Hi! My husband is 260lbs and I am 115lbs and am looking for new mattress. I tend to like a plush feel and am considering the Kiss king size plush or The Brooklyn Bedding Medium or soft…not sure which. Can you give me any advice?
Forgot to add to the above that I do tend to often get hot in my sleep
Hi mjr3126,
My comments will be similar to what I recommended for you a while ago for your guest bedroom mattress, but with more detail. While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … 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 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).
I’m not sure if you’ve read this, but the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase 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 all the 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).
While again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out the information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.
As your husband has a higher BMI, this presents special challenges and generally requires firmer materials (in the support layers especially). This could be firmer latex or innersprings (the type of support component would be a personal preference and in the right design either could be suitable) or even a zoned construction. The same overall guidelines apply with higher weights though that PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) along with using high quality durable materials that will maintain their feel and performance for longer periods of time are the way to make the best choices. Heavier people in general will need firmer and thicker comfort layers and firmer support layers than those who are lighter and because no materials will last as long with much higher weights the quality and durability of the materials and components is even more important than normal. I wouldn’t “rule out” any types of mattress and base your choices on your own personal testing. Post #3 here has more important information and suggestions about heavier weights that I strongly encourage you to read.
Regarding temperature, 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.
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.
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 and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them (higher BMI and temperature sensitivity), any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs, options, and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
Both SleepEZ (KISS mattress) and Brooklyn Bedding are members here of the site (see post #21 here) and are very experienced and knowledgeable and specialize in providing the type of help and guidance on the phone that can help you make good choices. I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency, and they can help guide you as to the appropriateness of their products for your specific needs. I’m guessing both Brooklyn Bedding and SleepEZ will have you shy away from the plush option.
Phoenix
I have been doing a lot of reading and researching with all of your information and have ruled out the Kiss mattress due to inability to do online chat and/or not able to get in touch with someone by phone. I am seriously leaning toward the medium BBE mattress. My phone and on line conversations with them have been very helpful. Many of the other online mattress companies do not appear to support the heavier weight of my husband. Are there any other companies that you might suggest that I check out?
Hi Mjr3126,
When you say not able to get in touch, do you mean that no one was answering the phone when you attempted to call? SleepEZ contact numbers are staffed at 800-804-0136 or 800-710-9846, so I’m not sure why you weren’t able to reach someone unless it was outside of their normal business hours. I’ll always recommend a phone conversation as opposed to online chat or emails when choosing a mattress, as you’ll be able to get more direct and accurate advice when speaking with someone directly.
I am glad that you’ve been able to get good assistance from Brooklyn Bedding.
As I mentioned previously, I can assist with the “how” to choose, but not the “what”. A good place to look would be the site members listed in post #21 here who are all very experienced and knowledgeable and specialize in providing the type of help and guidance on the phone that can help you make good choices. There are a wide range of options included in the choices there (many which will work well for higher BMIs) and I believe that all of them compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency.
Phoenix