I’ve been mattress shopping for over a year, I’ve bought two that didn’t work out, and I’m hoping to get it right this time. I’m 5’3" and 122 lbs, and I sleep alone (just divorced, huzzah!). I fall asleep on my back, but switch to my side during the night. I have a crooked tailbone from an old injury (karate) that makes sleeping on firm surfaces extremely uncomfortable.
I’d prefer a soft hybrid mattress, 6-10" tall, weighing less than 80 lbs in Queen size, under $1,300. I’d also like to stick with Greenguard Gold-certified beds, but I know that’s unlikely with my preferred price range. I am sensitive to chemical odors, so the less off-gassing, the better. I prefer a neutral foam feel over memory foam (latex is fine); I’d like a responsive top layer so I can move around more easily.
First purchase was a Brentwood Home Oceano hybrid. This mattress did not feel soft to me (maybe because it didn’t have a pillowtop feel), and it caused me back pain after two weeks. I tried it for a month then returned it. The mattress felt like it didn’t support me enough because my back curved like I was in a hammock when I was sleeping on my back.
Second purchase was the Avocado Eco Organic hybrid (which I’m still using). I expected it to be medium-firm, but I chose it because I figured this would be a durable mattress that I could put a topper on to make it soft. It feels very firm, and I’m certain now I can feel the mattress under the 3" Brentwood Home Memory Foam Topper (I think it’s more like 3.5 to 4"). I’ve used this combo for 8 weeks (minus 2 nights with a different topper), and it feels too firm under my pressure points for both back and side sleeping. In case the topper was the problem, I also purchased the 2" Layla Memory Foam Topper, which felt like it hardly made a difference. The mattress felt nearly as firm with the Layla topper as it did without a topper. Also, this mattress weighs 94 lbs plus 13 lbs for the Brentwood topper (107 lbs total), and it doesn’t have a bottom layer under the coils, which makes it incredibly difficult for me to rotate or put a fitted sheet on (it’s really flexible at the corners and too heavy).
I’d prefer to get another (softer) latex hybrid (8" tall) to use with the Brentwood topper, but I’m open to other options. I’d prefer a wool fire barrier but rayon/silica would be ok. I definitely want to avoid a fiberglass FR layer. I am iffy on a full latex mattress since it wouldn’t have edge support, and I’ve heard all-foam mattresses are floppy and hard to move.
I did try one mattress in a store that I really liked (Nest Bedding Sparrow Signature hybrid in Soft firmness), but I had a bad customer service experience with the company, and I’m frustrated the sale price for a Queen went from $1,326 to $1,600 in May.
I’m interested in trying the Luma original hybrid in Soft, but it’s 11" which would be closer to 15" with my topper, and my sheets barely fit on my 10" mattress with topper now (deep pocket 18" sheets). Plus, it’s heavier at 101 lbs.
At this point, should I try a DIY option? Or can anyone recommend a mattress that matches my preferences? I’m pretty burned out on shopping for mattresses at this point, but I have trouble sleeping due to discomfort. Any help would be appreciated!
