How to look for and find the best mattress ... for YOU! ***READ FIRST***

Hi javec,

Welcome ā€¦ and Iā€™m glad you found us :slight_smile:

Iā€™m looking forward to your feedback after your visit.

Phoenix

novaform gel mattress - is the best in my opinion

Wowā€¦great info on this site. I thought that I was doing above-and-beyond research the last week, reading for hours on the internet largeā€“chain sites and Googling reviews from Yelp and ā€œindependentā€ review sites. I visited 4 large-chain retail stores and thought I had narrowed it down amongst the Sealy, Serta, Simmons, Stearns and Foster, etc., lines. I did my butt testing on 30 different mattresses and I had my wallet out and ready to go. Then I did my final searches of buyer reviews for my finalist models and I got blindsided. It seems like every major brand of mattress has major issues with 20-40% of buyers, at least. Reports of $1000-2000 mattresses sagging in as little as 2-12 months??? ā€œWarrantyā€ seems to be mostly a joke. The mattress industry is polluted and very enigmatic. I found out why the chain stores give you ā€œfreeā€ mattresses if they canā€™t beat a priceā€¦no one has the same mattress, technically!

I thought the independent mattress makers were the rookies with inferior product. I need to look at this subject in a different way, after reading some of the info in this site. Very enlightening site and forum. Thanks a million!!! The research goes onā€¦

Hi Erion929,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum!.

Thereā€™s a lot of information here but hopefully it will help you ā€œresetā€ how you look for a mattress :).

Iā€™m looking forward to finding out what you end up choosing ā€¦ and of course any questions and feedback you have along the way.

Phoenix

If only I had come across this forum a year ago when I dropped a good chunk of change on a Simmons world class innerspring. My g/f (at the time) had to have a soft mattress (rated a 6/plush on their comfort scale) so I caved and now have had back pain for a year. The good news is my son loves itā€¦he can have it! Anyway, Iā€™ve always preferred a firmer mattressā€¦the last time I remember not waking up with back pain was in my college days sleeping on a $200 futon. Kind of ironic how my problems only started after spending thousands on more fancy ā€˜name brandsā€™.

Iā€™ve been soaking up as much info off this site as possible and after testing some floor models around town, Iā€™ve decided to go with one of the DreamFoam mattresses. Iā€™m just not sure if I want to go with their new ā€˜firmā€™ memory foam (Aria) or one of their laytex combos. I was only able to find one laytex retailer where I live, but they are 100% laytex (3 layers) and use Dunlop natural laytex. Iā€™m not sure how much different this is than the Talalay, padding layer only in the DreamFoam, but I really liked it. Firm and supportive but had a softness and top layer comfort to it that memory foam lacks. At least the firmer memory foam I preferā€¦I tested 2 Tempur-pedics and preferred the firmness of the Contour Signature vs the Cloud (too soft/too much sink for me). The Contour Signature was rated medium-firm which led me to believe the DreamFoam Aria may be comparable. On the other hand I really liked the laytex I tested and if it helps as much with back pain as memory foam, I may go that route. Iā€™m just a little worried about longevity/durability as it seems a lot of reviews mentioned sag and break down after a year. I donā€™t know if their memory foam would have the same issues or not, but Iā€™m pretty average in sizeā€¦5ā€™10, 180 (stomach and back sleeper). Iā€™ve tried calling DreamFoam a few times, no luck yet but hopefully someone will answer soon so I can talk to a rep and get their opinion. If you have any feedback in the meantime, please let me know what you think.

Thanks again for all of the extensive information on this site, itā€™s absolutely amazing!!!

Hi ginnywop,

Iā€™m glad you found us this time around :slight_smile:

The choice between latex and memory foam is more about preference than anything else (see post #2 here) and your own personal experience is really the best way to know which type of material you tend to prefer.

I donā€™t know the density of the gel memory foam in the Aria but even if it was higher density memory foam, latex would be a more durable choice (latex is the most durable type of foam material).

You can read a little more about the difference in ā€œfeelā€ between Dunlop and Talalay in post #7 here and more about a latex hybrid vs an all latex mattress in post #2 here. The firmness and thickness of the layers in each mattress would also make a significant different in how they compare in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) although much of the initial ā€œfeelā€ of a mattress comes from the upper layers.

Firmness ratings are very subjective and can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer (more so with memory foam because it can vary with temperature and humidity and the specific properties of each type of memory foam) but they know more about the specifics of the mattresses they make than anyone and would be able to give you the most accurate information about how the Aria or any of their mattresses compare to any of the mattresses in the Tempurpedic line in terms of PPP.

One type of material isnā€™t inherently any better than another for back pain. It all depends on the specific design of a mattress and how well it keeps you in alignment in all your sleeping positions much more than which materials it uses. A mattress that works well for one person (or helps their back pain) may be completely unsuitable for another (and make their back pain worse) because of differences in body types, sleeping positions, or individual preferences.

The weak link of a mattress is almost always in the upper comfort layers which are generally the first to soften or break down and latex is the most durable of all the foam materials (polyfoam, memory foam, latex foam) so it would be more durable than a mattress that used memory foam in the comfort layers and used the same base foam. There is more about the variables that can affect durability and the useful life of a mattress relative to each person in post #4 here and the posts it links to and post #20 here would also be worth reading.

If there are visible impressions in a mattress that are deeper than the warranty exclusion then it would be a defective mattress which can sometimes happen (even with high quality and durable comfort layers such as latex) and it would be replaced under warranty. In most cases though when you have high quality and durable comfort layers then any ā€œsaggingā€ that most people mention would be ā€œvirtual impressionsā€ which are generally from choosing the wrong firmness level in the first place (too soft) where the heavier parts of their body (such as the pelvis) are sinking into the mattress too deeply or with higher weight ranges where they are compressing the base layer more deeply and they may have been better off choosing a mattress with either more latex on top or a higher density base foam (at a higher cost).

If you were in a higher weight range or had an unusual body type or weight distribution where you sink into the base layers more deeply then it may be a good idea to consider higher density base foam or thicker latex layers but you are not in a weight range where this would generally be an issue.

Stomach sleeping is especially prone to alignment issues from a mattress where the comfort layers are too thick or soft (or in the case of some types of memory foam becomes softer over the course of the night) and the ā€œbestā€ choice is generally to use comfort layers that are ā€œjust barely thick and soft enoughā€ to relieve pressure when you sleep on your side so that the risk of alignment issues that can cause pain or discomfort from your pelvis sinking down too far when you sleep on your stomach (and causing a ā€œswaybackā€ position) is reduced.

If you arenā€™t able to test a mattress in person before you buy it (or a mattress that a manufacturer has confirmed would be very similar to a local mattress you can test in terms of PPP), then itā€™s always a very good idea to make sure you have a more detailed conversation with any online retailer or manufacturer so that they can give you some guidance to help you decide which of their mattresses may be the most suitable choice for you (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

Phoenix

Thanks for all of the extra information Phoenix, I REALLY appreciate it! After the additional research, Iā€™ve decided to go with their laytex hybrid model so now I just hope Chuck can dial in the right firmness for me. Iā€™m thinking a 3 or 4 but may opt for a 4 since I do sleep on my side from time to time (or maybe this is a product of tossing and turning all night!). The price point/value is too good to pass up and if it doesnā€™t work out, Iā€™m not breaking the bank. If it does, Iā€™ll probably invest in a more expensive latex core down the road. Now I just need to choose a protectorā€¦thinking the Luna will be a bit better than the Sleep Tite one that comes up as the first option to package together (based on reviews). Thin, breathable and not crinklyā€¦I donā€™t want it to affect the feel of the mattress. Thanks again for your help! :slight_smile:

Hi ginnywop,

Post #89 here and the links it includes has more information about the pros and cons of different types of mattress protectors and the tradeoffs involved with each. A Luna protector would generally be a good choice for a ā€œsemi breathableā€ waterproof type of protector.

Phoenix

Hi my name is Naveed and I was wondering if you guys could help me out. I live the the greater toronto area of Ontario canada. My mother got into an accident about 5 months back. She was driving when she got hit by a tractor trailer in the drivers side totalling the car. She miraculously didnā€™t break any bones but needless to say has extreme soft tissue damage. The main problem is that for the most part Iā€™m pretty sure she likes to sleep on her left side which was badly damaged by the accident. Since the accident she can sleep for a maximum of about 3 hour periods a night.The bed my parents have previously is over 20 years old. She hasnā€™t been able to sleep on her left side since the accident because it is relatively tender. we finally got inspected by an occupational therapist who said that a new bed is pretty much mandatory. So we went to our local sleep country and looked at some beds (namely temper-pedic). My mother seemed really comfortable on the Rhapsody breeze. It was the only bed that she could very comfortably rest on her left side without any pain or discomfort. I donā€™t have to much experience with memory foam beds but do realize that seems to be the way to go in this case. With that being said I would like to know if there are any other beds worth looking into with the same support and feel as the rhapsody both within the same price point or cheaper if possible (without suffering quality) because we can only be able to by a bed with whatever money the insurance company decides to give us. Another option i was thinking if we canā€™t afford the Rhapsody would be to get a cheaper bed that might end up being a little to firm but then put a nice soft bed topper over it so it has support and softness. sorry for any trouble and thanks in advance for the help

Hi Manboy,

I would start by reading the tutorial post here (which is the first post of this topic you posted in) which has all the basic information steps, and guidelines that you will need to make the best possible choices ā€¦ and know how to avoid the worst ones (such as Tempurpedic) and hopefully keep you away from chain stores such as Sleep Country as well.

Once you get to step 3 and are ready to start testing mattresses ā€¦ some of the better options or possibilities Iā€™m aware of in the Toronto area are included in post #1 here.

Phoenix

Thanks for the quick reply,
I did some more reading on what you have posted but I do have one question. Main stream companies like tempurpedic offer a great warranty like in tempurpedics case 10 years non prorated and the 15 years prorated there after. Would i still be able to get that type of a warranty from a small local retailer like factory mattress?

Hi Manboy,

Yes ā€¦ all manufacturers have a warranty on their mattresses and 10 years is a very common warranty term for a good quality mattress (the prorated part of a warranty isnā€™t particularly meaningful). In most cases ā€¦ smaller manufacturers are actually more responsive to consumers and warranty claims than larger manufacturers because their name and local reputation is on the line while the major manufacturers are more responsive to corporate shareholders, investors, and maintaining profit margins than to consumers and most of their warranty claims are denied because of the warranty exclusions.

I would also keep in mind that knowing the quality of the materials inside your mattress is much more important than the length of the warranty and mattress warranties only cover defects in materials and construction and not the foam softening and the loss of comfort and support from the use of lower quality materials that is the most common reason people need to replace their mattress long before the warranty is expired. In other words ā€¦ they have little to nothing to do with the useful life of a mattress (see post #174 here).

Phoenix

Thanks for the reply once again. Alright Iā€™m definitely going to look into some of my local factory direct companies. My only question now is generally am i looking for a mattress that has a HR polyfoam base with 1-2 layers of high density memory foam? and then there is also latex options as well. Im just really overwhelmed. Overall I just want something that gives my mom the same support and softness as the rhapsody breeze but with all the high quality materials. Sorry for bugging you so much and thanks for all the help

Hi Manboy,

What you are looking for is a mattress that your mother tests in the store and that her testing indicates is a good match for her in terms of PPP (or that she thinks is similar to the Rhapsody if thatā€™s what is most important to her) and that doesnā€™t have any weak links in the materials.

I would avoid trying to design the mattress or figure out what she needs ahead of time because her testing will tell you that much better than ā€œtheoryā€.

If you follow the steps in the tutorial post one by one you will be fine.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,
Sorry to bother you again. I was just wondering if it matters where the latex material is produced. Ive been doing reading and know that when comes to poly and memory foams, having the north american stuff seems to be better (unless Iā€™m being mislead). Now for latex as long as it is the natural NR latex does it matter where it come from. When of my local dealers uses NR latex from various areas (like italy and sri lanka). Also what does PPP stand for? Also the retailer uses a 7" base layer of all natural belgium imported latex. The thing is it apparently has 7 different ā€œzonesā€. Is this more of a gimmick to justify an expensive price ?

Hi Manboy,

Itā€™s in the tutorial post (and I really would make sure that you read it first) but it means Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences.

North American materials arenā€™t always better (it depends on the specifics and the quality of what you are comparing) and in the case of latex the type and blend of latex and your own personal criteria and preferences are more important than where the latex is made. I would also be aware that natural latex isnā€™t always ā€œbetterā€ (depending on how you define ā€œbetterā€). There is more about the different types of latex in post #6 here.

Zoning can certainly be useful for those that are more difficult to ā€œfitā€ to a mattress or when it is an improvement in terms of PPP compared to a single firmness but it depends on whether your testing or experience indicates that a specific zoning scheme is a good match for your body type and sleeping positions. There is more about zoning in this article and in post #11 here.

Phoenix

Hello Phoenix,
Well, the search is over, the deal made, the new mattress and adjustable platform delivered, set up, and operational for the past 4 days. Iā€™m glad to announce that I went with the ā€˜Beautifulā€™ mattress by Pure Latex Bliss. The WBB was just a bit too soft in my final determination, with the ā€œbeautifulā€ providing enough comfort, (bless the salesman who tolerated me lying on the floor model for > an hour to determine this), and measured/determined proper spinal alignment, (has same support core as the WBB). I figured I have 120 days to determine if I want the WBB instead of the Beautiful. (I dealt for a waver of the 10% restocking fee too). Bought the whole thing for 3500.00 out the door, plus 2 pure latex scrunchy latex pillows, a formed pure latex neck pillow, and upgraded mattress pad, plus 10% restocking fee waver. Along with what I determined to be a more ā€˜comfortableā€™ latex core,(if there is such a beast), as opposed to the polyfoam core in OMFā€™s latex mattress.
I am more than happy to report that the morning after the first nightsā€™ sleep was the first morning for a long time I woke with absolutely NO BACK PAIN! I was amazed for the whole day, waiting for a twinge or ache, but it never came! could a properly assessed mattress be that powerful to relieve years of daily pain? Each day since has yielded similar results, despite the overuse of my back by detailing all 3 of my salt covered automobiles, including 2 coats of old fashioned waxing on each car. Sure my back ached after each 3+ hour job, but after a night on the new mattress, good as new again! To this I owe you a ton of thanks for all your factual knowledge.
One thing I was wondering, Do latex mattresses need ā€˜break inā€™ time kind of like the memory foam mattresses? I did notice my shoulder was a bit sore in the morning, (probably due to the repetitive motion of ā€˜wax on, wax offā€™ ), but for some reason the mattress did not feel quite as soft as the floor model as I recall. All is the same as the floor model, (had them put on the same adjustable platform to assess). I have looked thru many of the topics in these forums, but havenā€™t found any answer. If the comfort layer will eventually get even a bit softer, it would be cool. Otherwise I may want to switch to the softer WBB.
Thanks again, and I have already told several people at work about your site that are currently ā€˜learningā€™, and evaluating new bedding based on factual knowledge you provided me. Keep up the good work, and bless you and your family for providing a great service to all that take advantage of it. You have made 1/3rd of my life, (the sleeping portion) much better, which has impacted the other 2/3rds, (the waking portion) as well! I also teach ā€˜sleep hygieneā€™ where I work, and would like to refer my students to your website for accurate info on choosing the right mattress to get the best night sleep, if you donā€™t mind.

Hi mcvicker,

All new mattresses will go through a break in period where the foam loses any of its ā€œfalse firmnessā€, materials settle, and the cover loses any of its initial stiffness. Post #2 here has more about the initial break in and adjustment period with a new latex mattress and some suggestions that can help with a new mattress that is too firm (although yours seems to be very close to your ideal but just a bit firmer than the floor model) but in most cases the ā€œbestā€ course of action for the first few weeks is to do nothing. The length of time will vary with different people and different mattress designs and materials and the amount of softening will generally be less with latex than other materials but there will still be some break in (and adjustment) over the course of the first few weeks.

Thanks for all your feedback and the kind words ā€¦ and I think it would be great if the site can also help others that you know or that you feel would benefit from the information here. Thatā€™s what itā€™s here for :slight_smile:

Most importantly of all ā€¦ congratulations on your new mattress ā€¦ it sounds to me like you made a great choice!

Phoenix

Thanks so much for all the valuable information! You have an invaluable site which must take lots of work to run & reply to all our questions. :silly:

Hi eelynek,

Welcome ā€¦ and Iā€™m glad you found us.

Phoenix