Mattress Hunting - Need Help Please

Ok, so I have been wading the confusing world of mattresses for several months now for both brick-n-mortar stores to online stores and online site with reviews. I can safely say that this is one of the most confusing purchases I have ever made in terms of trying to find information on - with all the misinformation and reviews I have read. So here I’m, and trust the experts here can help me. :slight_smile:

While I “think” I have narrowed my selection down, I would very much appreciate anyone’s advice and help on our final selection. We are trying to stay at around 1K or less. I will give a quick summary of our experiences and where we are at now. Again thank you for any help and advice you can give us.

Who We Are:
Myself - 5’10" 160 lbs - sleep habit (all sides, stomach, back and side, but mostly back and side with occasional stomach)
My Wife - 5’ 10" 150 lbs - sleep habit (side and back, but side primarily)
So, I prefer a little firmer mattress with some cushion, and she doesn’t mind a little firmness, but she prefers a little more cushion than I would need.

Past Experience:
Old cheap mattress was like a boat, so we started shopping for a new one

Received that Seal Post Hybrid Firm, - mattress was awesome, sleep like being on cloud, but when I turned on my stomach at nights I would wake up with some back pains. She liked it, but did not like the fact that when we got close to each other, we tended to roll into each other making for awkward sleeping positions which in turn caused both of us some pain in the mornings.

Next, tried some mattresses in store. The Seal Post Diamond Bar from Mattress Firm. Felt good in store, but once we received ours it was hard as a rock. I struggled with it, tried to break it in, but she could not sleep on it at all. Returned.

Needed something quick and fast, so we purchased the Vivon 13" Hybrid from Sams Club. This had no reviews, but we went for it hoping it might be like the Sealy Post Hybrid, but a little more firmer. It seems to be ok (2 weeks now). It was pretty firm initially and we thought we was doomed, but it appears to be getting slightly softer, at least manageable for us now. But Im worried about the durability of this product for obvious reasons (lack of reviews, lack of information of materials used ect…).

Just in case we return this, we our looking at these as our final 2 selection and I can ensure I will be searching no more unless someone persuades me that there is something better for us then these, but there is where we need advice and whether we should even try either of these.

Novosbed (Aria Model)- seems to be good quality, good warranty, good reviews, good return policy, good customer service, good price ect… worried about response time as I think we prefer a quick response time and heat retention.

AmeriSleep (Liberty) - Plant based better? Sleeps cooler than gel? Faster response then gel? Good warranty, good price, so-so return trial period (return shipping charge). Overall mattress sounds great, but I’m just not sure on the facts between plant based and traditional memory foam.

I think that about covers it, so there we are, any help or advice for us would be very much appreciated. Thank you for reading!

Hi Mattress Hunter,

The first place I would start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that you will need to make the best possible choices … and know how and why to avoid the worst ones. These would include most Sealy mattresses and any mattress (such as the Vivon mattress you tried) where you aren’t able to find out the quality of the materials in the mattress or that uses lower quality materials in the comfort layers that will soften or break down prematurely relative to the price you paid.

If you are committed to a memory foam mattress … the tutorial post includes a link to a list of some of the better online memory foam options that I’m aware of. I think highly of Novosbed which is why they are included in the list. A forum search on Novosbed (you can just click the link) will bring up more information and feedback about them as well.

There is more about Amerisleep and their sister companies and their so called “expert sites” that pose as being independent in post #2 here and the posts it links to. A forum search on Amerisleep (you can just click the link) will bring up more about them as well. As you can see I believe there are certainly better options available.

You can read more about so called “plant based foams” in post #2 here. They are just another version of polyurethane foam that has replaced a small percentage of one of the two main petrochemicals used to make the foam with an alternative chemical that is derived from plant oils. In terms of their properties and quality, I would compare them on an apples to apples basis with “regular” polyfoam.

There are also many different versions of gel foams and there are many differences between them. There is more about the many different types or categories of gel memory foams (and other gel foams) and some of their pros and cons (and some of the somewhat misleading information about them that is common in the industry) in post #2 here and the posts it links to. There is also more about the many factors that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress in post #2 here.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix! I really appreciate your quick response and I’m really glad I found this site before making any additional purchases! This may very well save us a lot of time and money.

I’ve spent the last few days sorting through the information on this web site and these forums; this has me possibly re-considering changing my original intention of purchasing a memory foam mattress to a latex mattress. We have not tried a latex in a showroom yet (maybe this weekend), so I cant for sure, but just based on description it sounds like it would be right up our alley. Also, we originally thought these would be out of our budget range based on the sites we were looking at, but we found some sites on your member list that has some in our price range. So my questions are these:

The first one we looked at was the 12" from Dreamfoam Bedding at a price of $899. But I’m concerned about the 1.5 HD support. I believe you have stated that this is not a concern for those under 200 lbs and would not be a weak link in the mattress, but from everything I have read on this site and others, it seems 1.5 would on the low/lowest end of support density. Can you help me to understand this and verify if this should be an issue of concern for us?

The second mattress is the 12’ Bamboo Bliss from Brooklyn Bedding at $1049 (with the current holiday discount). This one seems identical but has 2.17 HD support base? Since this would only be an estimated $150 more over the previous mattress, would this be the safer alternative to alleviate my concerns about the support base density? And this one has 1" wool/foam that the other mattress does not? Not sure what purpose this serves (comfort, coolness ect…?); could you help me to understand please.

Finally, I looked at a 12" Eco Latex on PlushBeds site at $1399. This pushes our budget further than we wanted, but it did come with the pillows, sheets and protector. We also liked the fact of the free exchange and free return as well which makes us feel more comfortable in our purchase. However I could find no information on the density of the support base. Was hoping you or someone might know, else I can call them and try to find out tomorrow. We also noted this has 4" of latex instead of 3" compared to the others. Does this have any impact on durability or comfort compared to the other two mentioned?

Again, thanks to you, and all the members here for coming together to help people like me to understand the interesting and crazy world of mattresses!

Hi Mattress Hunter,

Compression forces are what soften and break down a foam or other mattress components and most of the compression happens in the upper layers of a mattress because they are on top and because they are generally softer which is why they are the weak link of most mattresses. Deeper layers don’t compress as much both because they are deeper in the mattress so the materials on top of them absorb most of the compression forces and because the are firmer. The heavier you are the more you will compress the deeper layers of a mattress so with heavier weights that compress the deeper layers more the density of the deeper layers becomes more important. There are too many variables involved to use a specific formula that can predict the length of time when foam softening and breakdown will result in crossing the thresholds between “sleeping well” on a mattress to “sleeping OK” to “tolerating a mattress” to deciding to replace it because these are all very subjective and relative to each individual person but there is more information in post #2 here and the posts it links to about all the variables that can affect the durability and useful life of a mattress relative to each person.

You can read more about the differences between the 12" Eurotop from Dreamfoam and the Bamboo Bliss in post #16 here. IMO … the advantages of the Bamboo Bliss would be “worth it” at the regular price and would be even more attractive at the sale price.

This also uses good quality materials in the comfort layers but has a stretch knit cotton cover with no quilting. There only appears to be 2 comfort choices for latex comfort layer but as you mentioned they have a free exchange policy and have a free return policy as well. I don’t know the density of their support core so you would need to give them a call to find out.

None of these have any weak links in their design and they would all make good choices. When you are down to final choices that are all between “good and good” and there are no clear winners between them then which one is the best value for you would depend on your more detailed phone conversations with each of them, how they compare based on all the objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you, and on your own “best judgement” (see post #2 here).

Phoenix

The only thing I could find on their site was this (12" Eco Bliss):
Supportive PlushFoam Core
Eight inches of CertiPUR® certified poly foam,
providing a feel that is comfortably supportive
while resistant to sagging or body impressions.

I called today to find out the density of their support core for this mattress and the rep said it was 4 lbs. This sounded strange to me as most of the mattresses I have been looking at have been in the mid 1’s and 2’s. Maybe I misunderstood.

As you’d like to spend less than $1000 your options are limited, but not to the extent where you shouldn’t be able to find anything. It sounds to me like memory foam would be the best way to go. There are latex beds out there, but at under $1000 you ussually will end up with hybrid mattress that will be a bit on the firmer side.

I’d stay away from the major brands, as they are going to end up being lower quality compared to some of the options listed in this thread. The most important thing for you to focus on is this:
As sidesleepers (Whether partially or fully), you need to get something that offers both pressure relief and spinal alignment, in addition to the medium firm comfort you’re looking for. Therefore I’d recommend going with a bed that has atleast 3" of a comfort layer (preferably 3.5" or 4"). With memory foam ID HIGHLY RECOMMEND a 5lb density layer (generally firmer than 4lb, and higher in pressure relief), and with latex you just need to make sure you aren’t going to bottom out on the base layer.

I don’t have a model that I feel comfortable recommending to you in your price range at this time, so i’m commenting strictly from the perspective of helping you avoid issues I see people make when buying a bed. I’ll say it again: make sure spinal alignment is a priority, not just firmness. Also keep this in mind, you can always soften a bed up with an added memory foam or latex comfort layer. It’s difficult to make a bed firmer however.

Hope this helps.

Hi Mattress Hunter,

This doesn’t seem likely to me either and it’s almost certainly incorrect. They were probably talking about the latex comfort layers not the polyfoam support core.

Phoenix