Innersprings v Latex, Comfort Layer Materials, Recommendations?

[Basilio]

Hi EmiAldeer and welcome to The Mattress Underground glad to have you here!

I’m just starting up the mattress search process to hopefully try and find something that works well for my partner and I.

We’re both mixed sleepers, and we’re both okay with a little bit of sinking in. I’m 6’0 and about 135 pounds. My partner is 5’3 and about 130 pounds. Our budget is somewhere around the $2K range.

Good to see you are you doing your ‘boots on the ground’ research in your quest for a new mattress. Any mattresses comfort is subjective and unique to the sleepers using it based on their stats(height,BMI, sleeping position(s) and any underlying health conditions) and the sleepers’ PPP(posture and alignment, pressure relief, and personal preferences. Thanks for providing your stats; you may want to start by reading our. Mattress Shopping Tutorial to get an overview of what to look for and avoid, as well as theMattress Specifications You Need to Know and the
Mattress Durability Guidelinesto see the various components, and how long specific materials can be expected to last.

We went by a couple of different mattress providers, one local and one a chain that’s only in Oregon (Rife’s Home Furniture). The former had some beds from Oregon Mattress Company, one of which we liked the feel of, but they have very little info about the quality of the materials. Rife’s is about as bad with info, and while the beds felt nice, we preferred the Oregon Mattress Company beds. The beds we tried at Rifes were two versions of this bed (www.kingkoil.com/catalog/collections/intimate-ls/roxbury-plush-euro-top/c-24/c-118/p-756). I think all the mattresses we tried had an innerspring + latex support layer core. I think the ones from Rife’s had a memory foam comfort layer while the ones from Oregon Mattress Company had a foam comfort layer.

I took a look at the King Koil Roxbury plush, and while it seems solidly built, they, like many of the ‘big brands’ are absolutely not transparent regarding the materials they use. The ‘sno response’ memory foam is a proprietary foam which does not disclose the density or what is used to make the foam, and they also do not disclose any thicknesses, which are ‘red flags’ for me personally. That being said, the true test is if you and your partner find this mattress comfortable. The talalay layer seems solid, and there are 2 pocket coil layers separated by horsehair, which does provide some air circulation.

Horsehair is a “luxury” component and I’d be a little surprised if they’re adding this in with otherwise cheap or less durable materials, for what that is worth.

First, should we avoid innersprings and go for full latex instead for the support layer? The guide made me think that innersprings were just objectively lower quality and less comfortable, but are they something we should consider if we like the feel?

Some consumers enjoy innersprings, and others absolutely avoid them. Remember the innerspring layer acts as support for the mattress itself, and is not considered a support layer for the sleepers really; for the Roxbury, the talalay layer is what supports the sleepers and the unknown density memory foam is considered the support layer.

Second, as a general rule, should we avoid anything aside from latex, HR foam, and microcoils in the support layer?

Third… any recommendations for either stores in the Linn-County area or mattresses from online distributors?

You certainly should at least try a latex mattress to see how it feels for you both; as far as support layers they can be latex, memory foam (usually less than 3" or so of a 3-5lb/cuft is considered good) polyurethane foam, and gel foam are all common support layer materials. Again, is the store/manufacturer clear in what they are made of as well as disclosing the density and thickness of their layer? And does it then feel comfortable? Are the 2 questions I would ask yourself.

Unfortunately, due to the high turnover and unpredictability of the retail world over the last few years, we do not have geographic lists of retailers; however, if you are considering shopping online, you can take a look at the offerings of the Trusted Members of the site; they are all vetted to ensure they are transparent about the construction and components of their mattresses, are knowledgeable with experience matching consumers to mattresses and have excellent customer service and generous trial periods for their products. While we do not make recommendations we can possibly comment on any mattress you are considering if you have questions.

I wish you success on your mattress search,

~ Basilio