Hi, first off wanted to say that this site is amazing!
My wife and I sleep on a 18 year old coil spring King mattress with a pillow top. Yes, 18 years old. I have been having tons of aches and pains and been checked by doctors, but noticed that my pains were noticeably better after being in a hotel for a week. Also, after getting in an argument with my wife and being subjected to the guest bedroom I noticed I was in less pain the following morning. So, right now I’m sleeping in the guest bedroom until I pull the trigger on a new mattress, but I’m thoroughly confused.
The guest bedroom is an innerspring and barely used, but still hurts me.
I am about 185 pounds, sleep on my side and get hot at night. The current mattress gives me terrible hip pain, shoulder pain and neck pain. I am also concerned with chemicals in the bed.
So my question would be is there like a top 5 list of mattresses (probably latex based on what I’ve read) that someone would know off the top of their head as being contenders? I would really appreciate the assistance.
One last question. I have a 5 year old daughter that needs a mattress for her new full sized bed and wondering what people usually buy for kids that age (looking for something to last for awhile)?
Many many thanks!!!
Hi coolmonk,
The first place i would start your research (in case you haven’t read it already) is mattress shopping tutorial here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines you will need to make the best possible decisions.
There are too many variables and unknowns in your choice of materials and mattress designs for anyone to put together a “top 5” or even a “top 100” list out of all the many thousands of mattresses that are available in the industry that would have any meaning. Shopping by brand (instead of based on your own personal testing and on the quality and durability of the materials and components in a mattress) or based on other people’s recommendations that may have very different needs and preferences is not generally an effective way to choose a mattress. mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here talks more about the importance of your own personal testing, preferences, and research and will help you narrow down your choices to your own “top 5” that may be very different from anyone else. Nobody else can feel what you feel on a mattress or know with any certainty based on “theory at a distance” which mattress will work best for your unique needs and preferences … especially without some reference points based on your own testing experiences on different types of mattresses.
Phoenix
Thanks for the response! I was able to read a good bit today here on the site and I am going to buy latex. I absolutely don’t want an innerspring (been there, done that) and I feel strongly about off-gassing so that rules out memory foam. I also have read that side sleepers like me prefer medium support. I just need to research the brands and see if there are any close to me in Broomfield, CO to try out. After reading up on Brooklyn Bedding I may just pull the trigger there. After sleeping on an 18 year old innerspring mattress that looks like a horse died on it and stayed there for a few weeks, any decent new latex mattress is going to be like a dream come true.
For my 5 year old I’ll likely go innerspring to save money and I figure she’s so tiny it will take years to put a dent in a full size mattress.
This site is fantastic and really got me thinking. I honestly didn’t even know they had latex mattresses and now I’m going to buy one.
Hi coolmonk,
I would keep in mind that there are many different types of innersprings and each type is also used as a support layer for a huge variety of different mattresses. In most cases the support layers or components or a mattress (whether it’s an innerspring, latex, polyfoam or any other support material) isn’t the weak link of a mattress and it’s almost always the comfort layers that are closer to the top of a mattress that soften or breaks down long before the support system. Having said that … latex (either in the comfort layers or the support layers) is certainly a great choice for those who are familiar with the material and know they like it.
Some of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in the Boulder/Denver area are listed in post #2 here.
Even more important than the innerspring is the comfort layer and cover that is over it because that is what she will be in closest contact with. Some of the more informative and helpful posts and threads about mattresses and children are listed in post #2 here.
Phoenix
Thanks Phoenix!!! This information is extremely valuable.
Hi Phoenix. When you say a cover, is that something you would recommend for both adults and kids? Meaning I would buy a cover for a latex for myself as well?
Hi coolmmonk,
By “cover” I meant the cover (called the ticking in the industry) of the mattress … not a “cover” you add after you’ve purchased a mattress such as a mattress protector. The cover could be just a fairly thick fabric or have various types of natural or synthetic fibers or some kind of foam quilted to it which surrounds the materials inside and helps the mattress keep its shape.
The cover of a mattress is a significant part of its cost and performance both in terms of how it “feels” and as part of the cooling and ventilation system of the mattress. The materials that are closest to the body will also have the biggest effect in terms of any offgassing and leaching of materials which can be an important consideration especially for a young child that still has a developing immune system.
In addition to the mattress though … it’s also important to make sure that you use a mattress protector which will also have an effect on the feel and performance of the mattress and on it’s cooling and ventilation as well (see post #89 here for more about the different types of mattress protectors). Without a mattress protector to protect against accidents … especially with children … even the smallest stain can void the warranty and in terms of hygiene it’s much easier to wash a mattress protector than to remove a cover and wash it (assuming it can even be removed or washed at all).
A mattress protector is important for both adults and children to protect the mattress against accidents and the natural moisture and body oils that are released during sleep but for children a waterproof cover would be more important than for an adult because of the greater likelihood of “accidents” during the night.
Phoenix