Mattress Exchange

[phoenix]

Hi teddy,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum!

I wish I had found this site sooner! What a fantastic resource!

Better late than never – I’m glad you’ve found us!

I bought an Englander Latex mattress at a family owned mattress store in town a few months ago. The one with the highest latex content (6") was a “luxury firm” and I was told it would soften and I figured I could always get a softer topper if it was too hard. It is way way too firm to be

I’m sorry your new Englander latex mattress isn’t working out well for you. While all foams will soften a bit over time (even latex), especially in the first few months of use, I wouldn’t be able to comment about this too much without knowing all of the componentry within your current mattress. Unfortunately, terms like “luxury firm” aren’t standardized and aren’t a good indicator of telling how one mattress will feel versus another (your own personal testing will be the best at that).

I’ve tried getting used to it, and tried a soft (20 ILD) 3" Sleep on Latex topper on it which I really thought would do the trick (still too hard!) and have finally decided that it absolutely has to go back.

Adding a plush topper (and you chose a latex, which is a good quality material) is certainly a logical next step to see if you could make the mattress work, and changing the uppermost layers will result in the most dramatic change in perceptible comfort, but unfortunately this wasn’t enough to salvage your current configuration.

The store pretty much only has the big brands (Temp/Sterns and Foster, Beautyrest, etc) which almost all seem to have memory foam and after more research on your site I’m now also concerned that I will end up with a a fair sized investment in a mattress that is likely to break down quickly.

As I think you’re already well aware, the major brands such as Sealy/Stearns & Foster, Simmons, and Serta all tend to use lower quality and less durable materials in their mattresses than most of their smaller competitors that will tend to soften or break down prematurely relative to the price you pay which is why I would generally suggest avoiding all of them completely (along with the major retailers that focus on them as well) regardless of how they may feel in a showroom along with any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the type and quality/durability of the materials inside it (see the guidelines here along with post #3 here and post #12 here and post #404 here).

I’m about 5’6 115# side sleeper with a narrow waist and wide hips. Also have a former back injury that is much better but is still a bit fussy about mattresses. To sleep with good spinal alignment seems to take a soft bed that my hips can sink into that has enough “lift” to support my waist. I also strongly prefer a soft mattress from a comfort perspective.

Your thoughts about having good alignment with enough material to sink into seem to be logical and I think you are on a good track.

think micro/nano coil or latex might be the best fit. I could get a different (softer) Englander Latex (“Emerald”) from them that is 3" of latex on top of some basic soy foam. My main concern with that is that it will break down quickly.

Without knowing the materials inside of the mattress you’re considering, I wouldn’t be able to provide any useful comments about the “Emerald” mattress.

The Englander rep suggested and is sending a “Waterfront” plush which is 10" of latex in a 14" mattress for me to try in-store. I’m hesitant about it because it apparently has a “lumbar support” area and that seems like something that could be really hit or miss and I’m not sure I would know just trying it in the store.

Again, I wouldn’t be able to make any comments about this mattress as well without knowing the componentry inside of it. A “lumbar support” area could be something as simple as a zoned construction within the core of the mattress, which you may or may not be able to detect.

Being able to logically evaluate and compare mattresses depends on knowing the specifics of the construction and the type and quality of the materials inside of the mattress, so I would always make sure that you find out the information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase. Leaning about the componentry within the mattress is going to be the most important thing for you as you move forward. This is the only way to know for sure that you’re acquiring something using durable materials.

While I can certainly help with “how” to choose, it’s unfortunately not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress or combinations of materials or components, because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress. There are just too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved , and nothing is more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

I’m not sure what you’ve read since you just found the site, but the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for, and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

I’d do my best to find out all of the information about the layers within your current mattress and the one Waterfront, and that can be helpful in determining if the item might be worth your testing. The Englander models you’re mentioning seem, on the surface, to be using better quality materials than the other more “mainstream” brands you’re mentioning, but I wouldn’t be able to comment for you for sure without complete specifications. If you’re able to procure that information, post it back here in this thread and I’ll do my best to comment upon those specifications for you.

Phoenix