2 questions regarding full sized kids mattresses (Kids are 6 & 8, plan on having the mattresses until they go to college):
Naturepedic has a kids mattress (Quilted Organic Cotton Deluxe). For an extra $200 I can get it 2-sided. Will that add to the useful life of the mattress? If yes, about how much longer? (I will ask at the store, but wanted your unbiased thoughts)
Deciding between 2 similarly priced kids mattresses: The above Naturepedic (organic cotton, no wool, 14.5 gauge cont. coil 528 coils, 6 gauge coil on edges, PLA batting) and the Berkeley Ergo (Pocketed coils, organic cotton cover quilted to pure organic wool)… Can anyone offer any opinions between the two or highlight any differences that may be noticeable over time or immediately? Would the pocketed coils be better for the kids as they get older since it may contour more vs. the cont. coil which may be more firm in nature throughout?
You may have read this already but just in case you haven’t, Post #2 here and the topics it links to have more information about mattresses and children including a link to some general guidelines for children in post #2 here. It also includes a number of links to the better forum posts and topics about mattress and children as well which have more information about many good options for children which may also be worth considering.
There is more about the pros and cons of one sided vs two sided mattresses in post #3 here. While there isn’t any way to quantify how long any mattress will last for any specific person … it would be reasonable to expect that if you flip a two sided mattress on a regular basis (see post #2 here) that it would last 50% or more longer than a similar mattress with a similar support system that used the same comfort layers on only one side of the mattress.
Both of these use good quality materials and components and are in a medium-firm range so they would both be a suitable choice for a child. While pocket coils are more contouring … this doesn’t necessarily make them “better” for a child although as you mentioned it may make some difference when they get older and heavier and develop into their more adult proportions although it’s possible that both mattresses may need a topper when they get older if they prefer a softer mattress. The Berkeley Ergonomics also has the option of adding an additional layer of latex which would also provide some additional contouring for older children and teens.
The Pure Echo here is also a similar mattress made by one of the members of this site. It also uses a pocket coil along with wool and cotton comfort layers and is also available in one and two sided versions and may also be well worth considering.
Thanks Phoenix, again (you helped me decide in a separate thread on my “grown-up mattress” about 1-2 years ago which my wife and I still enjoy and has eliminated my back problems).
Pure Echo actually looks very price competitive for a two sided version. If it were for myself I likely wouldn’t buy blindly, need to try it first…but for my kids, as long as it’s medium-firm I feel like there are a lot less variables in their PPP equations than an adult so buying blind just based off reviews and construction materials would be ok if that makes sense…
I laid on a naturepedic yesterday and couldn’t really tell much simply because I wasn’t testing for contouring or body positioning since my kid is 50lbs… (He tried it and said “yup, feels good” in his five second test).
My only question at this point is if there is a “negative” to going with pocket coils vs cont. coil for a child. I know as they grow older and heavier there are benefits for the pockets so I would lean towards that choice (and like you said, can add a talalay 1" topper down the road if necessary), and my GUESS is that there are no negatives simply because their weight until 100lb+ probably makes a pocket or continuous coil design irrelevant for the early stages of use, am I correct?
I also like the dust-mite resistant properties of wool vs naturepedic who, in my opinion, wrongfully states that wool is allergy prone (my quick google on that yielded the opposite conclusion).
Appreciate the help for all generations in my nuclear family Mr. Phoenix!
Btw the naturepedic salesman yesterday, when I mentioned this website, indicated he loves it because it is unbiased unlike many others out there.
I agree with this because children aren’t able to provide reliable feedback about which mattress is “best” for them based on their own testing so as long as a mattress meets the basic criteria that are suitable for children (medium firm and materials that are “safe enough” and “durable enough”) and it’s in a suitable budget range then it would make a good choice for a child.
If the mattress “as a whole” (the combined effect of the support core, transition layers, comfort layers, and cover) is suitable for a child then I would also agree that one type of coil isn’t inherently any “better” than another so there wouldn’t be a negative with a pocket coil as long as the mattress itself was a suitable choice.
I also believe that true wool allergies are quite rare and in most cases are contact allergies that wouldn’t apply to mattress covers anyway because there is no direct contact with the wool and that the properties of wool make it very suitable for children to sleep on.
Thanks for the quick reply. I will likely be going with the Pure Echo. Will let you know how it all turns out in 6-12 months with a followup. Appreciate the help!
