In case you havenât read it already, I think the first place I would start is the first post in this very thread which will give you all the basic information you need to help you make some very good choices (and eliminate the worse ones like Serta and Tempurpedic).
Not only have I heard of them but I think highly of Mark and the quality and value of the mattresses he builds.
Some of the better options and possibilities in the NYC area are listed in post #2 here (and post #7 here has a more categorized list with more details about some of them) and Dixie Foam is certainly one of the best options on the list in terms of the quality, value, and service they provide.
A forum search on Dixie Foam (you can just click this) will bring up more forum posts and information about them.
Connecting with local âexpertsâ in combination with good testing is always the best way to choose a mattress that relieves your pressure and keeps you in good alignment in all your sleeping positions (which are the two basic functions of a mattress) which is especially important for anyone with back issues.
Phoenix,Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. This is the first time I have been able to get ârealâ information on what is inside a mattress-you would think it would be simple! I am sold on Dixie Foam but the issue is that I actually live in Maine and would be ordering online without being able to try something out. My questions re two-fold:
Do you know of a similar place in Maine, NH or even Massacchusetts (4 hours away) that offers hi-quality and value? If there is nothing comparable, a drive to NY would be worth the trip to find a good solution
I have read much of your great information on the layers of a mattress and their functionailty. I still feel that sometimes, you can pick what you think are the right support and comfort combinations for your partuclar body, and there is still discomfort. I like memory foam for its âcomformabiityâ, as it is able to adjust around my hip area so that I dont end up with pelvic tilt during the night creating back pain in the morning.Then again too much comfort layering in the top layer can be non-supportive, and causes some of my discs to slip a bit. Too much âfirmnessâ in the support core layer causes hip and shoulder pain-I imagine from pressure points. I am 58 years old, moderate scoliosis, side sleeper primarily, lower back disc issues, sole user of bed, 5â5" 140 lbs. I dont love Latex (have a Latex International Talatech (I think it is Talalay) pillow - dont love the âbouncyâ feel). I am thinking I need a max of 2" memory foam support over ???. Not sure about support layer
Dixie Foam has âHigh-resilience carbamateâ as support- are you famiiar wioth this foam?
If you havenât yet, I encourage you to lay on some latex mattress. I have a LI Talatech pillow and a blended Talalay latex mattress. I love the mattress; I really donât like the pillow. They feel nothing alike. The pillow is dense latex and has that bouncy feel you dislike. The upper layers of the mattress are soft, comfortable and not at all bouncy. I also have an Ultimate Dreams shredded Talalay latex pillow that is my favorite since itâs soft like the mattress, and an all-natural Talalay latex pillow thatâs so dense and bouncy that itâs even worse than the LI pillowâŚyou could bounce a bowling ball off of it.
So there are many types and feels of latex. If youâre near Barrington or Hampton, NH, you can try out some Pure Latex Bliss mattresses at Hubbingtonâs Furniture to experience a range of how those latex mattresses can feel.
I think the choice of materials is a personal preference although and as danielrhall mentioned a latex pillow can be very different animal from a latex mattress and there are also many different types of latex mattresses (just like other types of mattress) in every part of the firmness/softness range.
Post #2 here links to various lists around the forum that are probably the ones that are closest to you.
Good local testing that is as objective as possible ⌠particularly with some good guidance ⌠will give you the best odds of choosing a mattress that is the best âmatchâ for you. Of course nothing is foolproof but accurate testing tilts the odds of making good choices much more heavily in your favor.
The Carbamate that Dixie foam sells is an HR polyurethane foam and is a high quality foam.
Just found your site after a week of mattress shopping and research.
Really like the feel of foam and was vascillating between Serta iComfort and BedinaBox when I found your site.
Which has led me to think I should go to the local manufacturer. Iâm in Minneapolis, so that would be original mattress factory, I think. Are they are your list? Is there anyone else here you recommend?
Also one thing I disliked about the Serta: it is uncomfortable for sitting, which I like to do in bed. Is that true for all foam beds or just the Serta?
The better options and possibilities Iâm aware of in the Minneapolis area are listed in post #2 here. Original Mattress Factory is on the list and is usually among the better options in the areas where they have a store.
This depends more on the layering, the firmness of the layers, and the type of foam (memory foam, polyfoam, latex foam) in the mattress than on the brand. Different types of foam and different designs can be firmer or softer and different types of foams respond very differently from each other as well. Some tend to allow you to sink âinâ the mattress more while others tend to keep you âonâ the mattress more both when you are sitting on them as well as lying on them. Even in the Serta line some will do this more than others depending on the contents of the mattress. Memory foam may do this more than most because it sinks in deeper with heat and compression than other materials but it also depends on the thickness of the memory foam and what materials are underneath them. Itâs more about how the materials and layers in a mattress and how they react to your body weight and position and even though a mattress isnât designed for the more concentrated weight of sitting vs lying ⌠it would be something that you could test for as a preference on any particular mattress that was otherwise suitable for you.
So the simple answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no and âit dependsâ.
Hi Phoenix,
I had written earlier about getting a home made mattress built for me in Maine, but I do not have that option. I mentioned that I had purchased a Serta innerspring mattress and am dissatisfied, but I cannot return it - I can only exchnage for another Serta. I am going to stay away from their i comfort foam series after reading through this site. The one I can exchange for has two options for the comfort layer and I would like to run them by you. (The support layer will be the same oin both-800 Conintuous coils,high count and gauge).( I am 5"6, 135 lbs, sole sleeper, side sleeper). Unfortunately I cannot get out of this deal, so have to make the best of it. I have low back issues and scoliosis so need good alignment in the core layer and then decent support (not sinking too much) in the comfort layter(s). Here goes:
Option I THeir âfirmâ: 1inch comfort foam within quilting,then 3" HI IFD Support Foam plus more 1" comfort foam - on top of the innersprings
Option 2: THeir âPlushâ: 1 inch comfort foam within quilting, then 1" Hi IFD Support foram plus convoluted topper- (I assume this is similar to egg crating>
So which is the best of two bads? I can always sell this bed once I have it and then go get a mattress I need, but for now I have to pick. I am thinking the one without the eff crating. Any help appreciated! I wish I had seen your fantastic site before I made the purchase but you cant win them all!
Thanks for the great info and tips. I went to Restwell Mattress Factory store today and found a bed I like more than anything else Iâve tried, but I donât want to leap until I run it by you. It has 6" High density poly foam topped by 3" Vented memory foam. On top of that are two layers of 5/8" poly foam quilt. The price for a full set is 4799. Your thoughts?
Tthat certainly couldnât be the price for the mattress alone which would be outrageous.
What I (and you) would need to know is the density of all the layers in the mattress âŚ
3" vented memory foam: What is the density of this layer. 6" Hi Density polyfoam: What is the density of this layer. On top of that are two layers of 5/8" poly foam quilt": This is âin the rangeâ of an inch or so so knowing the density wouldnât be as big an issue for me but I would still ask.
I would also need to know the size you are looking at and the âmattress onlyâ price.
If you are looking at an adjustable bed to go under this then I would compare this separately.
I would never consider buying a mattress without knowing the quality of all the layers that were in it.
The density specs you are mentioning are not good in either the memory foam or the base layer (see the memory foam criteria here) and I donât think its particularly good value in its price range. I personally wouldnât consider it.
Trying to decide on a correct firmness for an Ultimate Dreams Latex. I am a sidesleeper and am short and heavy. Any suggestions on whether a firm(3 or 4)middle (5or 6) or plush (7 or 8) would work best for me. thanks for a great forum.
The most accurate way to decide is with some local testing on similar mattresses where you know the details of the layers (which you can use as a guideline)
If this isnât possible ⌠then Chuck knows their mattresses better than anyone and which choices are the most likely to work for different body types and preferences based on the âaveragesâ of their customers and their own knowledge of their mattresses. A conversation with him would be the next best way to help you decide.
In regards to the ultimate dreams euro king mattress, if we needed to replace the 3 inch latex topper in the future, would we be able to replace it with another latex topper from another company?
If you just take things step by step (following the guidelines in the very first post in this thread) you will be fine.
Remember that connecting with the experts who already know what you would otherwise need to learn and knowing just enough to recognize who they are is always much easier than trying to become an expert yourself.
And of course if you have questions along the way you can always post them here
Iâve mentioned it quite a few times on the forum and I think itâs a very high quality memory foam mattress and uses similar quality and density foams and similar layering as the Tempurpedic Rhapsody.
The one I can exchange for has two options for the comfort layer and I would like to run them by you. (The support layer will be the same oin both-800 Conintuous coils,high count and gauge).( I am 5"6, 135 lbs, sole sleeper, side sleeper). Unfortunately I cannot get out of this deal, so have to make the best of it. I have low back issues and scoliosis so need good alignment in the core layer and then decent support (not sinking too much) in the comfort layter(s). Here goes: