jwondsgn,
Just as a general suggestion ā¦ if you are undecided between two close comfort choices I would tend to go a little firmer rather than softer because you can always soften a mattress that is too firm with a topper but you canāt make a mattress that is too soft any firmer unless you replace a layer.
Phoenix
Lots of info on this forumā¦still confused 
Wife is a back sleeper, sometimes a side sleeper.
I wander from front to back to side.
Currently sleep in an old dual bladders that sit in a foam support and have a pillow top that
zips over whole thing.
Have looked at lots of mattresses and come up with the following list that we seem drawn to:
Serta Triumph hybrid.
Sealy Majesty hybrid.
Sherwood Evo Conforma cool
All run about 2200.00 retail. (Would like to spend less).
Headed in right or wrong direction?
Thoughts?
Thanks!
tltb1
Hi tltb1,
There are really two ways to make a comfort choice when you are buying a mattress (see post #2 here).
The first way is with careful and objective testing of the actual mattress using the testing guidelines linked in post #1 here or in the case of an online purchase testing a local mattress that is functionally the same (see post #9 here).
If this isnāt possible because there are no suitable local mattresses with good quality and value or that an online manufacturer knows about which is functionally equivalent to their own mattresses ā¦ then the next best way is with a more extended phone call with a knowledgeable and experienced online retailer or manufacturer themselves who can provide the guidance that āon averageā would work well for someone with your body type, sleeping style, and personal preferences. As long as you are inside these averages then the odds are high that you will make a suitable choice.
The third way is probably the worst which is trying to learn enough about all the different mattress specs and designs that you can make a choice based on ātheoryā without enough actual experience to ātranslateā theory into how a mattress will actually feel and perform for you when you sleep on it.
Since you are looking at local mattresses then personal testing is the best way to know whether a mattress is suitable for your needs and preferences.
The āread first postā I linked earlier links to a set of guidelines about what to look for and what to avoid and this would likely eliminate both of the Serta (because you wonāt likely be able to find out what is in the mattress).
Your odds are much higher of being able to find out the details of all the layers in the Sherwood and the odds are that they are better quality/value in the same budget range.
You can test for PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) with a local mattress which will tell you whether a particular mattress is suitable for your specific needs and preferences and then the final step is to make sure you know all the details of the layers and components in the mattress so you can identify any weak links in the mattress and have reasonable confidence that the materials in the mattress wonāt soften or break down too quickly so that the mattress will still be suitable for you several years down the road. You will also be able to make meaningful quality and value comparisons with other mattresses. You canāt āfeelā the quality of a mattress but you can certainly identify any lower quality materials that you would want to avoid if you know the specifics of what is inside a mattress ā¦ regardless of what manufacturerās name is on the label.
Phoenix
Goo morning Phoenix,
Thank you for your reply. We are in Phoenixā¦Would you recommend a local outfit or purchase online?
The mattresses we listed were ones we laid on and that felt good.
We were looking for your opinion of them (or any not on the list) to help us wade through the sea of information.
Thanks again!
tltb1
I found the ones listed on the membership list and will check them out. Thanks.
tltb1
Hi tltb1,
The only way to give any meaningful opinions about the quality or value of a mattress or to identify any weak links is by knowing the specifics of all the layers and components in the mattress. Without this you would be making a completely blind purchase without aving any way to make an informed decision.
Of course if you can provide the details of all the layers (which the retailer should provide you) Iād be happy to share my thoughts about it but in most cases you wonāt be able to find this out with the major brands which is why the guidelines suggest avoiding them completely in most cases.
The Phoenix list is in post #4 here but as you know from the membership list three of them are members here which means you are fortunate to have some local choices available to you that have exceptional quality/value
Phoenix
Information Overload for sure ā¦
I tried a mattress from Boston Bed Company and Iām looking for the most similar, less expensive option. This mattress had a very flat top. It did not have any stitched top foam or fiber layer. Specs as follows:
2" 28 ILD Talalay comfort layer
6" 1823 Poly Foam Core
1" 1835 Support Foam
http://www.bostonbed.com/product/natural-comfort-98.html
Similar options I am considering:
@ level 5 (cushion firm, unknown ILD)
1.5" āHyper foamā
3" Talalay latex
6" 1.5lb density base foam
@ ILD 28 (level 6)
1" āSoft reflex foamā
3" 28 ILD talalay latex
6" āHD foam coreā
Which of these mattresses do you think would provide the most similar feel or is most similar in construction? I am concerned about the 1.5" foam layer in the DreamFoam mattress. Could that be compensated for by going a level firmer, or would that be too much compensation?
Thanks for any advice!
Hi nrharrison,
The mattress from Boston Bed Company has a thinner layer of latex on top (which would make it firmer), no quilting polyfoam (which would make is softer), and softer foam in the base foam below (which would make it softer) so itās really not possible to guess how all the many differences would play out and interact together or how close one may be to another for any particular person. They are all very different designs that would be different both in terms of the comfort layers and the support layers and the comparison would also change for different people with different body types and sleeping positions because each person may sink into each mattress more or less deeply which would affect which layers they feel most.
The only truly accurate way to know how they would compare to you would be your own experience with side by side testing. Other than that if you talk with Brooklyn Bedding / Dreamfoam they are the most familiar with their mattresses and may be able to make an educated guess about which of their options might come closest ā¦ at least for most people ā¦ but these kind of subjective comparisons where you are trying to āmatchā one mattress to another (see post #9 here) involve some ātranslationā and guesswork between very different designs and would be an approximation at best.
Phoenix
:huh: I really need a new mattress. Still sleeping on the 15y old king size beauty rest innerspring no flip pillowtop mattress (with springs now popping out of the sides) that outlasted my marriage, but my shoulders hurt so bad, Iāve been forced to sleep on my back with a vertical small foam pillow on top of another horizontal foam pillow with 2 smaller pillows under my arms. Needless to say, itās not working well as I need to sleep on my side. Since itās just me and the dog, Iām only sleeping on 1 side of the bed; I really need to do something for me. Def donāt need king. Seriously thinking of a twin XL for me (and a cheap twin for the dog from Bobās). Iāve been reading, reading, and reading some more which just adds to my confusion. :unsure: My budget is limited to $1200 for bed/foundation/frame. I am in Springfield, MA (nowhere near Boston). Suggestions for what I should consider to help me find the bed that is going to last me at least as long as this one has would be really appreciated. I am overweight about 40 lbs, and Iām seeing that I should take that into consideration with my new mattress along w the budget restraints. Additionally, I do not have anyone to go with me to check out my spinal alignment so how best to judge this by my lonesome?
Also suggestions for where I can go to test drive whether it be latex, foam, combo, innerspring, etc. would be appreciated. Customer service, sleep trial, no issues w returns/exchanges is important to me. I donāt have credit cards so I will be paying cash. I bought this bed from Better Bedding (great experience-had to return 1st purchase as it hurt my back-no issues) which was was taken over by Sleepyās. Tom Wholley who used to own Better Bedding now has 2 shops in CT, Connecticut Mattress. S. Windor, CT is a bit of a drive; if someone has had experience with him and his place, please chime in. A drive under 1/2-3/4 hr isnāt out of the question.
Thank you so much in advance. I look forward to your advice as my head is spinning.
Hi furkidzmom,
Hopefully youāve read this already but just in case ā¦ post #1 here has the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choices. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed or confused ā¦ you are probably reading too much or trying to āstudyā the information instead of just reading it like you would good book. All you need is enough information and familiarity to know the basics and to help you recognize when you are dealing with a salesperson who knows what they are talking about. Finding an āexpertā is much easier than becoming one
Some of the better options Iām aware of in and around the Springfield area are listed in post #4 here.
You can see a few comments about Tom Wholley and ctmattress here and a couple more with a forum search on ctmattress (you can just click this).
Phoenix
Thank you so much. You found for me what I had been searching for and got overwhelmed. You are so right about āreadingā as I tend to āstudyā (comes with the legal beagle in me) information. I have printed out your suggestions and will review them a bit more, but try to refrain from studying. I am aware of Yankee Mattress, but have several friends who have steered me away from them because they have had bad experiences (from customer service issues to mattress problems.) I had not heard of Sigma, which is very close to me. I found this on their website: http://www.sigmamattressfactory.com/foam.html but like the name implies itās like reading āGreek.ā Their website says they use a company named MEK furniture for these mattresses. Are you familiar with MEK? I should have also mentioned I sleep āhotā and have read that memory foam is not the best choice for āhotā sleepers. What is your take on the gel infused for ppl like me? What is your opinion, if you can make 1, based upon the info on Sigmaās website about their foam mattresses? [I am also hoping for a delivery/removal service as I donāt have access to a truck or anyplace to toss the king mattress/box spring.]
Flybynight is another local where I will go test drive; his prices tend to be high (Northampton overall is pricey).
Thank you. (Now I just need to find the time to do this).
Hi furkidzmom,
I would encourage you to visit Yankee mattress and talk with Nick in spite of your friendās experiences (although I donāt know the specifics). They are good people and very knowledgeable about mattress materials and what makes a good quality mattress and have some good quality and value there. I would doubt that your friends are aware of mattress materials and foam quality or have much knowledge about what makes a good mattress unless they have spent many years in the industry so they may not be the best source of advice (although again I donāt know the specifics of their experiences). NOTE ADDED: They are also now a member of this site
MEK is just a company that sells some of the mattresses they make.
A mattress is only as good as its construction and the quality of the materials inside it so it would depend on the specifics of the materials inside any mattress you were looking at.
The good news is that they will tell you the specifics of what is inside any of their mattresses which means that you would be able to make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses in terms of quality and durability and they will also educate you about the quality of the materials they use.
Thatās a very broad question because gel foams are an entire category or materials and it includes many different types of foam. It depends on the specifics of the gel materials but you can read more about gel materials in general in post #2 here and more about the factors involved in the sleeping temperature of a mattress in post #2 here. Again though ā¦ there is lots of information in both posts so I would just read it to get a broader overview of some of the gel related or temperature regulation information rather than study it. There is a lot of āhypeā about gel materials in the industry but it also has some benefits (temporary cooling for a while until temperatures equalize and adding a little extra support to memory foam for example) and your best source of accurate information is talking with āexpertsā that are familiar with the specific materials they use in their mattresses rather than becoming an expert yourself.
Phoenix
Thank you. I will do more reading today. (hard to do at home since I only have the cell phone). I really appreciate your time and especially your knowledge.
After flipping around on mattresses the past couple days at various places, I bought one! Tom Wholley at CT Mattress was great! Much easier going in w a clue, and he gave me a great price. Thank you so much for all your help. I cannot wait for my new bed! This forum is the best. Thank you Phoenix.
Hi furkidzmom,
Iām glad the forum could help you ā¦ and congratulations on your new mattress
Phoenix
Canāt wait. I donāt believe I would have made the right choice or have been as confident of it w/o you, so thank you again.
Phoenix,
Your post #4 really helped me in making my final mattress decision! I normally do a good amount of research on any purchases I make of this size , and was looking all over to get some more information to make my choice. I was finally between the Ultimate Dreams Latex and the Lucid by linenspa 10" latex. After reading lots of reviews, I am deciding to go with the ultimate dreams latex as it seems to be of better quality and value for the money, and I am not too comfortable with the idea of not knowing exactly what the mattress is made of as well as coming form China.
The change from 2.35 lb foam to 1.5lb was something I had originally been concerned with but your comments helped ease that fear. I am not large at 5ā9", 160lbs so I hope that the change will not have an effect on me. Also knowing the base foam is not the weak link eases fears.
This extends to issues I had heard people have with sagging, so I was wondering if this is something I should fear? I plan on getting a sturdy boxy spring like this one here:
Hi Saz11,
Iām glad the information here was able to help you.
The information you read is is out of date and they are currently using a 1.8 lb polyfoam base layer but either way it certainly wouldnāt have been a weak link in the mattress in your weight range.
While other peopleās comments about the knowledge and service of a particular business can certainly be very helpful ā¦ I would also be very cautious about about using other peopleās experiences or reviews on a mattress (either positive or negative) 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 and in many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because any mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range) and reviews in general certainly wonāt tell you much if anything about the quality, durability, or āvalueā of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here).
When you canāt test a mattress in person and you are uncertain about which mattress or firmness option to choose then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart (which would include Dreamfoam) and who can help ātalk you throughā the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and āfeelā of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best āmatchā for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the āaveragesā of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about āmatchingā their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
[quote]I plan on getting a sturdy boxy spring like this one here:
I donāt know the distance between the slats in the foundation you linked (itās not a box spring that has springs) but if they are less than 5" apart then it should be fine (although 4" or less would be better).
Most importantly ā¦ congratulations on your new mattress
You certainly made a great quality/value choice and Iām looking forward to your comments and feedback once youāve received it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.
Phoenix
Thank you for the updated information! Is the 1.8lb base layer of a different construction and one that is known to be well received as well as durable?
I will definitely take what I read with a grain of salt. I have had a couple preliminary chats with the people at dreamfoam and they have been very helpful in guiding me and telling me all I wanted to know about the mattress!
Iāve spent some time trying to figure out what firmness would be right for me (here again, the reviews were all over the place, some recommending firmer, others softer!) and hopefully will get the right guidance by talking to the professionals. Unfortunately I have not been able to find any latex incorporating mattresses around me to try, but am choosing it based on what I have read about latex being softer, but not to such a degree that you get a āsinkingā feeling, making it easier to move around on.
Hi Saz11,
Higher density foams would be more durable but it wouldnāt really make a significant difference in your weight range (although it could for higher weight ranges that compress the deeper layers more). The design and feel and firmness of the mattress would be the same (most of what you feel comes from the upper layers of the mattress as well).
There are also no āstandardā definitions or consensus of opinions for firmness ratings and different manufacturers can rate their mattresses very differently than others so a mattress that one manufacturer rates as being a specific firmness could be rated very differently by another manufacturer. Different people can also have very different perceptions of firmness and softness compared to others as well and a mattress that feels firm for one person can feel like āmediumā for someone else or even āsoftā for someone else (or vice versa) depending on their body type, sleeping style, physiology, their frame of reference based on what they are used to, and their individual sensitivity and perceptions. There are also different types of firmness and softness that different people may be sensitive to that can affect how they ārateā a mattress as well (see post #15 here) so different people can also have very different opinions on how two mattresses compare in terms of firmness and some people may rate one mattress as being firmer than another and someone else may rate them the other way around. This is all relative and very subjective and is as much an art as a science.
All of this can be fairly subjective and will vary by person which is why itās not a great idea to use other peopleās experience on the same mattress as a reliable reference point for how you will feel on the same mattress.
The ābottom lineā is that the only way to know for certain whether any mattress will be a good āmatchā for you in terms of firmness, feel or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) will be based on your own personal experience (which may be different from other people).
Phoenix