I’m in a fortunate position where I don’t mind spending 3-15k on a mattress and instead of just getting something comfortable, I’m trying to find the one that would be the “best” for me and my wife. I’ve gone through all of the detailed guides on finding a mattress and found a store in my area that I will go visit today to try at (I’m in Richmond VA) but it looks like there is only one local store in my area. I wouldn’t mind ordering online if it means I can get more bang for my buck and get a really nice mattress but I also don’t really want to “gamble” so if I’m going to order online I’d like to be fairly confident I’d like the mattress and have an understanding of why. My question is how do I compare the materials of high end mattresses with mattresses that I can easily try in a store? I can find a store with good quality latex but there are no stores near me with some of the materials listed in products I see online. Also, how good are these sorts of materials vs just a flex to say that they’re in the mattress or whatever? These are the brands I’m looking at (some might be a bit too high price but I am going to try to go on roadtrips to try these mattresses and record my thoughts to try to have some kind of comparison for high end mattresses)
Hastens
Vispring
Savoir
Duxiana
Even better value options:
Harrison Spinks
McRoskey
Winstons
Here is an example of what I mean about comparing materials:
Materials:
English Lambswool, Cashmere, British Fleece Wool & Cotton, Hand Teased Silk, Hand Teased Alpaca Wool, Hand Teased Shropshire Wool, Hand Teased Long Loose Curled Horsetail, British Highland Wool & Organic Flax, English Lambswool, Hand Teased Silk, Hand Teased Shropshire Wool, Hand Teased Alpaca Wool, Hand Teased Long Loose Curled Horsetail & British Highland Wool
Pretty much all of those materials are ones I didn’t recognize from the wiki articles I’ve read thus far and since this brand is online only, I’m wondering, what sort of in-person shopping could I do such that it would tell me I would like this bed (or any other bed with high end materials)
Additional info that may or may not be useful:
My wife and I are both side sleepers. I weight 155 lbs and she weighs 220 lbs. We both sleep slightly on the warm side but I wouldnt say its an important factor.
Most of those natural fibers are common in British and higher end mattresses.
“Hand teased” refers to a process of preparing fibers for spinning into yarn. Teasing is a method of opening and separating the fibers, often done by hand, to remove any impurities, tangles, or knots. This process helps to align the fibers and make them ready for spinning. So it is just fancy jargon for the fibers they are using.
Chattham and Wells C&W Premier Collection produces mattresses with many of these fibers. Savoir is another company Savoir and Hypnos Hypnos.
Everyone is going to use terminology for their fibers and origins to make them sound exotic, expensive and unique.
Gotcha. Sounds like my best bed then is to find some of these beds at retailers like visiting, hastings, etc and then find the mattresses from those brands that work the best and record the layers and then see if experts here can help find something comparable from other brands as well (such as online sources)
I think most in that category will feel similar. The Shifman Chagall I almost bought had a similar feeling to, the Aireloom, which has a similar feel to the Millbrook etc. They all feel good when you first lay on them. The trick is long term. I wasn’t willing to shell out 14k without a 100% guarantee that it was going to last. My 1400 plank luxe, yep, felt good the 1st day i slept on it, and it feels just as good a year later right at this very second!
Generally speaking YES! But a mattress is only as good as its weakest layer. So one bad layer can take a complete mattress down.
Not everyone likes the best cut of aged filet mignon, but it’s the best. You can put a mattresses together with the finest materials known to mankind, but if the super high quality spring set is not conducive for a 350lb person, that great quality did not help us.
But yes! You would expect a high quality mattress, built with high quality materials to last a long time as they did 40, 50 and 60 years ago. But even a shifman chagall, needs proper maintenance Shifman Care Instructions. Regardless of quality, you still need to maintain and care for your mattress. You can cause a sag in anything if you ignore it. If you sit on the same edge of the bed in the same place every day for a year you are going to create some wear and tear.
This is precisely why we look for certain density of foam, thickness of materials, gauge of springs, amount of turns, hardening and manufacturing process of the entire structure. I would not take the “set it and forget it” position.
Yea. Definitely planning to care for it properly in any case. Just looking for something that we wont be disappointed with in a year or 5 and ideally something that is really nice (since we at least have the budget to be able to afford it)
Perfect! I prefer using a topper on my mattress. Not so much to augment the feel, but since I was 250 when I bought it and even at 220 now, my theory is the topper is going to take the initial wear and tear of me “sitting” in bed with the laptop on front of me, so all my weight is concentrated through my butt with my legs crossed on front of me. I have been rotating my topper like a nutcase, flipped it inside of the topper encasement, rotate the mattress every 3 months, just because this was my first BnB and although I researched the materials to death, I am taking every precaution to preserve it and prove my topper theory. I can always replace a topper for much less than a new mattress.
Even if I had done the Shifman, I would have put a topper on it, probably a better one than I have now, and the one I have now sells for close to $500 retail.
Your concern was exactly my concern! Except my wife thought I had a screw loose even considering the Shifman at that price, but it was on sale so I would have saved about 30%. I just wanted to be comfortable. I wasn’t worrying about Eco friendly, natural, synthetic or any of that, although, if I did it again, perhaps I would go more natural fibers. I had a horsehair/wool/cotton/innerspring growing up and that lasted until I graduated college. If I had not left it in my apartment for the next person, I might still have it and used the HH to make more pillows, LOL.
Welcome, and you are in a great position to be able to afford an excellent mattress.
I very much agree with @Maverick about the topper. If you put a topper on most mattresses, it will increase the longevity, and much easier to replace a topper (and less costly).
Each material contributes something to the mattress as a whole, of course, so trying them out is good. Horsetail increases resilience, wool is also resilient and durable as well as temperature regulating, and overall, your natural fibers will sleep cooler than synthetics as they are breathable.
Look at the length of guarantee and also what each company consider as “normal wear and tear”. Do they have a depth of impression that they look for in terms of labeling something “normal wear and tear”. Some impressions are normal, although greatly lessened by a topper. Turning and rotating, as Maverick said, will even out the wear and lengthen the life as well.
Two things - Vispring is incorporating a price increase at all of their retailers on February 1st. If you settle on a Vispring, you may want to seal the deal before then. This is public knowledge, so I have no problem with sharing this here.
Also, we are selling some of our Hastens floor models at a good discount if you wish to stretch your dollars (although it sounds like you have a good budget). Here’s the list.
Unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to pull the trigger on anything right now. I’m in the process of building a house and for space constraints I wouldn’t be able to pull the trigger on a mattress until its done but I’ve been trying to get ahead with the research and possibly figure out which mattress I’d want so its one less thing to have to do when the house is finished (especially since due to my location, it’ll require a lot of roadtrips to try out mattresses). In terms of toppers, that does sound like a good option to increase longevity. Right now we’re sleeping on a queen that we both liked in the store but have both come to dislike. I believe the main issue is the comfort layers not sinking in enough and we both get pressure points. Do you have suggestions for an inexpensive topper that would let us get some better sleep for the next 6 months or so until we can upgrade or should we just wait it out?
Ah, I see. Please be aware, too, that once you decide, you can often request the mattress delivery months out from your purchase if you are trying to settle on a deal. Sorry to hear you are having trouble with pressure points. This is a less expensive topper, although most of ours are more high-end because of being from natural materials and small businesses that handmake them. The one I linked there is quite popular and often goes on sale. Another option here the picture does not do it justice. @Maverick may have some other ideas, too.
Brian,
Thanks so much for that explanation and input. I could not have said it better. As for topper options. @ski23 Most folks will find that natural fibers, wool, cotton, horsehair and natural foam such as latex, are going to be in the same price ball park anywhere you search. Much of the time, some less expensive versions are 2" vs 3" such as the all wool one that @TheCleanBedroom suggested. I know it sounds expensive, and I would say, yes it is an investment, but wool will last you a lifetime and it can compliment you next mattress, so you will not need that expense going forward.
Just as important as quality materials inside the mattress, toppers (which are an extension of your mattress system) the quality of the topper materials are equally important. If given a choice, my topper that retails for almost $500 Malouf Topper, I would have gone for a 3" wool topper, horsehair or natural fiber/foam combination. But, at the time, this was the best option I was offered.
Unfortunately my next mattress will be a different size (currently targeting large emperor or wyoming king) which complicates things so I might just end up getting by until then so I can spend that 500$ toward something like sheets, duvet, etc.
I do not know the answer to this, but perhaps one of our trusted members who hand craft their toppers in house, such as @CozyPure can make you a mattress topper that matches your current mattress and can upgrade you by using the existing topper and resize it for your next mattress. I am not certain it is economically worth the time and effort, but the filling of a king topper still has value and possibly can be modified to create a new on. Just thinking outside the box!
@CozyPure is a short drive from where I live (I’m in Richmond VA) and appear to be one of the best (Non large/online company) options near me. When I can get a trip to DC, I plan to visit them, Hastens, Vispring, Duxiana, Hypnos, Milbrook, and Chatham and Wells and then I should be able to have a bit more context on how natural fiber mattresses feel as well as test out some of the premium options to have something to compare to.
Yea I plan to keep notes on all the mattresses I try from each brand and then I can compile all of it together (and post all my notes here) when I get back alongside the help of some of the experts to help to come to a conclusion
Just happened to think of another way to relieve the pressure points - a body pillow. Perhaps you are already sleeping with a pillow between your knees? If not, try that. That can help with pain for side sleepers.
I use a pretty large pillow now but one of the biggest pressure points right now for me is on my shoulder/arm which is usually under my pillow on my side. I did order a nice looking pillow from SupremeQuilts which may help once it arrives in 2 months or so.
On a side note, I did try some mattresses at my only local factory and there was one we liked. I’m waiting to get specs from them though on the foam density because it does use polyfoam so I’m wanting to make sure it would be quality before putting it in my consideration list.