Narrowing down

Hi,

I’ve been on the journey with all you folks. Quickly realized Macy’s and Big Box Brands aren’t for me, & that I wanted Queen-size & Latex, & that I prefer to buy local, to support a local business, and to be able to test. I’d always second guess something I bought on the internet, I think. This is my first mattress purchase since the last one I inherited way long ago.

Okay so I’ve visited the stores in my area (Columbus, Ohio). The Original Mattress Factory, TY Furniture, and Design Sleep. Ruled out TOMF pretty quickly. TY has 1 Savvy Rest and a bunch of Naturepedic. By the time I left I thought I preferred the Naturepedic EOS ($2K, latex and spring combo), the Naturepedic all latex ($3K), or Savvy Rest Serenity ($2.9K-3.9K), leaning toward the Naturepedic. These are Dunlop mattresses.

Design Sleep sells all natural talalay Berkeley Ergonomics the guy helped me to figure out which bed I’d need: the Queen 7-zone all latex, 7 on one side, 9 on the other, with a pillow topper. So this introduces zoning. Also I’ve been going back and forth on the topper because it seems scammy to me, but I was convinced at the store that my body truly likes it, because I really liked a particular mattress before realizing it had a pillow top. (In the past I thought it was just psychological, knowing it was there and it was supposed to be comfy). The mattress is $1950, topper is $525, and if I buy their slat system it’s another $550.

I’m also in the market for a bed frame so I haven’t figured out whether I’m buying systems in addition to a mattress.

At this point, I’m mostly looking for advice on Naturepedic vs. Berkeley Ergon (lesser extent vs. Savvy Rest)–thoughts on comparisons based on value, durability, etc.? Also any thoughts on TY vs. Design Sleep. And the sales people at each store basically promote the version of latex they use (Dunlop vs. Talalay), but at this point I’m just going on feel with that–right? All Latex vs. Latex/Coil–is it all about feel and preference? Finally, since I"m also in the market for a bed frame I could decide whether to get one that “needs” a boxspring/support or not. How do I think about that part? Also, what’s the deal with zoning? Does it work or is it a scam?

Also wondering whether it’s worth considering online MU members–specifically Cozypure and My green Mattress.

All thoughts appreciated.

-AWZ

Hi amberwalla,

I’m not sure why you would think that the topper was “scammy” and it could certainly make a difference in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) for many people that needed some additional softness and pressure relief compared to the same mattress without a topper.

There is also more information about the pros and cons of a flexible slat foundation in post #2 here.

You are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and the most reliable way to decide on whether to add a topper or a flexible slat foundation to your sleeping system would be based on your own careful testing and personal experience.

There is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses.

I can only speak to the quality and durability of the materials in a mattress because once again only you can feel what you feel on a mattress but I can certainly confirm that all of the mattresses you are considering use very high quality materials and there are no lower quality materials or “weak links” in any of them.

There is more about Talalay vs Dunlop in post #7 here but the choice between them would be a preference choice rather than a “better/worse” choice.

There is also more about latex vs innersprings as a support core in post #13 here and the posts it links to but this would also be a preference choice rather than a “better/worse” choice and neither of them would be a weak link in a mattress in terms of durability.

The choice between a platform bed that doesn’t need a foundation or a regular steel or wooden bedframe that needs a foundation would also be a preference choice as long as both of them would provide suitable support for the mattress you purchase. There is more about the different types of support systems that are generally suitable for different types of mattresses in the foundation post here.

You can also read more about zoning in post #11 here and the other posts it links to. Zoning can certainly be helpful in some cases if the zones are a good “match” for your body type and sleeping positions.

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 you are the only one that can decide whether you are comfortable considering any of the online options that you have available to you. Having said that … it certainly can’t do any harm to talk with any of the online members here that interest you and then see how you feel after your conversation.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix. Very helpful! I’m learning towards the BE because it seems better bang for the buck, because the guy there seemed to know more about beds and alignment, and because I liked the BE beds better. Three questions: 1. Is BE a member of this site? I swore I saw you mention it somewhere but I don’t see them listed. 2. Is it true that ‘curvy’ people do better with (relatively) softer mattresses to ensure alignment remains right? 3. Why does BE sell its stuff under different names in different places? Doesn’t this suggest some of the same weird sales practices of the big/major mattress purveyors? Disallowing comparison shopping etc.

-AWZ

Hi amberwalla,

No … Berkeley Ergonomics itself isn’t a member of the site but there are 3 retailers that carry them that are which are http://scottjordan.com/ and http://www.urbannatural.com/ and Calgary, Edmonton & Sherwood Park Mattress Stores | Mattress & Sleep Co. .

I would also keep in mind that while I think highly of all the members here and I believe they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency … the current list of members is still relatively small and thinly spread across the country and they are certainly not the only source of good quality/value mattresses in the industry. The information on the site is to designed to help you make more informed and “fact based” choices based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you regardless of whether they are a member here or not.

It would really depend on their weight distribution and sleeping style along with all the other variables that can be involved in choosing a suitable mattress but in many (but not all) cases this can be correct yes because they may need to sink into a mattress more to “fill in” the recessed gaps in their sleeping profile … especially if they are side sleepers. Having said that … your own careful testing or personal experience will always be the most reliable way to know whether any mattress is a good match for you in terms of PPP and your body along with some good guidance at the store you are dealing with will tell you more than any “theory at a distance” which may be accurate in terms of “averages” but may not be accurate for any specific person. Each of us are different.

There are very few BE dealers across the country so unlike the major chain stores that use their naming conventions" to prevent meaningful comparisons between their mattresses and other very similar mattresses that are available locally … the BE dealers don’t generally have any local competition that sells the same mattresses so there generally wouldn’t be anything available locally to directly compare them with anyway. Having said that … they are completely transparent about the materials in their mattresses (unlike the major brands) so making “apples to apples” comparisons between the same mattresses that have a different name or is available at another store that carries BE mattresses is relatively simple.

I do agree though that it can be confusing and it would be much simpler if they would all use the same name for the same mattresses since it’s so simple to compare and identify the same mattress under another name anyway once you know the specifics of the materials inside it (which they all willingly provide).

Phoenix

Went ahead and ordered BE mattress. Trying to figure out whether I need the adjustable slat system they are selling with it. This is the bed frame I’m interested in == http://www.crateandbarrel.com/atwood-bed-with-bookcase/f42064-- looks like slats are 2.5 inches wide, 6 inches apart – is this enough support for a latex mattress? I’m concerned it’s not based on your other post on this, but the issue is adding the slat system may ruin the look and clean lines of the bed… Thoughts on whether I need to buy a support or foundation system or whether it’d be fine on this bedframe?

Hi amberwalla,

You can see some thoughts about flexible slat systems in post #2 here and the posts it links to. A flexible slat system would be an “active” part of a sleeping system so the only reliable way to know whether a flexible slat system would be an improvement for you in terms of PPP compared to a non flexing support system under the same mattress would be based on your own actual experience when you test it or sleep on it in person. For some people it could be neutral, for some people it would be an improvement, and for some it could be detrimental.

Your link was broken but I’m assuming that you mean this bedframe?

I can’t see the specifics of the design from the pictures but it appears to have 2 center supports which is good but if the distance between the slats are 6" then they would be too far apart for an all latex mattress and I would use something on top of them to improve the support surface area or make sure that there is no more than 3" (and preferably less) between any wooden slats in your support system. There are some suggestions for foundations that would be suitable in post #1 here and if you prefer something thinner then there are some suggestions in post #2 here that may be helpful (although with 6" gaps the polyfoam or bed rug may also be too flexible).

Phoenix