Need help choosing a new mattress

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

My wife and I are in the market for a new mattress. My research has led me to The Mattress Underground’s website, and through them I started looking at split mattresses because of our different sleep preferences. Our current mattress is a cal-king soft memory foam bed from Brooklyn Bedding, which my wife loves but is giving me terrible lower back pain. I am 6’3", 210lbs and a stomach sleeper. My wife is 5’3", 145lbs and a side sleeper. She used to sleep on a Kingsdown soft bed, which seemed even softer than our current bed and she liked it even more. I used to sleep on a firm mattress, but I decided to try to switch to my wife’s preference… I don’t know how much longer my back can hold up. Any insight as to what bed / selections would be great, as I am totally in the dark about latex bedding.

Thanks!

2

Hi ClintonCT,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum!

Let me start by saying that you have found a great resource in the Mattress Underground. There are many trusted members on this site offering quality products for your latex mattress research. Hopefully some of my information below can help to guide you through choosing the best fit for you.

When shopping for a mattress, it is best to know what exactly is in your mattress and the details of its components. As an example, our product page as shown here, complete with two descriptive videos, should give you all the answers you need to know about our product. It’s important when investing in a mattress for you to know the quality and durability of the product you are purchasing. If this detailed information is not readily available online when doing your research, you can ask a company representative for whatever info you need.

When choosing latex layers, it is important to look at the ILD’s and densities of the layers when deciding what combination would be best for your and your spouse’s different needs. Keep in mind that one companies “Soft” will not necessarily equate another’s “Soft”. It is also best to get a recommendation directly from the company based on your height/weight, sleeping preferences, etc. The company will know their product best and what to recommend for you. As an example, I’ve been recommending layer combinations for customers for over 5 years now, and I know what has worked well for people, and also know what personally works for myself based on my own layer combination! :slight_smile: With that being said, for our product line, I would recommend the following layer combination for you and your wife:

Soft Talalay/Medium Talalay
Medium Talalay/Firm Talalay
Firm Dunlop
XFirm Dunlop

The top Talalay layers will provide a bit more plush feeling and allow you to sink in more to keep you both comfortable. The Dunlop layers underneath, which is a more dense material, will help to provide support for your spine and the mattress overall. I recommended to split the top two layers since your wife prefers a softer feel and weighs ~65 lbs less. Also, when someone is a stomach sleeper, typically firmer is better for support since if a mattress is too soft, it will cause you to dip into the mattress and your back to arch, which can cause back pain. Keep in mind you are able to rearrange your layers for optimal comfort, and we offer one layer swap one time if needed within the first 90 days.

Hope that helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions! We can also be reached directly at 951.333.8253.

Foam Sweet Foam Support Team
www.foamsweetfoam.com

3

So after doing research and asking different companies with different suggested configurations, I’m even more confused if there is any reason to go with any brand other than an economical factor, since I am not knowledgeable enough to tell the difference. I’d like to post a side-by-side comparison of the companies and configurations for full transparency, in hopes to get further guidance on a selection.
These are all 13% Split California Kings, with layers being top to bottom. Albeit, I didn’t ask Flexus Comfort for a recommendation, I just used your recommendation.

Flexus Comfort-

Left Side:
Talalay Soft
Dunlop Soft
Dunlop Medium
Dunlop Firm

Right Side:
Talalay Medium
Dunlop Firm
Dunlop Firm
Dunlop Xfirm

Price: 2,430 - 243 Discount =
$2,187.00 Total

Foam Sweet Foam

Left Side:
Talalay Soft
Dunlop Soft
Dunlop Medium
Dunlop Firm

Right Side:
Talalay Medium
Dunlop Firm
Dunlop Firm
Dunlop Xfirm

Price: 2,898 - 289.8 Discount =
$2,608.20 Total

Sleeping Organic -

Left Side:
Talalay Soft
Dunlop Soft
Dunlop Medium
Dunlop Firm

Right Side:
Dunlop Medium
Dunlop Firm
Dunlop Firm
Dunlop Xfirm

Price: 2,975 - 595 Discount =
$2,380 Total

SleepEZ -

Left Side:
Talalay Soft
Dunlop Medium
Dunlop Firm
Dunlop Xfirm

Right Side:
Talalay Medium
Dunlop Firm
Dunlop Xfirm
Dunlop Xfirm

Price: 2,700 - 540 Discount =
$2160 Total

So as of now, the lowest prices just seem to be the top contenders. The other determining factor will be return/trial policies that I look up. Any further factors that can be distinguished that might sway my decision.

Thanks

4

Hi ClintonCT.

I am jumping in for a moment to add a bit of perspective to your dilemma …while all of the options you listed are good quality/value choices once you are down to “good vs good” (which you certainly are :slight_smile: ) then which one is “best” specifically for you would depend on all the objective, subjective, and even intangible criteria of your own personal value equation that were most important to you and “justify” the cost of a mattress purchase. While all systems you mention are similar in their basic construction (Split King, 4 x 3" latex layers) and also while the price is certainly an important factor there are many other variables which are part of the “value” of a mattress purchase and price is just one of many factors that can affect the “value” of a mattress purchase.

Generally, I’d caution against basing your decision on the price alone as there are far too many reasons that a mattress that may be “good value” for one person and may not be good value for someone else that has very different needs and preferences. This is not a case of “all else being equal” unless a mattress uses exactly the same components, materials and design and has the same return/exchange policies and customer service and after purchase support. There isn’t a “formula” that can be used to assess or “calculate” the value of a mattress because of the many different variables and criteria involved that can affect the price of a mattress that can each be more or less important to some people and not to others who may have completely different criteria or definitions of “value”.

Differences you may consider are… natural or organic materials vs synthetic, the ability to exchange layers or make changes after purchase, the type of cover and quilting you prefer and I would also keep in mind that the latex used in each model may be a combination of either Talalay or Dunlop in organic, natural, blended, or synthetic, each having a different price and most likely sourced from different suppliers. It is important that you look closely to all those variables and decide what is most important to you. As I often advise, you may wish to place a phone call directly to each one of your finalists with your concerns and specific desires and ask for their thoughts on the particular mattress you are considering from them. They will know more about their mattresses and how they respond to a wider group of individuals than anyone else.

Again … there is no “formula” that can determine “value” vs “price” down to the last detail or replace “best judgment” because there will always be some unknowns remaining in any mattress purchase that can only be answered by your own longer-term personal experience. 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

Phoenix