hello Phoenix,
taking your recommendations, i chose the āradianceā in the optimum line, but i find it slightly too hard. iām told it defeats the purpose to put something between the body and the memory foam. i need a bit more softness without sacrificing the support (for both my shoulder when i sleep on my side as well as the soft-to-touch comfort preference). the softer optimums donāt have quite enough support when laying on my stomach. if i buy a 1-2" topper, what should i buy so as not to lose the āoutlastā cooling factor?
Hi Dymnd,
If the mattress is very slightly too firm ā¦ then you probably made the best possible choice along the lines of option #2 in my reply to your earlier post ā¦
If you have only had the Optimum for a short time ā¦ then it will still be going through the initial softening period and may end up just where you want it to be in a few weeks (as long as the difference is not too uncomfortable in the meantime). You can hasten this by walking on the mattress evenly over the surface (this can help to shorten the initial softening period of a memory foam mattress although for the sake of others reading this ā¦ this is not recommended for an innerspring mattress).
If it turns out that it is still too firm after it has gone through the initial softening or break-in period (and you have gone through the initial adjustment period for any new mattress) ā¦ then I would suggest a topper in the material that you prefer (which seems to be memory foam). The thinner the better both in terms of temperature and support and an inch or two would generally be enough depending on the degree of change you need in the comfort and pressure relieving qualities of the mattress. The thinner the material ā¦ the less it will compromise support ā¦ especially on your stomach which needs the thinnest/firmest comfort layer that āworksā for you.
Phase change materials like those in the Sealy work best closer to the top of the mattress but are not quite as dependent on proximity as heat conductive materials (like many of the gel memory foams) so while a topper will reduce the phase change effect to some degree, you can also use a more ventilating and open celled memory foam or a gel memory foam to āadd backā some of the temperature regulating properties you may lose. Bear in mind too that the type of foam and the ticking/quilting material used in the upper layers of a mattress is only part of what makes a mattress sleep cooler and the other parts of the āsleeping coolā equation (how deep you sink in, mattress protector, sheets, mattress pad/topper, and bedding) will also have an effect in either direction (either warming it up or cooling it down).
So I would first give it enough time for the mattress and you to go through any initial adjustment and then add a topper if necessary.
Some of the better choices for memory foam toppers are in post #4 here. I would tend to choose either a more breathable memory foam or a good quality gel foam (along the lines of the information in post #6 here about cooling down memory foam) both of which (along with a good breathable cover) can be more temperature regulating than memory foams that more closed cell and less breathable.
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix. This thread was helpful, thank you. Any ideas for a reliable, trust-worthy mattress vendor in or around Ann Arbor, Michigan? Could look in Detroit as well.
Hi Naomi,
Post #2 here includes the better possibilities that Iām aware of in and around the Ann Arbor area.
Phoenix
I am providing an updateā¦
I have had my Optimum Radiance for almost 2 weeks, and am definitely finding it too firmā¦ especially when I sleep on my side (since i wake up with achy shoulder/slightly tingly arms). The support (when I do sleep on my back/stomach) is actually quite refreshing after the āhammockā of the S&F Estate Plush mattress I tried previously. I am ācounting the daysā for this to finish softening to see if ultimately the side-sleeping issue will diminish, yet I am not too hopeful. I can pass along from experience that one should use only the thinnnest of mattress pads (e.g., the Protect-A-Bed), since trying to use the thicker padded types defeat the ability of the memory foam to be able to effectively conform to your body due to the extra surface tension created by the mattress pad thereby making the mattress firmer (which, in my case, isnāt a good thing).
Interestingly, when the store came to pick up the S&F Estate Plush, they told me that mine was the second one recently they had picked up, indicating that those manufactured before a certain date had an issue, and they were surprised that they hadnāt all been āscrappedā. Glad to know I wasnāt ācrazyā despite the store salesman telling me that the mattress wasnāt defective, but that it was my unique response to the mattress.
Do you know if anyone offers a 1-1/2" āphase changeā memory foam topper? I do like the surface coolness of the Optimum. Yet, I definitely miss the soft-touch of the previous thick comfort layers I enjoyed, so would like my topper to have a lower (?) ILD while not compromising support. I had found the 4" middle comfort layer" too thick, and went instead with the 2" middle comfort layer (of the Radiance), whicih I am obviously finding too thin. HAPPY MEDIUM WANTED! 
I took a look at your recommendations for local manufacturers, and wonder if there are any in the general Nashville, TN area where I might try to find an appropriate topper? (obviously, it would be great to be able to feel/try) Otherwise, I note the online manufacturers you recommended in post #4:
www.rockymountainmattress.com/ (A member of this site and recommended)
www.selectfoam.com/ or www.memoryfoam.com/ (Also a recommended member of the site)
www.foamorder.com/
www.myluxurymattress.com/
Based on your recommendations, I am assuming I am seeking a āgood quality gel foamā but what specifically should I be asking for? (i.e., LB vs ILD)?
Thanks!
Hy Dymnd,
You probably have a little way to go before your mattress finishes going through any initial softening but as you mention this may not bring you into the pressure relieving range that you need (especially on your side). I also agree with you about the importance of surface tension and thinner or more stretchy mattress protectors will have less effect on the feel of the mattress than thicker or less stretchy protectors. Thicker mattress protectors(regardless of how stretchy they are) which can also have a much bigger āfirmingā effect on temperature sensitive foams than on other types of foam.
There are 3 different types of cooling technologies used in a mattress (which you can read about at the end of post #4 here) and of the three ā¦ phase change materials can have more of an effect when they are further away from the body than the other two (heat conductive materials and humidity and temperature controlling materials) so all of the cooling benefits of the phase change materials wonāt be lost with a topper.
A topper will feel differently on different layers below it so testing a topper on a different mattress wonāt necessarily provide you with an accurate idea of what the same topper will feel like on a different mattress.
Because of your focus on temperature and on some extra softness (should it be necessary after a little longer break in period) ā¦ I would tend to focus on a memory foam topper that is more breathable or uses some form of gel (either phase change or thermal conductive) ā¦ both of which will sleep cooler. Your idea about a thinner layer would also be a good idea because the more you sink into softer surface layers the more insulating a foam will be.
So I would be looking for a 4 or 5 lb memory foam topper (4 lb will tend to be softer) in the thickness range you are suggesting (maximum 2"). ILD is not really meaningful in memory foam because itās softness is subject to time, heat, and humidity all of which will change the ILD of the memory foam. When you talk with a memory foam supplier ā¦ I would tell them you are looking for a faster response memory foam that is less temperature sensitive (doesnāt take as much time to soften), is breathable or cooling, and is in the softer range relative to other types of memory foam. This will give them the information they need to help you make your best choice. Gel memory foams that have the gel mixed with the memory foam as a liquid rather than particles are likely to be stronger and more durable than either particulate gel foam or a non gel memory foam of the same density (so lower than 4 lbs in this case would likely be less risky in terms of durability).
If you look a little further down in the same Post #4 which lists some suppliers ā¦ you will find some sources of gel memory foam (and other gel foams) in addition to the sources of memory foam without gel.
Phoenix
Iām in the metro DC area ā any decent mattress makers around here?
Thanks
Hi carolindc,
The better options or possibilities in the Washington, DC area I know of are listed in post #2 here.
Phoenix
Would the Ultimate Dream 13" Gel Foam mattress be comparable to the Sealy Optimum Inspiration? I too enjoyed the Sealy.
Hi brahms5,
About the only thing that can really be compared between the Ultimate Dreams 13" Gel and the Sealy Optimum inspiration is that they both have 5" of memory foam (different types and layering) and that they both use a good quality polyfoam in their support core. Because Sealy provides little information about their memory foam, about the only way to make a comparison between them in terms of āfeelā would be testing them side by side in āreal timeā which of course isnāt practical. Of course if a manufacturer specifically had tested their mattress against the feel and performance of the Optimum this could also give an indication but it isnāt a popular enough mattress for a manufacturer to ātargetā its feel and performance like some do with Tempurpedic.
Dreamfoam does say that the 13" gel āapproximatesā the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe (perhaps not quite as soft) so this may give you some indication of its feel.
Phoenix
Hi
thanks for your post. just wondering if you are still happy with the ultimate dreams mattress you bought in July. Iām thinking of buying one and want it to last.
thanks,
-K
Phoenix,
I just purchased a King size platform bed and am looking for a new mattress. The sales person recommended the Sealy Optimum so thatās how I stumbled on this site. Lotās of great info.
We are looking for a thinner mattress (8-10") that will rest directly on top of the platform bed. I have lower back problems and prefer a firmer mattress. We have looked a various polyfoam (BoConcept 4 star) and latex mattresses.
We would like to ātestā a variety of mattresses to find one that best suits our needs. We live in Northern NJ, near Paramus, Fort Lee NJ and Nanuet NY. Can you recommend a show room or retailer in my area where we can test a variety of mattresses. Thank you.
Hi old2jersey,
Post #7 here includes the better options and possibilities Iām aware of within reasonable driving distance.
Phoenix
Phoenix,
I live near Milwaukee, WI and just happened upon your site while looking for reviews on the Sealy Optimum series. Can you recommend any good mattress dealers in my area? Thanks!
Hi seanerrolquinn,
Iād be happy to
The better options and possibilities Iām aware of in the Milwaukee area are listed in post #2 here.
No matter who you are considering buying from or working with ā¦ make sure that you are able to get all the details about the quality of the layers and components of any mattress you are testing.
Just in case you havenāt already read this ā¦ post #1 here and the information and guidelines it links to is always the place I would start to gather the basic information and ideas you will need to make an informed choice and make meaningful comparisons between mattresses.
Phoenix
Thanks Phoenix! Iāll start looking now and hope to be buying once I get my tax refund
Phoenix,
I was considering getting a Sealy Optimum until I read your information. Is there a manufacturer in Phoenix, AZ that you could recommend for me. Also any advice on a cool mattress to deal with the Arizona heat? thank you.
Ryan
Hi AZmook,
Phoenix is one of the best places in the country to buy a great quality and value mattress and several of the manufacturing members of this site are either there or close by.
The first place I would start is post #1 here and the information it links to which will give you the basic information that you need to work more effectively with a manufacturer and make the best possible decisions.
The sleeping temperature of a mattress is determined by many interacting factors (see post #2 here) but any good manufacturer will be able to tell you which of their mattresses will be cooler and why. Connecting with the experts is always much easier than becoming one yourself when it comes to some of the more complex parts of mattress design.
The better options Iām aware of in the Phoenix area are listed in post #4 here.
I wish every area in the country had the kind of local choices available that you do
Phoenix
My wife and I looked at and liked the Sealy Optimum Elation last evening and considered some of the features to be of value for us. My concern when looking at any āfoamā mattress is that she loves the plush sink in mattresses but overheats during the night. We currently have what is claimed to be a memory foam topper which retains heat ( I know because you can come back an hour later and it is still warm to the touch) that is worn out in my opinion and we need to start fresh.
Iām having a difficult time wrapping my head around the Sealy prices considering the unknowns about materials in these mattresses and others in the same realm. Having said this I am willing to pay for a mattress that will satisfy my wifeās needs. We are in the Roswell/Atlanta area and would like to look at products of known quality that are comparable to the Sealy Optimum Elation, Tempurpedic, icomfort range. Thanks in advance for your help and consideration.
Hi E-Four,
The first comment I would make is that you could consider every mattress you are testing to be a āfoamā mattress since it would be very uncommon to find a mattress that only used natural fibers in the comfort layers (such as wool or horsehair) which are the layers that you sleep on and āfeelā the most. The question is really about what type of foam is used in the comfort layers (memory foam or itās variant gel memory foam of various types, polyfoam, or latex foam). all of these have very different properties and there are many variations in each category. No matter what type of support layer you find in a mattress (innersprings, polyfoam. or latex are the most common) ā¦ you will generally be sleeping on some type of foam and possibly some type of fiber in the mattress quilting.
The first place I would start in your research is post #1 here and the information it links to which is the most important post on the forum when you are first starting to look for a mattress. This will give you all the basic information you need to know a bit more about mattresses and the materials inside them and avoid most of the worse choices of either mattresses or retailers that sell them (such as the major brands you are considering and chain stores) and focus on the better options and materials available to you. These can match all your needs and preferences (including temperature regulation) using much higher quality foams and components (better durability) at better prices (better āvalueā) than the major brands.
Some of the better options and possibilities in the Atlanta area are in post #2 here.
Phoenix