It's bed time again

Hi drog,

Both items would be using good quality materials.

Subject to first confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here … the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Washington, DC area (which has some overlap with the Baltimore list) are listed in post #2 here, just in case you missed a few of these before.

No worries :slight_smile: , and no need to correct unless you want to (which I see you already did).

Phoenix

It seems Mattresses.net has something very close to what I want for the price I want (3 inches of latex over a combi-zone coil system), they don’t seem to offer it in 36 ILD latex however, and they have not responded to my inquiry about that yet.

Luma has been very responsive, but I’m not sure if 1.5 inches of latex over the combi-zone coil system is enough in their base mattress and their slumber system is more than what I was hoping to spend. I was planning to go all out and get something like the Christeli Lux Estate if I had to go over $1,200. I had also been thinking about getting the base Luma mattress and going with a third party topper instead of the slumber system, but the price of the base mattress is now $100 more expensive so that is not such a great deal anymore.

Yeah I saw that Luma raised their prices as well which took it out of my price range. Take a look at the Natural Escape mattress from MyGreenMattress. Right now they are running an Earth Day sale and it also has the zoned coil system you are looking for. While the standard configuration has a relatively soft layer of latex on top I have seen others say that they can swap this for a firmer layer if requested. Tim has been super responsive to my questions so you should be able to get this confirmed pretty quickly.

Thanks. Definitely interesting. I will have to see if they can firm up the mattress for me.

Let me know how it goes. Hopefully they can make it work for you.

They did get back to me quickly. Mattresses.com also got back to me. I guess it comes down to the Combi-Zone (Mattresses.com) vs Bolsa Nested (MyGreenMattress) coils. Which system would be better for a big guy with lower back pain?

You’d probably need to wait for Phoenix on this one. When I asked the same question I was told it wouldn’t be too noticeable of a difference but I am also only 145lbs. From the looks of it I wonder if MyGreenMattress might be better as they use a thicker gauge coil in the center vs the Combi-zone which uses thinner coils but more of them in the center third however I am no expert here.

Beyond that it comes down to small things. Mattrresses.net gives you a Talalay option (personally I prefer the feel of dunlop anyway) and also lets you swap out the top layer at any time down the road with its zippered cover. MyGreenMattress is less expensive and offers a 100 night trial as opposed to Mattresses.net which makes you cover shipping costs on any return or exchange. Also MyGreenMattress seems to have much faster shipping times, last I talked to Mattresses.net they told me at least 2-3 weeks before they would ship.

I do like the wool in the green mattress.

The combi-zone offers 56 more coils. I’m not sure how much of a difference that will really make. I do wonder if the higher guage coils would hold up better for a person my size. Even if the combi-zone is initially more comfortable, the bolsa nested coils may end up being more comfortable in 5 years if they hold up better for me – but this is purely speculation.

Hi drog,

Did you phone them? That’s usually the best way to get a fast response. They’ll create a custom spec for you if it’s available in their supply.

I’m glad that they’ve been able to answer your questions. With a pocketed spring unit, many people are able to be quite comfortable with fewer foam comfort layers because of the contouring nature of the pocketed spring, but of course that can only be determined by your own personal testing.

The Christeli uses good quality materials, but this would of course be more of a memory foam bed, even though it uses a latex support core.

Don’t forget the Mattress Underground discount from Luma of 10% or more. I don’t know if you factored that into your pricing or not.

Both systems would provide good deep down support and be durable. For a larger individual, you may notice a more distinct difference in the zones with the Combi-Zone unit over the Nested. Good support to promote more neutral alignment can assist in not exacerbating low back pain, but unfortunately they haven’t invented a specific spring unit to fix low back pain yet! :wink:

Hi landale1,

Thanks for all of your helpful comments!

Phoenix

So the difference in gauge (14.5 - 15.5 vs 16 - 17) does not make a difference for durability? 17 gauge seems kind of thin, but If that’s the case and the combi-zone would support me better I will order the mattress from mattresses.com.

Hi drog,

Both spring units would do a find job providing adequate support. Note that the thinner springs in the Combi-Zone are also smaller in diameter and more numerous, so that impacts support as well. An innerspring isn’t normally the weak link in a mattress and the gauge of steel is only one of many factors that determines how a particular innerspring will feel and perform inside a specific mattress design. There is more about the different types of innersprings in this article and in post #10 here but I would pay much more attention to the quality of the materials above the innerspring which is normally the weakest link in a mattress. Post #16 also talks about different innerspring designs and how they work. Hopefully all of this will give you a little more insight to the pocketed spring unit, and also an appreciation of how complicated it is for these engineers to come up with these designs. B)

Phoenix

I just called Mattresses.net. After discussing my previous issues they recommended their hybrid with 32 ILD Dunlop as a starting point so that’s what I did (it’s usually a range but he said he could ensure I got the 32 ILD latex layer). If it doesn’t work out then I can just exchange the Latex. I’m still concerned that the 32 ILD won’t be enough but it’s also possible the 1.8 pound density base support on my last bed was a big contributor to my issues with it (along with the differences between tallalay and dunlop).

I’m not thrilled about the shipping costs or the fact I would have to pay shipping on new comfort layers (he said shipping would be $50 for the exchange so hope that means I don’t have to pay another $50 to send the old comfort layer back – that would be $100). On the other hand, I’m just annoyed at spending so much money on something and I got the better coil system with more customization options down the road than what I’d have with the Green Mattress product.

Congrats on the purchase. I will likely make one myself as well. I agree with you that I very much like that I can change the top layer down the road with mattresses.net but I don’t like the nearly $150 higher price. At least for my body type Phoenix had indicated I wouldn’t notice much of a difference in the coil units plus I like the 100 day risk free trial with MyGreenMattress as well as all of the certifications. Of course this is why we get choices! :slight_smile:

Hi drog,

Congratulations on your new Mattresses.net purchase! :slight_smile: You certainly did choose something that is a good quality/value. I’ll be interested in learning about your experience with your new mattress once you’ve had a chance to sleep on it a while and adjust to it.

Shipping is always a cost associated with any online purchase. Many brands choose to include it in the final cost of the mattress, while others like Mattresses.net figure the actual shipping after the fact so that your rates reflect your actual shipping fees. I’m not sure if the $50 quoted you was for the entire shipping exchange process, but you are responsible for the shipping fees associated with any exchange. You may wish to phone them back for clarification, as you always want to be completely aware of all the exchange/return policies for an online purchase.

Enjoy your new mattress!

Phoenix

Are wire foundations like the one I have suitable for the mattress I purchased?

Hi drog,

That question would be best asked of the manufacturer, but generally the unit you bought (Ultimate Hybrid) with pocketed springs on the bottom and latex on top would do fine with the grid network base you purchased, as long as the network is still in good shape. The top of your platform base is very similar to the “semi-flex” bases that many manufacturers still use for their product lines, and many of their models use a pocketed spring unit similar to what you have.

Phoenix

Thanks. One more question…

Is dunlop latex, by nature, reversible for different firmness levels? I ask because my bed came in today and one side of the dunlop latex foam certainly felt a bit softer than the other (the cut side felt softer if that makes a difference). Also, I know I need to sleep on it for a while but I am wondering if I went a little too firm this time. I am surprised 4 ILD makes such a difference, though it was from talalay to dunlop as well. In any case, if flipping the latex can make a difference in firmness I would try that before asking for a different topper if it came down to that.

I am really shocked by how much more support this bed seems to offer than my last one. I know it’s still way to early to really have a knowledgeable opinion but my initial impressions is that I’m happy the mattresses.com salesman (Greg Holloway) talked me out of the 36 ILD others were recommending.

EDIT: On second though, I may just not be used to the extra support in the mid section.

Hi drog,

While not necessarily produced to be “reversible”, some people can feel the difference from the “top” side to the “bottom” side of a piece of Dunlop latex. This of course will depend upon the type of Dunlop production process used, the blend, fillers, etc. (and the sensitivity of each individual), but there can be a bit of a difference in comfort that can be noticed when flipping the uppermost layer in a mattress.

If the slit side felt a bit softer, than most likely your piece would be the bottom piece of a 6" core that was slit in the middle.

4 ILD is usually enough of a difference for most people to notice, but you are also correct that you are compounding that by going from a similar ILD in Talalay to Dunlop, and a similar ILD in Dunlop will also feel a bit firmer to most people than the same ILD in Talalay because of the difference in compression modulus (Dunlop gets “firmer faster” than Talalay as compressed generally after 25%).

You certainly can flip your top Dunlop layer so that the “softer” side is facing upward to help you with adjusting to your new mattress. It does take a period of time for your body to adjust to any new product and lose some of its “learned alignment”, and you may feel that you move “backwards” a bit for a few days in comfort, but your body should then begin to adapt to your new, more supportive, sleep surface. The covering of the mattress will also soften a bit with use.

A detailed phone conversation is always what I recommend before placing your order, as the manufacturer has the best knowledge about their products to advise what they feel will best work for your particular situation. Manufacturers always comment to me that there is a much higher satisfaction rate when customers phone and consult with one of their comfort specialist.

I’m looking forward to your updates after you’ve had a chance to adjust to your new mattress and sleep upon it for a while longer.

Phoenix

So I ended up with a 38 ILD Dunlop top layer. And while that worked well last year, I have lost nearly 75 pounds since the new year and now this mattress is painfully firm. Keeping in mind I plan to lose at least 90 more pounds and don’t want to spend anything significant until I do so, what is the cheapest way to find comfort again?

Hi drog.

Welcome back and congratulations on your weight loss! … 75 pounds is quite a feat. :lol:

Losing that much weight would certainly make a substantial difference in how firm a mattress feels… in general, a mattress would feel firmer for lighter people than the same mattress would feel for those who are in higher weight and losing even more weight will further change your needs and preferences quite significantly. The good news is that your mattress (From Arizona Premium) can accommodate this changes fine tunning what you have rather you having to replace the entire mattress. I’d say that the most cost-effective way would be to add a softer topper to your existing mattress for some extra softness and pressure relief and when the time comes you can move to stage two and exchange the top layer within your mattress for a softer ILD.

There is more information about choosing a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to which along with a conversation with a reliable and knowledgeable supplier. Because of the uncertainty involved with purchasing a topper where you can’t test the combination in person … a good exchange/return policy can also reduce the risk of an online topper purchase so I would also make sure you are comfortable with the options you have available after a purchase to exchange or return the topper and any costs involved just in case a topper you choose also doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.

The topper and component reference post here includes the better online sources I’m aware of for latex toppers and components. You may wish to comb through some of our Trusted Members of the site who offer latex toppers and allow for topper exchanges. I don’t keep track of such specific details, as these policies are always changing, but at least it’s a bit of a start for you. Most businesses don’t offer a “comfort exchange” on toppers, as the feel of the topper is greatly influenced by the surface upon which it is placed, and a retailer has no control over this.

Phoenix