heating pad use on latex or memory foam

We are in the beginning phase of our search and have been concentrating on latex. But my wife likes to warm the bed with an electric heating mattress pad, which I hate. We have been told that this is not recommended for any later mattress. Could she use a heaating pad for 10 to 15 minutes on her side? I like a cooler sleep environment than her. Suggestions.

Hi MSinPR,

A heating pad can be problematic with memory foam which is temperature sensitive but using a heating pad … especially if it’s only to warm up the bed … wouldn’t be a problem with latex. It’s possible that the person you were talking to didn’t realize the difference between latex and memory foam.

Phoenix

[quote=“Phoenix” post=50623]Hi MSinPR,

A heating pad can be problematic with memory foam which is temperature sensitive but using a heating pad … especially if it’s only to warm up the bed … wouldn’t be a problem with latex. It’s possible that the person you were talking to didn’t realize the difference between latex and memory foam.

Phoenix[/quote]

Phoenix, what about the smaller heating pads that are used to apply direct heat on the back (as opposed to warming up the bed)? They’re positioned in between the person and the mattress top, and can get quite warm in a fairly small/concentrated area. Do you know of any issues there?

Hi LJGMDAD,

No … they would be fine. Memory foam is the only foam material that I would be concerned about damage by the type of heat that would come from a heating pad or a back pad.

Phoenix

Would either of the constuction methods used by Flobed or sleepez be preferable or warmer (for her)? We are planning on buying a split king or CA King with an adjustable platform and I like the idea of being able to select the firmness for different areas.

Hi NSinPR,

Flobeds uses Talalay latex and SleepEZ has a choice of either Talalay or Dunlop latex but assuming that you are comparing apples to apples (Talalay to Talalay) with both of them then both of them use a similar wool quilted cotton cover and would have the same type and blend of latex so they would be closely comparable in terms of temperature regulation. It’s unlikely that most people would have any temperature regulation issues with either of them.

Which one would be the best “match” for you or your wife in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences)… wouldn’t be possible to know with any certainty unless you were able to test and/or sleep on both of them.

Only you can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved to be able to make specific recommendations or suggest a specific mattress or combination of layers or materials based on specs (either yours or a mattress), health conditions, individual circumstances, or “theory at a distance” (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specific options they have available based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or even to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

There is also more about the different ways to choose a mattress (either locally or online) that is the most suitable “match” for your specific needs and preferences and how to identify and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for that are involved in each of them in post #2 here.

There is also more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses.

As you probably know from your reading here both Flobeds and SleepEZ are members of this site which means that I think highly of both of them and I believe that they both compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency and you are looking at some very good choices.

Phoenix