It is so nice to read your update on your well-researched DIY and the decisions you made. Thank you for your kind words of appreciation about TMU and for our work. It is truly a two-way road and even though we are striving to āsimplify the credible and objective information needed to buy mattressesā(I like this ) this serves only as a launch pad because ultimately it is the consumer who needs to take responsibility and integrate any information or knowledge we pass on to apply it to their own need, preferences, and circumstances.
I am glad that you adjusted to your new mattress and the mattress to you and that you are getting a good night sleep. As you are well aware, Arizona Premium is a Trusted member of this site which means that I think very highly of them and that I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service they offer to consumers, knowledge, and transparency. Thank you for choosing from our trusted members.
I look forward to any updates you might have once you have the chance to sleep on it for a while longer.
Hi all
I need an xl twin mattress for the new bunk bed (Here is a link - https://www.smarthomedesk.com/best-loft-beds-for-adults-and-kids/) Iām ordering - most of the nicer mattresses are too thick (I need it to be 8" or shorter) and ikea doesnāt make xl twin size, or Iād just get one there. Any recommendations? I want to keep it on the cheaper side - $500 or less
You are welcome and thanks for the update. Iām am glad that you noticed a difference, itās completely subjective that is why we always tell each personā¦āyouā are the only one that can decide on the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range.
I am glad that you opted for a Talalay pillow. It should be cooler than the memory foam ā¦. let us know if you see a difference.
Has anyone ever replaced their sofa air-bed with a foam or other type of mattress. We own a 2013 Bighorn, and have used the airbed for the grandkids a number of times, but it's already loosing air overnight and I'm looking for another type of solution other than replacing it with the same product !
Well, we are one week in one the new mattress. So far, itās fantastic. No adjustment period necessary so far, except to get used to being much more comfortable.
The Mrs. loves it, and it has definitely slowed down the rotisserie for me.
The experience with Magic Sleeper was greatā¦all the way through delivery.
I will check in if things change as we get on, but so far weāre really happy with it.
So sorry for the delay in getting back to you. When I was looking into this issue for you, I read on the Heartlandowners.org site that many people complained of air leaks. There is a ārepait kitā that comes with it, that seems to work if you are able to easily locate the leak. That said, many people replaced the air mattress. You can replace it with another air mattress or purchase the correct size foam, either memory foam or latex foam, but would certainly work well with grandkids.
I think 3" toppers work well for kids sleepovers, at our house we have a bunch ot twin size 3" latex toppers, mostly medium firmness, and everyone loves them, and of course, good latex lasts forever. If you are so inclined you can talk to any of our trusted membersand they can steer you in the right direction. Either way, you should be ok with replacing it with your choice of material.
Thanks for the wealth of the information provided on this site. I also wholeheartedly agree that you can quickly suffer from information overload with mattress info. Regarding online reviews. I have never traversed a more difficult information search with so little actual statistical information. and discovered only after reading the articles here why so many mattresses showed up in the same places in so many reviews.
Sadly - it also led to a puchase which is not going well. After cruising many reviews, we went with the layla mattress. (only discovering this forum after wards) And itās break in had been less than stellar. It is not fitting our needs, and is failing to live up to the review hype of āsoftā even after several processes like walking across it to accelerate the break in. To our opinion, even the āsoftā side is far too hard- which is leaving us to consider other options as the return term comes up. caveat emptor.
Once again, weāre on the hunt for a king size mattress. The mattress we are replacing is a queen size serta, vera wang latex, which as served us very well for the last decade - if it was still made, we would have purchased another one without any issue. Itās only shortcoming was being a little firm for our tastes, so we added a 3" latex topper shortly after purchase, and an additional memory foam topper later.
The specifics:
Me 6ā, 205-215# (depending on the season)
the wife: 5ā, 120#
weāre both 90% side/10% back sleepers
both of us love soft mattresses. the softer the better. both of us seem to be highly sensitive to hip pain from harder mattresses we encounter.
budget: under $2000 ideal, $3000 max (if we can find another mattress that will serve a decade with little to no breakdown) - price is well worth it. thatās $30 a month. we can eat out one night a month less if we have to.
limitations: allergies - to wool. which is why we now tried a memory foam type. I was unable to locate online latex retailers that did not use wool in the construction. We would also prefer a solid foam construction for the movement isolation
also height. keeping the mattress to 12" or less is ideal with our current foundation.
It would be great to find another latex mattress, but if need be, we are exploring the simple option of getting another topper, but after reading a few more details about the foam density of the layla, I doubt weād get more than 5 years out of it before we noticed the breakdown. I question whether a quality latex topper would be a cost effective investment at that point
I guess what weāre looking for at this point is some more credible information to research an actual soft mattress, based on real definable numbers we can compare against. We have tried a few of the other popular types out there, like the purple, and a few hybrids, and while fairly comfortable (as much as one can determine from 15 minutes laying on them) we could tell the difference in the way mattress handles motion from our current solid foam. Weāre familiar with latex, but have enjoyed the cradling sinking feeling of the softest tempur mattresses weāve laid on.
Due to location, and limits of not having a large city nearby. retailers that ship are basically also a priority.
This site and forum are a fantastic resource, I really appreciate all of the great detailed information, thank you to all the experts and authors. After reading through all of the primers and a good chunk of forum posts, Iāve narrowed down what I think might work best, but would appreciate if I could compare notes and check if my thinking makes sense. (I apologize if this is not the right place to post this question, I couldnāt find a specific section just for recommendations).
Proposed Build:
Support core: 6-8" non-zoned pocket coil innerspring with support edge (e.g. L&P Bolsa Quantum Edge Elite)
Comfort layer: 3" talalay (natural or blend), medium (high-20s, low-30s ILD)
Cover: ~1" wool or bamboo
Questions:
Does a hybrid latex/innerspring seem like the right choice?
Originally was leaning toward a zoned innerspring (e.g. L&P combi-zone), but seems like zoned is less ideal for side sleepers and really tall folks. Is that correct?
Arizona Premium Mattress seems perfect for this type of build, but are there other manufacturers/sellers that we should check out? Also considering Luma Natural Latex Hybrid and Nest Hybrid Latex.
APMās Bolsa is 6" and CombiZone is 8", does innerspring height make a difference for us?
Seems like side sleepers should aim for softer comfort layers, but heavier folks should aim for firmer (which will end up feeling softer), so am I right in thinking we should average out to medium (high-20s ILD)?
Do we need a second comfort layer or is a 3" latex comfort layer sufficient given our stats?
Hello, I hope to ask those with more mattress knowledge if what I had before exists anymore, its really tough to find an acceptable mattress it seems today! I used to have an old Sealy Posturepedic spring mattress extra firm I think and would really just want to get one similar, but have had several failed attempts so far! This mattress lasted 10-12 years and was firm and awesome, the past couple years though it started to sag and we had to give it up, but we have found nothing but problems finding a good mattress!
Because we liked Sealy we tried one first after a long search we tried an extra firm Sealy pillowtop, but my wife found the pillow top uncomfortable over time, and I found myself sinking in it too much, causing my shoulders to round forward when laying face up and shoulder pain after lifting weights particularly.
Next we looked around a lot more and decided to go with a Costco extra firm foam mattress, we were tired of looking for mattresses, and sleeping on the other one disrupting our sleep. We figured Costco has a great return policy, and since it was described by many as being ātoo firmā we thought it would be a good fit. Unfortunately it was not as firm as advertised from the start (Iām still not sure if maybe we got a mis-labelled lower firmness) and the smell was pretty bad and lingering, and we got rid of this after about a month of trying it.
Next we found in Macys an extra firm mattress we liked, and found that we could order an equivalent model online from USMattress for half price (without the ātitanium meshā of the Macyās model) and did so: we bought King Simmons Beautyrest Platinum Spring Grove Extra Firm Mattress. It was great at first and we thought we finally got it right. In fact it was almost too firm for my wife. However, several months later the firmness started to break down. About 4 months into using the mattress and I realized I was sleeping in a depression, and rolling over either direction was up an incline! My wife is also unhappy with it now, and is not sure whether itās a depression or being a tiny bit too firm thatās the problem (Iām not sure how they fit together). Of course the depression all but disappears when I get up, so it seems I will never achieve the 1.5 inches depression required by warranty I found to return it, and if it got close Iām not sure I would be able to continue sleeping on it! It really seems all the new one sided mattresses are garbage that sags over a short period of time, and they put this 1.5inch sag requirement in to scam people knowing it will sag but bounce back: how is there ever going to be a depression that stays so deep without weight on it when the foam slowly re-lofts!
I am now wondering if we should have tried latex, but really donāt want to keep spending on mattresses after these losses, especially at latex prices I see. I think we would really just want one of my old flippable spring firm mattresses but donāt know where to find it. Please help!!
Personal info:
Me: 230ish, 5ā11" weightlifter (heavy upper torso with broad shoulders that seems to form impressions in the new foam mattresses and cause shoulders to be pushed forward when laying face up), side and back sleeper
Wife: 150 5ā9" side and back sleeper
Currently have a frame with 2? crossbars and a King Simmons Beautyrest Platinum Spring Grove Extra Firm Mattress which was really nice until it started to sink.
Budget: ~$1,000-$2000 (but willing to spend more if thereās a great long lasting mattress or compelling reason)
Concerns: stinky foam outgassing that doesnāt go away, foam layers that sink with time, one sided mattresses seem to degrade quickly and cause body impressions to form. Now my wife is confused what is causing her issues about this mattress causing her upper back pain and is wondering if its the sinking or its too firmā¦is there an old style king size firm spring mattress that is flippable anywhere?
C5 complete, 9 years post injury, Iāve been in a hospital bed https://www.smarthomedesk.com/best-reclining-sofas/ with a foam mattress since the injury, and Iāve had no skin problems. I think itās time for a new mattress and if money is not an issue, should I just stay with a foam mattress or should I swing for the fence and go with one with air chambers and such?
[left]Why did you choose that name? Just kidding, I love seeing some of the forum names, yours being very to the point.
Regarding the Sealy Mattress you once had, short answer, it doesnāt exist, and canāt be found. Sure one could look up the specs in research, but it wonāt matterā¦way too many variables, Sealy probably doesnāt even use any of the same coils, different fabrics, no FR layers, and then trying to get someone to matchā¦its a nightmare waiting to happen. I could go on, but I think you get my point.
You hit on some great points on why we always send people to our trusted members so you can get transparent information from companies that use high-quality materials.
This quote could be called the ādefinition of the mattress warrantyā, you are spot on:
You are correct, itās rigged not to pay warranties.
These are good concerns listed, and these happen all the time to people that buy mattresses without knowing what is inside and why. I really think you should start over nd not chase a product that was good for you 13 years agoā¦generally speaking things change and that āperfectā mattress may not be the right one for you ā¦today.
Iām not sure what youāve read since you found the site but just in case you havenāt read it yet ā¦ the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice ā¦ and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones. Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure youāve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best āmatchā for you in terms of ācomfortā, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesnāt turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the āvalueā of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesnāt turn out as well as you hoped for).
I hope this helps, some of the members make a lot of innerspring mattresses here is the list of member companies innerspring mattresses
Hello Sensei thanks for the reply. I am extremely frustrated with trying to choose one as it affects our sleep and we already spent lots of time and money on this and seem to have come up empty handed. Its even more frustrating to me since the one we got was great at first but in less than a year has started to really cause sinking/body impressions, and both previous times I purchased a mattress I was able to get a good 8-15+ yr long life out of my first choice without it doing this. I think we had a simple frame at first, but ended up using it on box springs on the floor after a move for the majority of the time. Iām not sure whether we have the time or will to start completely over, and Iām kind of loathe to talk to salesmen since it all seems to be essentially just sales talk they talk to sell a mattress without much knowledge or care! Can you make some suggestions to a similar mattress brand/type/model as Iād described possibly? I am in Washington state, it looks like CA is the closest of any on the link page you linked. I will also try to answer the linked page questions in your language with links you defined and see if any suggestions come to mind?
More details of what I remember in case anyone has knowledge from back then. This was a King Sealy spring mattress extra firm 15 years old (checked it lasted longer than I thought, but I should have replaced before the last couple years due to sloping/compression finally). I am pretty certain it had one of the longest warranties they had and I never had to use it (donāt know the specifics of coverage but it wasnāt the current scammy coverage of 1.5" sinking), it also was from a sale of a ādiscontinued lineā or some such at the time, so it may have been an even older model than 15yrs being discontinued? (or yes possibly salesman BS). It had a quilted cover with a smooth but tightly woven full ārounded diamond?ā like pattern that was very firm on running your hands over it but did conform some to direct pressure, however they had a good amount of resilience to them and I remember running my hand across the mattress through my fitted sheet feeling them bump my hands up and down due to the resistance to compression and really liking this. I have not really found this level of resistance much in the mattresses I tried out, the current one I tried had some of this effect but not very much and it has already degraded a lot. It did not sink much at all with my bodyweight of about 210 back then.
Now for speaking the language from the links you provided it will take time to get through all of this but here is a start. We donāt like mattresses with much of any sinking DOWN (for me especially this causes shoulders to be higher than torso when laying flat and causes muscle shortening and pain in the shoulders) or sinking IN to the mattress very much, but some is necessary due to my wife liking a little less firm than I. Both of us do not like memory foam we have tried, as its hot and conforms without support. Temperature control is important to us and pillow tops we tried are too hot in the summer for sure.
Iām pretty certain we want quilted cover, innerspring, two sided, firm to extra firm, very durableā¦
Slow or fast response materials and where in the range you prefer ā we liked the spring return of a spring mattress with a firm foam quilted on top, I may not be clear on this question/concept.
Sleeping āonā vs āinā the mattress ā definitely ON
Motion isolation with small and large movements ā not highest priority, more is better.
The ease of movement or movement restriction on the mattress for changing position and āother activitiesā ā ease of movement is important, especially since without it I think we are talking sinking into the mattress a lot which we donāt like.
Edge support for those who sit or sleep on the edge of a mattress ā not primary, I have noticed the two we tried had a lot of edge support which caused more essential sinking into the mattress over time and a center and side āridgeā.
āRoll togetherā for those who sleep close together in the center of a mattress --No, separate sleepers.
Overall āfeelā (such as the difference between combinations that include the āfeelā of innersprings and/or different types of foam in the comfort or support layers) ā we like the feel of innersprings.
Durability of materials in the mattress ā very important, showing a lot of wear in a year is a complete failure.
Durability of construction (such as one or two sided) ā definitely two sided
Quality and performance of materials and construction ā Iām not sure since what we purchased before seems to be of good quality, but was about $1k for a king mattress.
Ability to open the mattress and exchange layers or make changes after purchase ā a realm Iām not sure about engaging into at all unless the store is close in WA state.
Warranty and warranty exclusions (which are often more important then the warranty itself). You can read more about mattress warranties here .
Budget limitations and range ā we would like to be in the $1k range but willing to go $2k range if a great mattress and warranty with exchange
Price vs quality and ācommodityā value of materials ā I really donāt know what this one means.
Mattress only
Any brands/ideas come to mind?
There are two we are leaning towards that we had tried before, a ā50ās mattressā in Macyās (to try to get back to the innerspring type we had) and a hard foam that one local store had obtained they said to try to cater to the many Indian customers in the area who prefer a firm feelā¦but these are kind of shooting in the dark since we donāt know the longevity of either.
Thank you for the kind words and for the information you provided. Sorry to hear that your current Simmons Beautysleep is sagging and let you down after only one year of use. While it can get a little intense when you start out with research and testing for a new bed and it is great to see that you dived into it, organizing things according to your personal value equations and asking the right questions. ? Well done!
Hybrid mattresses are a great choice for many people and from the specifics you shared Iād tend to agree that it is a good option to mitigated both some of the temperature regulation issues you mentioned and the conforming qualities that you seem to need due to your recent injuries. Keep in mind that while I can certainly help with āhowā to choose, Itās difficult to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, or combinations of materials or components because the first āruleā of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation. about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best āmatchā for you in terms of ācomfortā, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences). Post #16 also talks about different innerspring designs and how they work. Hopefully, all of this will give you a little more insight into the pocketed spring unit, and also an idea of how complicated it is for the engineers to come up with the right designs.
I am sure you came across this article already but it is worth reading about innersprings and their differences here it in the context of zoning. Coil height is just one of the many variables in an innerspring unit, and Iād try to avoid getting too caught up in the complex and different constructions of the various pocketed spring units, and focus on instead the ability of an innerspring support unit to contour to your body (which pocketed spring units tend to do quite well) and the ability of the innerspring unit to hold up the heavier areas of your body and promote a more neutral alignment. Hips will usually sink in more than shoulders as there is more weight in that area. When sleeping upon side the difference between shoulder and hips is less than when measured standing up (as scapula adducts and upward rotates)Due to your recent injury I would also make sure that you reevaluate your pillow to make sure that it is providing a decent alignment to keep your cervical/upper thoracic region in a relatively neutral arrangement.
Just about every person who buys a mattress or is a member of the forum has wrestled with a similar scenario which is all about how to choose between āgood and goodā choices. Arizona Premium, Luma and Nest options you listed are very good choices, while itās difficult to say which one is better as it relates to your own personal value equation and what is most important to you they are all listed on trusted members w/ hybrid innerspring and would be great quality/value choices. Iād make sure to call each of your finalists to discuss your specifics. They all have a wealth of knowledge, experience, and understanding of body types and how they interact with different mattress and are EXCELLENT in helping their customer find the right match. You may want to ask them about topper returns/exchanges as this could be helpful as you see how they would work with the bed design for your back/neck/shoulders, etc; There are many beds out there that could fit your criteria if you wish more options but you can scan through our trusted members to see what else you can find.
Both of coil systems are very high-quality support units, and there is some variation provided by Leggett, at your BMI I wouldnāt get too caught up in these differences, especially if you add another layer, on top of the proposed 3" Talalay. Generally, Iād keep in mind that thicker layers can āactā softer so with a slightly thicker mattress you can use firmer layers on top that are more adaptable to a greater range of weights and sleeping positions. See post #14 here for more about layer or mattress thickness.
FYI, if you have not read themā¦.some information on the Bolsa and the Combi-Zone The Bolsa is more or less the āstandardā pocketed spring from Leggett and Platt. It can be manufactured in many different varieties per a manufacturerās request (gauge, turns, profile, diameterā¦). The Combi-Zone is a combination of different styles of pocketed springs in different zones. These could be different Bolsa springs, or perhaps a combination of Bolsa and Quantum springs. These are commonly zoned in three or five zones, depending upon the request of a manufacturer. Some designs can allow for the shoulders and hips to sink in a bit more, or others can provide support in the middle third of the mattress. Again, Leggett allows for quite a bit of customization, and a manufacturer can work with Leggettās designers.
While it is impossible for me to predict with certainty you seem to have done a great deal of research and you are on the right track with your choices so far. A medium may seem like a āsaferā option ā¦ just keep in mind that it all depends on personal preferences, and of the many other variables including the needs and preferences of each of the partners and of the ācoupleā that may end up just the opposite of āwhat people sayā.
There is more in post #14 here about the potential benefits of thicker individual layers or the mattress itself. 8" - 9" is inside the range for the thickness of the layers inside a mattress that would allow for a suitable design for the large majority of people with an average BMI. You may wish to do a bit more local testing of some similar models if there are any stores near you that carry themā¦which is usually the most effective way to predict whether a specific mattress will be a suitable āmatchā for you and point you in the right direction. bring you āclose enoughā to your actual sleeping experience that only relatively minor fine tuning will be necessary if any is necessary at all. These could include the type of mattress protector you use, adding a mattress pad, the type of sheets and bedding that you choose, or in some cases even exchanging a layer in the mattress (if your mattress is a component mattress) or adding a topper ā¦ see post #4 here ).
This turned out to be a long post but for someone with a āilovesearchā username, Iāll add a final tidbit regarding the temperature regulation issues you mention ā¦ innersprings and pocket coils have more āairā in them so they would be more breathable than any other type foam materials but the deeper layers of a mattress also have less effect on the ventilation and temperature of a mattress than the comfort layers. There is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range. There is also more information in post #2 here that talks about the various symptoms that people may experience on a mattress and some of the reasons that can cause them that can help with the detective work or trial and error that may be necessary to identify the types of changes that may be helpful.
Another look at your finalists from the point of view of your "personal value equation"along with the expertise and recommendations from the conversation with each of the manufacturers would most likely give you enough clues to make an informed decision.
Good luck, and I would be interested to hear about your progress and the reasoning behind it once you get closer to the final choice.
Phoenix
Note: Iāll also be moving your post and my reply to it to its own dedicated thread so as not to interfere with other topics that Sensei has in progress.
I donāt know about other people, but as much as I would like to replace some things I use with āgreen productsā, a lot of times the cost of a green product is 2x-3x more than a ātoxic productā. Maybe for people who are not on a tight budget they can spend extra money on products that are healthier for them and the environment. I clicked on the website to see how much their equivalent of my current mattress would cost (pillow-top queen size mattress) and the price is $1,799.00 which does not include sales tax.
Considering I paid $550 for my mattress at Macyās and they took my old one away as well, I find this highly expensive. They do say I can finance the mattress for 12 months with an APR between 10-30%. That is crazy. Even at 10%, I would pay roughly $100 in interest for a mattress. Call me cheap or maybe since both of my parents are accountants and I am in school to be one as well, I am of the belief that if you need to finance something that is not an asset, you canāt afford it. As much as I would prefer to be eco-friendly, itās not happening with these prices.
Which is the mattress (manufacturer) youāre sleeping on?
Thank you for putting more information on your post, I can really feel how frustrating this is, especially after such clear success 15 years ago.
I donāt really have any knowledge on the 50ās mattress, and the foam offer, you would want to know what the density and IFD of the foam mattress. I donāt know how you feel about buying online. One of our expert members is Beducation /Mattress to Go, they have a full line of traditional innerspring models. Jeff, the owner has been in business for over 25 years, knows what Sealy and those guys made 15 years ago, and I am confident the can help you.
Ask them a question on at their expert forum listing. Also, you can read about them on their Mattress to go website.They ship all over the US and I think they would be very helpful. Great prices, and high level of knowledge.
Thanks so much Phoenix for the detailed response, it was very helpful. I really appreciate how much time and attention you give to everyone on this site!! Iāll be reaching out to APM next as you suggested. Who knew mattress research could be so exciting =D
) this serves only as a launch pad because ultimately it is the consumer who needs to take responsibility and integrate any information or knowledge we pass on to apply it to their own need, preferences, and circumstances.