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
Phoenix,
Like many in this thread, we were dead set on getting a Sealy Optimum Inspiration, but are now having second thoughts.
My wife and I have only been out mattress shopping once (to one store) and liked the Tempurpedic and Sealy Optimum mattresses. What really sold us on the Optimum was the gel-infused top layer for its temperature conducting properties. Our current mattress is a 9 year old conventional inner spring that we both sleep fine on, but weāre upgrading to a King now. We are fortunate that we can usually sleep well on quite a range of mattresses, so judging comfort and support has been difficult, everything felt good. The one thing we know we want is a memory foam top because of the way you sink in.
The Sealy Optimum in a King is $2500 with the box, quite steep, especially when they wonāt tell you the density or other specs. I know they donāt publish it, but if you had to guess, what would you say the density and quality of the core and comfort layers are? Can I get a comparable mattress with a gel-infused top layer from a local manufacturer? Would pulling a gel pad on top of a latex or memory foam mattress from a more reputable company work to help overheating issues? We live in the St. Louis area.
Thanks for running this site. Iāve learned quite a bit in just a day.
- Jason
Hi Jason22,
You can see most of the Optimum specs in post #48 here.
Probably yes ā¦ but it would depend on your area.
This would depend on whether the gel pad was cooler or warmer than the memory foam or latex you were putting it on top of. I would bear in mind that gel infused foams are not necessarily cooler than non gel infused foams. The gel is thermally conductive (like putting your hand on a countertop) which is a great selling tool because they can feel cooler when you put your hand on them but this doesnāt mean that they will be cooler over the course of the night because once temperatures equalize the foam will become an insulator. Long term ācoolnessā is more about ventilation and breathability and the ventilation of the foam that contains the gel is just as if not more important than the gel that is in it.
If you were to put gel memory foam on top of latex for example or above a quilting layer that had wool in it you would likely increase the sleeping temperature of the mattress.If you put it on top of memory foam that was less breathable then it may be cooler. You can read more about the different cooling technologies at the end of post #4 here and about the many factors that combine to influence sleeping temperature in post #2 here.
Some of the better options or possibilities Iām aware of in the St Louis area are listed in post #6 here.
Youāre very welcome. After a day you probably know more of the āfactsā behind mattresses and mattress materials than most of the people who sell them in the āmass marketā stores.
Phoenix
Gel memory foam alone is not the cooling factor in a mattress. Optimum utilizes āOutlastā that is sprayed on the top layer of gel memory foam to keep you at your optimum temperature during the night. When reducing the covers on, covers off factor, youāll get a better nights sleep. There are other cooling agents out there but Outlast ( go to outlast.com) was the first and the only one certified by NASA and was used in astronauts spacesuits. It has also been chosen by Nike and you can find it in Jockey also. If you sleep hot or cold, each individual will get to a comfortable temperature.
Hi Begsel,
I certainly donāt mind you posting Sealyās marketing information here but I am still waiting for your reply to my earlier question in post #89 in your earlier thread.
If you are part of the industry then disclosure is required to post here ā¦ and it seems clear to me that a āregularā consumer wouldnāt have the same āfierceā loyalty to major brands (particularly Sealy) as you clearly do.
So before you post again I need a specific statement from you about your affiliation with the industry.
Phoenix
I live by Madison, Wi. Can you recommend some quality places to get a mattress? Thanks for the ones you mentioned for the Milwaukee writer.
Hi DAK,
The better options Iām aware of in reasonable driving distance of Madison are listed in post #5 here which includes two of the members of this site.
Phoenix
OK, thanks. We plan to go to the Milwaukee area this week and will check out Michaels Furniture in Brookfield. Will keep you informed.