Mattress protector for really heat sensitive sleep

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
10

Hi levander,

I think you have a pretty good handle on all the tradeoffs involved with all your choices so it’s really a matter of deciding on what is most important to you but I’ll just add a couple of comments to the mix.

I would keep in mind that thicker layers of wool can both soften or firm up a mattress depending on the layers below it. It can firm up softer latex because it will reduce the amount of contouring and how much you sink in but it can also soften up firm latex and add some pressure relief under the pressure points. It really depends on whether a wool product (mattress protector, mattress pad, or topper) is softer or firmer than the foam below it and how much it “interferes” with the compression and contouring of the layers below it.

If you are considering a stretch knit cotton protector then the CozyPure protector may also be worth considering.

I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up choosing.

Phoenix

11

Yes, that makes perfect sense now that you point it out…

12

Hey Phoenix, would you consider this a regular type 1 mattress protector? or maybe it’s more notable than that because it’s possible to make a waterproof membrane that’s more breathable with bamboo rayon than it is to make one with polyester?

http://www.greenzonesleep.com/#!product/prd1/1100060961/greenzone-sleep-jersey-mattress-pad
http://www.overstock.com/Bedding-Bath/Bamboo-from-Rayon-Classic-Design-Jersey-Mattress-Protector-Pad/7501549/product.html?refccid=ZTVCQXONUVU3UDSE3RMFCY2AVE&searchidx=2

13

Hi levander,

Yes. This has a “standard” waterproof and semi breathable membrane and then the fabric is a cotton/bamboo blended fabric.

The bamboo/rayon is part of the fabric (similar to cotton/bamboo blend sheets) not part of the semi breathable membrane (there aren’t any membranes that are made from bamboo or any other viscose/rayon type materials).

Phoenix

14

Okay, now I’m thinking about buying #3, #4, and a third one! I’m trying to finalize order, got an email in to The Clean .Bedroom asking about their return policy, have to check the return protection feature of my credit card, etc…

Phoenix, I know you’re working inside the industry trying to figure out how to monetize this board. And I think this is a point you can use (if you’re not already). There’s no way I’be be buying more than 1 protector if I didn’t have some kind of good idea of what was going on. But thanks to your site, I’m now buying 3! I’m sure not all consumers are like that. But a lot have to be like me…

Anyway, the 3rd one I’m thinking about getting is one with a lot more wool filling.

This is the one I’m looking at:

Sleep & Beyond myPad

And I’m trying to figure out how many ounces/ yard of wool it has. Trying to do the math, I’m getting 14.8 oz/yard of wool. This is based on the mattress pad being size queen and The Clean Bedrrom web site saying it has a total of 4 lbs of wool in it.

I am a little worried about how the seams are sewed in that mattress pad, the wool isn’t encased in small little sections, but much bigger ones. So I’m wondering how much variance in height I’m going to end up with…, I just remember how much I hated the Flobeds shredded latex topper, partially because of the 3-D surface it provides you to sleep on. It was a fine topper, just not for me.

Phoenix, I know you mainly just try to give objective guidelines for people trying to make a decision. But do you mind being a little more subjective about this last one I’m linking to? I know you can’t promise anything, just wether or not from looking at it online, you think it would be worth trying… As I said above, I’m looking into return policies and should have decent options there.

It’s kind of similar to the #1 Natura one above that has 10 oz / yard of filling. The one that you have an upgraded version of. But I’m pretty sure I don’t want the version you’ve got because it has a waterproof membrane that would sleep too hot for me and it’s not machine washable. Machine washable is a must for me. That #1 Natura one in the OP, that one has washable wool in it.

15

Hi levander,

The one I have does have the membrane (which can increase the heat) but it’s also washable. You can see my comments about it here.

I’m not sure what you are asking or suggesting here but I had a business plan put together that I hoped would eventually support my family before I even started the site. As much as I love what I do … I don’t think anyone could spend the hours I do at anything for free and still be able to support their family (unless they had another source of income which I don’t). It took a couple of years to get there and I realized from the beginning that it would take time but thankfully it has reached that point.

I have no experience with this mattress pad so I can’t make any comments based on my own personal or “subjective” experience but it’s designed as more of a mattress pad and will add a little more “cush” than a mattress protector which is generally made as thin as possible so it has the least possible effect on the mattress while still protecting the mattress. If I was looking for a wool/cotton mattress protector that had the least possible effect on the “feel” of the mattress I would probably lean towards the St Dormeir but If I was looking for a thicker mattress pad or even a topper that would change the “feel” of the mattress more then based on what I can see I certainly wouldn’t have any concerns with including this one as a possibility although my own “process” for deciding which one I would buy would be based on conversations with knowledgeable retailers or manufacturers who know more than I do about their products and then I would make a choice between them based on my own “best judgement”. You can see some of my general comments about Sleep & Beyond in post #3 here. The wool they use (which is described as Shropshire in the listing but their site says they use Merino) is a finer and softer wool than some others who use courser wool for their mattress pads or toppers so they will maintain their resiliency a little more and use finer wool for their comforters.

Phoenix

16

[quote=“Phoenix” post=37846]Hi levander,
I’m not sure what you are asking or suggesting here but I had a business plan put together that I hoped would eventually support my family before I even started the site. As much as I love what I do … I don’t think anyone could spend the hours I do at anything for free and still be able to support their family (unless they had another source of income which I don’t). It took a couple of years to get there and I realized from the beginning that it would take time but thankfully it has reached that point.
[/quote]

I’m still reading the rest of what you wrote, but wanted to comment here real fast. I’ve got no problem with you monetizing this site. It’s important you maintain you’re integrity and not just hawk products that are no good. But everything you write reeks of integrity. I see no even hints at conflicts of interest with regards to what you’ve written. Many businesses reach a point where it becomes more about the business interests than anything that has to do with the customer, at which point the customer should find another business. But this site is obviously a labor of love. Your far from that point these days and don’t even seem headed in that direction.

17

[quote=“Phoenix” post=37846]Hi levander,
The wool they use (which is described as Shropshire in the listing but their site says they use Merino) is a finer and softer wool than some others who use courser wool for their mattress pads or toppers so they will maintain their resiliency a little more and use finer wool for their comforters.
[/quote]

So coarser wools maintain their residency longer and offer a firmer sleeping surface? It sounds like I’m looking for a coarser wool than the Merino that Sleep and Beyond is using…

But I won’t know for sure until I get the stuff here and try it…

Rethinking…

18

We’ll, Dahlia’s Natura mattress pad that I have as #1 in my OP was made out of Natura’s proprietary Smart Wool. Which in Phoenix’s post #3 here is Merino wool with a special treatment to make it washable…

And Dahlia’s Natura mattress pad was too firm for her, so maybe it’s okay for me?

I just put in an email to Natura trying to verify what Phoenix said in that post. I also asked them if the treatment they put on the Merino really firms it up or not… Their site says they’ll respond in 2 business days… maybe I’ll call them Monday.

19

And now I’ve got an email in to Sleep & Beyond asking them if they’re using Merino or Shropshire in that really big mattress pad (topper) that ai’m now thinking about also buying…

20

Well, Sleep & Beyond got back to me pretty quick, and on a Sunday too. The rest f this post is there response:

Our website will be going under maintenance and does not have most of our new products on it.
We now have two separate wool collections: Merino Wool and Washable Wool (Shropshire)
Both of our product lines are free of VOCs, arsenic and other harsh chemicals used in conventional bedding as they are composed of natural fibers: wool and cotton.
The difference comes down to whether or not it is “certified organic” - which is the highest step to being close to completely free of chemicals.

Below is a comparison between the two:

  1. Washable Shropshire Wool Collection

Fabric: 100% natural cotton percale
Fill: 100% washable Shropshire wool
Products: comforters, pillows, 0.5" mattress pads, 1.5 " mattress toppers

Advantage
Machine washable. Use cold water, no agitation on gentle cycle. Air dry only.
It undergoes a Eco Standard Bio-Wash where most of the natural oil called lanolin gets stripped vs. our Organic merino wool that has more oil left and is non-washable.
Eco-Friendly Dry cleaning recommended with limited moisture and Air Dry option.
Please note: All natural fibers will shrink to some extent, usually 3-6%
Free of VOCs, harsh chemicals, and arsenic.

Disadvantage
Very slight wool odor that will disappear within a few days.

  1. Organic Merino Wool Collection

Fabric: 100% organic cotton sateen
Fill: 100% pure Merino Wool, WOOLMARK and USDA Organic certified.
Products: comforters, pillows, 1.5" mattress toppers

Advantage
Has passed stringent organic standards to have the products free of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and other harsh chemicals.Free of VOCs, harsh chemicals, and arsenic. Great story of merino wool and its benefits.

Disadvantage
Not machine washable. Use washable duvet cover, protector or dry clean/spot clean.
Slight wool odor that will dissipate over time.

21

Hi Doug,

Thanks for posting their reply and their comparisons. I’ve added a link to your post to Sleep & Beyond’s description in the wool topper post :).

Phoenix

22

So I just bought the St Dormeir wool mattress protector from Flobeds. For all the reading around I’ve done, that’s the most basic well-respected product I’d need, being a heat sensitive sleeper…

I decided against the Sleep & Beyond competitor for that product because even though it’s machine washable, they recommend not putting it in the dryer. I wash my mattress protectors every two weeks when I do my sheets. And I don’t see myself bother to air dry those things that often.

Now I’m looking at other products, for variety of sleeping surfaces.

These are the two I’m looking at also getting:

Suite Sleep Organic Cotton Stretch Knit Mattress Pad - this was #3 in the OP. There’s a popular CozyPure competitor to this product. But it’s a lot more expensive than this one on the CozyPure web site, and I can’t find any resellers with a discounted price. I think CozyPure themselves is the only one that sells their products. They have their own physical retail stores.

Sleep & Beyond myPad - I’m half thinking I’ll end up returning this one. The photo on that product page, the pad don’t look like much. But it’s inexpensive for a wool mattress topper and the material it’s made out of sound good. So I’ll try it before getting something more expensive. It’s machine washable, but they don’t recommend putting it in the dryer… I’m thinking I just wouldn’t wash it as much as I would a mattress protector. I’m considering this more of a mattress topper.

23

I think this is the last thing I’m wondering about…

If I get a topper, like the wool one in the last post. Am I going to want to put a mattress protector on top of it? A mattress protector like the Suite Sleep one from the last post, that’s thin but doesn’t have a waterproof membrane so it doesn’t make me hot.

A machine washable wool topper (even if you can’t machine dry it), a mattress protector on top of that may not be as important. And even a thin cotton mattress protector on top of a wool topper, I think it would interfere with the absorbent properties of the wool (which keep me cool and is a huge reason I’m interested in wool).

But eventually I’m going to get a latex topper too (to switch out with the wool topper occasionally, for variety). Even if it the latex topper has a zip-around encasement, that thing is going to be a bitch to get off. So I think I’d want a thin mattress protector in this case… Because it would be a lot easier to clean the mattress protector than the topper zipped encasement…

That’s part of why I’m thinking it’s a good idea to go ahead and get the thin Suite Sleep protector, future upgradeability for use with other toppers I’ll buy in the future… But I may be way off. I don’t know.

24

Hi levander,

That would be the most common and “normal” approach yes so your protector can help protect the wool topper from body fluids and skin cells that you normally release each night as well as any “accidents” that may happen.

There are some people that may prefer to sleep directly on a wool topper but that wouldn’t be the norm and may reduce the useful life of the wool topper although wool does have a natural self cleansing property when you air it out in the sunshine.

Phoenix

25

Okay, thanks Phoenix! Looks like the versatility of a thin (no water-proof membrane) mattress protector is a really good idea for me. I’m busy. All day today, but hopefully at the latest tomorrow I’ll order the rest of that stuff.

There’s a 15% sale at The Clean Bedroom is part of why I’m ordering extra.

I’ll let you know how it goes. And I’m going to change my settings on this board so that if anyone PM’s me, I’ll get an email. In my last absence between mattress purchases, it looks like I missed one from a user named Gabriel. But if I can change my settings, won’t happen again…

26

Hi levander,

I checked and the main settings for the private messaging software was set to not allow email notification for private messages no matter what settings you chose in your profile (this may have happened during a software upgrade) so the only notification you would receive was the private message link on top of the forum when you log in. I’ve changed it so the profile settings for email notifications will work.

Phoenix

27

Yeah, it turned out the settings in my account were already set to email me upon PM. I was wondering why I didn’t get an email for that PM Gabriel sent me…l. A forum like this, where it looks like people are active for awhile, disappear, go to make another sleeping purchase, come back… They do that at all forums, but this one more. I’d think email notifications are more important on this forum than most. In case you wanna ask someone something who said they already own something on the board, etc… I’m glad you fixed it.

Anyway Phoenix, thanks for all the help! You’re fighting the good fight here and I appreciate it. For people with strong histories of sleeping problems, being able to sleep even some better at night because of wise mattress purchases is no small thing.

28

Hi Levander,

As you probably suspect … I completely agree with you :).

I would also say that better sleep is important even for those without obvious sleeping issues because a lot of people may not even realize that they aren’t getting the quality of sleep that they otherwise could and the quality of sleep can certainly make a big difference in how we feel (physically, mentally, and emotionally) when we are awake!

Phoenix

29

Hello Phoenix and Everyone,

I’ve been lurking on this site for months and finally purchased a Pure Latex Bliss after almost pulling the trigger on the SleepEZ 10k model. I’m now looking for a wool mattress protector that isn’t too thick. I prefer the feel of the latex upper layers and while I don’t mind a little additional cushion up top, I don’t want the protector to take away too much and it appears as if 1" is too much which excludes the famous St. Dormier. That said, I’m replying to this thread because I ran across the Sleep and Beyond shropshire wool quilted to natural cotton option and am seriously considering it because of its 1/2" thickness. It’s also not overly expensive. I’m not sure why the merino wool is organic with organic cotton yet the shropshire is not organic wool (eco-friendly) with “natural cotton”. Also, I don’t mind if the wool isn’t organic but why would they not use the same organic cotton on both wool products (merino and shropshire). I don’t know much about the industry so I’m sure there is a simple reason besides economics.

I’d like to ask the forum members if anyone can lead me to comparable products that may fit my needs. While Sleep and Beyond seems to have a good reputation, I don’t know much about the company’s products and overall quality and am hesitant to pull the trigger. I wouldn’t mind spending up to $250 on a quality product if it wasn’t so thick. I’ve considered stretch knit cotton products too but would like to explore wool quilted to cotton options.

This is a wonderful site; I appreciate all the help.

Edit:

I should have mentioned that I’ve read Phoenix’s post on wool bedding manufacturers and while there are some very good products I’m still leaning towards the Sleep and Beyond 1/2" shropshire product. I’d like to ask if anyone knows of a bed store in Northern California where I can test the St. Dormier? I went to Nest Bedding in Mountain View and tried a latex bed with a topper which felt too thick. I automatically put all thicker protector or toppers into the same category and realize that was a mistake. I shouldn’t generalize all products based upon one experience so perhaps the 1" products will work for me. I plan on going to a few more local stores just to test more products.