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