My visit to Spindle Mattress

Sorry for the delayed report, but life has been busy. I visited Neal at Spindle Mattress last week. He is an incredibly nice guy and is very knowledgeable. He also has the patience of a saint, with me trying all sorts of combinations of latex stacks!

So here is what I learned and my thoughts.

Spindle has six different types of layers, not counting their topper. Each layer is “firm,” “medium” or “soft” and is available in natural or synthetic. These can be stacked in different combinations. All layers are 3 inches thick. They are all zoned by drilling holes with various diameters in different parts. It does not matter which end is up, all layers can be turned either way.

The basic Spindle mattress is three layers of synthetic latex. Neal advised that the bottom two layers should both be firm for the best support. I prefer softer beds, so we tried two layers of firm and the top layer soft, all synthetic latex. I realized that this caused me to kind of go right through the soft layer into the firm layer, which I didn’t find comfortable. I weigh 145, so I’m not particularly heavy. Neal said he as not surprised and he advised against putting a medium layer as the middle layer.

We then tried the bottom two layers synthetic firm and the top layer synthetic medium. This was nice, but a bit less soft then I would like. Still, very acceptable. We then added their 3 inch latex topper to it, and now it was much softer, maybe a bit softer than I would like. But as before, very acceptable. The perfect bed for me would probably be in between. We tried some combinations to achieve that but didn’t really get there.

One thing I didn’t like was sitting on the mattress or its edge gave a very mushy, sinky feel. While that may be nice for sleeping, its not so nice for sitting in bed reading, or sitting at the edge while putting on your shoes. Neal explained that the natural latex has a higher density than the synthetic and this would give a more springy sensation when sitting on it.

So, we replaced the bottom firm synthetic layers with firm natural layers, and left the synthetic medium layer. That seemed to make the bed a bit more firm when lying on it, although it was probably my imagination. Sitting on the edge, however, was dramatically different. It felt like a traditional mattress, not mushy at all. I very much liked that. Adding the 3 inch latex topper provided a very soft, comfortable bed that was also very supportive.

Of course, the natural latex is more expensive. The basic mattress, 3 layers of synthetic latex, is $999. Adding the $260 topper to that comes to $1,260.

Replacing the bottom two layers with natural latex, so that there are two natural firm layers at the bottom, then a medium synthetic layer, and finally the 3 inch soft topper, comes to $1,620 total.

There is also a 3/4 inch cover over the mattress, made from cotton with a rayon layer for fire protection. There is an upgrade to wool available, but I was very satisfied with the cotton. The cotton is included in the base price.

If I were sure that I wanted latex over memory foam I probably would order this. But, $1,620 puts me into a price category where things like Brooklyn Bedding Cool Luxe is competitive. I need to visit a store and try a Temperpedic Luxe, which the BB is supposedly based on. I really want to make sure that I would not prefer memory foam. Whatever I buy now I’ll have for at least 10 and possibly the next 20 years.

The Spindle mattress has some advantages. First, it will go up and then back down my stairs easily, since it will be in 4 parts (one for each layer). They are local so I was able to try the actual mattress. But, BB has a much better return policy and Spindle offers no memory foam at all. Spindle does have their layer exchange policy, where for $150 they will replace a layer to make comfort adjustments if, after some time, I want that.

It also occurs to me that perhaps a memory foam topper over a Spindle latex mattress might work. I didn’t think to ask Neal about that. An option would be to get the $1,620 mattress without the $260 topper, for a total of $1,360. A topper can always be added later.

So many decisions, but I’m going to have to decide very soon!

Hi Skyjumber,

Thanks for sharing such detailed feedback about your visit to Spindle … I appreciate it.

It’s also great to hear your descriptions of the differences you felt between the synthetic and the natural latex combinations.

This is certainly a viable options and would be a personal preference that many people like. The “trick” (as with any layering combination) is to get the details right and different layer thicknesses and types of memory foam can make a big difference in the combination that feels and performs the way you like. There are also people who like the “feel” of latex over memory foam but once again layer thickness can play a big role in how the many different possible combinations will feel. With a memory foam over latex combination I probably wouldn’t use the softest latex as the second layer down because of the risk of alignment issues with comfort layers that are too thick/soft but of course there aren’t any “rules” that apple to all people or any specific person and your lighter weight would generally point to softer layers than those in higher weight ranges.

You are certainly looking at some very good options and testing some memory foam to make sure you are clear on which material you tend to prefer is a good idea. I would make sure that you spend a little extra time testing a memory foam mattress because it can change as the memory foam warms up.

I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up choosing and thanks once again for sharing your experiences.

Phoenix

Great post Skyjumper.

I plan to visit Neal at Spindle in the next few days. Today’s snow storm put a monkey wrench in my plans to go today.

Thanks for posting your experience.

This is probably a dumb question, but does the topper just sit on top of the mattress or is it contained within? I’d be interested in trying something like 2 layers of firm natural latex at the bottom with a layer of medium on top. And then put 3" of high quality, high density foam on top, but I’d like it all contained within the quilt.

I love Neal! He dealt with me over the phone, putting up with endless questions. The product is excellent. It revived our worn-out tempur pedic top layer and saved us from buying another $8,000 setup. With the MU discount, we spent under $450. His prices were better than pretty much any comparable product I could find via MU with a good reputation.

I give Spindle a 10/10 rating in both product, customer service, and shipping time (to Atlanta.) This is our first latex experience and we are both thrilled. Huge props to Neal.

I don’t see why its a dumb question. The answer is that Neal’s latex topper just sits on top. The mattress has a (for lack of a better term) big sack that the three layers zip into. This sock has the 3/4 inch quilt with the rayon batting as its top. It was very easy to unzip the sack and move layers in and out. The sack is nicely constructed and zipping and unzipping it was easy.

The topper had its own cloth sack and just sat on top of the 3/4 inch quilt. So I guess the quilting is wasted if you use a topper, another reason not to upgrade to the wool.

Good to know thanks!

Well folks, I’m out of time :frowning: I have a friend coming to visit on the 18th and I need to have a bed set up and working by then. Given shipping lead times that means I need to order today.

After all the hemming and hawing, I’m not inclined to order a bed I can’t lie on first, although the return policy from BB really makes that a non-issue. Still, returning a mattress would be a major hassle. And while I really like the idea of memory foam (not sure exactly why) my trip to Jordans showed me that it varies tremendously, from nearly rock hard to moderately soft when you first get on it, from very slow acting to a bit faster. And after sleeping on my daughter’s memory foam mattress for several weeks I realized that its not perfect, although this may have to do with how thin her mattress is.

So, my best bet is to order the mattress from Neal and hope I really like it, since it can not be returned. I have tried it out, so I know I won’t dislike it, or at least I hope not after several weeks. I do know Neal’s service will be very good and it helps that if I need to, I can drive up there.

I don’t think the layer exchange policy will help much. Given that the bottom two layers really need to be firm, and the soft layer on top caused me to bottom out to the middle layer, the only real choice is whether or not I want synthetic or natural base layers (the bottom two). I would prefer to avoid the extra expense, but considering this is a long term purchase I can convince myself that spread over time the extra money is not that much and I really did prefer the extra support when sitting at the edge.

I’ll order it without any topper for now, and sleep on it a bit then decide if a new topper is wanted. If so I’ll decide exactly what topper to get.

As a side issue, what about fitted sheets and mattress pads? Do they come in different depths, so I have to match it to the height of the mattress exactly? If so, I guess I’ll just order one set in case I have to throw it away after adding a topper.

I also want to thank everyone here, especially Phoenix, for your input! I would probably have paid much more for a poor mattress had it not been for this forum. Phoenix, you have been great, a fountain of information, and very generous with your time. I’ll make a contribution as my thanks.

Hi Skyjumper,

You won’t need a mattress pad unless you want to change the feel of the mattress but a mattress protector is important to protect the mattress from moisture, body fluids, and skin cells (that can encourage dust mites) and accidents that can stain the mattress and void the warranty. It can also help keep the sleeping surface in a more hygienic condition because you can easily remove the protector and wash it as necessary. There is more about the pros and cons of different types of protectors in post #89 here.

You won’t need to choose a fitted sheet that is exactly the same size as your mattress and most sheets will indicate a range of mattress thicknesses that they will fit. As long as your mattress is “in the range” and the pocket is about 2" or more than the thickness of your mattress and they aren’t “extra deep” and designed for much thicker mattresses you will likely be fine. There is more about sheets in post #7 here and the other posts it links to.

Thanks for the kind words and your feedback and I’m glad the site could help you!

Most important of all … congratulations on your new mattress … and you’re certainly making a great quality/value choice :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Just wondering how your mattress turned out for you and if you were as pleased with it as I was with my experience?