Latex toppers on firm mattress

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

I have a 1 month old floor model firm Stearns & Foster mattress. On one side whatever small amount of foam in this mattress had been compressed and it felt similar to laying on the floor. This mattress claims to have a new foam that is better than latex. I moved to other side of bed where I could feel some foam present but it was still firm so I put a SLEEP ON LATEX SOFT topper on top and was fine. (The topper is 2" thick…Dunlop and 20 ILD with a density of 4.0…they make a very good product!)

After a few nights whatever foam is in the mattress must have become compressed because now the topper became too firm as well. I have now slept in all 4 corners of thr mattress and the same thing has repeated itself exactly. The mattress is not returnable or exchangeable. I have to live with it. My only idea is to add another soft topper…2". I have spoken with a couple people at SLEEP ON LATEX and they seem to think that will have a good chance of helping. I think the same. Also, they dont like to talk about a person’s weight at SLEEP ON LATEX. …I tried to coax thrm a couple times but I do weigh 320 and think that will have something to do with compression…that is why I purchased a firm mattress.

Anyway do you think my plan has a good chance of success? I just want to feel a little cushion. Any other ideas? Thanks so much!

2

Hi smmimp14,

Without knowing the exact makeup of the product you’re mentioning, I can’t comment upon the layering or any specific material. But that is information you should have already acquired before making your purchase (which I most recently outlined in my last reply to you in your last thread).

Sleep on Latex (a site member here, which means that I think highly of them) does use a 100% natural Dunlop latex in their toppers, and you are correct that this is a good quality material. A 2" 4 lb Dunlop topper would “add a bit” of plushness to a very firm mattress.

Even at your higher BMI, the foam layers would not become completely compressed. More than likely the product would be losing some its original “false firmness” and there would be more of a chance of some compressing of the upper fiber layers within the mattress more than anything else.

That is always one of the things to evaluate with a floor model purchase, as being non-returnable is usually part of such a purchase, and everyone has to evaluate their own comfort with such a transaction versus any potential price savings on a floor model item.

That’s certainly a possibility, as it seems that what you are desiring is more surface comfort, so an additional layer of comfort material could point you in that direction of extra plushness.

While I wasn’t part of your specific conversation, weight and BMI do come into play with their recommendations (most specifically for a mattress), amongst many other personal variable and considerations. I’m not sure what you were trying to “coax” out of them, but in your case most of what you’re feeling is determined by your mattress, which is not something that they provided you, so perhaps that was part of their reason for what you’re labeling as “not wanting to talk about your weight”.

I can’t determine if you’ll have “success” with adding a topper, but I can say that what you’re considering is a logical method to add extra plushness to a firmer product that still has good support characteristics, and you’ve considering using very high quality material, and many people do exactly what you’re considering with good results.

If you’re interested, there is some very good information about choosing a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines and other posts it links to. At a higher BMI, it very well could be that 2" isn’t enough when combined with your current mattress to provide the surface comfort that you desire, and another 2"-3" might be in order.

Good luck in your customization!

Phoenix

3

I do know what this mattress has in it as follows: PrimaCool Performance Fabric…stretch knit fabric cover. Next…Advanced Adapt Foam…combines conforming comfort with ease of movement. Then PrimaSense Gel Foam which cradles the body and promotes cooler sleep. Intellicoil Advanced…adapts to any body for the perfect level of support. I could not find anyone to tell me anything more specific about this mattress except that it has about 630 coils which are a coil inside a coil making it 1200 coil count. Most mattress salespersons know little about the product…that has been my experience. As to further explanation of their coil it is explained quite well on the Stearns & Foster website. I justed wanted you to know that I did inquire. I wanted a good firm mattress and think I have one. My intent from the beginning was to put a latex topper on it. I already had one and now it looks like I will be purchasing another.

Thanks for your input!

4

Also I asked SLEEP ON LATEX about how my weight would affect thigs and they replied that’s they don’t discuss a persons weight. I replied wouldn’t that affect compression of the topper and I recieved the same response. I too think an individual’s weight would help determine which topper is most suitable.

5

Hi smmimp14,

I have to agree with you about the poor state of knowledge possessed by most mattress salespeople about their products. Sometimes this is due to the manufacturer not sharing meaningful details about their products (as in this case), and sometimes it is from the philosophy of the store ownership prioritizing sales tactics over knowledge. And sometimes it is both things.

Unfortunately, without knowing the thickness and density of the materials within any mattress, there is no way to determine the quality and durability of the product – only the initial comfort when testing it out.

Regarding your weight comments, you are correct that someone with a higher BMI will sink into a mattress more and compress materials more as well, especially in the uppermost layers. Post #3 here has more information and suggestions about higher BMIs that you may find interesting.

Phoenix

6

Hijacking this thread as I don’t know how to start a thread~

I initially bought a soft mattress from Orginal Mattress Factory (second from the top of their most expensive). The first fitful night I woke up sideways the next morning! So I exchanged it for an extra firm. When I lie on my side my spine is perfectly straight and it feels good. I love the support but I’m a side sleeper and wake up with a pressure sore on my hip. So I bought a 2" 20 ILD latex topper. I flipped all night and both arms went numb (Yes, my cervical curve is reversed but this has not been an issue previously on a plush Serta. It’s been my experience that those one sided mattresses just don’t last as long so back to what I grew up with).
I know nothing about silk or wool toppers and the only other option I see is perhaps a 1" soft latex or a 1 or 2" medium latex. I’m in need of a diagnosis here, Dr. Phoenix!

7

Hi Ms. Natural.

I am sorry that the mattress from OMF (in both firmness choices soft and extra firm) did not work out for you and it sounds like the medium may have been a better firmness choice for you. You seem to be going in the right direction by adding some softness, “comfort” and pressure relief to your sleeping system with a good quality topper but the only way to know for certain whether a specific mattress/topper combination is a good “match” for both of you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP is based on your own careful testing or personal experience on the combination. If you can’t test the combination in person then there will always be always some risk and uncertainty involved in adding a topper because the specifics of the mattress itself along with your own body type, sleeping position, and preferences can affect which specific topper would be a suitable choice on any specific mattress.

From your brief description, it seems that the comfort layers (mattress topper combo) are still too firm and result in the pressure point symptoms that you indicated (numbness, tingling, discomfort in the area where your body makes the firmest contact with the mattress like your hips and shoulders). While this typically can be addressed by looking for softer/thicker comfort layers there are still many variables that can contribute to your symptoms. You did not mention how long you allowed for the mattress to break in and for your body to adjust to the new sleeping surface or another thing to consider when you have a new mattress is that while one pillow may fit you well on a previous mattress as a side sleeper, it may be inappropriate on a new mattress. The thickness of the pillow should vary with the amount that your shoulder sinks into the mattress. You must make sure to reassess your pillow with each mattress you try.

It is not possible to “diagnose” any symptoms you have on an online forum based on the limited information that you provided as this is usually needs a more in-depth analysis that involves you doing some detective work. Unfortunately, there are far too many unknowns, variables, and different possibilities involved to be able to pinpoint or make any specific suggestions based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance”

Shoulder and arm issues typically come from a mattress that is too firm and puts direct pressure on the shoulders, the shoulder blades, or on the back muscles and can also cause soreness or numbness and tingling in the arms or can often come from postural issues as well. If the mattress is too firm then if you sleep on your side your shoulders may not sink in enough to relieve pressure and your upper body can also “twist” away from the pressure. There is some much more detailed information on the shoulder and arm issues in posts #2 and #3 here There is a bit more information about sleeping positions and posture this in this article here . There is also more information in post #2 here that talks about the various symptoms that people may experience on a mattress and some of the reasons that can cause them that can help with the detective work or trial and error that may be necessary to identify the types of changes that may be helpful.

There is more information about choosing a topper and a link to the better online sources I’m aware of in post #2 hereand the topper guidelines it links to which along with a conversation with a reliable and knowledgeable supplier (that can provide you with good information about how their toppers compare to each other or to other toppers they are familiar with that are available on the market) can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success. A good exchange/return policy can also reduce the risk of an online topper purchase so I would make sure you are comfortable with the options you have available after a purchase just in case the topper you choose doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.

I hope this gives you the information you need to find something suitable.

Phoenix