Migrating from a sealy beachside (latex) matress

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

I’ve been researching on this site for a good few hours and there is so much to read and digest. I’m currently on a sealy beachside mattress which is much and giving
me lots of lower back pain as I’m a stomach sleeper:

  1. Is there anything I can do to buy more time to research like flip the mattress even though it’s one sided?

  2. I can’t find the composition of the beachside sealy. Wondering if it’s talaly and how many inches or what the makeup of is it so I can find something similar. I love that it has some kind of coolmax topper on it and would love to find something with a similar comfort layer allowing heat to dissipate easily.

  3. I’m in upstate ny (Rochester) and there’s no good mattress stores here it seems (though I have not gone to any around here yet since I’m still researching) based on your “certification” process. That said, I think there is extreme value in shopping locally since you can easier return the mattress and also try it out ahead of time. I’m apprehensive shopping online as I’ve heard of horror stories trying to contact customer support via internet with companies like Casper. I’m willing to drive a few hours away though if you know of anyone near upstate ny. Do you know of anything?

  4. alittle about me. 24.5 bmi strict stomach sleeper (lately trying to side and back sleep though cause I’m in pain on current mattress). Can’t decide between latex or pocket coil yet. Haven’t really tried laying on a pocket coil. I value sleeping cool hence why I ended up with that latex bed the cooling technology on comfort layer. Can afford up to $2000 for a queen sized mattress. I Value good return policy and customer service. Continuing to research but not sure how much latex I would need in terms of inches and what type (assuming Dunlop for support layer) and haven’t figured out what specifications I should look for in a pocket coil if I wanna go that route.

  5. do you have a favorite charity I can make a small donation on behalf of yourself for your assistance as this site is awesome if not alittle overwhelming.

Thanks,
Chris

Here’s what I’ve gathered so far

2

Hi Csj0952,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

[quote]I’m currently on a sealy beachside mattress which is much and giving
me lots of lower back pain as I’m a stomach sleeper:

  1. Is there anything I can do to buy more time to research like flip the mattress even though it’s one sided?[/quote]

Being a stomach sleeper and the amount of plush polyfoam in the top of the Beachside, it isn’t surprising that it is giving you some low back issues. You certainly could flip the mattress over and sleep upon the latex core, which should feel firmer to you than the best in its “normal” orientation.

I found the specs of the Beachside a few years ago and have copied them over here from that post.

Quilt - Top of Mattress
1 ounce Flame Guard Fiber
1 1/2 x 1/2" Convoluted SuperSoft SealyFoam
1/2" SuperSoft SealyFoam

Comfort Layers
1" SuperSoft SealyFoam

SpringFree Core
8.9" Luxury Latex

So you have 8.9 inches of lower cost/quality mostly synthetic Dunlop latex (and it would be a safe assumption that it was in the “firm” range somewhere) which they call “smart latex” and 3 " of polyfoam (probably soft) in the comfort layers of unknown density and ILD (softness firmness level). Because the comfort layers are completely unknown in terms of ILD it would be too complex and the materials would be too different to try to “match” them by specs … even if Sealy gave out the comfort specs such as ILD which they don’t. The best you could “match” would be a guess about the better quality latex equivalent of 9" of firm synthetic latex with 3" of polyfoam on top but these are not specs that can be “matched” or "translated into other materials except by feel and memory.

Any material, including low quality polyfoam, can feel great for a while. The problem is it’s not durable enough to continue feeling great or at least the same over the long term.

So I personally would use PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) as your “target” rather than how you remember the mattress felt when you first bought it. This will be much more accurate and you could end up with something better even than you remember.

As a “best guess” for testing I would probably use a Dunlop core of around 6" and a soft 3" Talalay comfort layer which probably be as close as you could get based on the limited information available but this is complete speculation and there isn’t really any way to know how close this may turn out to be when you sleep on it without testing something similar.

So you could probably match the feel with longer lasting latex layers. It would have to be through testing and some guesswork though, and as you sleep prone, I would avoid choosing something that has too much soft material in the uppermost layers.

Subject to first confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here … the some better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around Rochester, NY, are listed in post #11 here.

While nothing has a 100% success rate … with a local purchase for the majority of people … careful testing using the guidelines in the tutorial rather than just testing for the more subjective “comfort” of a mattress (which often won’t predict how well you will sleep on a mattress or how it will “feel” when you sleep on it at home) and some good guidance from a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer will usually result in a mattress choice that is well inside a suitable comfort/support range and will generally be “close enough” so that if any fine tuning is necessary it would be relatively minor and involve different mattress pads, sheets, mattress protectors, or perhaps even a topper if a mattress is too firm (see post #4 here and post #10 here).

Some good local testing will also give you a much better sense of the many different types of materials and components that are used in mattresses and some reference points about the types of mattresses (see this article) and general firmness levels you tend to prefer which can help you narrow down your choices regardless of whether you end up purchasing locally or online.

The amount of “cooling” that the cover material would provide would be quite temporary, and you can read more about phase change materials in post #9 here. There is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range. Latex itself is a quite breathable material.

If you’d like to make a donation to help support the site, you may do so here.

Phoenix

3

This response was very thorough and I have to take time to do more research but this gets me well on my way. I just donated $15 to the site for your help and I’ll donate more if I need additional help.

4

Hi Csj0952,

Thank you very much for making a donation! I do appreciate it. And please realize that asking questions or using the site is not dependent upon making further contributions.

Phoenix

5

So I did a lot of trying out mattresses in the Rochester area for latex mattresses. I even took pictures of what I tried so I could see what my spine looked like if it makes a difference or not. Pics here
http://imgur.com/a/nNBg0

First I went to Jamestown Matress and tried out Nature’s Cloud Firm Latex

http://jamestownmattress.com/firm-latex-one-sided-natures-cloud-mattress-2/

Quilt – Top of Mattress
1 ounce 100% Natural Joma™ Wool
100% Organic Cotton Fabric
Comfort – Padding Layer
Thick Polyester Pad
3" 100% Natural Medium (ILD 24-26) Latex

Back Support System
6" 100% Natural Firm (ILD 36-38) Latex Core

Which i liked how flat it felt but it might have been a little too firm. Maybe not, it was tough to tell as I only tested it for 5 minutes.

Tried out the Nature’s Cloud Plush as well which I felt was ok as well but maybe alittle too plush.
Quilt – Top of Mattress
1 ounce 100% Natural Joma™ Wool
Paladin® Inherent Fire Retardant Barrier
1 ounce 100% Natural Joma™ Wool
100% Organic Cotton Fabric

Comfort – Padding Layer
3" 100% Natural Super Soft (ILD 14-16) Latex
Back Support System
6" 100% Natural Medium (ILD 24-26) Latex Core

Then I went to City Matress and tried out some Prana Latex matresses.
I liked the Prana Vinyasa Plush which I liked slightly better than the Prana Super Vinyasa Luxury Firm. But I didn’t like how I didn’t feel like i was sleeping on top of the mattress as I did with the Pure Talalay bliss below.

ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: citymattress.com/pranasleep-vinyasa-5-plush-mattress-set.html?setsize=queen
Ultra-luxurious Pranasleep mattress with Performance Talalay Latex to provide the perfect balance of support and pressure-relieving comfort
6" PranaSleep® Performance Talalay Latex Core
2" PranaSleep® Performance Talalay Latex Comfort Layer
3" PranaSleep UltraQuilt® with Outlast®

Ultra-luxurious Pranasleep mattress with Performance Talalay Latex to provide the perfect balance of support and pressure-relieving comfort
6" PranaSleep® Performance Talalay Latex Core
3" PranaSleep® Performance Talalay Latex Comfort Layer
3" PranaSleep UltraQuilt® with Outlast®

Went to Metro Matress and tried the pure talalay bliss matresses which I really liked that they were flat top and you feel like sleeping on top of the matress which I like rather than sinking in.

Tried the Beautiful:
Specifications Beautiful
Latex BLISS uses 450-480 Gram Weight fabric
Latex BLISS Milliken’s Paladin Fire Resistant Barrier
3" Natural Talalay Latex 19 ILD
2" Natural Talalay Latex 24 ILD
6" Natural Talalay Latex 36 ILD
1" Support Stabilization Base @50 ILD Firm Talalay latex

Didn’t like the beautiful cause I felt it was too plush.

Per Pheonix:
The “new” version of the Pamper is as follows:
2" Talalay GL fast response on top (I’m guessing 21 ILD and they call this Active Fusion fast response)
6" of Talalay latex (I’m guessing this would also be 40 ILD)

I liked this matress but it felt possibly a bit too firm. I may have to try it a bit more.

So bottom line is that i liked the firmness of the Prana Vinyasa 5 Plush, however I liked the “feel” of the Pure Talalay Pamper but it was just a bit too firm. They told me I could buy a 2 inch matress latex topper which would soften it but thats another $800.

So I’m wondering where to go from here. Should I try SleepEz or I was looking at ordering from Spindle Matress because it appears you can customize the feel a bit…or should I take a chance on the Pure Talalay Bliss and they have a 1 year gaurantee if I keep it in a cover. I didn’t mind the Jamestown matress but I felt I liked the springiness of talalay over dunlop, I also heard talalay sleeps cooler than dunlop and I really prize a cool sleep.

Wondering also If I should dig into spring matresses but I have heard latex is almost better in every way than springs except cost. Is there any reason to go springs rather than latex besides cost?

6

Hi Csj0952,

I can’t tell of your alignment from photos, as that could only truly be determined through noting actual landmarks and a true biomechanical strength, flexibility and preferred personal alignment. I would trust your initial impressions when trying out the products, and defer toward items that offer a firmer surface comfort because of your prone sleeping posture.

Between the two Nature’s Cloud mattresses the Firm would generally be analysis, and even this doesn’t take into account your level of muscular preferable to the Plush for your sleeping style. With the Pranasleep mattresses, you’d want to know all of the details about the layers inside for sake of comparison (type of latex and polyfoam in the quilt), and with the 3" in the quilt panel I could understand why you wouldn’t prefer this feel so much sleeping prone. Between the two Pure Talalay Bliss products (the Pamper is a 21 ILD for the upper 2" and 40 ILD for the support core), the Pamper would be much more appropriate for sleeping prone (The Beautiful doesn’t spec out with the 1" 50 ILD support stabilization base from PTB, so I don’t know if that is something the dealership had under the mattress or if you’re copying dated specifications, just FYI).

You’d want to know about the polyfoam in the quilt of the Pranasleep and I would have a concern over time about that with your sleeping posture and alignment sinking in a bit too much over time. A better solution would be the Pamper, with the possibility to add a topper over time, but I would make some very careful value equations about paying $800.00 for a 2" Talalay topper, and perhaps check with some of the site members here if you needed to make a topper purchase.

There certainly would be nothing wrong with the quality of the products from SleepEZ or Spindle (as you’re aware both are site members here and I think highly of them), but as you mentioned these would be products you’d be unable to try before purchasing, and that was a concern of yours. Both Talalay and Dunlop are quite breathable materials, but Talalay in general is more breathable than Dunlop.

As far as other things to try, it’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

Phoenix

7

Thanks, I think I’m between the Pure Talalay Bliss Pamper (21 ILD for the upper 2" and 40 ILD for the support core) or a Sleep EZ Blended Talalay (assuming the 7inch or 9inch). The “blended” part concerns me.

  1. Do you know if Pure Talalay Bliss beds are blended too?
  2. If so wouldn’t i be better off going SleepEZ just based on price or is there other factors where the PT Bliss would have advantages?

The spindle looks like it’s dunlop so I’m ruling them out as I want to sleep as cold as possible.

  1. Does anyone else sell pure Talalay? I like the springiness of the Talalay and I’d like a cover on it to help with heat dissipation if possible. Assuming wool is the best?
8

Hi Csj0952,

Yes, all of their Talalay is blended, and I personally wouldn’t have a concern whether the Talalay was blended (most of what is produced worldwide) or natural. They would be very durable and high-quality materials, and in the past Talalay Global has put forth information stating that their Talalay that is blended is slightly more durable than their natural line. There’s more detailed information about thishere.

There is more involved in the value of a mattress that just price, and there is more about the 3 most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for). You can also look at the ability to customize the SleepEZ product, and there may be advantages that you like dealing with your local retailer for the PTB product.

I don’t know that you’d notice too much of a difference on a firm all Talalay or all Dunlop latex mattress using similar layers, but technically the Talalay will breathe better.

There is no such thing as “pure” Talalay – that is just a marketing term used in the name of Pure Talalay Bliss. Talalay can be either synthetic, blended or natural, and all would be good quality and durable materials. While it may be more detailed than you desire, there’s more about durability here.

As for temperature regulation, wool certainly is a very good material at being more “temperature neutral”. In very general terms … the materials, layers, and components of a sleeping system that are closer to your skin will have a bigger effect on airflow, moisture transport, and temperature regulation than materials, layers, and components that are further away from your skin and softer mattresses or foam toppers will tend to be more “insulating” and for some people can sleep warmer than firmer versions of the same material.

Overall, it’s not really possible to quantify the sleeping temperature of a mattress for any particular person with any real accuracy because there are so many variables involved including the type of mattress protector and the sheets and bedding that you use (which in many cases can have just as significant an effect on sleeping temperature as the type of foam in a mattress) and on where you are in the “oven to iceberg” range and because there is no standardized testing for temperature regulation with different combinations of materials … there is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range.

I hope that helps.

Phoenix

9

I think I’m leaning towards sleepez but I’m wondering if I had the budget to spend more than $1300 what else should I consider. As in is there anything better than sleepez? It sounds like blended talalay plus the wool cover is the best of the best or is there any way to improve things further?

10

Hi Csj0952,

The quality of componentry you’re considering and the durability of this type of componentry is quite good, so as far as “better” is considered, that would be subjective and come down to your personal preferences. As long as you are dealing with good quality componentry, which in this case you are, what is “best” is what works best for your personally, and in the end can only be determined through your own personal testing, and your own personal value equation.

Phoenix

11

What is going to be the best quality material to encase the latex to help me sleep the coldest? Is wool the best for heat transfer or would a synthetic be better?

Is there a way to measure the quality of talalay latex blends from various manufacturers? It’s tough for me to compare pure talalay bliss with sleep ez since they are both talalay blends but beyond that what else do I have to go on ?

Am I looking at the sleep ez 7 or 9 inch or should I just call them.

12

Hi Csj0952,

In my previous reply I linked to an excellent post describing the many variables that can have an overall impact upon your sleeping environment. A thinner cover that is mostly synthetic certainly can be extremely breathable and flexible, as can one that will be quilted to wool. The thicker the covering, the most it can potentially impact the feel of your mattress and also impact the breathability. Both types can be very high quality.

As I mentioned in my previous reply to you (and the post that was linked in that reply stated in more detail) all latex you’re likely to encounter will be an extremely high-quality material, blended or natural. In the western world, you’ll be getting blended Talalay from either Talalay Global (used by Pure Talalay Bliss) or Radium. SleepEZ carries Talalay from both companies, so if you’re curious, I would certainly phone them, which is something I would recommend regardless before placing an order with any company. But I personally wouldn’t have an issue with blended Talalay from either company (both use a 70/30 SBR/NR blend).

Yes, I would definitely phone any manufacturer you’re considering before making any purchase, as this is the best way to receive more accurate and complete information in “real time”, and also give them the best chance at suggesting a product in their lineup that they think will best suit your particular needs.

Phoenix

13

Phoenix, last question, i promise. I talked to sleepEz on the phone, I think we have me narrowed down to a 9inch talalay (2 inch comfort layer). I’m not sure I need a 10inch matress at my 155 lb weight. As a stomach sleeper though, they recommend a Medium Medium, Firm config but I’m debating going Soft, medium, firm based on my prior history with matresses. What do you think? They really couldn’t tell me which way to go over the other. They did say they could firm up the matress if I went with the soft on top cause you can move it to the middle or bottom layers.

Is it better to try and do the medium medium firm and if it doesn’t work then spend the $30 to switch out the medium for a soft later? or should i try the soft off the bat and hope I don’t have lower back pain from lack of support?

14

Hi Csj0952,

I unfortunately can’t predict online which configuration might work best for you, as there are entirely too many personal variables involved.

If you decide to go with the 2" plush upper layer, this would be better than going with 3", as for a stomach sleep a firmer surface comfort is generally recommended (hence the SleepEZ recommendation for the medium upper comfort layer), so 2" for a plush would be a “better” plush option as generally recommended by sleep ergonomic researchers. You would also have the ability to rearrange with the softer layer under the top layer, as you mentioned. And if that rearranging didn’t work out, you could of course exchange the plush layer for a medium, so ordering the plush will offer you a bit more ability to “experiment”.

Phoenix

15

Just an update, I’ve had my mattress since last Thursday. I ordered 9inch with 2inch Soft, 3 inch Medium, 3 inch Firm (all talalay). I set it up the first night as soft on top, medium in the middle and firm on bottom but felt it as plush as my old beachside matress if not more plush. I was disappointed to say the least but figured I’d give it one night in this configuration. Well I slept on it but woke up again in back pain (maybe this could have been residual back pain from prior nights on the older matress but I dunno) and decided to reconfigure the matress putting the soft layer on bottom (essentially hiding it) under the firm layer and then the medium layer on top. This felt a bit better for the first night and i even had a night where i felt my back pain was going away but now it’s starting to return again in my lower back. So much so that I’m trying my best to learn how to sleep on my back or on my side and I’m not looking forward to sleeping at night.

I’m starting to wonder if 10 years of sleeping on my stomach on a rather plush mattress has put my back in a bit of a swayback position by default and by putting myself on a medium firm top mattress that I’m forcing it back into a normal position which is causing me some discomfort.

Then again, I’m wondering if I should go back to metro matress and just lay on that pure talaly bliss matress that felt considerably less plush to me than this sleep ez matress.

My plan is to try and stick with the soft on bottom, hard in middle, medium on top configuration for another week and learn to sleep on side or back or whatever to avoid pain taking some advils. Then call sleepez and try and get a recommendation on new foams to reconfigure with. I am told I can make foam replacements for $30 within the first 3 months before i have to decide whether to return the mattress.

My initial thought is to switch my all talalay matress for firm dunlop at the bottom and medium dunlop in the middle, then go with a medium talalay on top. I’m hoping this doesn’t make my matress sleep much hotter though. I’d love to go all talalay for that reason but it just seems too soft in the support layers I guess. I think i messed up ruling out dunlop because it was considered not as cool as talalay but i didn’t realize talalay was so soft to the point where if i stand on the bed at 160lb my foot goes to the foundation. On their configuration site it says I should have went dunlop in the support layers but when on the phone with them when I said i wanted talalay noone told me it wasn’t a good idea.

Phoenix, any recommendations you can make would be appreciated. I live in upstate NY but I plan on going to New York City area this weekend and could possibly try out some additional mattresses there to help me calibrate what I need to try next from sleepEZ. Do you have any recommendations for a 160lb 5’6 stomach sleeper?

16

Hi Csj0952,

OK, you ordered the softer configuration of what SleepEZ recommended for you as a stomach sleeper – thanks for the update.

While this was only one night, my suspicion would be that for a stomach sleeper the plush is too soft for your upper layer in this combination, as we discussed in my previous reply. And yes, there is normally some “learned alignment” from your old sleep system.

While the softer layer will still contribute to the overall feel of the mattress, on the bottom it will have less influence on your overall surface comfort.

This certainly could be the case and wouldn’t be uncommon. I don’t know that you are uncomfortable as you are in a better alignment to which your body is unaccustomed, or if you still need a firmer surface comfort. But your current feedback seems to point toward the need for firmer surface comfort layers and firm deep support.

I’m not sure what that would accomplish unless you were going to purchase that particular mattress, unless you wanted to again get a short-term representation of a firmer overall product. You could also rearrange your layers with the firm on top of the medium and then plush just as a quick method to see if you respond better to a firmer overall comfort with what you have at home (although that isn’t a final configuration I would recommend).

Both Talalay and Dunlop are quite breathable materials, and I think you may have been getting a bit too far “down the rabbit hole” with breathability comparisons. Just because Talalay is more breathable in general than Dunlop doesn’t mean that Dunlop is a poor choice for temperature-sensitive people.

The “softness” you’re attempting to display by standing on your mattress is more an example of the point elasticity of latex, and not a proper example of overall softness, as you can achieve similar results using Dunlop latex as well. You don’t have this high of a specific weight concentration when sleeping upon your mattress, and soft, medium or firm latex can be supportive, Dunlop or Talalay, and you would not be compressing any of the layers completely in a normal sleeping posture.

While Dunlop of a similar ILD will generally feel a bit firmer than Talalay, and there would be no reason against switching some Talalay layers for Dunlop, but the more important thing upon which to focus IMHO would be deleting the soft layer and replacing it with a medium layer at a minimum.

If you phoned and stated that you wanted Talalay, there would be no reason for them to “talk you into” using Dunlop, and there would be no reason that an all-Talalay solution couldn’t work for your sleeping posture, and as you stated that they recommended a medium/medium/firm combination, but you were leaning toward the soft/medium/firm based upon “your prior history with mattresses”. While I wasn’t a part of your phone conversation with them, my guess is that (based upon your previous comments here) the switch to the soft layer was part of your expressed preference. And it may be that a medium, medium, firm Talalay layering would work for you, but this is all part of going through the process of a component-style mattress system, and it’s nice that you have the opportunity to “experiment” a bit and eventually find a combination that you enjoy.

Phoenix

17

So it’s been roughly 2 years now and I’ve not had a good night’s rest. Ready to try another mattress as a stupid stomach sleeper trying to switch to side or back. I’m currently on an Ultimate Hybrid from Arizona premium where I switched out soft talalay comfort layer with medium Dunlop. I’m still waking up in lower back pain every morning but when I take business trips and goto hotels I get a much better sleep. Stupid mattress like this fella here from Gaylord opryland provide me a great sleep but I know the quality is iffy after 3 years as materials break down. Mattress & Box Spring - Gaylord Hotels Store

I think I’m done with Latex and just want to go back to standard Pocket Coil and some good density foam cause I want a cool and springy mattress that I wont’ feel like I’m sleeping in but rather on top of but gives enough to not give me shoulder pain.

So I’ve read countless guides here and I think I’m really good at understanding what makes a good mattress but I’m just looking now to have someone help me with vendor selection options. Most of the preferred vendors offer standard pocket coil and such but I’m hoping to just be alittle lazy here and have someone help me narrow it down to 3-5 options of really strong supportive ZONED pocket coil options allowing me to sleep on my stomach and have my stomach supported but also allowing my knees or legs to sink into the mattress a bit more. I’m starting to think the Leggett and Platt in the ultimate hybrid are actually weaker coils that don’t support me enough possibly. I don’t know though, it’s just a theory cause I really like the feel of the beautyrest black mattress which I’ve heard has some pretty over engineered hefty coils.

Regardless, I’m looking for 3-5 online vendors with good return policies that have some interesting configurations with Zoned coil similar to Wink beds but without the 1.5 weak comfort layer which provides the weak link. I’m in upstate NY but I’d be willing to drive to NYC 5 hours a way to try or even buy a mattress if it seems to fit me well. Willing to spend up to $3000 for a queen. I know that’s excessive but heck, a good night’s sleep is huge for me so I’m more than happy to pay for an over engineered bed.

18

Hey Csj0952,

Thanks for the post. I just have a few questions and some thoughts. The AP Ultimate Hybrid uses the Combizone from Leggett, this is the firmer of the two most commonly used coil units. Here’s some information on the Bolsa and the Combi-Zone. The Bolsa is more or less the “standard” pocketed spring from Leggett and Platt. It can be manufactured in many different varieties per a manufacturer’s request (gauge, turns, profile, diameter…). The Combi-Zone is a combination of different styles of pocketed springs in different zones. Possibly you need a firmer unit than this, not sure.

What is your BMI?
What part of Upstate? 5 hours, must be…Rochester/Syracuse are?
What was the difference when you went to med Dunlop, did it help?

Maybe it is the “Latex” it’s not for everyone, It may be that you prefer more of the feel of other foam layers, some memory foam, with firm coils.

I will send back a list of the combizone coils vendors on here.

Thanks,
Sensei

19

I’m breaking this thread out of the ashes again cause I’m on a Saatva classic innerspring mattress at the moment with a pillow under my stomach every night stomach sleeping and i still wake up in back pain every morning for the past 2 years. I went to City mattress in Rochester recently and only really liked the Aireloom Balboa. It felt like enough support under my stomach but I’m not sure my shoulder will be in pain in the morning cause it was pretty firm. Couple questions I figured I’d try and see if anyone can help:

  1. Should I blow $4000+ and try out the balboa knowing that it’s an inferior mattress? (considering they don’t share the foam density ratings)
  2. If I’m in Rochester, NY, I’d be willing to drive 5 hours to NYC or Boston area if there’s a better mattress store I should look at in one of those locations…

I just want a good night sleep and I’ll do what I gotta do. When I sleep on a cheap beautyrest in a marriot courtyard I don’t sleep nearly as bad as when I’m at home even. I’ve tried SleepEZ latex and Arizona premium Hybrid and both didn’t work for me.

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One thing I really like to do is to try and understand why a mattress is causing pain (ie typically either alignment or pressure assuming no medical issues). It’s easiest on your side but you can also check both back and stomach sleeping by having someone take a photo of you from the side standing up, then also take one at bed level on your stomach in sleeping position. Then I use something like PowerPoint to rotate and superimpose one photo on the other (ie make one of the photos semi transparent for comparison). Look especially at your hips and spinal curve. Any variations could be the source of your pain. When creating a DIY bed (or finding any mattress that works) you will want something that most closely recreates this position for you while lying down. Depending on your body type you may need to look at zoning to really get something comfortable (esp since that pain has been around for a few years). Let us know how you make out on the comparison and what you find.