Memory Foam Mattress Help

Phoenix,

I just joined The Mattress Underground and am currently looking at Restava mattresses. You have a very helpful and informative site here.

I came across this post and wanted to know if you made a typo when you stated:

www.restava.com/ they make gel memory foam mattresses that use 4.2 lb co-mixed gel memory foam, 5.3 lb memory foam, and 2.5 lb base foam which are all good quality materials. Their customer service has also improved since they started and they are also now CertiPur certified so I would not include them among the better quality/value choices”.

Your last sentence states that you “would NOT include them among the better quality/value choices.” Is this what you meant?

Thank you.

Hi Rockethead26,

What a difference a letter can make!

As you probably guessed I meant “NOW” when I added them to the list. The list only includes some of the better options (not the hundreds I wouldn’t include) but it certainly didn’t read very well and I’ve corrected it in the original post as well.

Thanks for catching the typo :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

Thanks for your great site and the obviously large amounts of time you put into it. Appreciate your list of memory foam vendors as that is the kind of bed I am looking to buy. I have low back issues in the form of ruptured/bulging discs and am a back sleeper. My wife is a back and side sleeper and in our initial tests… we like the feel of the cloud luxe by Tempurpedic (though I worry if it is perhaps too soft/deep to offer adequate back support). Wondering if you could recommend any other dealers here in the San Francisco, CA area?

Thanks much!

Hi hwuya,

The better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the San Francisco region are listed in post #2 here.

Phoenix

Thanks for the link to the store list… I thought I searched for San Francisco but must have missed it. I checked out a local vendor, FoamOrder, since they are local. They are great but we found that the 5.3lb comfort layer didn’t produce the “ahh” factor that we felt from the 4lb memory comfort level on the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe mattress. I didn’t see a lot of other local options for memory foam on your list that looked great so I think we are going to pursue online order options with a 4lb memory foam comfort layer on bed models trying to emulate the Cloud Luxe.

After surfing around a lot on your great site (thanks again) I have narrowed down the list to the usual suspects below and was wondering if you could perhaps provide some additional thoughts on some of the differentiating characteristics of the following models:

Cirrus Luxe by Select Foam, Cool Luxe by BrooklynBedding and Tri-Pedic Diamond by Selectabed (would dig into Resteva’s Ivory Gel or Rocky Mountain Mattress models if needed but trying to reduce options at this point!).

Specific pluses and minuses and questions for the various models are as follows:

Cirrus Luxe –

Soy Memory foam – Selectfoam replaces some petroleum by using 20-30% soybean product. This supposedly reduces the odor from off gassing. A local retailer here noted that they had bad experiences when they were evaluating soy based memory foam from a compression perspective. Have you heard of any challenges to the product durability, off-gassing advantages or any thing else regarding soy based memory foam ?

Memory foam is manufactured in the US but isn’t certified (though in a 9/14/11post you mentioned that they were… did they lose it?) . I wasn’t too concerned about this but you note that certification as a general guideline requirement in some of your previous posts. I’m assuming since this is a member manufacturer… you must have gotten over the potential risks (VOC, emmisions, etc.) this lack of certification?

Base foam is HD not HR – beneath the 2.5" 4lb comfort memory foam layer and the 2" 7.2 (used to be 8.0lb) support memory foam layer is a HD 2.5lb (32 ILD) soy poly layer. Given that this model is a bit more expensive than the other models, do you think this significant enough to lean toward the Tri-Pedic Diamond which does have HR poly in its base layer?

Tri-Pedic Diamond –

Optional Air Flow system – Given that heat rises, I don’t quite get how the hot air exits here but more potential airflow seems a good thing. Any thoughts on if this affects durability of the foam since it is in some ways it now seems less structurally sound and less dense?

Flat shipping of mattress – Selectabed claims that rolling/vacuum bagging high quality foam in order to ship isn’t good for high quality materials. Any thoughts on how concerned you would be about other vendors using vacuum/compression shipping methods?

Memory foam density - This model uses 5 lb memory foam instead of 7.2 lb memory foam in the support layer. Seems like higher density would be better but SelectFoam shifted from 8lb to 7.2lb noting that it was too firm (and, perhaps more likely, do to supply availability). Surprisingly, FoamOrder, noted that they tried 8lb memory foam and had greater durability complaints with no perceived benefit. Again, any color on 5 vs 7lb density. I know you say any thing over 5 is good but wouldn’t more be better?

Cool-Luxe – Seems decent and it is cheaper (which is good) but if the above characteristics are are beneficial, we would be inclined to give those a try instead.

All the above offer good return policies (though you have to pay shipping on the Tri-Pedic on both directions) but hoping any inputs you could provide will steer me to a decision that will help me avoid a need for returns.

Thanks so much!

Hi hwuya,

You are asking a some good questions that go to the “heart” of some of the current marketing (and in some cases misinformation) in the industry.

The properties of memory foam are determined by its chemical formulation more than its density. While it’s often true that higher density memory foams are more temperature sensitive and slower responding and firmer than lower density memory foams, there are no “rules” about this. Many people prefer the typically softer “feel” of lower density memory foams even though there would be a durability tradeoff. There is more about the many different properties of different memory foams in post #9 here and post #8 here.

You can see some comments about “so called” soy based or “plant based” foams in post #2 here. While it’s a step in the right direction … it’s mostly about “green marketing” (and in many cases greenwashing) because in most cases the plant oil derived polyols are a chemical derivative of the plant oil and are far from “natural” plant oils (outside of castor based polyols which require much less chemical modification than other plant oils to be used as a polyol because of the hydrogen bonds). I would treat them as close equivalents to regular petrochemical polyfoam and memory foam in terms of durability.

In terms of smell it would depend on the specific formulation of the foam and some plant based foams can have a worse odor than some foams that only use petrochemicals depending on the formulation or the treatment (or in some cases the rancidity) of the plant oil and on how well or completely it reacts in the foam formulation and manufacturing process. One of the limitations of the amount of plant based polyols that can be used in a foam is the odor (although a bigger limitation is the effect on durability and performance with higher plant oil concentrations). Plant based polyols also vary in smell depending on the type of plant oil and the type of chemical modification that it goes through (just like there is a wide range of smell in petrochemical foams) and castor oil is the only one that can be used closer to its more natural form. I would treat odor on a “foam by foam” basis rather than a “category by category” or “generic” basis.

The smell of a polyurethane materials (polyfoam and memory foam) is also a completely separate issue from the safety of the foam because some chemicals that can be smelled are not particularly harmful and some that can’t be smelled are more harmful so the only objective way I know to assess the harmful substances in a foam material that can leach out or the amount of harmful VOC’s that are released is through actual testing and certification. Even with certification … some people will still be sensitive to the smell of some particular formulations of foam or be more sensitive to some of the VOC’s than the limit values … and there can also be differences in the same foam from batch to batch depending on how the formula is adjusted or cured with changing conditions or on how well it is aired out after it is made.

Almost all the memory foam manufactured in the US is made by one of the foam manufacturers that are CertiPur certified*. Individual mattress manufacturers can also choose to become CertiPur certified (even though the foams they use are already certified) but many mattress manufacturers choose not to do this because of the cost involved (although the list is growing*). If the foam is made in the US then the odds are high that it is either CertiPur certified or would pass the CertiPur certification process if it was tested. I would insist on CertiPur certification though if the foam is made offshore because they may be using chemicals or production methods that aren’t used in the US and regulations may be different. Basically the replacement of petrochemical polyols is mainly about using more renewable sources, building a marketing story that attracts “green consumers”, and also is part of a general conservation trend of avoiding petrochemicals which can be more volatile in terms of pricing and less about smell or durability.

ADMIN NOTE: *Removed 404 link|Archived Footprint 1:certipur.us/pages/for-industry/find-a-foam-supplier/|Archived Footprint 2:certipur.us/pages/for-consumers/find-products/ & replaced with latest CertiPUR list

The deeper support layers of a mattress are not generally the weak link of a mattress and once you are past about 2.2 lbs density with conventional or HD foams there would be little difference in durability anyway because higher density than this is usually accomplished with fillers. Foams that are 2.5 lb density or higher are not necessarily HR polyfoams (or cold cured foams) unless they also have a compression modulus of 2.4 or higher and 60% resiliency or higher. True HR polyfoam on the other hand does have higher polymer densities but it’s biggest advantage is that is has better performance and is more “latex like” in its properties. There would be little “practical” difference in terms of durability in a support core compared to say a 2.2 lb conventional foam but depending on the construction it could make a bigger difference in the feel and performance of the mattress for some people. Whether it was important or not would depend on whether it was an improvement in terms of PPP. In most memory foam mattresses (again depending on the specific design) most of what you “feel” would be the memory foam layers.

Gel foams on the other hand may have less smell because the gel materials themselves are non toxic and have little offgassing or smell and anecdotally they appear to have less odor issues “in general” than non gel foams. The gel also has other effects on the foams but there is also a great deal of misinformation in the market about gel materials in general.

Post #2 here and the posts it links and leads to to can help “unravel” some of the information about gel materials (or gel memory foams) on the market because there are many different versions of gel memory foams and many “marketing stories” that may not all be accurate.

As a very broad overview … gel will have some smaller or temporary effect on cooling (depending on the percentage and type of gel), it can have a positive effect on the tendency of memory foam to become softer over the course of the night with increasing temperature or with continuous pressure, and it will generally have a “neutral” effect on foam durability overall although some of the earlier gel formulations with larger particles that can migrate out of the foam more easily can have a more negative effect on memory foam durability and some of the liquid gel additions can have a more positive effect on foam durability because there are no particles and it can form its own polymer matrix when the foam is manufactured. While I haven’t seen any specific testing information about VOC’s in gel foams on a foam by foam basis … it would also make sense that it would have a positive effect on VOC’s and smell because the gel itself is non toxic.

Memory foam heats up throughout the material and having good airflow that has an “escape route” to the outside environment can help with removing any heated air. The movement of the body would provide a “pumping” action to help the air escape from the sides of the vents. Without a method of allowing the air to escape under a memory foam layer (either through the material itself or through vents) there would be nowhere for the warmer air to go. This type of system (punched holes with a ventilation system underneath it) is more effective than simply punching the memory foam full of holes but where the air can’t escape to the same degree (except through the material itself). While the holes may have a small effect on durability “in theory”, I also don’t believe it would have any significant effect on durability in real life because the foam structure is the same (just like the pincores in latex don’t affect durability) and there isn’t enough material removed to make a significant difference.

There are also other methods of reducing the temperature of memory foam that are discussed in post #6 here and there is more about the many factors that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system as a whole in post #2 here.

Higher density memory foam will be more durable than lower density until you reach about 6 lbs or so and after that the increasing durability effects of higher density are greatly diminished. As you mentioned … in some higher density memory foam formulations can also result in a foam with reduced durability because of the greater difficulties involved in production or curing of the foam. Basically I would say that “more is better” up to about 6 lbs and beyond that it’s more about the “feel” and performance of the memory foam than it is about durability.

Short term compression of foam materials generally won’t harm them (with a few exceptions of “stiffer” or firmer foam) but if the foam is compressed for more than a few weeks … especially in a humid environment … then it can affect the durability of the foam. Using pressure compression to roll pack a mattress is generally less harmful than vacuum compression to the cell structure of a foam (particularly if the vacuum compression extracts all the air) and in both cases it’s a matter of time and degree. Most foam manufacturers will provide good information to their customers (the mattress manufacturers) about which of their foams is more suitable for compression and which ones may not do as well.

Hope this can help you make a choice or make more meaningful comparisons between some “good vs good” options :).

Phoenix

Thanks again!

As a point of clarification regarding SelectFoam, according to Peter (who has been great by the way) while SelectFoam is not CertiPUR certified (in order to save on certification costs), the foam from their US manufacturer is (as you expected).

After final diligence, decided to go with Select Foam’s Cirrus Luxe. Will keep you posted on experience once received. What I can say right away, it seems that they have recovered from the holiday crush resulting in delayed shipping noted in other threads. I placed my order on 2/17. The foundation and frame are to arrive 2/23 and the mattress is en route with a arrival date of 3/1. Communication and status updates have been awesome and prompt.

Hi hwuya,

I’m glad to see that they are up to date … and congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

I’m looking forward to your feedback when you’ve received it and had the chance to sleep on it.

Phoenix

My granddaughter has a Night therapy gel memory foam mattress and when I visited her recently I slept on it for a week. I was simply amazed at how wonderful I felt after sleeping on it the first night! I suffer from back problems and have never slept a full night since my back issues began over 23 years ago. I want to get one, but want a king size, hers was a full size. When I went to Sams Club website discovered they don’t have the Night Therapy in a 10", which is what my granddaughter had, for a king size bed. Does anyone know anything about the Vivon gel memory foam mattresses? Thank you for any assistance you can provide. :slight_smile:

earleybird, I can’t say for sure that there are ‘no’ differences but most of it I believe is branding and possibly different covers. Night Therapy, Vivon, Best Price Mattress (amazon), Spa Sensations (Walmart exclusive) are all part of the Sleep Revolution company which belongs to Zinus. Vivon seem to be their more pricey line. If I had to guess, they all use the same or very similar materials. One of their drawbacks, they use 3lb density memory foam which is on the lower end for durability (unless specific models use 4lb possibly) but I don’t believe any of them use 5lb density memory foam. They’re chinese foams but they’re CertiPur certified.

You mentioned specifically the Night Therapy gel memory foam in 10" king size, so I’m assuming it’s the 10" “MyGel” model. It is avail at amazon. Not sure if posting the link is allowed or not, I don’t benefit from it. But if you search amazon for “night therapy gel memory foam mattress” a few links down it lists the queen - if you click it, the product page lists all sizes. It’s $473.38 with free shipping at the moment for a king size. I’m not sure how that compares with Sams Club pricing you were looking at or if you had a reason for preferring Sams Club (ease of return/warranty etc, membership perks). I believe Night Therapy are also available through Kmart/Sears.

Hope this helps.

Hi earlybird,

I think that most of my comments would “echo” brass’ comments. As he mentioned I would always make sure that you know the quality of all the materials in any mattress you purchased because most of the Zinus brands tend to use some lower quality/density materials in their mattresses which would be a “weak link” in the mattress in terms of durability.

A forum search on Vivon (you can just click the link) will also bring up more comments about them.

A forum search on Night Therapy (you can just click the link here as well) will also bring up more comments about them as well.

They both use memory foam that is CertiPur certified* (and see here* for each brand as well) but of course are also shipped compressed from China (see post #6 here) which outside of the use of lower density foams can also have some effect on the durability of the mattress.

ADMIN NOTE: *Removed 404 page link|Archived Footprint 1:certipur.us/pages/find-a-foam-supplier/zinus-2/|Archived Footprint 2: certipur.us/pages/for-consumers/find-products/ & replaced with latest CertiPUR link

The best place to start your mattress research is the tutorial post here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choices … and know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

@brass,

I have no problems with anyone posting any links on the forum as long as they don’t link to a company that someone would benefit from or has a direct or indirect interest in (with the exceptions that are mentioned in the forum rules).

A google search on 10" night therapy memory foam will bring up several 10" Night Therapy mattresses and several sources for them but I’m guessing that the MyGel on Amazon you meant is here and there is also a non gel 10" Night Therapy here on Amazon as well although I personally wouldn’t consider either of them or any mattress that included lower quality or unknown materials.

Phoenix

Sleep Innovations SureTemp Memory Foam (12 Inch)

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www.piratecorgi.com/

Hi Weettertur,

I’m not clear why you are posting the name of a mattress with no additional comments, context, or questions to go with it?

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

Your guidance has been extremely helpful. I am considering two beds from Selectabed, the Soft-Pedic and the Copia from their higher end line. I think I have decided what I want my Top Layers to be (either 2 inches of 4lb Memory Foam on top of 2 inches of 5lb Memory foam or 4 inches of 5lb Memory Foam in either 1 or 2 layers. My question for you is regarding the 6 or 7 inches of support foam underneath. I have read in several posts your mention of liking “Latex” better than PolyFoam or HD-HR Polyurethane. Can you elaborate on the differences between these two support layers and, in your view the advantages and disadvantages of both?
I was all set on the Copia and then read a post from you that discussed the soft-Pedic and the benefit of the 3 inch Latex Layer, and I wanted to consider that one. I don’t mind paying the higher price of the Copia, and I am leaning that way, but I’m wondering if this could be a case where the lesser expensive model may be a better fit for me.

I am a side and back sleeper and want a Medium to Firm mattress that supports my aching lower back, but also gives good pressure relief for my shoulders and hips.

Thank you in advance.

EPmattresshunter

Hi EPmattresshunter,

Unless you have a great deal of knowledge and experience with different types of mattress materials and specs and different layering combinations and how they combine together and can translate them into your own “real life” experience that can be unique to you … I would tend to avoid using individual specs such as layer thicknesses or ILD numbers or other complex specs to try and predict how a mattress will feel or perform for you and focus more on your own actual testing and/or personal experience. When you try and choose a mattress based on complex combinations of specs that you may not fully understand then the most common outcome is information overload and “paralysis by analysis”.

There is more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of PPP in post #2 here that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for once you actually sleep on your mattress but 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 who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses 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 that they are familiar with, any special considerations you may have, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs or firmness options to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences or even to other mattresses that they are familiar with than anyone else.

Assuming that two materials you are comparing are good quality and durable versions of that material and neither one would be a weak link in the mattress … the choice between different types of materials or components in a mattress is just a preference or a budget choice rather than a better/worse choice and one person’s preferences (including mine) may be very different from someone else. For example I personally prefer the “feel” of sleeping on latex vs memory foam but there are many people who don’t like latex at all and prefer the feel of memory foam vs latex. I also “like” the “feel” of comfort layers that use relatively thin layers of latex on top of relatively thin layers of memory foam because they provide some surface resilience from the latex with some of the slower “sinking in” feeling of memory foam underneath it. Other people prefer the “feel” of a slower responding and more motion isolating memory foam top layer with some latex underneath it so the “surface feel” is provided more by the memory foam which is modified by the resilience of the latex underneath it. There are almost infinite combinations of “feel” that are possible by combining different types of materials and components in different thicknesses and positions in a mattress but they are all just preferences … not better/worse choices.

The upper layers of a mattress are generally the weakest link of the mattress in terms of durability and are the layers where the quality/durability of the materials is particularly important. The regular deflection/compression of a foam material is what softens or breaks down foam over time and the softer upper layers of a mattress will deflect and compress more deeply and more often than the firmer deeper layers so the deeper support core of a mattress underneath the comfort layers is rarely the weakest link in the mattress so having a latex support core vs a high quality polyfoam support core would make little difference for most people in terms of durability.

You will also “feel” the properties of upper layers more than deeper layers as well so in most cases you would really be comparing the “feel” of memory foam with the “feel” of latex rather than the “:feel” of polyfoam with latex. There is more about the pros and cons of memory foam vs latex in post #2 here but the most reliable way to know which type of material you tend to prefer would be based on your own local testing on a range of mattresses that have either memory foam or latex comfort layers.

While it would depend on the specifics of the polyfoam or latex you are comparing … in very general terms latex is a more resilient (springy), point elastic (contouring), breathable, and more durable material than most types of polyfoam but you would feel much less of these differences if you are comparing deeper layers in a mattress than you would if you are comparing layers that are closer to the surface so there would be much less benefit to using a latex support core under relatively thick comfort layers vs using a good quality/density polyfoam support core.

If a mattress uses latex In middle transition layers rather than in the comfort layers (where you would feel the latex more) or the bottom support layers (where you would feel the latex less) then how much it would affect the “feel” of the mattress would depend on the type and thickness of the layers above it and on the body type, sleeping positions, and sensitivity of the person sleeping on the mattress. If the latex transition layer is in the same depth or position in the mattress as another mattress that uses polyfoam in the same depth and position and they both had the same type and thickness of layers on top of them then depending on the person and the thickness of the layers above them the latex could add some extra contouring and resilience to the mattress which some people may prefer and which some people would probably notice more than others.

Again though … I would keep in mind that I don’t have any personal experience with sleeping on any of their mattresses so they will know more about the specific differences in “feel” between their different models and would be the best source of guidance to help you choose between the different options they have available.

Phoenix

Thanks so much. I didn’t realize you preferred latex as your top layer. Your comments make sense now. I actually do currently sleep on a old latex mattress, but am switching to Memory Foam after Trialing one for a week (on vacation) and visiting and trying several retail outlets.

I was just trying to determine if Latex below the comfort layer offered any real or perceived benefits over Poly Foam in terms of support/Firmness and mattress longevity.

Thanks again.

Hi EPmattresshunter,

Both polyfoam and latex come in a very wide range of firmness levels so any differences in firmness would depend on the specific firmness of the layers you were comparing. Outside of any firmness differences between one or the other … the main differences would be in how the different “properties” of each material feel to you which in turn would depend on the position of the layer in the mattress, the thickness of the layers above it (and the thickness of the layer itself), na on the body type, sleeping style, and sensitivity of the person on the mattress (heavier body types or side sleepers will compress the top layers more so they may “feel” some of the deeper layers more than those that are lighter or sleep in other positions).

If the polyfoam is a higher density version and is deeper in the mattress then it would make much less difference in terms of durability (see the quality/durability guidelines here).

None of their mattresses have any lower quality materials or “weak links” in their design.

Phoenix

I emailed christeli about their memory foam only beds asking for specifics. The response was not customer service friendly and certainly not transparent

“Memory foam is 5.3 and support foam is 2.0 density. The thickness depends on mattress, You can see that on our
site . We do not give out Ild information .”

I emailed purecraft beds about their tru essence 11 inch Mattress.
they are super friendly and happy to answer questions. They say the 1.8lb base foam is fine for heavier weights because their core is 2.4 or 2.5lbs- thoughts?

Hi Ari,

[quote]I emailed christeli about their memory foam only beds asking for specifics. The response was not customer service friendly and certainly not transparent
“Memory foam is 5.3 and support foam is 2.0 density. The thickness depends on mattress, You can see that on our
site . We do not give out Ild information .”[/quote]

I’m not sure exactly what information you asked for or how you asked for it in your email, but I wouldn’t necessarily agree with your characterization. While their reply (at least what you posted of it) doesn’t “come across” as overly gregarious, they did provide foam density information (some of which is already provided on their web site).

The memory foam mattress line they show on their web site has 6 models, and they list the density of their memory foam for each model and the thickness of those memory foam layers. The density of the polyfoam core isn’t listed, but they confirmed for you it is 2 lb, which would be a good quality material. I’m not sure if you were asking them to run down the complete specifications of their entire line up, but sometimes customer service representatives via email don’t have the time to do that (although it would be nice), especially when most of the information is already listed on their web site. They’re usually able to be more complete if you have a question on one specific item.

Regarding ILD, all the information you need to know is in this article. While the specs that affect the quality and durability of the layers and components are important to know … “comfort specs” such as ILD/IFD aren’t really necessary or even an important part of transparency in a mattress like this. ILD/IFD itself is also only one of several factors or “specs” that will determine how soft or firm a layer or a mattress will feel to different people and can sometimes be more misleading and confusing than helpful (see post #4 here). In this situation, all memory foam tends to be softer (in the low to mid-teen range, and there is variation on how this is measured via time/temperature so ILDs can be difficult to compare), so Christeli has opted to compare their feels to common Tempurpedic models, which for most people would be a more reliable/relatable indicator of comfort.

Many memory foam brands are also well aware that many of their customers may just be “phone showrooming” their mattresses and may be intending to purchase a similar mattress or combinations of layers and components elsewhere so they would have no reason to disclose ILD/IFD information to a potential customer. I would consider ILD/IFD information to be a legitimate part of what many manufacturers consider to be “proprietary” information and it wouldn’t be very meaningful and only add to the confusion for most consumers anyway.

If you desire more complete information, or are curious about a specific model or desire more complete information about how a model might compare to something you’ve tested locally, I’ll always recommend a phone call as opposed to an email or chat session, as you’ll get more complete and direct information in real-time from any company/manufacturer.

[quote]I emailed purecraft beds about their tru essence 11 inch Mattress.
they are super friendly and happy to answer questions. They say the 1.8lb base foam is fine for heavier weights because their core is 2.4 or 2.5lbs- thoughts?[/quote]

I’m happy you received some good answer to your questions from Pure Crafted Beds. As you’re probably aware, Pure Crafted Beds is a member of this site which means that I think very highly of them and that I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge, and transparency.

The TruEssence 11" uses a 3" 1.8 lb polyfoam base (slightly thicker than most base foam), with a polyfoam core above that which is 2.4 lb or 2.5 lb (the mattress is available as a Firm or Cushion Firm), and on top of that is 2.25" of 4 lb gel memory foam. This mattress uses good quality and durable materials. The 1.8 lb in the polyfoam base is a little thicker than what is normally used, but the core is a very good density at 2.4 or 2.5 lb, and this would be a durable material for any weight range. The 2.25" of 4 lb. of convoluted gel memory foam is less than I would normally like to see for someone in a higher BMI range, so I would advise a slight caution there. I wouldn’t hesitate to contact Pure Crafted Beds via phone with any specific questions you might have, as they are quite knowledgeable and have experience producing many other styles of mattresses that aren’t listed on their web site.

Phoenix