I have been looking at the options to replace my 3 year old sagging memory foam mattress. Thanks to the rich information on this site, I have become quite inclined to get a organic latex mattress as my replacement. I have had a chance to test it out one at a Dormi store locally and it feel comfortable.
I have had email conversations with Mario from Memory Foam comfort and he has been very kind to answer all my questions very patiently. There are still some questions as this is a very expensive decision and there is no return, so I would appreciate response from expert on my questions.
I have recently ordered a slatted Ashley bed and this has not yet been delivered. Sadly I am not exactly sure about the dimensions of the slats. As per Mario, the slats should be “…greater than 2 1/4” in width and no less than ¾" in thickness, no greater than 2" apart and must be supported by a center mid-rail with at least two independent supports to the floor…". The slats in my bed are most probably these - https://ashleyhomestore.ca/products/afhs-b100-14?variant=44563799754. Does have any experience using Ashley slatted beds with latex mattresses ?
[li] The Warranty for organic mattresses at Memory Foam comfort says that these mattress develop body impressions.
“…In the first several months you may notice the development of a body signature in the surface of your mattress. This is a normal occurrence and indicates that the layers in the top portion of your mattress are conforming to the natural contours of your body…”
This feels counter-intuitive to me and I thought latex is resilient to compressions due to its natural properties. If body impressions are formed, would the mattress not become ineffective in supporting the body ? My current cheap foam mattress did form body impressions in 2 years and now is the cause of back pain. Can someone clarify this a bit more for me ? Do any users have any experience with this ?[/li]
I would also request any user experiences with the Presto Mattress from Memory foam comfort. I like this mattress and am leaning to buying this but I am not very clear of the long term user satisfaction of the same.
Sorry that you have to replace youur sagging memory foam mattress after only 3 yeras of use. Mario from MFC has 30 years of experience in working with different types of foam (including memory foam… this was the first material he used in teh successful massage beds he desiged) he also providedes an excellent customer service and I’m glad he was able to answer some of your questions.
I looked at the Ashley link and of course, as you’ve oftentimes seen mentioned on our site we would need to look at detailed specifications listed under this product which the link you sent does not provide. This type of product “roll slats” is also called a Bunkie board at many other retail websites.
If you are using a bunkie board instead of a non-flexing foundation then as long as the bunkie board is strong enough to support the mattress and the people sleeping on it and the support surface is suitable for your mattress then there is really no difference between using a bunkie board, a low profile foundation, a regular foundation, or a platform bed other than the height of your sleeping surface. A king size latex mattress can weigh as much as 200lbs so it is important to inquire in more detail about the strength and spacing.
There is more about choosing bunkie boards in post #4 here and in another post #4 here.
[quote]“…In the first several months you may notice the development of a body signature in the surface of your mattress. This is a normal occurrence and indicates that the layers in the top portion of your mattress are conforming to the natural contours of your body…”
This feels counter-intuitive to me and I thought latex is resilient to compressions due to its natural properties. If body impressions are formed, would the mattress not become ineffective in supporting the body ? My current cheap foam mattress did form body impressions in 2 years and now is the cause of back pain. Can someone clarify this a bit more for me ? Do any users have any experience with this?[/quote]
MFC is not referring to the same type of “body impression” you’ve experienced with your cheap memory foam mattress. Most mattresses have a cover, sometimes a quilt pattern, and this fabric is combined with material, whether its wool or polyester or other FR materials. All of these examples are soft materials that will stretch and compress and will show some kind of “impression” or “signature” in the mattress. Generally, latex as well (depending on the type and density) can compress a small amount in the first 90 days of usage. While this is totally different than a mattress leaving an impression that is 1.5 inches deep. I am glad you mentioned it because your concerns may help others differentiating between the impressions formed during the adjustment period of a mattress and those formed due to the poor quality of materials … as some consumers wrongly assume that a mattress should be perfectly flat all the time.
The good news is that you are working side by side with one of our Trusted Members that has your best interests at heart. As you already experienced with Mario/MFC, they are very helpful and have a wealth of knowledge and experience behind them and I suggest that you follow closely their recommendations as to the thickness of a possible topper. There is no one better equipped fine-tune their systems or that would know what combination is most likely to have the best rate of success for your specific needs. Hopefully, after allowing your body to adjust to the new comfort layer change you will not need to purchase a new topper.
Two important advantages of the Organic Presto customizable latex mattress
1- By flipping the inner latex layers annually, you renew and revitalize the entire mattress, whereas rotating a traditional mattress only helps maintain the top layers. This diminishes body impressions more than in a conventional mattress.
2- Should a layer prematurely wear out, or be ruined by a mishap, it can simply be replaced avoiding the hassle and cost of replacing the entire mattress.
Hi Phoenix,
Thanks for the details and very educative posts on the bunkie and other mattress bases. I can see from the description that the thickness of the slats is .75 inches and that is at the least matching the requirement Mario specified. It seems to me that the best option would be at this point to wait out for the bed to arrive and get measurements. I will try to see if I can talk to the manufacturers too to get some more information on the size and the weight restrictions.
I also appreciate very much your clarifying the body impression related question. I can see what you mean about the body impression forming on the quilt but can this get really about 1.5 inches deep ? Would this not be equal in depth to the same in a cheap foam ?
Thanks for pointing out the advantages of using the presto mattress to distribute the load throughout. I had this in mind too. I specially like the ability to flip it over unlike the foam mattress that can only be rotated by 180 degrees and hence restricting any possibility of evenly wearing out the mattress.
Since Phoenix, pointed to the weight of the latex mattress, can you provide some estimate of the presto mattress if I were to get a 8 inch one with a medium layer on top (no soft layer) ?
In a King size your looking at approximately 150 lbs
[quote]I also appreciate very much your clarifying the body impression related question. I can see what you mean about the body impression forming on the quilt but can this get really about 1.5 inches deep ? Would this not be equal in depth to the same in a cheap foam ?
[/quote]
Minor body impressions are not covered on latex mattresses (less than 1.5") which is pretty much the standardized warranty of the industry. It’s important to note that body impressions are usually the result of “all the layers” (including the wool quilted organic cotton cover) compressing as a whole during the break-in period.
Did I answer all your question?
Please let me know if you need any further information.
Most times the total “quilt height” on the top of a mattress can be anywhere between .5 inches and 1.0 “. In my post, I was referring to the “normal body impressions” NOT being the same as the 1.5” or greater impressions in a lower quality memory foam mattress. Sorry if I was not clear.
As Mario mentioned there will be some slight foam softening or slight impressions with all foam materials (including latex) over time so the sleeping surface won’t generally remain “pancake flat” and any quilting materials like wool or polyfoam can also develop some slight softening (in the case of polyfoam) or impressions (in the case of wool) as well but if they are good quality materials (like latex) then the softening or impressions will be very slight and not to the degree that it will have any meaningful effect on comfort or support (unlike the type or degree of foam softening or impressions that goes with lower quality materials such as lower density polyfoam or memory foam that is used in most mainstream mattresses). It certainly isn’t something I would be concerned about with MFC’s lines or the Presto you are considering.
Thanks for your posts and let us know what you decide.
Phoenix
@MFC / Mario thanks for always being on stand by and the helpful information about the customization options of the Organic Presto.