Hip & Shoulder pain - Phoenix can you advise me?

[phoenix]

Hi LastchanceNE,

[quote]Is this also true of a “bamboo” waterproof mattress protector? We have one on our Serta icomfort, which we are going to exchange very soon & hopefully get most of our $ back to use on a quality mattress elsewhere, due to very similar issues that Ez1 has + lumbar disc issues.

I did quickly notice when we got the bed last year that certain sheet sets were too tight on it & wouldn’t allow it to relax, but the protector seems pretty loose, w/o being “slidey”, and it is very thin, not at all a mattress “pad”[/quote]

This would depend on the specifics of the protector but if it’s the thinner waterproof/semi breathable membrane type that is bonded to a bamboo fabric then it would have much less effect than a mattress pad that has a layer of silk batting because the heat would reach the memory foam more easily and it will also have less effect on the compression of the memory foam. If the protector is stretchy or loose rather than tight then it would have a little less effect yet. Any type of thicker mattress pad will have a bigger effect on the temperature response and compression of memory foam than a thinner and more stretchy mattress protector. There is always a tradeoff involved in any thicker bedding layer you use over memory foam.

I would be interested to know if you have learned whether the “bamboo” type can have the same effect as the silk. And disappointed if so, because I like the way it feels a lot–and it was pricey. We will still be returning the icomfort–I have learned too much on your site to keep it around. I’ve found a local place or two to try out latex, so if we like that & get one, maybe our protector would work OK on it…?

If the bamboo type is a bamboo fabric bonded to a membrane then even though the bamboo itself is very breathable and wicks moisture well … the membrane is much less breathable than a natural fiber and to some degree will restrict airflow and breathability which in turn could increase sleeping temperature. You can see more details about the membrane type of protectors compared to other types in post #89 here. The only way to know for certain how it does with temperature on a specific mattress is to use it but it will almost certainly allow the memory foam to respond more like memory foam is designed to compared to the silk pad even though it may be warmer (depending on the cumulative effect of all the factors that can affect sleeping temperature that are discussed in post #2 here).

Phoenix