Thanks so much for all this significant and helpful information about mattresses. I had no idea all these factors went into everything. I have some back issues and mattress sales people have been cagey or overly assuring on supportive mattresses and I have had to absorb some costs in finding a good mattress.
I guess I’m just hoping you can provide any suggestions. I started on this bed, which was good enough (or as it says here, I sank in and felt supported by it). (International Bedding Fairmont Plush) http://reviews.sleepys.com/1361/ib9441/reviews.htm
So I guess I am looking for similar support, and have tried major brands between Sleepys all the way to Bloomingdales and the Shifmans, which are super expensive. Have not found anything both supportive and comfortable for lumbar and hip issues (I have a disability and ortho issues).
I have two questions:
On a mattress like the international bedding one above, should I look for similar foam (unknown, I could cut into it to see) and innerspring styles (e.g., gauge), or just keep trying different possibilities? I live in the Washington, DC area and the market is saturated by typical high-priced brands and as you said elsewhere, not that good on smaller mattress outlets. I like the pushing back of springs, but many stores prefer all-foam.
Latex: Are there “all latex” and “latex layer” mattresses? The serenity one at the Helathy Back Store looked like all latex, and it was ok but I felt like I was going to free fall when lying on it. I did like ones with latex layers, but haven’t found a good outlet for that that’s not super expensive.
Thank you so much again for this info, I am definitely feeling like I may have to settle and that is not good for health or sleep. I doubt there was anything super different about the International Bedding one (it just said uses heavy foam in the middle portion and I liked the ticking).
Reading your budget categories was enlightening as well because so many of the major mattress stores inflate prices so much, but it’s hard to find a smaller, quality retailer that doesn’t.
This is a fairly “basic” mattress with a firm Bonnell coil with 416 springs (queen size) and then somewhere in the range of about 4" of soft polyfoam on top and the innerspring is zoned to be firmer in the center of the mattress. Unfortunately these specs are much too vague to use as any kind of specific reference for choosing a mattress and even if you knew all the specifications of the mattress (foam density, firmness, thickness etc) it’s unlikely that you would be able to find another one exactly like it except through random chance so you will really need to “start fresh” with your research and testing.
You’ve probably seen this but the Washington, DC list is in post #2 here and there are a number on the list that would carry “basic” innerspring mattresses that you may want to test so I would check the websites and then talk to the ones that are most promising. I would also make sure that they are able to provide you with the density of any polyfoam above the springs so that you have some assurance that the mattress will be durable and won’t soften or break down prematurely.
There are a number of retailers or manufacturers on the list that carry all latex mattresses including Healthy Back, Urban Organics, American Foam Center (you can choose the layers), RoomandBoard, Mt Vernon Sleep, Mattress Fame, Savvy Rest Natural Bedroom (3" interchangeable component layers), Ikea, Mattressstoremd and possibly some of the others as well. I would call the ones you are interested in visiting and talk to them about your budget and criteria and what they have available and then you can visit the ones that are most promising based on your phone calls.
Your best odds of success would be by following the steps in the tutorial post here.