can you recommend anyone in the Birmingham, AL area to talk to ?
My wife has me watching a Serta infomercial on QVC - aaarrrggghhh !
weāve looked at iComfort, Sealy OptiCool, Tempurpedic, and my head is spinning ā¦
meant to tell you - thanks in advance for your input; itās obvious that you have great interest in and dedication to getting out some much-needed info to those of us who want it badly
Hi golfnBear,
The first thing I would suggest is to ask your wife to read this article. It will help you avoid most of the worst choices you could make (mass market outlets and major brands).
I would also consider turning off the power in your home whenever a mattress commercial comes on TV 
Buying a mattress based on advertising and marketing information is a sure way to end up with lower quality materials and lower value.
In the Birmingham area there is one local factory direct manufacturer (which would be your ābestā choice of outlet) and a couple of retail outlets that are āpossibilitiesā but you would need to āinterviewā them first along the lines of this article to make sure they had the knowledge and skill to āfitā you to a mattress that really was your best choice (and not ātheirā best choice) and were able and willing to give you the information about the layers in their mattresses (including the density of any polyfoam and memory foam) so that you would have a way to make meaningful comparisons and know the āweak linkā of your mattress. Without knowing the āquality specsā of the materials in a mattress that you are considering ā¦ there is no way to know itās quality, how long it may last, or how it compares to other mattresses in terms of value.
The factory direct outlet is ā¦
http://www.royalbeddinginc.com/ Local factory direct outlet. I know and have talked with Tom the owner here many times and I think very highly of him and his wife. They make or carry a full range of mattresses (including a new double sided all latex mattress) and all of them in every price range would have better quality and value than anything else you are likely to encounter in your area. The only reason I would go elsewhere would be if for some reason there was nothing that they made that āfitā you for PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) or if you wanted to make a comparison with other mattresses.
The two retail outlets that I would consider as āpossibilitiesā (again depending on their knowledge, and their willingness and ability to let you know what was inside their mattresses unless you had the ability to find out on the internet) and the brands they carry that would be worth including in your research include ā¦
http://www.ensleyfairfieldmattress.com/ Pure Talalay Bliss Talalay latex mattresses, King Koil Extended Life (these tend to use better materials), King Koil World Luxury, Park Place. I would make sure to find out the complete specifications of any model you might consider, especially for the Park Place or World Luxury mattresses.
Mattresses | Standard Furniture | Birmingham, Huntsville, Hoover, Decatur, Alabaster, Bessemer, AL Jamison.
Hope this helps
Phoenix.
Need help, we live in Florence, AL 35634. Looking for a new mattress, my wife is a stomach sleeper, Iām a side sleeper and occasionally a back sleeper( if the mattress allows which doesnāt happen much) We currently sleep on a S beauty rest pillow top, now collapsed. I wake up sore every morning.
While staying out of town Iāve slept on my dads comforpedic (slept good even on my back) and also on his tempurpedic(also slept good). I tried several of the tempurpedic beds in the store but Iām scared of the mobility while in bed and also the discussion of heat retention. I really like the feel of the icomfort from Big S but not sure this is what I want after smelling the off gassing in the store.
Iām intrigued by latex because of it natural properties and have been to my local store to try the Pure Latex Bliss, I was ready to pull the trigger but they do not have any type of return policy.
We have an adjustable king bed and Iām afraid of any of these internet order layered beds because if you keep adjusting the bed it seems like a problem waiting to happen with unglued layers. I found this forum and visited some of the latex links you placed here but Iām real leery of non glued layers and also ordering online.
Im 5ā10 165 my wife 5ā5 125 early 40ās I like med firm beds, too soft makes by back hurt.
Any thoughts?
Hi MikeK,
The first place I would start your mattress research is post #1 here which has the basic information, steps, and guidelines that will be most helpful to you.
Post #2 here (centered on Huntsville) has a list of the better options and possibilities that are in reasonable driving distance that Iām aware of (this includes a search around Florence as well).
I can certainly understand the hesitation with ordering online because of the additional risk involved in choosing a mattress that you havenāt tested in person and I would always start your research with local manufacturers and/or retailers. If you did decide to go in the direction of an online purchase though ā¦ having independent layers which you can choose individually is a way to lower the risk of an online purchase and allows for flexibility of design before and after a purchase so you can use your sleeping experience as a testing ground and fine tune the mattress based on your actual sleeping experience. Latex is very āstickyā and doesnāt shift when it is inside a tight fitting cover and shifting isnāt an issue in normal use. Even if you move the mattress on its side and the layers do shift, it only takes a minute or two to unzip the cover and āwaveā them back into position.
Phoenix
We have decided to go with all natural latex mattress after sleeping on queen size spring mattress for many years, would like to get some recommendations based on the following criteria:
[li]California King, split (left/right) with adjustable base[/li]
[li]I am 157 lbs, 5ft 10inches and my wife is 125 lbs, 5ft 4 inches[/li]
[li]I have some lower back degenerated disks[/li]
[li]I sleep on my side while my wife sleeps on her side or back[/li]
Below are my initial questions:
Thank you for your help.
Hi art,
Just in case you havenāt read it yet ā¦ the first place I would start is the tutorial post here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choices ā¦ and know how to avoid the worst ones.
If you are ordering locally then your personal testing using the testing guidelines would be the best way to decide. With careful and objective testing your body will tell you more than any ātheory at a distanceā about which mattress is the best match for you in terms of PPP. If you are making an online purchase, then more detailed conversations with the manufacturer or retailer on the phone would be the best way to choose. They know more about their mattresses and the specific options they offer and which of them would have the best chance of success based on the information you provide them and the āaveragesā of their customers than anyone else (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
While itās usually not necessary with latex because of the way it compresses and responds ā¦ with body types that are more āchallengingā because of a more athletic or curvy body (wider shoulders or wider hips for example) or weight distributions that are not as evenly proportioned it can certainly be useful and would be well worth considering. For example it can allow for the use of softer foam with more give under the shoulders and firmer foam under the heavier pelvis. The key with zoning is that the zoning scheme is a good match for your body type and weight distribution. There is more about zoning in this article and in post #11 here.
The better options and possibilities Iām aware of in the San Diego area are listed in post #2 here. You have some good options available
Phoenix
Phoenix- thanks very much this is helpful
Thank you for all the great information. I am currently looking for latex or foam/ latex hybird. Has anyone had the BB aloe alexis 14" for long term, and do you reccomend it?
Hi dbl006,
I donāt have any personal experience with it but the Alexis has only been available for less than about two years so there would not be any ālong termā reviews available of the specific mattress. Latex has been used for decades though and is the most durable type of foam in the industry regardless of which manufacturer uses it in their mattress and the materials in a mattress are the most effective way to assess the durability of a mattress.
Brooklyn Bedding is one of the members here and competes well with the best in the industry and they would certainly be one of the manufacturers I would recommend dealing with in terms of their quality, value, and service.
As far as a specific mattress choice though ā¦ I would be VERY cautious about using other peopleās suggestions or reviews as a way to make your own choice (see post #13 here about mattress reviews) because their experience may be very different from yours in terms of PPP (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). A certain mattress design or comfort choice that is āperfectā for one person may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on regardless of the quality, value, or durability of the mattress. One of the benefits of the Alexis outside of the quality of the materials is that it has two layers of latex which can be individually customized at the time you purchase it (based on your more detailed conversations with Brooklyn Bedding) and if necessary after you sleep on it (with a layer exchange) so it provides many options in a single mattress.
A forum search on āAlexisā (you can just click this) will bring up many more comments and feedback about it.
Phoenix
Thanks phoenix, good words to remember. I have been looking for a mattress for weeks and have really liked the idea of having both HD foam and latex. I have been looking on this site for weeks and doing a lot of bed testing at several local stores. Having all of the reviews of the different online sites you provided was very helpful. My husband and I decided going with Brooklyn bedding. We went with the Aloe Alexis split cal king, one side ultra plush and the other medium plush. Mario Sevilla from BB was excellent to work with. I was able to get and additional $200 of each mattress plus 2 pillows. After doing a lot of pricing I feel I received a great deal. Thanks also for the recommendation to adjustablebeds.org. I purchased the Reverie deluxe. I am very excited for my purchases to come. I will update everyone when everything comes and I get my first good night of sleep in years.
Hi dbl006,
Congratulations on your new mattress ā¦ and adjustable bed
I think you made great choices in terms of quality/value and Iām looking forward to your feedback once youāve had the chance to sleep on them.
Phoenix
Hi,
Iām new to most interactive internet platforms. Donāt know if Iām ātalkingā in the correct place.
First, Iād like to thank you for all the info (almost overwhelming) on your site. Iāve been reading for a week before I started understanding, not yet mastering the info. but getting there.
Second, in the Burlington, VT area, at least two stores have latex mattresses. The Vermont Mattress Depo carrying the Natura (you have listed this store in one of your replies) and the Burlington Furniture Co. carrying the pure Latex Bliss. Both places had courteous, helpful and fairly knowledgeable sales people.They had some info on their mattress.
Third, Iād like your opinion on two mattresses. The Natura Eco Refresh ( the only latex model at the Depo ) and the pure Latex Bliss Sustain.
My wife and I extremely liked the Sustain. Exceptional pressure relief, great alignment, liked the cotton over wool cover, was a little busy when we moved and it didnāt hurt either one of us. The Refresh and the Sutain were the only ones we both were very comfortable on.
My wife and I are 5ā 2" and weight around 200 lb. She has back, hip and shoulder problems plus fibromyelgia. Iāve got two artificial shoulder plus one knee and a bad back. Weāve been trying different style beds all day and were tired, the Bliss mattresses were our last stop.
We are very wary about buying on line but weād like your advise. The prices on these were not cheap. The Refresh was 3799 for two twin XLs. The Sustain was 5500 for two twin XLs. We plan to get two adjustable bases so we can have separate adjustments when necessary.
Weāve bought three mattresses, all name brands,in the last six years and Iāve not been able to sleep on any of them for more then a year to a year and one half (sleeping in a recliner mostly). I am so weary of this mattress āBSā.
Also we could take a road trip to a place which could make a mattress comparable to the Sustain (NY City and see a show ?)
Thank for any help you can send our way,
Adele and Bill
Hi cowdocvt,
I switched your post to your own topic so that your posts donāt get mixed up with posts from other members and it will be easier to find.
I would suggest reading the information here like you would a good book rather than āstudying itā like you would a textbook so that you donāt become overwhelmed with information or end up with āparalysis by analysisā. Just in case you havenāt read it yet I would also make sure youāve read the tutorial post here which has the most important information, steps, and guidelines you will need to make the best possible choice.
Itās good to see you were dealing with knowledgeable salespeople which are sometimes few and far between in the mainstream market. Iāve also added Burlington Furniture Company and Sleep Quarters to the Burlington, VT list. I didnāt add them originally since neither site listed what they carried but they are both on the Pure Latex Bliss retail store finder if you enter a zip code for the Burlington area and the PLB mattresses use good quality materials.
[quote]
Third, Iād like your opinion on two mattresses. The Natura Eco Refresh ( the only latex model at the Depo ) and the pure Latex Bliss Sustain.
[/quote].
You can see the materials in the Natura Eco Refresh on the Naturaworld site here. It includes an inch of 100% natural Talalay latex and a 6" 100% natural Dunlop latex support core and a fairly thick layer of wool in the quilting. All of these are good quality materials and there are no weak links in the mattress.
You can see the materials in the Pure Latex Bliss Sustain here and it includes 4" of 100% natural Talalay latex and a 6" support core that is also 100% natural latex with a stretch knit removeable and washable cover. It also doesnāt have any weak links in the design.
The most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is how well it matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP because no matter what the quality or price of a mattress ā¦ if itās not a suitable design for you to sleep on it would have little value to you. Careful and objective testing using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post will go a long way to helping you make a suitable choice.
The next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is the quality of the materials so you can make sure there are no weak links or lower quality materials that can soften or break down prematurely. If a mattress is a good match for you initially but the materials are low quality and soften or break down prematurely (as in your case with your previous mattresses) a mattress would also have little value to you in the longer term. Both of these use latex which is a high quality and durable material.
Once you have tested a mattress and you are confident that itās a good match for you and you have confirmed that it uses high quality materials ā¦ then the āvalueā of each mattress would depend on how they compare with each other or the other options that you are considering or have available to you based on the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
While both of these are good quality mattresses ā¦ they are both in higher price ranges than other similar latex mattresses with similar materials and construction so I would make some careful value comparisons before choosing either one of them.
I completely understand and you are in the same position as many if not most other mattress shoppers who donāt have the information that they need to make informed choices or know how to make sure that there are no weak links in a mattress and make meaningful comparisons between mattresses. When you buy a mattress that uses lower quality materials (in the comfort layers especially) then the lower quality materials will soften and break down prematurely and the loss of comfort/pressure relief and/or support/alignment that goes with this isnāt usually covered by a warranty (loss of comfort and support is considered to be normal weak and tear not a defect unless there are impressions are deeper than the warranty exclusions which usually isnāt the case)
That would certainly be a long drive to do some mattress shopping unless you had other reasons to go there. The tutorial post includes a link to a list of the members here that sell online that includes many that make latex mattresses with a wide range of options, designs, and budget ranges that may also be worth considering or at least that you could use for comparison purposes.
Post #32 here also includes a list of retailers that sell PLB mattresses online and ship them anywhere in the country that you could also use as a reference (their listed prices are MAP prices (minimum advertised prices) not the actual selling prices so I would make sure you talk with them to find out their actual selling prices).
The New York list is in post #2 here and there is a more categorized list for Northern NJ with more detailed descriptions of some of the NY options in post #7 here. The manufacturers and retailers listed there also make or sell latex mattresses but they are not the same design or combination of materials and may feel or perform completely differently so I would make sure you did some preliminary research on their sites and on the phone before you drive there.
There are no factory direct manufacturers close to Burlington, VT but some of the other options that are a similar or shorter distance away than New York (in case you want to drive in a different direction) are listed in post #4 here for Topsham/St Johnsbury, VT. (there are no factory direct manufacturers here either), post #2 here for Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts (with several factory direct manufacturers), post #2 here for Connecticut (also several factory direct manufacturers), post #2 here for Syracuse/Bridgewater (two factory direct manufacturers), and post #4 here for the Albany/Schenectady, NY. area (also with no factory direct manufacturers).
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix,
I am shopping for a latex mattress and I am quite confused!! I am a side/back sleeper looking for a good quality mattress. There are so many places to buy from I am just lost. Is it worth it to go all natural? Also, by chance would there be any good places near the Raleigh, Durham area of North Carolina to buy a latex mattress from?
Thanks,
John
Hi 1fasttvx,
That really depends on which type of latex you are looking at and your preferences and on the criteria that are most important to you for performance, āfeelā, budget, or personal reasons. Post #6 here has more about the different types of latex which along with your own personal testing and experience may be helpful in deciding which type of latex you prefer.
The better options and possibilities Iām aware of in the Raleigh/Durham area are listed in post #6 here. There are certainly some good options to test and become familiar with different types of latex mattresses but where you end up buying from will depend on which of your options (either local or online) you are most comfortable with and are the best match for the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
Phoenix
Great info Phoenix, I will check them out.
Thanks,
John
Phoenix,
I went to look at the latex mattress at the Original Mattress Factory. I like the feel of the mattress, but after checking the construction it uses a foam core. I am guessing that is a way to produce the mattress at a lower cost? I also checked out the Savvy Rest Serenity mattress and I liked the feel of them also, but as you know the price is up there. Right now I am really leaning towards the Brooklyn Bedding 10" Total Latex. Do you think that would be a good choice price and construction wise?
Thank you!!
John
Hi 1fastvx,
You can see some of my thoughts about the OMF Serenity latex mattress (and some comparisons with some of the Brooklyn Bedding mattresses including the Total Latex Mattress) in post #2 here and post #2 here and post #3 here.
Yes ā¦ they are good quality mattresses and I would choose them over most mainstream mattresses in a similar budget range but as you know there are also other similar component latex mattresses available that use the same or similar materials and layers in lower budget ranges.
They are one of the members of this site which means I think highly of them yes and they compete well with the best in the industry. I certainly wouldnāt hesitate to purchase any of their mattresses that I thought was suitable for me in terms of PPP and the parts of my personal value equation that were most important to me.
Of course when you canāt test a mattress in person them itās also important to have a more detailed conversation with any online retailer or manufacturer so you can choose the layer and firmness options that have the highest chance of success (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix,
I have learned so much on your site. Because of the huge investment, Iām so afraid to make a mistake and get the wrong mattress. Because of this, weāve put off buying a mattress for about 3 years too long.
I live in Montana, so our latex choices are really limited locally. We did drive to Denver Mattress in Billings (110 miles) and try their iChoice. I liked it without the topper but only laid on it about a half an hour with the topper and a half hour without. I have developed bursitis in both hips, and I think our sagging innerspring mattress is the cause. When I sleep in hotel beds, I donāt develop the same pain, which hits about 3 am at home. I particularly like the mattresses at Woolleyās Classic Suites in Denver, but I donāt want to go with springs again. They say their mattresses are Beautyrest Black Label custom-made for them, but no one knew what comfort level number they were.
The iChoice bedās link is: 404 | Denver Mattress. As you can see, itās not 100% latex, so Iāve been looking at SleepEZās beds, starting with the Roma. Iām wondering what you recommend based on the two other mattresses I liked. I havenāt called them yet to find out the ILD #s on their different layers. We have added a 2.5" Talalay topper to our current bed along with a Cuddlebed topper and a quilt under the sagging part of the mattress. That has helped but not enough. However, we can use these toppers on our new mattress as well. Iām worried about getting something too firm that will bother my pressure points, but Iām worried about getting something too soft since I hear that latex softens over time, and sinking too far into the mattress also sets off my bursitis.
We laid on the Dr. Breus Monogram mattress, but I couldnāt really feel a difference on that one. Of course, I tried it early in the morning when my bursitis was already hurting pretty badly. I believe thatās also not 100% latex. I have not been able to find 100% mattresses in either Billings or Bozeman.
So budget-wise weāre looking at three on SleepEZ.com: the Roma, the NaturalĆ© 9", and the 8" Special Latex Mattress with 3 layers. If we go with that, Iām not sure what firmness levels to choose for each layer since I am no where near Tempe and canāt try them out. Iām hoping you can make some suggestions.
And unfortunately, we do need a new foundation, too. Are all wooden foundations the same? We can buy one locally for $120 versus SleepEzās $275, and the store says it would support a latex mattress, but the saleswoman couldnāt tell me the size or spacing of the slats inside.
One more question about warranties. I believe most warranties requires a sag of a certain amount (ie. 2.5") to replace the mattress, but Iāve heard that latex doesnāt actually sag; it softens in the area where you lie, so are latex warranties different, or are they pointless?
Thanks so much for any information you can give me. We have been looking forever, and with my bursitis, I want to get a new mattress this month.
Hi Range Girl,
Just in case you havenāt read it yet ā¦ the first place I would start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that you will need to make the best possible choice ā¦ and know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
You can read more comments about hotel beds in post #3 here. I would generally avoid them or any of the major brand mattresses that may be similar (see the guidelines here).
I would also be aware that the weakest link in most innerspring mattresses are lower quality materials used in the comfort layers and not the innerspring itself which is generally a durable component. An innerspring mattress that uses high quality comfort layers can be a very durable choice.
I donāt make specific mattress suggestions because there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone to make specific suggestions for someone else based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or ātheory at a distanceā. If you are considering an online choice that you canāt test in person before a purchase then the most reliable source of guidance will always be the retailer or manufacturer themselves (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
[quote]
So budget-wise weāre looking at three on SleepEZ.com: the Roma, the NaturalĆ© 9", and the 8" Special Latex Mattress with 3 layers. If we go with that, Iām not sure what firmness levels to choose for each layer since I am no where near Tempe and canāt try them out. Iām hoping you can make some suggestions.
[/quote].
There is more about the most important parts of the āvalueā of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses.
I can only speak to the quality of the materials in a mattress and help you identify any weak links in their design and all of the mattresses you mentioned here use high quality and durable materials and there are no weak links in any of them.
No they all arenāt the same at all. There is more about the types of foundations that are suitable for different types of mattresses and some good sources for each of them in the foundation post here but the SleepEZ foundation is certainly a good choice for an all latex mattress and has gaps between the slats that are less than 3".
Iām not sure where you are exactly but the some of the Montana options in post #5 here may be reasonably close to you.
Most warranties have a 1.5" exclusion (although some are more) but mattress warranties only cover visible impressions (as you mentioned) and not the gradual loss of comfort and support that happens with all mattresses over time and they have very little to nothing to do with the useful life of a mattress and how quickly you may need to replace it (see post #174 here). They are more about marketing than anything else.
All foam materials including latex will soften or impress to some degree over time but latex is among the most durable materials in the industry so it will soften or impress less than other types of foam materials and will only do so over a longer period of time. There is more about the variables that can affect the durability and useful life of a mattress in post #4 here.
Phoenix