Hi. My situation is a little unique. I am looking for a mattress to use on an adjustable bed base. I have ordered the full-size Serta motion perfect three adjustable bed base and had purchased the spa sensations 10 inch foam mattress. This mattress however is not suitable for an adjustable base according to the manufacturer. At this point I have read and studied your tutorial . The information you provide is very helpful. However I cannot go forward with the purchase because I cannot synthesize my needs for a mattress that is both supportive especially in a seated incline position as I am in bed for many hours a day with a terrible back condition while at the same time I am 5 foot 6 1/2 inches tall and 118 pounds and appreciate some type of molding and softness beneath me. I do think I need a certain level of density that is basic to any mattress especially one that is going to be used on an adjustable bed base but because of the fact that I sleep on my side and iI am in bed so much I am not sure if going with latex over from is the right direction or memory foam a better option. I am trying to stay within a budget of about $800 or less if possible . Of course if necessary I would spend more if data supported it. I did see one mattress in your forum that seems to have no weak links and that is the Addable.at a very good price point and wondered what you thought of that for this situation. Can you make other suggestions that you think would be better for me or is this a good one?
Hi Imwizernow,
It’s good to hear that you’ve read the tutorial but 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 (either locally or online) 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 which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, 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 and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be 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).
Latex and memory foam are very different materials with very different properties and both of them come in a wide range of different versions that each have differences in their properties and a different “feel” or firmness level but the choice between them is more of a preference and budget choice than a “better/worse” choice. There is more about some of the general differences between memory foam and latex in post #2 here. Some people tend to prefer the faster response and more resilient and “on the mattress” feel of latex and some prefer the slower response and more “in the mattress” feel of memory foam and some people may prefer some combination of both of them but the only way to know which one you tend to prefer in general terms will be based on your own careful testing in a store or your own personal experience when you sleep on them.
In very general terms most foam mattresses (memory foam, latex foam, polyfoam) that aren’t more than about 12" thick and most pocket coil mattresses will be flexible enough to work well on an adjustable bed. Foam mattresses that are over about 12" thick may not contour to the adjustable bed as effectively. While in general terms thinner mattresses will tend to be more flexible than thicker mattresses and will contour to an adjustable bed more effectively … this can also depend on the specifics of the mattress layers and components so 12" thickness is only a general guideline because some mattresses that are a little thicker than that which use more flexible materials may still be fine and some mattresses that are less than that may be less flexible and not work as well.
Having said that there are certainly exceptions and the most reliable source of information about whether any specific mattress would be flexible enough and would be a suitable choice for an adjustable bed will be a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or the manufacturer that makes the mattress.
While I can’t speak to whether any mattress will be a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP or how it will feel to you when you sleep on it … in terms of durability the Addable uses good quality materials that meet the durability guidelines here and would certainly be suitable for your BMI range.
When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
A good online retailer or manufacturer will generally suggest a mattress that they honestly believe has the best chance of success based on the information you provide them when you talk to them on the phone because this is in both your own and their best interests but again at the end of the day the only way to know for certain whether any specific mattress is a good match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own careful testing and/or your own personal experience so if you can’t test a specific mattress in person then the options you have available after a purchase to either exchange the mattress or individual layers or components or return the mattress for a refund (and any costs involved) would generally become a more important part of your personal value equation just in case a mattress you purchase doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.
Phoenix