My wife (48) has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Among our high priorities in helping her is getting a new mattress. A few particulars:
She is 5’5", around 140lbs and gets pain in her hips and shoulders.
We are both side sleepers.
I’m 6’ 225lbs, don’t really have any sleep issues except my movements bother my beloved (one reason for foam)
Queen size bed
We live an hour or so north of Orlando, Florida. I didn’t know of any local manufacturers but would appreciate any reviews of Fox Mattress in Holly Hill.
I am thinking memory foam and want:
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4lb minimum density, higher if we can afford it, 10+ years or more of durability.
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foam made in USA (I think) and CertiPur or equivalent - but will listen to wisdom about solid brands. For example, where does Bayer foam used by Rocky mountain Mattress come from?
We’d like to spend under $1000, tax, shipping, etc. included.
Any advice from this forum will be greatly appreciated.
Hi Theologator,
Fox mattress is one of the members of this site and like all the members here I invited them because I believe they are among the “best of the best” in North America. I think very highly of Rick and his ability to help his customers find a mattress that is best suited to their needs and preferences and of course they have great quality and value. You would do well to work with him to choose a mattress that works well for both of you.
Some of your better choices in the general Orlando area are in post #2 here.
I think your criteria are good ones.
In your situation I would place a lot of value on a local purchase … especially when there are such good choices near you. In person help and guidance that comes from someone that has the knowledge and experience to help you choose a mattress that fits your more unusual needs and preferences would be particularly valuable IMO.
Bayer actually produces the chemical “packages” that are used by the foam manufacturers to make foam and the foam itself comes from an American foam manufacturer. It could be NCFI but I’m not sure which specific foam manufacturer they use although I know it’s American. I would consider all the American foam manufacturers to be “safe” foam. Most of them are members of the voluntary CertiPur program although many mattress manufacturers who use their foams have not yet become part of it or may not promote the fact that they are using CertiPur certified foams. the acceptance of CertiPur among mattress manufacturers is increasing even though there is a cost involved in becoming part of the program.
This is a reasonable budget for memory foam and should include good quality materials (although not necessarily the best quality) in your mattress although this would also depend on the size you are considering because of course there is a significant difference in the cost of different sizes.
How long a 4 lb memory foam will last with someone over 200 lbs would depend a lot on many factors including the layers above and below it and perhaps most important of all how sensitive you are to any softening of the foam in your mattress. If you buy a mattress that is already on the soft side and you are on the border of the range that meets your needs and preferences, then any further initial or ongoing softening would put you on the other side of your ideal range of pressure relief and support. If you start off with a mattress that still has some “room” to soften and is more in the middle or upper end of your range … then the initial or ongoing softening will still leave you in the acceptable range for your needs and preferences. In general … thinner layers of 4 lb foam in combination with 5 lb foam would be more durable for someone over @200 lbs but this also depends on other factors. There is more about the different factors involved in mattress durability in post #2 here.
You have some great choices within reasonable driving distance 
Phoenix
Thanks for the quick reply, Phoenix. It is really helpful to have your feedback affirm my initial impressions (pun intended.) I find shopping for a mattress to be the most difficult yet among the most important purchases one can make. After doing tons of reading online we bought a mattress 4-5 years ago that we have hated for 2-3 years. So having this site and your help is a real relief.
I’ve intitiated contact with Rick at Fox Mattress. After reviewing their web site, I’ve got this to say about that. “Good old boy” sometimes gets used in a negative way. However, taken in a positive light it means what it says, and when you find that good local merchant, mechanic, etc. it winds up beings a real blessing. Rick appears to be a ‘good old boy’ of the best sort. We are leaving on a 2-week vacation Sunday but I will follow up with him and will report our experience.
Hi Theologator,
I spend a lot of time talking with many local manufacturers across the country and it’s always amazing to me the knowledge they have from years of experience and it’s even more amazing that what originally was meant to be a “short” conversation turns into several hours. Much of the information on this site is a result of many many hours of in depth conversations with some very experienced people who have been very generous with their time and knowledge. They are what I call “mattress people” and it’s still amazing to me how much this industry is “in their blood”. Of course many of them are the second or third generation of manufacturers and they grew up in this environment.
Rick is definitely “mattress people” and I’m looking forward to your report
Phoenix