Is this a legitimate mattress?

[meissa]

In looking for a mattress I’ve visited three locations nearby and

• Mattress Firm
• Shovlin Mattress Factory
• Orange Mattress / MyCustomBedding

I’ve learned that I don’t like memory foam, I like the springiness of innersprings, and I like latex. I like the elasticity and resilience of latex mattresses. And from my experience every mattress topper tends to reduce or hide these aspects of latex.

I didn’t like any of the mattresses carried by Mattress Firm with the exception of a $4000 Kingsdown which I found acceptable and a $6000 intellibed which is out of my price range.

I much prefer the mattresses carried by the Shovlin Mattress Factory, and they’re all around $3000 in cost. But they’re all pretty firm mattresses and I miss the “sinking-in” feeling of the Intellibed mattress - lying on the Intellibed is like lying on clouds. For example I felt some slight pressure against my shoulder blades while testing their softest mattress, the Nirvana Ultra Plush. But then again, I weigh only 150lbs. The Ultra Plus has a latex ILD of 28, with the latex (comfort layer) resting above a polyfoam layer (support). I don’t understand why their softer mattresses soften the support layer rather than the comfort layer. During extended sleep testing I found my muscles tensing around my shoulder/neck area. After testing I felt the need to stretch out my body - as if after a good night’s rest - but in my opinion not a good sign.

None of the Shovlin mattresses have much point elasticity or resilience even though they’re all latex. I assume this is because they’re either using a very dense latex, or use a very tight stiching. The mattresses with innersprings use only 3 inches of latex and these mattresses lack enough resilience to fill the void when I shift my lumbar area upwards or downwards by tilting my pelvis. As for point elasticity, only heavier and larger areas like hips demonstrate much elasticity and not smaller point areas, even on the Ultra Plush with 6 inches of latex.

The standalone Shovlin mattress topper is made of polyfoam and dacron and is the only topper I’ve yet found to provide the “sinking-in” feeling of sleeping on clouds. As I previously mentioned, toppers tend to mask the features I like best in latex and this topper is no exception. Lying face down I can feel latex give around my stomach area as I breath yet also expand around my chest.

All this brings me to a mattress I found at Orange Mattress. I used to believe that firmness was an indicator of proper posture support, and I need good posture because of my bad back. Thanks to the Intellibed and the resources of this site I’ve learned otherwise, but this mattress is a 6-inch pad of latex. It looks like something you roll up and take camping - albeit thicker and more expensive. I really do love sleeping on it. It is soft enough that it envelops me while also supporting me - high point elasticity and resilience. I would say it is resilient and responsive enough to call bouncy. I don’t know the ILD but it is much softer than the Shovlin mattresses. The one thing I’ve learned from this site is that you need a comfort layer and a support layer. This mattress is so soft and comfortable that I can only imagine it as a comfort layer. In fact, if I knee the mattress with all my weight I can feel the box below - though this is not the case while lying down with my weight distributed or even when walking atop the mattress. I am mainly a back and front sleeper but I lay on my side while using electronics and this mattress feels incredibly comfortable and supportive in a side posture. My only quibble is that I miss the springiness of innersprings. My bedtime ritual involves flopping onto the mattress and “bouncing” into sleeping posture. I did call this mattress bouncy, but no latex is bouncy enough to trampoline the weight of an entire body without springs. When I flop down, I just sink in. I also have yet to perform extended sleep tests with this mattress.

So these are my questions regarding the 6-inch latex mattress from Orange Mattress:

1. Is a single 6-inch pad of soft latex a bad design? Does the lack of a separate support layer mean this mattress promotes bad posture? I’ve never heard of such a minimal mattress, is it legitimate? Is this is the same reputable company promoted by decade-old forum posts?

2. In reponse to my concern about the lack of springiness, the company offered a to replace the box with a box spring for $500 more. Is this worthwhile? Will using a box spring make the mattress springy as if it had innersprings? Will the box spring increase the life of the mattress as a shock absorber?

3. Are there usability issues with this mattress “pad”? Will the mattress flex inwards, causing fitted sheets to slip off? Will the lesser weight of such a thin mattress cause tucked-in sheets to slip out? I toss & turn very frequently and don’t want to find myself cocooned by sheets in an unmade bed.

4. Does flopping onto a latex bed reduce the life expectancy of the latex?

5. I am purchasing a queen-sized bed and unlike other stores the floor mattresses at Orange Mattress are all full-size. Will a queen mattress feel different than the full-size floor model?

6. Should I buy a 2-inch polyfoam mattress topper from Shovlin mattress for $180 to put under the Orange Mattress?

I hope these questions are sufficiently specific. For suggestions, all my rambling above should give a sense of my preferences.

[meissa]

Plot twist. After writing this post I tried some mattresses at Ikea. I didn’t really like any of their mattresses but one, the Myrbacka, really did wonders for my back pain. Was this coincidence? Maybe. My back pain has worsened since I tried the memory foam mattresses at Mattress Firm about a month ago. But the Myrbacka is only $500 whereas the cheapest mattress at Mattress Firm was $800. And it is strange because I don’t like memory foam. In fact I discarded the Myrbacka as not-especially comfortable while sleep-testing it. When I realized my back pain had subsided I had to go back to the mattress section, and confirmed the Myrbacka was the cause. Strange.

Anyway, follow-up question. Does anyone know the build-quality and expected longevity of the Ikea Myrbacka mattress?

[Sensei]

Hey meissa,

Welcome to the Mattress Underground ! Thanks for your question.

So these are my questions regarding the 6-inch latex mattress from Orange Mattress:

Congrats on your new mattress shopping journey ! As you have updated your original post with a similar follow up question, I have combined a response to both here and hopefully will avoid any confusion afterwards.

[quote]1. Is a single 6-inch pad of soft latex a bad design? Does the lack of a separate support layer mean this mattress promotes bad posture? I’ve never heard of such a minimal mattress, is it legitimate? Is this is the same reputable company promoted by decade-old forum posts?
[/quote]

From the Orange Mattress web site, their Natural Talalay Latex Mattress is described as a 6" Talalay latex mattress, available in firmnesses of soft, medium, firm or extra firm. A single 6" Talalay latex mattress is not a “bad design”; it is more of a European design and is quite popular throughout Europe and Asia where a more “minimal” approach to mattresses/ bedding is the norm. As far as whether “this is the same company promoted by decade-old forum posts”, are you referring to TMU forum posts? A site search only mentions Orange once in passing and as they have not been vetted by the TMU Trusted Member program, I cannot comment regarding their reputation as a manufacturer.

2. In reponse to my concern about the lack of springiness, the company offered a to replace the box with a box spring for $500 more. Is this worthwhile? Will using a box spring make the mattress springy as if it had innersprings? Will the box spring increase the life of the mattress as a shock absorber?

Talalay latex, a natural rubber foam, is considered quite “lively” and springy feeling by nature. Using a box spring foundation will make the mattress have a bit of a less firm feel than that of a “box”/ solid platform, as latex will interact relative to the box spring’s responsiveness of your weight distribution over both surfaces. Use of a box spring will not, however, provide the “springy” feeling in the way a the latex core would as layered directly over a pocket coil innerspring construction. Innersprings are part of a mattress’s support core, while box springs are a foundation choice. BTW, what type box spring is Orange suggesting?

3. Are there usability issues with this mattress “pad”? Will the mattress flex inwards, causing fitted sheets to slip off? Will the lesser weight of such a thin mattress cause tucked-in sheets to slip out? I toss & turn very frequently and don’t want to find myself cocooned by sheets in an unmade bed.

This is a proper mattress meissa and not a mattress “pad”. Don’t be caught off guard by its 6" thickness; latex is prized for its high comfort, support and durability properties and as long as the firmness is appropriate for an individual’s comfort needs, a 6" mattress could be a good choice. To minimize a “cocooning” effect from sleeping on incorrectly sized linens, choose low profile fitted sheets and linens specially designed for 6" mattresses, they are available online (Amazon, Wayfair, etc.).

4. Does flopping onto a latex bed reduce the life expectancy of the latex?

How long any mattress will last depends on a variety of factors, including the user’s personal statistics and sleep style, the quality of the materials/ construction used, and how the mattress is used, all combined impact its overalldurability. While regularly “flopping” onto a latex mattress should not cause problems initially, such a routine may accelerate the wear/ compression of any mattress’s materials over time and just how long that process would take is not possible to predict with any certainty.

5. I am purchasing a queen-sized bed and unlike other stores the floor mattresses at Orange Mattress are all full-size. Will a queen mattress feel different than the full-size floor model?

There should not be a discernable difference in mattress feel between full and queen sizes. What you will “feel” is the difference between a showroom floor model which has previous use and a newly manufactured latex mattress, which will likely have some “new feel” firmness that your body will require a sleep adjustment period for.

6. Should I buy a 2-inch polyfoam mattress topper from Shovlin mattress for $180 to put under the Orange Mattress?

A topper is designed for adding comfort to a mattress; placing it underneath the 6" Talalay latex mattress would not serve a useful purpose. If you are already concerned that this mattress may be a bit too low a profile for your preferences, you could add a topper over the mattress. But by using a 2" polyfoam layer, you would miss the pressure relieving feel of the Talalay latex and to your point earlier, “from my experience every mattress topper tends to reduce or hide these aspects of latex (elasticity and resilience of latex mattresses).”

Anyway, follow-up question. Does anyone know the build-quality and expected longevity of the Ikea Myrbacka mattress?

You may find this Phoenix response regarding Ikea’s mattresses interesting, it speaks to the Myrbacka as well as several other models. There are more consumer comments regarding their experiences too, you may use a site search to review those at your convenience. Looking forward to your updates and thanks.

Sensei