I need a new mattress :D

Mattress Talk General Mattresses Questions
1

This is on par with buying a car, I swear!

Last mattress purchase was a Spring Air Regeneration II which has lasted a lot longer than many others did as I have read online. Mine is about 10 years old and the sagging is happening big time and killing my back. I feel I paid a lot for the mattress, around $1500 plus tax so I had hoped it would last longer. I was led to believe it was the last mattress I would ever have to buy because latex lasts so long.

I checked online for some local manufacturers but there isn’t anywhere really close where I live in the Ottawa area in Canada. Can you make any suggestions?
I am looking for a firm latex mattress with no pillowtop. I’m not really keen on paying over $1000 again but I’m not sure if this is realistic as I’m finding there is only 1 by Naturelle that is $1050 plus shipping of $150 and tax.

I did a little research and since my current mattress has the memory foam pillowtop I’m wondering if I can cut that off and see if it might help? Or is it just not worth the trouble?
Currently I resorted to flipping it over and I’m sleeping on whatever the bottom layer of foam is and I find it amazingly comfortable compared to the “right” side.

2

Hi Goldendog,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

Many also compare it to pulling teeth, but I hope I can assist with that. BTW, I actually like car shopping!

You certainly are due for a new mattress!

One thing you should always be aware of is that price and quality are not mutually inclusive when shopping for a mattress. Part of the problem when consumers are buying a mattress that is called a “latex” mattress from a major manufacturer is that most of the time it isn’t what could be reasonably be called a latex mattress at all. Most of the time, there is several inches of polyfoam above the latex (the type of foam that breaks down) and often the latex layers are hidden in between other layers of the mattress. Unfortunately, when people buy these, they believe they are buying a latex mattress when they are buying a mattress which has some latex in it. The old Spring Air latex (Four Seasons in the US) were the same way … a recipe for the body impressions that you are experiencing not because of the latex in them but because of the inches of cheap soft polyfoam that you were lying on and the construction and layering of the mattress. Even the versions with a latex core (instead of a polyfoam core) had way too much polyfoam above the latex.

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Ottawa area (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here ) are listed in posts #2 and #3 here .

If you’re considering online, use the experience and expertise of the members listed in post #21 here who are all very experienced and knowledgeable and specialize in providing the type of help and guidance on the phone that can help you make good choices (some of them are located in Canada and other ship to Canada as well). There are a wide range of latex options included in the choices there and I believe that all of them compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency. There is also a list of online mattress sources for Canadians in post #21 here.

Naturellesleep is connected with Nature’s Sleep in Canada (see this topic ) and I would be very wary of doing any business with them. I don’t consider them to be a reliable or ethical supplier and I would put them in the category of “buyer beware”!!!

Personally, I would think that you’d be better off starting over with a new mattress, but if you are planning to remove and replace all the foam layers in your mattress and only re-use the cover and you are attracted to the idea of designing and building your own DIY mattress out of separate components that are purchased from one or several different sources then the first place I would start is by reading option 3 in post #15 here and the posts it links to (and option #1 and #2 as well) so that you have more realistic expectations and that you are comfortable with the learning curve, uncertainty, trial and error, or in some cases the higher costs that may be involved in the DIY process. While it can certainly be a rewarding project … the best approach to a DIY mattress is a “spirit of adventure” where what you learn and the satisfaction that comes from the process itself is more important than any cost savings you may realize (which may or may not happen).

Hopefully the links I’ve provided for online and local sources will give you a good start at finding a good latex mattress. Of course, please let me know if I may assist with other specific questions as you move forward.

Phoenix

3

I looked at IKEA latex mattresses last time and thought for the price they had to be inferior :smiling_face:
I looked at the photos posted here and found them helpful so I will head over to the store in the next few days. Hopefully they will come rolled up so I can bring it home myself. I like the idea of paying almost half the price of the Naturelle mattresses for essentially the same thing. I don’t typically enjoy shopping at IKEA and the super expensive delivery charges though so they weren’t even on my radar.

I prefer firm and Myrbacka and Morgangava both appear to be medium firm so I may end up going the online route if neither of these seem firm enough,

Thank you so much.

4

Hi Goldendog,

The Myrbacaka uses synthetic latex and a 2.2 lb polyfoam base and does not come roll-packed. Be careful, as it also comes in a memory foam version under the same name. The Morgongava uses an 85/15 NR/SBR latex blend. It also does not come roll-packed.

You may have already seen this, but while most people don’t seem to have an issue with the smell of the Morgongava … I have also seen some comments from a few people that have complained about it. In some cases this may be because some people are particularly sensitive to the smell of latex or wool and in some cases it may be because some of their mattresses have a stronger smell than others. It may be worthwhile when going to an Ikea store to “stick your nose” into the mattress to see if you are one of the few people that is sensitive to the smell.

I’ll be interested in learning about your experience with these models should you decide to purchase one.

Phoenix

5

I think I have gone off the idea of Ikea, I called and verified neither latex option was able to be transported home in my car, the delivery charge will be $150 and therefore not as good value. I seem to remember when I looked at them last time they felt a bit too soft and made me feel better about my more expensive, firmer purchase. I find it irritating to have to pay that much in delivery when I am only 30 minutes away from the store.

I have been looking at the Brooklyn Bedding Ultimate Dreams, seems to be good value and cheaper than a delivered IKEA mattress.

I don’t see anything on this site about Zed Bed. I knew of them from The Shopping Channel and assumed they were from China but upon further investigation I like how they produce their own soy “latex” and are a Canadian product. They don’t seem to sell in many retailers though so I would have to wait for them to be on The Shopping Channel again. They seem to have good reviews for the most part. They seem a bit expensive and hard to compare apples to apples since their latex is proprietary. Regardless, if I am going to have to replace my bed every 8-10 years I don’t want to spend more than $1,000.

6

Hi Goldendog,

That’s too bad. The only other option I could think of would be if you were able to find a less expensive local delivery service option. I’m not sure what might be available in your area.

Yes, this mattress does use higher quality materials, but it is not an all-latex mattress, just to make sure you realize that. Brooklyn Bedding is a member here, which means that I do think highly of them.

Zbed doesn’t list the specifics of the materials in their mattresses on their web site so if you can find out the specifics of the type and density of all the foam layers and post it on the forum I’d be happy to make some comments about the quality and durability of the materials. Without this information it’s not possible for me to make any meaningful comments about them.

ZedBed produces their own memory foam in Canada with some naturally based polyols used in the formation, but they don’t make their own latex. I’m not sure where their polyfoam comes from or if they produce that themselves as well.

One thing I would be very cautious about is using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress (either positive or negative) or review sites in general as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you. In many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words, reviews or other people’s experiences in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here).

Instead, I would 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, and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones, and then I would make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

I think you are again referring to their memory foam.

I’ll be interested in learning about your next step!

Phoenix

7

I know a few people who have mentioned over the years that they have had an IKEA latex bed and they really liked it, but ultimately I don’t think it will be firm enough for me.

My current bed is probably the same approximate composition (with the exception of the memory foam on my bed) as the Ultimate Dreams bed, so I am ok with that. I think a 100% latex mattress would be completely out of my price range and to then have to replace it in 10 or so years…

I did notice the Brooklyn Bedding Best Mattress Ever on their website which sounds fantastic but unfortunately when you factor in shipping, currency conversion and taxes at the border, the Ultimate Dreams bed from Wayfair.ca in spite of having an inch less latex is almost half the price.

Here is some info I found on Zedbed.

https://uploads.mattressunderground.com/outside/37215/image.png

8

Hi Goldendog,

Unfortunately, there is no meaningful information on the photo you provided (read the durability guidelines I linked to in my earlier reply). It is almost a complete reprint from various parts of the ZedBed web site. There is one part that reads that the medium model has 32. lb memory foam, which would be incorrect. My suspicion is an error in transcription and it more than likely should be 3.2 lb memory foam, which would be a lower quality memory foam. 4 lb is the minimum I would recommend.

Phoenix

9

Here is an update, I was unable to log in on my iPad for some reason.

I was ready to order a mattress from Brooklyn Bedding on Wayfair but then I decided to check online companies.
I found Memory Foam Comfort so took the plunge since they had something that fit my needs and was 100% Dunlop latex. I ordered the firmest support because I figured if it was too firm I could easily soften it up with a topper.
It arrived on Monday and I have been sleeping on it since Monday night. The change for the positive to my quality of sleep is incredible even the first night and it seems to be getting better.
I expected the 6" mattress to be firmer and just wondering if changing my base might help make it a bit more firmer? Currently I am using a slatted wooden base which is very flexible. The slats are about 2" apart.
I’m wondering if a platform base might give a firmer feel but then it wouldn’t be as breathable.

P.S. Zedbed “latex” is really soy foam.

10

Hi Goldendog,

Thank you for the update, and congratulations on your new mattress! :cheer: I’m glad you’re sleeping better so soon. As you’re aware, Memory Foam Comfort is a member here and I think highly of them and their products.

It sounds as if you purchased the Maoli, which is on the border of what most in the industry would consider the beginning of a “firm” level of comfort. Latex is very point elastic, so even if it is classified as “firm”, it won’t tend to have a “boardy” or rigid comfort.

If your slat stem flexes at all, you can realize a bit of a firmer feel by placing plywood on top of your slat network. If you do this, I would recommend something along the lines of a coir bed rug to be placed between the mattress and the plywood deck to promote air circulation. To test out if your mattress will feel firmer off of your platform bed, see if you have room to place your mattress directly upon the floor and then see if it feels firmer than when it is upon your slatted platform deck.

I’ll be interested in learning about what you decide to do, if anything, with your platform bed, and any further updates on how your mattress is performing.

Phoenix