I’ve been looking for a new mattress for over a year. I I ran across MUG and Reddit over a year ago and it has been a huge help, thank you to everyone! After narrowing it down to DIYing a mattress I tried in a local store, and the Engineered Sleep Classic Hybrid, I’ve decided to go with the DIY.
I live near a quality local mattress maker, Urban Mattress. I’m trying to mimic their Pine 2.0 mattress (Gentle). I’ve tried the mattress and it is just the right firmness, and a fairly simple DIY build, as far as DIY builds go. The company uses TPS coils, so the 15.5g coils will be my base. For reference, I am 5’9 195lbs, side and back sleeper building a full-size mattress. A couple of questions for the community:
Latex: The company shows that their 3” Dunlop layer is 60D, so wherever I order from I’ll order soft. The two places I’m looking at getting my latex from are Sleep on Latex and diymattress.com. I’ve seen good things about Sleep on Latex and their return policy, but I’ve also seen that their latex might be firmer than others. I don’t want to make the mattress any firmer than it was in store. I’d rather err on the softer side. Is Sleep on Latex actually firmer? Have people generally had positive experiences with diymattress.com?
Latex cover: The latex in the mattress at Urban Mattress is wrapped in a cover. Sleep on Latex and Turmerry sell a cover for latex toppers. Does having a cover on the latex make any difference in comfort or durability than just setting the raw latex on the coils?
Cover: The cover that Urban Mattress uses appears at least somewhat quilted, but on another mattress the same cover is used on it is described as “a certified organic wool and jersey knit cover.” The two mattress covers I am considering are the APM bamboo – wool cover, and the pocketcoilstore Premium DIY Stretch Cover. Will the APM cover make it much firmer than the Urban Mattress one? Will the DIY stretch cover make it a lot softer than the one I tried? Obviously, no one can know for sure, but I’d like others’ thoughts.
It’s clear that Sportsjunkie approached this in a very thoughtful and methodical way. Trying to match the feel of a mattress that was tested in person, rather than just building something that sounds good on paper, is a sensible and realistic way to tackle a DIY mattress project.
On the latex question, Sleep On Latex does have a reputation for being slightly firmer than some other sources, but that difference is often overstated. Most quality Dunlop latex comes from a small number of manufacturers, and the production methods are fairly similar across the board. Because of this, latex with comparable firmness ratings from suppliers like Sleep EZ, Arizona Premium, or DIY Mattress tends to feel very similar once it’s in the mattress. The Urban Mattress model being referenced uses a 60D Dunlop layer, which is not especially plush to begin with. Given Sportsjunkie’s weight and side/back sleeping style, a 3" soft Dunlop layer over 15.5g TPS coils should land very close to the feel of the mattress tried in the store, particularly once a proper cover is added. DIY Mattress generally receives positive feedback as well, though checking return options is important when fine-tuning comfort rather than simply assembling a workable bed.
Using a thin cover around the latex instead of placing bare latex directly on the coils makes a small but noticeable difference. The cover helps reduce the slightly sticky surface feel of raw latex and makes the response feel more controlled, without significantly increasing firmness. It also protects the latex, makes the layers easier to work with, and improves long-term durability. This approach appears to be closer to how Urban Mattress builds their mattresses and tends to make the finished product feel more refined rather than meaningfully softer or firmer.
The largest variable in matching the Pine 2.0 Gentle is the outer mattress cover. A cover described as “organic wool and jersey knit” typically suggests some stretch with a modest amount of wool quilting, designed to complement latex rather than overpower it. The APM bamboo–wool cover is high quality but may add a bit more surface firmness. In contrast, the Pocketcoilstore Premium DIY Stretch Cover allows the latex and coils to move more freely, which usually results in a softer, more pressure-relieving feel than the Urban Mattress. Neither option is inherently right or wrong, but each will push the final feel in a slightly different direction.
If the priority is to avoid ending up with a mattress that feels too firm, opting for a stretchier cover can help achieve that, especially when compared to a more rigid or heavily quilted cover.
I liked reading this. I think i like the thicker pillowtop covers, and that bamboo one looks very good because when used over a memoryfoam top it can prevent some of that smushy feel, and i feel the thicker cover gives a very premium feel. Every time ive been to a mattress store and felt the cover it immediately told me what i wanted to know about the mattresses. The outer cover really does play a huge part in making one seem high or low quality.
My glacier apex has a super silky feeling top layer with that glaciotex material. And it might not actually be super cooling, but it feels fantastic.
Yes the Glacier Apex is a fantastic mattress. I have one in my guest room and never a complaint. I agree, it feels very cool to the touch “naked” but when you put all the clothes on it the effect of the cool to the touch diminishes, but it is still a great comfortable mattress non-the-less.
Alright now i know for sure im talking to darknightrises7 from reddit. You’re the one who influenced me to buy this mattress. Thanks a lot! I wish i could work in the mattress industry because at this point I’m obsessed with mattresses. It’s just fun to think about how every aspect affects the experience.
Yes, that is me! I am glad you like the mattress. The funny thing is, if you didn’t know this mattress came in a box, it could be displayed next to any S brand that doesn’t come compresses and rolled in a box and no one would know the difference.
In this category, these mattresses are built to a standard that likely exceeds most of those S brands. Those brands are struggling to keep up and simply dont make them like they used to, while the quality BiB brands, like @Glacier and @HelixSleep and other’s here that are TM’s at TMU, that craft them here in the USA are always looking at ways to make them better.
While there are the premium luxury brands out there, that may have certain advantages, brands like those from our Trusted Members are substantial enough to satisfy the vast majority of folks.