Need advice on mattress selection

[phoenix]

Hi BedBug5450,

Hi Phoenix—It appears another topic may have inadvertently been inserted into my original thread, so I will quickly refresh your memory about my situation.

I switched the other post (and my reply) to a new topic since it was bordering on spam anyway and was certainly off topic at best. I should have done that initially.

Following an exhaustive search, I had narrowed my search to TempFlow based on perceived quality of materials and lower VOCs. When I called TempFlow to discuss the Celestia mattress (their softest option) and obtain more specific density and ILD ratings, the person I spoke to strongly recommended the Flexia mattress over the Celestia. The primary reason he gave for this was the fact that I weigh 100 pounds, and according to him would not receive sufficient back support from the Celestia, because I would not be heavy enough to sink down to the underlying support layers. FYI, here are the technical specs he provided for both mattresses:

The Flexia mattress is described on the TempFlow website as having a medium-firm feel, without causing pressure points, a very contouring, yet more springy feel, and for back or all-position sleepers. I mentioned that we both were primarily side and occasional back sleepers and that I was concerned the Flexia would be too firm, since we both preferred a softer mattress. His response was that if the mattress was too firm, an additional inch of softer memory foam could be added to the top, since the cover was stretchy enough to accommodate. He also mentioned that the Flexia was similar in feel to the Tempur Weightless Supreme.

Last night we went to test out the Weightless Supreme, and neither of us felt it was as soft as we wanted, and we were not overly enamored with the springy feel. Before going back to the drawing board with an entirely different company, I wanted to get your opinion about these two mattresses and ask if you would have concerns about a lighter weight person on a softer mattress.

Their advice makes sense to me because lighter body weights will tend to need thinner/softer comfort layers than those that are in higher weight ranges because they don’t sink into the mattress as deeply.

I would have the same concerns with comfort layers that are too thick/soft for lighter weights as I would for higher weights but what is “too thick/soft” will be different for each person. It’s generally safer to err on the side of being a little too firm because as they mentioned you can always soften up a mattress that is too firm by adding a topper but it’s much more difficult to firm up a mattress that is too soft because you would need to replace the layers that were too thick/soft instead of adding to them.

Memory foam can also be “tricky” because it can become softer in response to heat, humidity, and the length of time that it is continuously compressed so if the memory foam layers are too thick and you are too far away from the firmer support layers that don’t get softer with time, heat, or humidity (only with compression) then you can start the night off in good alignment but then as the memory foam softens over the course of the night you can wake up in the morning out of alignment.

Celestia – 11" mattress
3" 5 lb superior density ultra pressure sensitive foam (ILD 7.5—this is what he said, but I have never come across anything with such a low ILD—have you?)
2" 5 lb high resilient comfort flex layer (ILD 22)
2" medium firm HR support layer with channeled airflow (part of the base layer)
4" 2.1 lb HR base layer (ILD 35)

I’m not sure all the specs are correct here. The description on their site here indicates that the 2" layer that is directly underneath the memory foam layer on top is polyfoam and it’s not likely that it is 5 lb density. Having said that … they do use good quality materials in their mattresses so this wouldn’t be a concern. The ILD of memory foam also isn’t particularly relevant because it changes in response to exterior conditions (heat, humidity, and time it is compressed) and the ILD of memory foam isn’t comparable to the ILD of other types of foam anyway so knowing the ILD of memory foam isn’t nearly as important as how all the layers interact with each other and how the mattress as a whole matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP based on your actual experience.

I know posture and alignment are extremely important in a mattress, and I don’t want to make a big mistake with purchasing a mattress that will not provide adequate support. While we both have a strong preference for a soft mattress, we have never actually slept on anything as cushy as the Tempur Cloud Luxe, so I certainly respect the judgment of the “experts.” In truth, I found the posture and alignment to be the most difficult “P” to judge, even with your helpful guidance under selecting the correct mattress. I also enjoyed reading the article indicating very little correlation to the mattress a person liked when testing vs. the mattress that would actually provide the best sleep experience—so color me thoroughly frustrated. Needless to say, all of this perseverating has most definitely had a negative impact on my sleep!!

When you are considering a mattress that you can’t test in person and it is different from what you have slept on in the past then I would certainly give significant weight to the guidance that you receive on the phone but this is also based on the “averages” of others that are similar to you and since each person is unique and some people are “outside the averages” … your own sleeping experience will be the only reliable way to know for certain whether any mattress is a suitable choice for you in terms of PPP. This is why the options you have available after a purchase to make adjustments to a mattress or to exchange or return it (and the costs involved) are really the only way to make up for the higher risk and uncertainty that can be part of an online purchase and for most people would be a significant part of the “value” of an online purchase when you are making comparisons and a final choice between your finalists.

Phoenix