So, two days ago I received a call from my cousin asking if I was still looking for a new bed. They were about to buy the Allura from Tempurpedic in King size and had their 14 month old Rhapsody from Tempurpedic that they would sell me.
So, considering I got it for just over 1/3 msrp I bought it and brought it home yesterday.
I slept on it last night and while it is worlds better than my beat up spring mattress it is a little hard.
So…can I add a 1"- 4lb mem foam topper to it? Tempurpedic claims that would keep their foam from working, is this true? Would I be better off removing the zippered cover and putting the topper down and then my sheet and lose the zippered cover to allow for my body heat to get tp the two comfort layers in the mattress through the new 1" topper?
Hi soreshoulder,
This is “partly true”. What the extra foam on top will do is insulate the 7 lb foam from your body heat which means it will change its performance and the overall performance of the mattress. Whether this is “good” or “bad” depends on the type of changes and how they fit your needs and preferences.
The 7 lb foam is very dense but when it warms up it is actually more pressure relieving than the lower density foam because it is more conforming. This is why the Rhapsody is rated medium firm and “highly conforming” but the Contour select which has the same layer thickness but uses lower density memory foam in the top 1.2" is called firm and “gently conforming”. When you move, denser foam will feel firmer because it takes more time for the denser memory foam to recover and change shape but if you are still it will conform and relieve pressure better. By insulating this layer from your body … you may make it firmer and it will not conform as well to your body … or at least it will take more time. You may even find that you will go through the 1" layer of lower density memory foam and that the denser memory foam under it will feel even firmer to you because your body heat will not soften it as much which can in turn reduce pressure relief … even though the surface feel will be softer.
Tempurpedic to their credit designs their mattresses well and understands how different layers can make a big change in the feel and performance of a mattress. Even though they are all “memory foam” mattresses … there is a significant difference between the different lines and even the different models which is why some are suitable for a certain person but others aren’t.
The zippered cover will have much less of an insulating effect on the foam below it than an inch of memory foam and it also has the advantage of helping protect the memory foam from degradation so removing the cover would not really make up for the extra foam and could shorten the foam’s life.
So they are right in the sense that they are not designed to have a topper on them because it can significantly change how it feels and performs (or in their words “works”). It may even go in the opposite direction from what you are intending although the surface feel will be softer.
Of course an inch of memory foam is not that big a risk and if you do decide to experiment then a more open celled and less insulating memory foam would likely lessen the effect.
Phoenix
Thanks Phoenix!
Any opinions on which thin topper to try that would be very breathable?
My parents actually bought a foamex 3" topper for their firm king innerspring, from my advice based on your opinions here and my online research, and fell in love immediately by the way so thanks for that as well.
Hi soreshoulder,
I’d probably be tempted to go with something like this if I was in experimental mode.
It’s 2" instead of 1" which will add a bit more softness and it’s Aerus which is breathable. While 3 lb is low density meaning it won’t last so long … it also means that you will compress it more and possibly have a greater effect on the foam below it while still getting the extra softness you want. It’s cheap if it does work and has return privileges if it doesn’t work, so it seems it would be a good way to at least test in real life how the Rhapsody works for you with a memory foam layer over it.
It seems to me that this would be a low risk way to get a reference point as to what you need. It might be perfect but if it’s not you will have an idea of which direction to go without any risk.
Phoenix