I have been researching mattresses ENDLESSLY for weeks now. So much so, I am teaching the mattress salespeople things. I am sick of looking, I need to decide.
Me: Heavy sleeper; 5’4, 260ish lbs, female. I have hips, which seem to cause the most trouble keeping my back in a good position when on my back. I am not sure if too soft or too firm is the issue, but it is the major comfort one. I sleep with a ton of pillows to stuff under my shoulders and head, and behind my back when on my side. That and some toppers are the only way I have gotten through this. I sleep in all positions, but usually end up on my side curled up or on my stomach due to crappy mattresses my whole life. If I pass out on my back for too long, I wake up very sore through my shoulders and lower back. Like I just did many rounds with a boxer. Sleep is not always restful, I commonly wake up after a full night’s sleep feeling like I got far less than that. I am sick of this! Need a real mattress.
I flopped around on stuff all day today. I did find a place that specializes in Latex mattresses. They carried the Savvy, the one with the 3 layers of 3" natural latex, and some other brands that were basically the same thing but with a different combo of Talay/ Dunlop layers. No matter the combo, I found the firm to feel rock hard, the soft too soft (I think one of them was ok), and medium the closest to right. However, none felt like they supported my lower back enough. They all felt like a freaking brick, the ‘softness’ was just a brick I fell further into… I guess I am too used to coils! Anyways, all of them felt like the curve of my lower back was floating above, and I was left wanting an aggressive push back on it. They had a single latex hybrid to try, it was the Maxx http://www.maxxmattress.com/ I can’t seem to find any info on the specs, but the one I tried I was told by the salesperson was a hybrid coil and Dunlop Latex. It only came in medium. It was a noticeable improvement in the pushback compared to pure latex, but was not as good as some of the very high end foam hybrids.
I think at this point I should explain why not foam. Simple-- I am NOT a memory foam/ foam person. I hatehatehate the suck. I hate having to launch myself across the bed to get out of the pit. I hate sleeping IN a mattress. And, most of all, I love bounce in my bed. The first latex hybrid I found was a cheap Ashley Furniture house brand one. I was told it was a Talay on coils, no more info is available. I was in love with this setup and knew I was on the right track. (and, yes, the comfort level was comparable to the Maxx. There was definitely foam in it too, because the support layer had way more give and I felt the coils far more. It was easily the bounciest one I tried-- which I loved-- but was most likely due to engaging the coils much easier through the cheap foam. I know it would be destroyed in 2 years from my weight.)
The mattresses that DID have the pushback I liked were unfortunately no help-- A Kingsdown hybrid was closest to perfect (2 in firmness, scale is 1-5 with 1 being firmest), and all my research has failed me to find more info on it’s specs. I know it was zoned, which I am sure is a big reason for it feeling right. The second place was a Nature’s Spa by Paramount (medium, NON pillowtop version). Same story. I really wish these big boxes were more transparent so I could have the confidence to buy them, or at least deconstruct them to find out what I liked in them! Keetsa Tea Leaf Classic at the Latex store felt decent too, but only marginally better than the Latex Maxx. Firmness was spot on, and it did provide some more push into my lower back. Just concerned about foam options breaking down too fast with my weight, and of course, it didn’t have that bounce I adore (but more than memory foam at least)
Anyways, after weeks of going through what seems like every bed in a box and online mattress maker review out there, (including all the help articles here!) I feel like I have narrowed down what I might like and would like feedback.
Option 1: DIY. Base: Coils. Support layer: 2" Dunlop medium. Comfort layer: 2" Talay blended medium. And a cover. All from Mattresses.net.
Option 2: Luma Hybrid. They basically do that setup, but with a different thickness layering of the latex. I have a feeling they might know something I don’t, and that is why they have the 1.5" layer on the coils, and 3" on top instead of half and half. Thoughts?
Option 3: ?? I am open to suggestions of something I might have missed, a different DIY config, or a different mattress I add a topper to.
I would appreciate any insight to help me with the final push to my new mattress!
). I think my firmness gauge was off due to this factor. It was something I never even thought about, but in retrospect, seems like it is a major factor in foam and latex mattresses!