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

[Sensei]

Hey My Shoulders,

Thanks for the update. I do understand the cut and paste difficulty, sometimes a nightmare, between different formats…

Good info on the 1.5 months and 2.5 months…which for imports is probably right in an acceptable range, probably around the mean # of days compressed for imports.

Its a really good point about Amazon, and I have been on both sides of the equation, both as a third party seller and a buyer from third-party sellers. For consumers, they do have some good protections that have “value” no doubt about it, but your quote about this process is spot on:

Amazon has a (mostly) helpful intervention component for 3rd-party seller transactions gone awry, although their structure for resolving issues in that realm seems to be a mammoth bureaucracy of many moving (and unmoving) parts.

Thanks again, let us know what final resolution is with Lex/Mod/Amazon.

Sensei

[Sohio]

We slept on a Costco purchased one sided mattress/box spring for 15 years. By the time we moved and threw away the set, the box spring had metal ripping through the bottom and the mattress looked like the waves of the sea. We are now in temporary housing before closing on a new house and are currently on a Queen sleep number bed. There is too much motion when either of us gets up or rolls over and it bothers the other person. We need a bed/mattress for the new house (in two weeks) because we have no bed…not even an old one. We have moved from Chicago to the Cincinnati/Dayton area.

We are middle aged. My husband is 5’10, about 190lb, sleeps on his side mostly but sometimes stomach. He has neck and back issues from his years over a computer. I am obese at 360lbs, 5’8" and now sleep on my back but was a side sleeper before health problems. I have sleep apnea, arthritis in my neck, back, and knees, with nerve impingement in these areas as well as elbows and wrists.

When we went shopping, we liked Temperpedic more than Beautyrest. We both like firmer (not super firm)beds but my husband likes his softer than I do. We don’t like being ‘swallowed’ by our beds.

We want to get a split king adjustable base and two xl twin mattresses. We don’t need or want a lot of bells and whistles like massage or under lights, but we need bases and motors that have large weight capacities.

We have no experience with anything other than traditional beds and have no idea where to shop for mattresses to use on an adjustable base.

Are there any experts to help us in our area? Are there other group members (non-professionals, but have become educated through experience with this group) that live in our area that could help steer us toward reputable & knowledgeable dealers/manufacturers?

Is it a bad idea to order a mattress online? It seems so, but many of the latex (seems preferred on this and other sites) are far away.
I’m afraid I need my ‘hand held’ as I venture into the scary world of mattresses.

[My_Shoulders]

Hey Sensei,

After four or five necessary conversations with Amazon customer service supervisors – solely to encourage them to remain focused on the specifics of my chain-of-correspondence with LexMod/Modway – they intervened appropriately and got results. I got the distinct impression from one of the Amazon supervisors that it was far from their first such interaction with LexMod.

The important takeaway for me was that had I been dealing directly with LexMod (outside of the Amazon platform), I don’t believe they would have done the right thing, short of me filing a consumer protection lawsuit – something most of us are loath to do considering that effort. So, the final result is that LexMod/Modway approved my return/refund, but only after Amazon seriously ‘leaned in’ and pulled their listing for the Modway Sabrina for a few days. It’s unfortunate when a time- and energy-consuming ‘dance’ has to precede quality customer service. I’m happy that 95% of my online purchases (of any product) are pleasurable experiences all around.

Please continue to work on that ‘manufacture date transparency’ issue. Doesn’t seem like a very complex factor to address and ultimately integrate. Here’s how I see that it ‘boils down’ for consumers:

The ‘law tag’ tells you the manufacture date – when you set the mattress on your foundation. Well, how about something similarly revealing – but in advance of the purchase transaction?

Thank you, Sensei, and TMU. Good rest to all.

[Sensei]

Hey My Shoulders,

Thanks again for the update and clearly the Lex/Modway is not going to have that much success going forward. Glad to see Amazon applied pressure, I am not surprised they have had issues with Lex/Modway in the past…seems quite obvious they would.

Thank you for the support, and the manufacture date idea noted about the point of knowing before purchase, as it is documented on the law tag.

Sensei

[My_Shoulders]

Hey Sensei,

Update on ‘manufacture dates’ and such: I was in Sam’s Club a couple days ago and noticed where they have bed-in-box selections available in an aisle in the middle of the store. I got up close to inspect the four sides of the boxes, and to my surprise … voila! Their offerings, called ‘Sleep To Go,’ each had a prominent label/sticker (maybe 5" x 5") with relevant mattress data including at the top-right, the word “Processed” followed by a clearly stated date and time of day. There were mattress boxes labeled from April, May, and June of 2019. April 2019 was the oldest one I could find on the aisle.

So, a good sign.

Cheers!

[phoenix]

Hi Sohio,

Welcome to the Mattress Underground forum :). It seems you came to the right place … our Mattress experts are happy to share their wealth of knowledge and “hold your hand as you venture into the scary world of mattresses”

It looks like you are in a hurry to get a mattress fast … this is not a simple process by any means, which is why it is so critical for all of us, as we age, that we do first a bit of research to help narrow down a few products that best match us in terms of needs and preferences.

Your description of what you like to sleep on when you tried the Tempurpedic is good and helpful, but it is critical that you find the bed with the right specifications, with your BMI and medical issues, doing this really fast could be creating more problems than if you take your time to understand your specific needs as they relate to your particular condition.

We are middle aged. My husband is 5’10, about 190lb, sleeps on his side mostly but sometimes stomach. He has neck and back issues from his years over a computer. I am obese at 360lbs, 5’8" and now sleep on my back but was a side sleeper before health problems. I have sleep apnea, arthritis in my neck, back, and knees, with nerve impingement in these areas as well as elbows and wrists.

A high BMI presents special challenges and generally requires firmer materials (in the support layers especially). There are also a number of forum posts and threads about mattresses and higher weights and a forum title search on heavy Some examples include:

1. Latex & Memory foam for heavy weight in post #2 here and …
2. Starting Mattress specs for heavy weight person in post #2 here and …
3. Mattresses for a heavy weight person topic here and …
4. about Mattresses for Plus size people in Post #3 has more information and suggestions about heavier weights.

As a brief synopsis, higher BMI ranges will need more durable materials and components in a mattress and in a BMI range of 30 or higher I would include any 1.8 lb polyfoam or 4 lb memory foam as a “lower quality/density” material (relative to a higher BMI only) and minimize their use to a total of “about an inch or so or less” in the mattress. For polyurethane foam, if your mattress is one-sided then I would look for 2.0 lb per cubic foot density or higher. If the mattress is two sided then I would use a minimum density of 1.8 lbs per cubic foot or higher. For memory foam (or gel memory foam), if your mattress is one-sided then I would make sure that any memory foam is at least 5 lb per cubic foot. If the mattress is two sided then I would use a minimum density of 4 lbs per cubic foot.

Many of our Mattress Expert Members of the site specialize in mattresses for heavyweight people and also do side by side split kings that seems to be suitable for you. At a quick glance, you can reach out to Arizona Premium Mattress
SleeepEZ but you may also wish to comb through our Mattress Trusted Members here

All of the retailers will have mattresses that can be used on adjustable split king foundations, this is very common. I know that you posted with Richmond Bedding, but I would highly recommend you check more of the Trusted Members, look at their product portfolios and then call and ask them questions. I would certainly suggest to you to rely on the advice of the manufacturer themselves as they are much more familiar with their own mattress designs and materials than anyone else and they can use the information you provide them about your body type and sleeping positions, your preferences, your history on different mattresses, and the results of your local testing to make suggestions based on the “averages” of other customers that may be similar to you. The more accurate and detailed the information you provide them the better you will help them to help you make the best possible choices out of the options they have available. Of course the options you have available with each retailer or manufacturer (or with a particular mattress) and your ability to exchange layers or the mattress itself or use other forms of fine-tuning after your purchase or the return policy may also be an important part of your personal value equation or to offset the risk that can go with any online purchase.

Be sure to read the mattress durability guidelines to make sure the specifications will give you the support you need. It would be best if you could read and try to follow the Mattress Shopping Tutorial and take the time needed, but I know you are pressed for time.

Is it a bad idea to order a mattress online? It seems so, but many of the latex (seems preferred on this and other sites) are far away.

Mattress buying online is the same as buying from a retailer… it can be a good idea and a great experience when dealing with retailers and manufacturers that are Knowledgeable and experienced … but it can also be “a bad idea” if dealing with salespeople who are focusing on marketing stories rather than what is in the mattress and how well a mattress is matching any individual sleeper. it truly comes down to the companies/brands you deal with. The online mattress purchasing is very common these days, with over 20% of mattresses bought online. It is becoming very normal.

I hope this sets you on a productive mattress finding path.
Phoenix

[Sensei]

Hey My Shoulders,

Very interesting, that is good to hear. The Sleep to Go is the Serta memory foam product, not sure if they are making that product themselves or having it made by a contract manufacturer for Sam’s. But, either way, making the subject more “visible” and drawing attention to it is the best we can do now, thanks again. I am going to take a picture of this package and upload on TMU also.

Sensei

[colliganjoanngmailco]

Hi Phoenix,

I have found the mattress I want (Spinks & Co Bristol Model) but I don’t appreciate the price 4000.00. I’m looking to learn what might feel similar to this bed, perhaps the Saatva at 1500.00? Any help would be appreciated!

[MHC]

I need to get a new mattress and need some advice. My main conclusion from reading here is that because I have an unusual body, I haven’t ever tried a mattress that had any chance of working for me.

I want to fix this. I’m in New Orleans; is there someone I should pay a visit to? If not, what are my options?

Either way, I’m going to describe my shape and what I’ve slept on. I’d appreciate any suggestions on how to move forward. I’ve got to buy a new bed. And I want to find something actually good.

This is long, but I’d rather be thorough instead of getting bad advice or having to do some long back and forth.

Here goes:

I’m a competitive athlete (male). I’m 6ft, and 185lbs. So BMI of 25. But I’m currently adding muscle mass and lowering my body fat %, so the BMI is going to get “worse” and will probably end up at about 30.

I’ve got freakishly broad shoulders, amazingly good posture, and a huge differential between my chest and my waist. Plus I’ve got long arms: the bend of my elbows is almost at my hips.

I have literally never managed to buy a dress shirt or suit off the shelf. Normal office chairs stop being comfortable after about 6 months and give up the ghost within a year.

Logically, my problem should translate over to bedding. But until I read this website today, I didn’t make the connection. (For office chairs, the Herman Miller Embody and the Aeron work just fine because they don’t have any foam or anything else that my weird shape could put stress on and wear out. Nothing else has ever lasted.)

According to the articles here, my shoulder measurements would need something like an 8-9" comfort layer to have any hope of sleeping comfortably on my side. (And I’m not even sure that’s going to work. The broadest part of my chest is quite a bit further out than my hip.)

So, that probably explains why I’ve always been a back sleeper and why I do not move at all during the night. (I had a sleep study done and even they thought I was abnormally still.)

I’ve only bought 2 mattresses in the last 20 years. I’ve been putting off buying a 3rd because of how hopeless it was the last two times.

But at this point, I don’t really have a choice. I’m about to have no bed at all.

Both of the two times I went mattress shopping I pretty much hated everything. (And the more comfort layer material it had, the more I hated it. It felt mushy, and my spine didn’t feel remotely aligned – my lumbar and the area between my shoulder blades especially. (The two areas that never fit right on an off the shelf shirt actually. Weird how I didn’t make this connection earlier.)

The first mattress I bought was the bottom of the barrel Select Comfort (before they became Sleep Number). The mattress is just the air bladder. I used it at almost completely full (north of a 90 on a number bed). I only let out just enough air to get proper spinal alignment (which it easily gives me). I slept great on it. I’m sleeping on it right now and it’s still good despite being 20 years old.

But it’s finally starting to wear out and needs refilling and resetting every day to stay comfortable. I need to buy a new bed before I can’t sleep on it through the night.

The second mattress I bought was a pure natural latex from Habitat Furnishings when they were here in New Orleans. I got the one with the softer comfort layer. This was the first foam mattress that I liked. It wasn’t ideal, but I couldn’t find anything even remotely close.

However, as soon as it wasn’t absolutely new, the spinal alignment stopped being good and kept getting worse. Despite regularly rotation and my best efforts to put my weight in different paces, the area around my hips, glutes, and quads has no support at all now. Where my shoulders and head are might as well be new.

It was good for about 4 years, worked okay for another 3, and has been shot for the last 2+. I held off doing anything until it was totally unusable, then swapped back to the Select Comfort. And now that it’s dying I’ve got to buy something.

I slept on a Casper at an airBnB recently. It was fantastic, but it was also brand new. So I doubt it will last. I have a buckling column pillow from Purple that I absolutely love. But I have no clue how long it will last and I’m not convinced that any bed I’ve seen with that material has enough support to not crap out and turn into a huge waste of money.

So what do you guys recommend I do?

I’ll go through my preferences per Phoenix’s post. I’m hoping you can give me better options. But my current thinking is to maybe buy bed in a box mattresses knowing they won’t last and will need to be replaced.

Alternatively, I know that I get good spinal alignment without pressure on a bare air-bladder. So I could buy a high quality version of that. If there’s a model that let’s you add and remove a very thick comfort layer (of varying thicknesses), then I can try different options knowing that I can replace them as they wear out and that I can go back to the bare bladder if it doesn’t work.

As for my preferences:

I sleep hot as-is. New Orleans is a hot, humid swamp and AC systems struggle to keep up. I want something that breaths cool. (And advice on the bedding to go with the bed is appreciated.)

I prefer fast response materials. I love the bounce of the casper and latex; I hate memory foam. I want something toward the top end of the range.

I absolutely want to sleep on the mattress instead of in.

I don’t really care much about motion isolation. I don’t even know why I should care.

I’d love for something that would let me move around like a normal person while I was asleep. I’d especially like to try side sleeping. I’m pretty sure I want ease of movement for “other activities” as well, unless “movement restriction” implies something directly related to them. (But I’d think that would be more a matter of the frame.)

Moderate edge support is enough. But I didn’t like how the latex basically disppeared when I sat on the edge. The Casper was fine at this. I don’t need what you get with an airbed.

I don’t know what “roll together” is. But I’d like to be able to sleep at any part of the mattress the center included.

I’m not sure about “feel” beyond my not ever having tried a spring-based mattress and liked it.

I want quality, durability, and performance. As long as it’s not so expensive that I’m better off buying something disposable, I’m willing to pay more up front to make it last longer. I’m also willing to pay all the way to the top end to get something that sleeps better if it’s going to last long enough to not be a huge waste of money.

In principle, I’d like to be able to change out layers and otherwise make changes and replace things. I like the security of knowing that I can swap out the pieces as they wear out without having to get a whole new thing. I can do without this if I’m really getting something significant out of it.

I want a solid warranty. If I’m paying a ton for it, I damned well expect to get my money’s worth. I don’t need financing or the other value add stuff.

And I already said that I’m willing to pay. The site says that $3k is about maxed out. I’d go higher if it really meant getting something I’m happy with and confident isn’t going to be a waste of money. But if I can buy a cheap mattress every few years and come out ahead, so be it.

I’m not sure what you mean by price vs quality and “commodity” value beyond that.

I like the zero g position you can get with an adjustable frame. I can sleep great in a quality recliner after a hard day. And that’s a similar position. (If anyone knows how to buy a recliner that doesn’t also give out, I’d like that advice. Hell, I’d buy the recliner and just have the bed for “other activities” if need be.)

I can’t stand the weight of the Latex mattress. It makes even changing out the sheets a chore. And I like to redecorate. I’d rather that be a one man job. I’ll tolerate the weight if it gets me the rest, but all else equal, less weight is better.

Since I like sleeping on a bare air mattress, “Very firm” is fine. Spinal alignment is usually a huge problem though. And I’ve been fine with softer when the alignment was good. (The new Casper, the new Latex one.) So I probably don’t have a good sense of preference here.

I don’t care about natural vs. synthetic. I care about the feel and the quality.

I don’t have enough experience with cover and quilting to say. I did have allergies as a kid. Because I tend to sleep hot, I’d like something that isn’t going to get stained by my sweat or trap my body odor if I’m too drained to take a shower after practice going until 11pm.

As far as the who I’m buying from and services they offer questions. I’m flexible. I don’t want to spend a ton of time going back and forth or traveling. Ideally, I’d just order online. But my situation is complicated enough that I’m willing to go to a store and work with a knowledgeable person if it gets better results and doesn’t become aggravating.

I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this and offer some constructive advice. I’m at a real loss as to how to handle this.

[rsangsura]

[color=black]I’m looking to buy a Full XL sized mattress for my almost-3 year old that is good for her now but that she can grow into. There is, of course, a complication that I was hoping to get some assistance with…

A few things to note before starting:

1. I’m looking at latex mattresses. Mine and my husband’s bed is latex and we love it, though I’ve long ago lost the stats on it and the website/company we purchased from is now closed.
2. No one locally in Shreveport, LA sells latex mattresses to my knowledge, so I’m having to do this all based on theory.
3. There aren’t many websites that sell Full XL sizes, but of the ones that do, there seem to be different ways to reference how hard or soft a piece of latex is (D## vs ILD)
4. Natural and/or organic is important to me, so I’m not looking for synthetic latex.

So… the complication is that my sister will sleep in the same bed with my daughter when she comes to visit, and obviously they’ll have different needs:

For my daughter, she’s in the lower 10th weight percentile (so a small kid) at 25 lbs. She’ll be 3 in a month and a half. She tends to sleep on her side or back.

For my sister… She is what I’d consider average height and weight (5’6" and 145-ish lbs), but she isn’t the curviest of women (her hips are pretty straight and she doesn’t have an overly large chest) and she’s always had broad shoulders that aren’t necessarily obviously broad-looking, but are just broad enough to make it so that about half of the dresses or shirts sold on the market won’t fit her because they aren’t made with enough room for her shoulders – hello! spaghetti straps (they are her friend). Additionally, she has scoliosis.

As a child and into adulthood she was a stomach sleeper, but in recent years, her chiropractor informed her that it’s the “unhealthiest” way to sleep from the chiropractic standpoint, and so she has re-trained herself to sleep on her back, but finds this to still be a little uncomfortable. Therefore, she often finds herself “cheating” by side-sleeping.

In terms of preference, she prefers softer beds and says she can’t sleep in a hard bed. She absolutely hates the combo I tried to put together of an old traditional innerspring bed with the latex sofa bed cushion (no clue the hardness) on top that I stole from the sofa to try to soften the bed for her.

I’ve been reading through a LOT of the posts here and the guides (and falling down the rabbit hole of links contained therein), and I’ve got a proposal based on my sister’s stats, but I’d like to see what you (admins, etc) think of it:

I’ve determined to create a mattress with one side for my daughter that is “flippable” to something comfortable for when my sister comes to visit (or for my daughter to change things up as she ages). I will describe the mattress top to bottom with my daughter being the “top” portion and my sister being the “bottom” portion.

Option 1 through DIY Natural Bedding…

3" Med (D75) - Comfort for toddler
3" Hard (D90) - Core part 1
3" Firm (D80) - Core part 2
3" Med (D75) - Mid-support/comfort
3" Soft (D65) - Comfort for 32 yr old
All of this wrapped in 3 lb batt of wool (which compresses to 1/2 in) to protect latex and maybe help as a fire barrier
Cotton Knit ticking

Alternately buying just the latex from Latex Mattress Factory (LMF) or SleepOnLatex (SOL) & getting the wool & ticking from DIY Natural Bedding…

2" Med (28 ILD) Dunlop - Comfort for toddler
6" Firm (38 ILD) Dunlop - Core (or even 2 layers of 3" Firm from b/c it’s cheaper that way)
3" Med (28 ILD) Dunlop - Mid-support/comfort
2" Soft (19 ILD) Talaylay (from LMF) OR 1" Soft (20 ILD) Dunlop (from SOL) - Comfort for 32 yr old
All of this wrapped in 3 lb batt of wool (which compresses to 1/2 in) to protect latex and maybe help as a fire barrier
Cotton Knit ticking (from DIY, which I like better than the others)

Any input or other things I haven’t considered are welcome. I’m also not averse to mixing slabs from the two companies either, but I’m really not sure how the scales (D## to ILD) compare.

Thanks![/color]

[Sensei]

Hi rsangsura,

Welcome to our mattress forum :).

Thanks for the post and for providing all the background info. Well done.

Before I get to specifics of the latex questions or of the mattress builds you came up with, let me just ask a couple of questions and suggest something.

Given that your daughter is 3 years old, any high-quality mattress that you design for your sister/daughter will most likely work very well for her when she grows older. Part of me thinks you may be overthinking it with the 2 sided design. For her years 3-13 this great mattress will work very well for her, and it does not have to be 2 sided…in my opinion only, but if you are really determined, I can work with you on this also.

Let me know your thoughts on this point first then I will get you more info on the design you are proposing and how they may work for your sister, ok?

Thanks,
Sensei

[rsangsura]

[color=black]I would say that yes, I’m really determined.
(Though I will admit that I am nearly incapable of not thinking everything through to a detailed degree, especially with expensive purchases. )

I also have my mom who likes a firmer mattress (I had to put boards under the mattress on the sofa bed one time when she was visiting). She is currently living with us and not looking like she’ll be able to go back home anytime soon (family drama), and she often helps put my daughter to bed. She was just complaining to me the night-before-last about how my daughter’s current mattress hurt her back when she fell asleep there, but she also has a bunch of ruptured disks in her back, so there’s that…

In any case, I also really, really like maximum flexibility in all things insofar as I can have it, so I really like the 2 sided concept of one softer and one firmer, so please do continue with your thoughts on things.

Thanks![/color]

[Sensei]

Hey rsangsura,

Thanks for the info. Ok, Let talk about the 2 sided design…noted on your Mom staying with you, ruptured discs, etc, etc.

And your mother likes firmer, but sister likes softer. So I will just look at the bed builds, as I think the wool/cotton ticking is a great idea from DIY Natural, and you list it for both options.

Option 1 DIY
3" Med (D75) - Comfort for toddler
3" Hard (D90) - Core part 1
3" Firm (D80) - Core part 2
3" Med (D75) - Mid-support/comfort
3" Soft (D65) - Comfort for 32 yr old

Option 2
2" Med (28 ILD) Dunlop - Comfort for toddler
6" Firm (38 ILD) Dunlop - Core (or even 2 layers of 3" Firm from b/c it’s cheaper that way)
3" Med (28 ILD) Dunlop - Mid-support/comfort
2" Soft (19 ILD) Talaylay (from LMF) OR 1" Soft (20 ILD) Dunlop (from SOL) - Comfort for 32 yr old

Both of these mattresses would be of very high quality and durability. Both DIY and SOL use 100% natural latex and some like to use ILD and some like to use Density (M/cubed). The D measurements are how the latex producers sell these cores, so just for your own info you can ask SOL what are the densities of their 28 and 38 ILd Dunlop pieces…it will be between 75-90 same as DIY.

I would caution mixing the latex too much between suppliers because of the issue with densities / ild’s, just as you mentioned. I personally would want to know the manufacturers of each latex to make sure I am not using one latex from Europe and India, and Sri Lanka, etc…you may receive one’s medium and it feels the same as ones firm.

The Talalay is pretty standard, so you could buy that layer separately, and it will not be much of a problem. You want to have one side “feel” softer, and many times mfgrs.

Have you discussed with Debroah at DIY the concept and gotten her input? Same question for LMF or SOL, they are all really good latex experts, so they may have some suggestions.

I would want her or the others to believe that there will be enough of a feel difference between each side. The issue many people experience is that the mattress only feels “slightly different” once its all put together. Also Just FYI the FUL XL 15 inch latex mattress will weigh close to 200lbs? Not easy to flip over.

Please message back if you have any other questions, I will be posting some every day this week.

Thanks
Sensei

[MHC]

I know you guys say it may take a while to get a reply, but is there anything I could do to make this easier? Any particular expert I should talk to?

I’m looking for any advice or ideas ya’ll have. What I’ve read here taught me how I was doing it wrong, but I’m not really sure how to do it right given my situation.

There are a few posts from a while back about places in Baton Rouge. Should I go there and try their spring mattresses? I’m open to pretty much anything at this point.

[crazykitties]

You may want to take a look at SwissDreamBeds.com… it is natural, but not nearly as heavy as other natural mattresses (I’m a grandmother and it wasn’t terribly bad for me to handle, though I did get some help just in case). The beds are hand-made by a Swiss-trained German man in Canada who is absolutely amazingly talented, and basically provide complete alignment through the night, regardless of sleeping position, size or weight, etc.

The only issue you may have is that if you sleep in the middle of the bed, it won’t provide the same alignment, as there are two sides so that each partner (if there is more than one in the bed) can move and have the same complete support individually. However, I found that only took me one night to adjust to and enjoy sleeping on only one side.

The people at SwissDreamBeds.com are extremely helpful and communicative. I’m from NOLA, and currently live on the Gulf Coast, and managed to comfortably buy my bed through communicating with the owner by phone and email. It’s the best bed I’ve ever had, and I’m super picky! The bed lasts many, many years. It took a week or so for me to adjust to it, which the owner said to expect. He also said that if I didn’t like it for any reason, he’d take it back… but there’s no way I’d part with this bed! Amazing bed, amazing customer service, amazing sleep, amazing experience. I bought it sight unseen/untried, and wouldn’t trade it for the world. I hope this helps!

[Sensei]

Hi MHC,

Welcome to the forum :).

Hey sorry about that, it seems your first post was missed, my apologies. I am just first giving you a quick note about listing retailers, then this evening I will give you more suggestions on what you may do to find your perfect mattress.

Unfortunately, we have decided to discontinue the provision of listings of potential retailers in various geographic regions (unless they are already approved site members), because of the difficulty in maintaining such lists in a retail landscape that is constantly changing, and most importantly the confusion it was created with the consumer members who incorrectly assumed that these businesses had indeed gone through the strict qualification process and were approved as members of The Mattress Underground. Such an assumption is unfair to both the consumers seeking assistance, as well as the very businesses and manufacturers who meet the criteria to become Mattress Members of The Mattress Underground.

I will message again, sorry about the delay in getting back to you.

Sensei

[Sensei]

Hey MHC,

Thanks for sending in the post with all the detailed information. Again sorry for the late reply.

I have read over everything you wrote, and all the preferences that you have outlined in your post. Well done by the way. I was going to search around NOLA area, but I really think with your body style, you are going to have a tough time at the retailers.

At first, I was going to recommend an all latex mattress but toward the end of your post I started to believe you really should get a Latex Hybrid mattress. We have several Mattress Expert members that make a very supportive, pretty firm hybrid mattress but you also get comfort layers on top that can be exchanged. Luma Sleep and Arizona Premium are two that I can think of right off the bad. You can ask questions here or directly call them.

With the hybrid, I also thing the combi zone pocketed coil base is better for you than the bolsa as it is generally a firmer unit compared to the bolsa. Both are made by Leggett and Platt, and are well known here on TMU.

With the Luma you would look at the Hybrid Slumber System and then you would choose what 3" latex firmness you would want. Given your preferences, you would want to get at least a 28 ILD topper maybe even 36ILD to keep your alignment and “sleeping on” the mattress. Arizona’s hybridhas similar choices.

Additionally, hybrids are cooler than all latex. Lighter than all latex, and really good durability. Let me know your thoughts and any other questions you may have.

Thanks,
Sensei

[CeruleanBlue]

Wondering if anyone has any feedback on the Recore mattress? Appears to be a child of goodmorning.com which also is reasonable for Novosbed, Douglas, etc. I see Novosbed used to be a trusted member but is not any longer? Is there any particular reason for that?

Currently we have a foam mattress with a foam topper made by a local mattress store but it’s 16 years old and has needed replacement for probably 5 years I’d say. The removable top layer has body dents in it and instead I sleep in my daughter’s bed with IKEA latex mattress because my hips and back get so sore I never get any sleep in the bed we have and am in pain all day because of it.

We don’t like sleeping on top of memory foam. We’ve owned a “natural” memory foam topper in our RV, and we hated it. Made us sweat and I don’t like how it doesn’t seem to spring back. I am sure there are better memory foams out there, but I think I’d like to stick with something closer to latex. The Recore has a synthetic latex top layer, and the rest are differing layers of foam. Ultimately, I’d like a straight organic latex/wool mattress but $2700+ vs $950 is a huge difference (we are upgrading to a king while having to buy a new mattress so also have to purchase a new bed). Our BMIs are 20 and 22 if that factors in to suitability of this mattress for us. And we do often have one of the kids join us (thus the upgrade to a king).

My main concern about all the foam is the long term degradation of foam and those particles getting into the air we breathe on a regular basis which is why I had had hopes for natural latex, but it doesn’t seem the price of them has gone done in the last decade.

While anyone is reading, I also have a pillow question. Currently sleeping on a 20 year old buckwheat pillow that is long overdue for replacement. I like that I can mold it and my head has a “hole” to fit into and gives me support under my neck. Regular style pillows I don’t like as they don’t have that moldability. I found the Silk & Snow pillows. Any feedback on those or other pillows similar that I might like? Avocado Green Mattress had a latex/Kapok pillow that also interested me, but they are in the USA and I’d rather not deal with the duty/brokerage fees and horrible exchange rate.

Edit: I have some more Recore information. No flame retardants are used so that is one less toxin to worry about. And here is a description of the foam layers:

First layer: 1.5 inches of graphite-infused latex with vertical air channels. Layer density: 3.4 lbs/ft³.
Second layer: 2 inches of Vortex™ gel foam. Foam density: 2.5 lbs/ft³.
Third layer: 7 inches of motion isolating support foam. Foam density: 1.8 lbs/ft³.

[Drackean]

Hi Phoenix,

First of all, thank you so much for the great wealth of information you guys made available on this site. This is truly enlightening and helpful.

My wife and I are 32 years old, 5’6’’ 140 lbs and 5’10’’ 185 lbs respectively. We’ve been sleeping for the last 7 years on a 2007 pillowtop innerspring/polyfoam and I frequently wake up early in the morning with low/mid back pain at the rib cage level and below. I will usually fall asleep on the back and wake up on the side, switching every 15-20 minutes from back pain. My wife says she sleeps OK but that she could use a better bed.

Following my readings on The Mattress Undergound, we finded a helpful and knowledgable local manufacturer and selected 3 mattresses that fitted our tastes, our favorite being the following:

Matelas Albizia | Matelas Dauphin

Materials, according to the salesman :
-Tempered steel pocket-coil, overall gauge 13.5 and 13 at mid-section
-1 inch 2.5 lbs polyfoam
-2 inches 65 % Talalay Latex (stated density 4.5 lbs, not sure what it means)
-1 inch 2.5 lbs polyfoam
-Wool for temperature and moisture regulation (so I am told)
-Less than an inch or so of eggshell foam with quilt

Based on what I learned from your website, I feel confident the mattress is made to last. However, I have a hard time understanding how to establish PPP. I read “Confort and Pressure relief” as well as “Support and Spinal alignement”, but every mattress we try just feels like it keeps our spine in line, which is probably not the case.

To further try and understand how to evaluate spinal alignment on new mattresses, I took some photos of myself lying on my old bed (see below). As far as I can tell, my spinal “S” keeps its shape on the back position and stays straight and level on the side position. Do you have any additional advice on that matter? I can’t be testing new mattresses if I can’t even troubleshoot old ones! So far, I can’t even explain why I would need a new mattress, besides the fact that it is old and that I don’t sleep well (which could happen on a brand new one).

Any clue?

[MHC]

Sensei,

Thank you very much for your help. I hadn’t even considered a hybrid mattress, but I can see how that makes sense. I’ve got a couple of questions. If any of these are more appropriate for the experts, let me know and I’ll ask them. (E.g. I’m not really sure of the differences between Luma and Arizona’s models from the web. That’s probably the first thing I’m going to ask them.)

1. With the ones you recommended, do you think it will be possible for me to attempt side-sleeping despite the huge gap between my shoulders and hips? Do you expect that they’ll be able to get me something that “works” on the first go? Or is it likely that I’m going to have to use a comfort layer exchange a couple of times to nail it?

2. I’m assuming you changed you mind and decided on the hybrid because of the mattress weight, heat, support, and durability issues. Or was there more to it than that?

3. Is there a good source for bedding advice? I’ve tried a bunch of different sheet/blanket options over the years and haven’t every been truly satisfied.

4. I like the idea of an adjustable bed base, but having never used one, I don’t know. Does anyone offer an in-home trial of that? And is the best option to price shop for a model that does the minimum that I want? Or is it better to just get the base from whoever I get the mattress from? I really only want zero g and slight head elevation when back sleeping, but are there any quality/durability indicators or particular features I should probably look for or consider as well?

5. Did I just luck out on the Select Comfort bare bladder? Or is there a reason it happened to give me proper spinal alignment? The support core information makes this sound like a lucky coincidence, but maybe I’m wrong. (I get that the reason it lasted so long was that air doesn’t wear out as a support layer and it could handle the density of my lower body.)

6. One thing I like about that air bladder is that it equalizes pressure. So the harder my body pushes down around my hips and thighs, the more it pushes up into recessed areas like the small of my back. Is that a sensation that can be replicated? Or is that just naturally going to happen in any good bed that gives me proper alignment?

7. I’d like to try a buckling column gel comfort layer. Is there a way to do that from some reputable company that doesn’t use sketchy marketing “woo”? Most of the companies that I can find via searches seem to be defunct. Beliot made a bed using L&P’s version of that material, but the websites for both make me think it is no longer available. (I was hoping to try the hexagonal one the article here mentions, but I couldn’t find it for sale.) Several friends with similar body types did a very comprehensive test of bed-in-a-box mattresses and found that Purple’s worked the best. And I really like the pillow they gave me, but I’m not keen on patronizing people with questionable marketing practices.

8. Casper makes a big deal over having a latex layer above memory foam. Does putting fast response over slow response in the comfort layer actually do anything? Or is that marketing BS as well? Are there other comfort layer configurations besides single piece of latex that I should specifically ask your experts about? Or should I just point them to my original post and let them take it from there?