $895.
What concerns should I have about the above mattresses? Does anything jump out at you that is a major concern. I would like to make a decision today so I can order the mattress and have it delivered the next time we come down to Ft. Lauderdale.
