I recently stumbled onto this site as many have. Searching for info about mattresses and does this site have it!
I started my search for a new mattress by visiting local stores. I always seem to drift back to a Tempur-pedic Rhapsody models. I tend to prefer the feel of the Rhapsody Luxe, but the cooling feel benefit of the Rhapsody Breeze. They don’t quite make that “perfect” combo yet. Salespeople have been surprised at my preference of the Rhapsody line since I told them I was a side sleeper and about my waking up pains. Primarily shoulder and legs. That doesn’t matter to me…the Rhapsody seems to work and feel best. At least in short store testings. Still, the cost is a block. Real life finances trump real life wants sometimes.
My questions maybe vague, but does anyone know any really good comparable Rhapsody feel alternatives at a less expensive price point? I would prefer to purchase from one of the members of this site (not a requirement though) since someone else has saved me time doing the due diligence on the companies (Pheonix).
Here’s an added twist. After reading about some of the benefits of latex mattresses, can anyone guide me toward the Rhapsody feel in a latex mattress? Is that even possible?
Thanks to anyone and all in advance. All responses are appreciated.
The mattress shopping tutorial (which is where I would start your research) includes this link to a list of some of the better online memory foam providers that I’m aware of. Most of them are very familiar with the various Tempurpedic mattresses and would be able to tell you which of their mattresses are closest to a particular model in the Tempurpedic lineup and some of them sell a mattress that is specifically designed and listed on their sites as being closely comparable to the Rhapsody Luxe or the Rhapsody Breeze. Post #9 here and the posts it links to also has more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” another one which you can use as a reference in your conversations with them.
Latex is a completely different material than memory foam and they are not really comparable to each other in terms of “feel” so you won’t find a latex mattress that has a similar “feel” to a memory foam mattress. There is more about how latex compares to memory foam in post #2 here although both types of mattresses can be used in a mattress that is a good match for a particular person in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). If you are considering latex (which is certainly worthwhile to include in your research) I would test a few latex mattresses locally so you have a better sense of how the two materials compare at least in general terms (both mattress categories have a wide range of different designs and firmness levels so one mattress won’t represent the entire category). Since the choice between latex and memory foam is a preference choice … your own personal experience is the best way to know which one you tend to prefer.
If you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area so you can do some personal testing on latex mattresses (assuming there are some available that are within reasonable driving distance).
I have seen some sites directly compare with TP models. I guess I was looking for other resources.
I know I’ll be making a phone call or two or three…before I’m done.
So far, I haven’t been able to find any latex mattresses locally to test. I even had one salesman tell me they don’t display or carrt any latex mattresses any more because latex’s time has come and gone.
That’s funny … but also sadly typical of so many salespeople in the industry that have little knowledge about mattresses or what is available in the industry outside of what they happen to carry.
The better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Chicagoland area are in posts #2 and #4 here and there are certainly latex mattresses available for you to test that are reasonably close to you.
I have visited Quality Sleep Shop. Very nice and professional. We did talk a bit about latex, but he didn’t have any out on the floor to show me. It seems they are only available online thru mygreenmattress. I do know of Verlo and have even purchased from them before.
I visited their La Grange location. No latex there. Sounds like he keeps 2 businesses separate,
I happened upon a Verlo store this morning, so I stopped. They had 2 100% Talalay mattresses to try. A medium and a firm with bamboo fabric. Also had their Grandeur Luxury, which is talalay latex over coil spring, This is what the person working there says he sleeps on. Spoke with the salesman a brief time. He went into hard sale mode and I just didn’t have the time this morning.
Anyway, I did get to finally feel what a latex mattress feels like. Not like the Rhapsody, but I think I liked it more than enough to pursue due to some of the benefits over memory foam.
I just talked to My Green Mattress in La Grange and they have their complete latex lineup on their floor (and the lineup from Quality Sleep as well) and they also have a pocket coil / latex hybrid that isn’t listed on the site. They have the My Green Mattress lineup grouped together and color coded so they can be found more easily.
Catherine told me that they are training a new person that is working on the weekends so if that’s when you visited them you may have been given some incorrect information.
So just to clarify … the entire Quality Sleep and My Green Mattress lineup is on the floor at the LaGrange location and isn’t just available online. They may be well worth another visit.
I’ve so far only been able to revisit MyGreenMattress via their website. Based on my online research, I’ve narrowed myself (maybe?) to looking at SleepEZ, APMC and MyGreenMattress. I kinda like that MGM is local, but that’s not enough to eliminate the other 2 companies. I have no hesitations about the quality of product or service of all 3. I realize all 3 offer a trial period and a system allowing adjustments to be made if needed to nail down the personal feel preference.
I am curious though as to your opinion between an all latex mattress system (SleepEZ, APMC) vs a latex over coil spring system (MGM). I am definitely interested your overall opinion, but I guess my main interest is in the area of durability and longevity between the 2 types. That might just be what gives one the edge and could be my the deciding factor.
This is much more a matter of a preference choice than a durability choice because the weak link of a mattress will generally be in the comfort layers not in the support system. Some people tend to prefer the familiarity or the overall feel and response of an innerspring mattress which is closer to the general type of mattress they are used to while some people prefer the feel and response of an all latex mattress. Since innersprings are closer to what most people are used to they can sometimes take a little less of an adjustment period than an all latex mattress although this certainly isn’t always the case and some people don’t seem to go through much if any adjustment period at all and take to an all latex mattress right away.
Some of the most knowledgeable people I know in the industry that could sleep on anything they wish to sleep on innerspring/latex hybrids (often a pocket coil) but of course others sleep on all latex or memory foam mattresses and when you are looking at high quality materials it really is a preference choice. There is also more about innerspring support cores vs latex support cores in post #28 here and in post #2 here and a few innerspring/latex hybrid sources that may be worth considering (outside of local options that may also be available) in post #2 here.
In theory a latex support core would tend to be more durable than an innerspring but in practice the difference is much less meaningful because the difference is in the deeper layers and assuming that either one would be a suitable choice in terms of PPP … once you are past about 10 years or so then the person on the mattress and the changes in their body and preferences can be the limiting factor in the useful life of a mattress as much or in some cases more than the mattress itself (although of course both types can last longer than 10 years for many people).