Whether the support core of the mattress is innerspring or not would not influence or change the durability guidelines for higher BMI and only the firm version of the Alexander Nest Hybrid would probably be the best for higher weight ranges, but as I often advise, you may wish to place a phone call directly to Nest Bedding with your concerns and ask both about the returns to Canada and about their thoughts on if this product would be suitable for you as the foams are a bit less than what is normally recommended for people with higher BMI. They will know more about their mattresses and how they respond to a wider group of individuals than anyone else. I also don’t have the density of their TitanChill foam for this product and although I expect that it has the appropriate density for higher weight ranges, but I would still want to find this out.
I recently used several times their Canada chat version and got a prompt reply, so it may have been the one off for you, but I would recommend that you call them again and speak directly rather than use the chat option. (Their toll-free phone number is 1-888-992-2001)
I did what you said and called again, thinking the first 2 times were just an one off like you said. I ask about the hybrid in luxury firm and my concern about the weight, she answers a generic “I think the mattress will be good but the hybrid latex is way better”. I tell her it’s out of my budget and then asked about the density of the TitanChill foam. She didn’t know what that was then went through some papers and read me the densities of all the foams in the mattress. The densities she’s reading me are all wrong (1.5 lbs and 3.8 lbs), so I tell her that’s not what the website says. She’s confused and reads them again. Still wrong so she goes to the website and says she needs to ask her manager, who isn’t there, about the discrepancies between her manual and the website. She just took my name and number and is going to get back to me tomorrow apparently.
Poor girl, this has nothing to do with her but how can NestBedding be this amateurish? To go from your incredibly detailed website and the other knowledable suppliers on here to that just threw me off. Three times I have contacted them with my credit card ready but I’m going to have to look at something else now.
I’ll look for other hybrids myself but if you know any good suggestions that are similar in prices to Nest, please let me know.
I do feel badly for many of the customer service representatives, as they quite often are answering multiple questions at the same time and it can be very confusing for them with all of the specifications and different comfort levels for mattresses with similar names.
Regarding the TitanChill foam, if it is similar to what BB uses it could be in a similar 3.5 lb range, but you’d of course want to confirm that. For a higher BMI, the Luxury Firm would probably be your best choice, and the latex hybrid even better, so the advice the representative offered wasn’t bad there. Hopefully they will get back to you with specifications, even though you’re not considering the mattress any longer. Please share it with the forum if they do in case others have a similar question.
Regarding other mattresses using foams more appropriate for a higher BMI, there are more than the KISS, but it’s not a listing that I maintain nor could provide, with over 500 mattress companies here domestically. It’s just something you’ll have to do a bit more searching upon. At least you are taking the time to analyze componentry, which is very important, so it’s good that you’re taking the time beforehand to accomplish that. Maybe there are others on the forum who can provide you with more specific suggestions.
Please forgive me for “hijacking” this thread as well. I had a response written out on my Flexus thread, but lost it and figured that since I’m not keeping the latex mattress, I’d put that thread to bed
I have a similar question to Juveman, but I’m now looking for an innerspring or hybrid mattress. I’m a female side sleeper with a BMI of 27 and carry my weight in my hips. For years, I slept on a “pillowtop” innerspring mattress of unknown specs. I prefer a plush, in the bed feel but need support for my hips and lower back.
My Flexus latex mattress is 3 layers of dunlop medium with a 3" soft talalay comfort layer but I will be returning it because no matter how I arrange it, I wake up with lower back pain. I initially ordered it with a firm bottom layer but that was too firm for me so I swapped it for a medium layer and arranged them so the smoother, more firm sides of the dunlop were all facing up. I didn’t wake up with much pain but I just didn’t find it plush enough or comfortable enough for me. So I flipped all of the dunlop layers so that the more flexible sides were all facing up. This made it softer but now I wake up with bad lower back pain that lasts throughout the day.
So now I’m back at square one, but this time resuming my innerspring or hybrid mattress search. Previously, I was able to visit a Nest showroom to look at the Alexander Hybrid in what I think was the medium option. I liked it after about an hour of lying in it but was concerned that it would be too firm for me in the long run.
So I’m considering the Alexander Hybrid, Winkbed, or the Tomorrow sleep. Saatva was in the running but I’ve seen mixed experiences with indentations forming as well as issues with dealing with the company for exchanges and refunds. They also charge a $99 return fee. Nest asks that you donate the bed if you want a refund, so that would also be a little bit of a headache if that one didn’t work out either. The Winkbed seems that it will be too thick for me at 14.5" and I can’t find much in the way of real life experiences with Tomorrow Sleep as a company.
I’ve gone through the wealth of information on this site regarding BMI and foam densities etc as well as I can but there is a lot that is over my head. I’m still not sure how to ask these questions when shopping around. Also, I’ve chosen these online retailers simply because they are the most convenient. The general impression I’ve gotten, however, is that online retailers are risky since they are so new and mostly “one size fits all” and that big box stores are risky since the quality of these top 5 mattress companies is questionable. Any advice on where to look or affirmation that I’m on the right track would be greatly appreciated.
EDIT: I researched the local mattress shop in my neighborhood and they seem knowledgeable and like they have a decent trial period/return policy. They also offer a few different hybrid options. I plan on stopping there as well as Nest this week.
I understand what you’re saying and I’m really not a picky person nor am I expecting them to throw me red carpet. Despite poor customer service, I was still willing to get the mattress. But when you call 3 times and get amateur answers every single time, something is off here. I promise you that I am not being picky. They sell six mattresses, it can’t be that difficult to know your stuff
As for hybrids with high density materials, please suggest some manufacturers that ship to Canada. I can’t find anything in that $1000 range (almost $1400 CAD). Thanks for your input!
I don’t think anyone is implying you are picky or expecting a red carpet (certainly I wasn’t), but it unfortunately does happen that you sometimes get poor information from the customer service people, especially with all of the different versions of the models some companies offer. Hopefully they will get back to you with the correct information, which you of course would want before making any decisions.
Regarding companies that ship to Canada, that’s something you’ll have to search for on your own or have someone else on the forum with more knowledge in that area assist you with finding. That is not something that I track.
The above statement concerns me greatly. That the manufacturer of arguably the most popular mattresses on this site and spoken so highly of by you in the past is no longer a “trusted member” of this site because of a “business decision” is highly suspect in my opinion. You hold out your “Trusted Members” as being the best of the best; it’s an explicit endorsement of these companies. When a company no longer satisfies the standard spelled out on your “Trusted Members” page, it’s fair for us to ask why, and to expect an honest, complete answer. Especially when the only explanation offered is that it was a “business decision”. This strongly suggests that admission to the “Trusted Members” is nothing more than quid pro quo, or paid endorsements.
This site holds itself out as a source for honest, unbiased information. In the interest of transparency, I believe you owe it to your patrons to explain why you no longer stand by your previous endorsements of Brooklyn Bedding as a “trusted member” of this site.
Well said Little Wing. It does not put much confidence in my purchase, and so I would at least like to know the reason (especially before my one year trial expires). For example, if it was customer service related I am not really that concerned, but if it is related to the quality of the products going down hill or dishonestly with the specifications of their mattresses then I would most definitely need to know. This site does not seem that trustworthy anymore, and I made that observation when I realized many of the responses from Phoenix are basically the same with not a lot of personable advice put forth anymore.
[quote=“Little Wing” post=77181][quote=“Phoenix” post=76121]You are correct Brooklyn bedding is no longer a member of the TMU.
This was a business decision and it would be inappropriate to discuss it. [/quote]
This site holds itself out as a source for honest, unbiased information. In the interest of transparency, I believe you owe it to your patrons to explain why you no longer stand by your previous endorsements of Brooklyn Bedding as a “trusted member” of this site.[/quote]
I believe it has something to do with the membership fees that trusted members must pay to remain active on this site. I’ll cut and paste the quote from the membership application form that’s found on this site. I’ll bet that there was a dispute about the money that BB owed to TMU, or something along those lines.
Taken from the membership application:
“I am aware that paid or outstanding fees are non-refundable should my company wish to terminate our membership, or if our membership is revoked due to not following TMU site rules and guidelines. *”
Business membership in The Mattress Underground (TMU) changes over time. In the past two years, six businesses have become members and others have stopped being members. Business relationships, much like personal relationships, sometimes come to an end and the reasons for that, while many and varied, are situation-specific and private. Sharing them in a public forum displays questionable business ethics and is also disrespectful. Transparency and privacy are two completely different issues and claiming that anyone is entitled to private information under the guise of seeking transparency is at best manipulative. For those interested, we’ll always confirm any change in membership, but we stand firmly that it is inappropriate to discuss any reasons that are not of public concern on our Mattress Forum.
TMU has many topics and posts connected with and mentioning BB and other companies that are no longer members which are all part of the extensive posting history on TMU. In this specific case, from the consumer point of view, BB is simply no longer a TMU member and there is nothing more to it than this. The inner workings of TMU are not for public display. Also from a consumer point of view, it is sufficient to know that TMU does not permit the creation of false information or misleading inferences in its Forum; this includes statements about products, companies and current or former members of TMU. Furthermore, the inferences insinuated about BB are wholly inaccurate, and without basis.
I think you might be misunderstanding the difference between ‘endorsement’ and ‘trust’. TMU guards tirelessly against endorsing any company, including its members. Endorsement is like a blank check handed out and static in nature, while trust is earned through the reliance on the integrity, strength, skill, surety, etc., of a person, entity or thing and has a more fluid nature that is more in line with TMU’s vision. We seek to provide consumers with factual and unbiased information so that they can make their own informed decisions based on facts rather than advertising ‘stories’. While I/ we certainly don’t claim to be 100% unbiased … at least my/our biases are based on research and fact rather than unsubstantiated stories supported by heavy advertising. Materials have certain qualities regardless of how they may feel. I am a big advocate of getting factual information before buying a mattress … or at the very least buying from someone who knows the facts rather than being trained in the stories that a customer is most likely to believe.
I am the last person to want anyone to believe me or you or anyone based on “faith”. The goal of this site is to provide the knowledge that either connects consumers with “mattress people” who already know what that consumer would otherwise need much time to learn and proceed to sell them high quality/value mattresses or…to provide the consumer with accurate information so to avoid the more biased and misleading information that tends to come from people who only promote what they sell to the detriment of all other choices (no matter where they may come from). In other words … the goal is to inform and “empower” people to make up their own mind based on facts and meaningful comparisons instead of the overwhelming amount of misleading and inaccurate information that comes from all sides in this industry.
I would hope it would be obvious why on a site like this that has hundreds of thousands of people researching and seeking advice or information would need to support itself.
Stating that this site collects membership fees from manufacturers - who have passed very stringent requirements (here is a list of the criteria for becoming a member of The Mattress Underground, somehow makes our site biased or the information less than accurate is simply cynical. Spending only a few minutes on this site it will be completely evident that quality componentry and products are mentioned, and sometimes even defended, regardless of the site membership. The goal here has always been to educate versus promote. Running this website takes enormous amounts of time and it is not a charity, and just because other sites derive income from side sources (such as Google ads) in no way validates their information as factual or accurate. To assume such is a logical fallacy. You can read more about the reasons our site was started in post #404 here and some of the history behind it in post #4 here.
If you choose to no longer trust TMU and its representations, while disappointed, we understand your right to do so, as well as your right to not use TMU as a resource for your mattress research.
I hope this brings more clarity and completes your picture of The Mattress Underground.
I could also use some assistance but I was completely unable to figure out how to start a topic in these forums.
I live with my gf and have a king size Purple original mattress. However, it has not lived up to any of the hype and I am ready to replace it. Trouble is, after spending something like $1,200 on a mattress we both hate I am skiddish about buying the wrong mattress again.
So I have a few questions on my mind.
How effective is having two twin xl mattresses together with one of those create-a-king products that strap them together and have a piece of foam to plug the gap between them.
More specifically, how odd does the center feel? Will this help with reducing motion transfer? Will the center be a pit that makes us sink into the middle? Would two mattresses with reinforced sides help alleviate this problem or make a barrier between us?
I prefer to sleep on my side but I almost always wake up on my back. However, when I am on my back I tend to snore which drives the gf crazy. I almost always have my arm above my head underneath my pillow which can cause pain sometimes but this is always how I have slept and have not been successful at eliminating this habit. Should I go for a mattress good for side sleepers? Maybe something former since my shoulder isn’t under my chest when I’m on my side like more side sleepers? Sometimes a too firm mattress will hurt my hips when I’m on my side but too soft of a mattress will cause my torso and hips to sink in while my legs rest on top of the mattress which curves my back and cause back pain, what type of mattress will solve this?
I know that is a lot of questions but I am honestly at a loss of what to get. Apparently I’m friggin Goldie locks and can’t decide on what is perfect for me. Not too concerned about my gf because she seems to have a way of making everything work for her but by hips, back, and shoulder tend to hurt if the mattress isn’t just right and her getting up to pee 7 times a night of constantly moving around will drive me crazy. However, not being able to cuddle or have sex easily when desired is a concern.
I also sleep hot so I have never enjoyed anything that is memory foam. Especially since it always compressed into a hard lump beneath me.
If it helps I’m 6’1" tall 255 lbs. mostly muscle with a belly and apparently joint and back issues. Haven’t been able to sleep comfortably on my stomach for years because it causes my back to bend and hurt and my neck to twist as I can’t sleep on my face. Although I would l love to sleep on my stomach again.
Honestly considered buying a massage table to sleep on. Could sleep on my stomach because it’s wood underneath so I wouldn’t sag, soft so it wouldn’t hurt, and a nice little hole for my face to rest in. lol. But I haven’t gotten the gf on board with that one yet lol. Also haven’t figured out where I would put my arms.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance and sorry it’s such a long post.
We’re happy to be of assistance! You can start a new topic any time in our expert members forums. Additionally, you can also append (as you did) your comment/question to an existing topic that closely matches your topic of interest (please see the sticky post here which explains this.)
Sorry that Purple mattress is not working out for you …I completely understand your desire to get the next one right. On the positive side, you can assimilate the experience you’ve had with your current mattress and pinpoint the reasons why this was not a good match for you and incorporate this understanding into your future research for a good fit mattress. It is also a great plus that you have the “freedom” to choose something that is suitable for you and know that it wouldn’t disrupt or affect the sleep of your gf.
Create-a-king products are good options to fill the gap between two separate twin beds and to secure the mattresses together for an even surface across the entire bed. How effective they are will vary with each product . The wide adjustable belt that fastens and wraps around the sides of both mattresses is ensuring that the mattresses do not separate even during more robust moving on the mattress. They can use foam fillers or a sheepskin, or other filling options to close the gap between the beds, but how effective they are at providing an even surface would again be different from product to product. Another option to connect the twins would be a quilted pillow top cover or mattress pad with a wedge that fills the space between two mattresses and corner straps to keep the beds together.
Of course, If your gf prefers a different comfort/support configuration, then you also have the option of a split king mattress. How much you would feel the split would also depend on the specifics of the mattress and on how flush the top surfaces fit together. With all the above options, you could also use a single topper over both sides (preferably with the gap filled in) which will further dampen the gap effect. You can get various types of “converters” which fill in the crack in the middle and attach the two halves together such as here and here and here and here
Even though you wake up on your back it seems that you are primarily a side sleeper (or … “forced” back in to it by your snores and gf ) it is best to aim for a side sleeper comfort in your mattress. From your description it looks like you already figured out that a key element when sleeping upon your side is to make sure that you are not sinking in too deeply with an excessive lateral curvature. This article speaks to this in a bit more detail. Side sleepers generally need a bit more pressure point relief on the surface to accommodate the wider dimensional variances between the shoulders and the hips and the waist. There’s a bit more about different sleeping positions here .
This is one of the most common questions on the forum (ie. which mattress type or firmness level would be better for me?) There is some fairly extensive general information in the mattresses section of the site (particularly in the sections about sleeping style, preferences, and statistics along with putting the layers together and the page on tips and tricks here) that can give you some general concepts, guidelines, and insights about the effects of different body types, sleeping styles, and mattress designs for different people but this is only generic and not specific to any particular person and may be more complex than you really need to know.
The mattress shopping tutorial here has the basic information, steps, and guidelines including suggestions about how to test a mattresses for for what I call PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) that can simplify your search and help you make the best possible choices. Perhaps most importantly it can also help you avoid the worst ones (like the major manufacturers or any manufacturer or brand that doesn’t disclose the quality of the materials in their mattresses and most mass market stores that have little knowledge about the mattresses they sell).
There are far too many variables and unknowns (body types, sleeping styles, preferences, physiology, age, health conditions, sensitivities, special circumstances etc) to use any formula, specs (either yours or a mattress), or “theory at a distance” based on basic height/weight/sleeping position information or any other person’s experience to choose a suitable mattress that can possibly be more accurate than your own careful and objective testing on local mattresses (using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post) that you can use to decide on a mattress that is “best” for you in terms of PPP (whether it is for a local purchase or as a guideline for an online purchase)
So I’m always happy to help the forum members here with “how” to choose, to act as a "fact check, or to help them find better manufacturers or retailers that have better quality and value but “what” to choose in terms of either a mattress or the balance between comfort/pressure relief and support/alignment that may be suitable for a specific person is always up to the only person who can feel what you feel on a mattress and best left to personal testing and your own experiences or more detailed discussions with the more knowledgeable people at the retailers or manufacturers that sell a mattress you are considering.
I think that it would be fair to say that you have more than one reason to eliminate mattresses that contain memory foam as sex on memory foam takes more “effort” because it doesn’t provide any of the bounce or “energy” return that most people are used to. You are certainly not alone in preferring more resilient materials (either in comfort layers or in a support core) that are less motion restricting in a mattress and either reducing or in some cases even eliminating mattresses that contain memory foam comfort layers which are much less resilient than other types of materials and components such as latex, polyfoam, or microcoils.
As far as motion isolation…memory foam is the best at motion isolation but latex and pocket coils are good for this as well (see post #18 here). Having said that … all the layers and components in a mattress will have some effect on the feel and performance of all the other layers and the mattress “as a whole” so the best way to test for motion isolation is your own careful testing on a mattress using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post (with both of you on the mattress) because a mattress that may be “motion isolating enough” for one couple may not be as suitable for another couple that is more sensitive. A foundation under your mattress would certainly contribute to having better motion isolation but it would depend on the type and force of the movement and on the thickness of your mattress as well (a thicker mattress would isolate you more from the springs). Traditional metal bed frames are also culprits in allowing people to feel more motion when moving atop a mattress.
Overall I would think it’s reasonable to say and most manufacturers would agree that latex is “good” with motion separation, especially the slower heavier types of movement such as turning over or bouncing or getting out of bed and are an improvement over other materials (except memory foam) but again this depends on the type of movement or vibration and the specific construction of the mattress, the ticking and quilting materials, and the materials or components above and below the latex and even the bedding above the latex as well.
I am not sure if you are aware of this but the stomach sleeping position is the worst posture for your lumbar region, regardless of core strength or tonus of your musculature. Everyone needs good deep support to assist with alignment and your muscles relax a bit when sleeping at night, so maintenance of alignment falls mostly to the mattress itself.
One step at a time (with not skipping any of the steps) is the most effective way to find “your perfect mattress” and has by far the highest chances of success … and of course once you’ve had the chance to read through the information provided and narrow down your research to a few finalists I or any of the Expert members of the site would be happy to help.
Thank you very much for the detailed and thought out reply. I will get to work looking at all the links and furthering my research.
You went well above and beyond with all the links and places to look for information and I thank you very much for that.
My only other question is how do u feel about mattresses with the reinforced sides? Especially if two of them are pushed together? I’ve never paid on a mattress with reinforced sides before.
I believe that what you mean by “reinforced sides” is edge reinforcement in foam mattresses. Perimeter edge/Foam encasements are designed to eliminate roll-off when you sleep on the edge of the mattress. Edge support is seen more often in innerspring mattresses which are more prone to edge sagging because of the nature of springs and innerspring construction (where the edge of a spring is significantly less firm than the center) and foam mattresses usually don’t have (or in most cases need) edge support because few people sleep with a lot of weight on the outside few inches of their mattress. They are an extension of the support system and it is most commonly found in the deeper support layers of a mattress and placed under the comfort layers which in most cases don’t have edge support. By design in most cases, you should not feel much of a difference when the two mattresses are pushed together.
Hi, thanks for all the knowledge here on the site + forums, it’s helped me narrow my search down to 2 mattresses. (Also planning on a topper + cover)
The 2 choices:
$80- Linenspa 5 Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress - Firm Support - Twin XL
$120 - LUCID 6 Inch Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress - Firm Feel
What I want:
-Twin XL
<$150ish, plus the cost of the topper/cover. A cheap, acceptable mattress for a bachelor, that has good warranty support (2-4+ year life without sagging or noticeable breakdown)
-Sleeps cool
-5’10, 170-180lbs
-Acceptable use with adjustable/motorized base
-Firm is fine. I like sleeping on a thick blanket + carpeted floor. Soft is fine if it doesn’t break down quickly, and still offers support.
I’d like a latex mattress, I think it would be better to buy a latex topper though(?). A topper can be removed, rotated, replaced, etc. Latex mattresses are fairly pricey- Lucid makes a $250 10" Latex (3" Latex/7" High density foam). Pretty sure most are $350+. It’s easier to ignore the faults of a $80/$120 mattress. I’d be pretty irritated if a $350+ mattress started sagging after 2 years.
For toppers:
I can buy something like a $160 “Pure Green 100% Natural Latex Mattress Topper - Soft”
And a $90 “Bamboo Mattress Pad with Fitted Skirt”
And a $20 “LUCID Premium Hypoallergenic 100% Waterproof Mattress Protector”- I don’t know if this is needed. I’ve read that it’s important to keep foam dry, & it may help it feel more even (I guess as you heat it up & sweat it gets compressed and softer)
^I think that combination might offer a supportive mattress that sleeps cool.
With the 6" Lucid, temperature may be more of an issue for you, but again this will depend entirely on your tolerance. You are correct that the upper layers of the mattress are the most significant when it comes to temperature and moisture regulation and that Latex, in general, is also not only the most durable but the most breathable and “temperature neutral” of all the different types of foam materials but the firmness of a mattress and how much you sink into it can also affect sleeping temperature as well. While it’s also not always possible to track down temperature regulation issues for any particular person on a specific mattress because there are so many variables involved (including your room temperature and humidity, your sheets and bedding and bedclothes, your mattress protector or any mattress pads you are using, and where you are in the “oven to iceberg” range) and some people can sleep warmer on mattresses that most people are generally fine with … there is more about temperature regulation issues (at least to the degree possible for a specific mattress) in post #2 here and the posts it links to that may be helpful.
If you like the feel of latex and are concerned with temperature regulation then the 10" Lucid “Latex” Hybrid Mattress would be an all in one and have the advantage that you won’t need a topper. This mattress is using 1" Dunlop, but there isn’t complete information about the blend or certification information about this foam. There is a 7" polyfoam core beneath it but the density is unknown, so this is not an all-latex mattress. A forum search on Lucid (you can just click the link) will bring up comments and feedback about them. I know that you are looking to get only 2 to 4 years useful life for your mattress and I’d just want to make sure that you are aware that Lucid is from China, and you can see in post #6 here more info about mattresses imported from Asia or China which may have been compressed for long periods of time in either shipping or storage before being purchased, which in my opinion makes this a more risky purchase.
At your BMI and with the durability expectations you mentioned you seem to be looking in the right direction, but I would also consider guided DIY option which would be more along the lines of mattress/topper version that you are considering, although I don’t recommend this option without the guidance of an experienced and knowledgeable retailer/manufacturer. For example, you could purchase here a 7" TwinXL poly layer of 1.9lbs (for $165)) then add a latex topper of your choice and a mattress cover.
Just keep in mind that while we 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 (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) 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).
Nobody can speak as to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” for you, but if after you find out the specifics of each of the options you are considering in terms of the information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here just make sure that before making any purchase you are OK with some of the risks involved that come with some of the lower quality options you are considering.
As far as powerbase suitability for the specific mattresses you are considering, this would be a question to ask the manufacturer/retailer themselves, but in general terms … foam materials such as latex, memory foam, or polyfoam along with most pocket coils are “bendable” and flexible enough to use with an adjustable bed and all the options and the mattress thickness you are considering would work well with a powerbase.
You can see some of the threads where Lucid was discussed here connected with washable cover issues that consumers experienced. As far as mattress protectors choices, there are many … membrane type … the wool type … or the cotton type. The tradeoffs involved are between how waterproof they are … how breathable they are … how much they will affect the feel of your mattress, the importance of natural materials, and of course cost. There is more about the choices and tradeoffs involved and the amount of “protection” that may be important in post #2 here and in post #5 here.
I hope this gives you enough information to help with your decision.
Thank you, after reading your advice I did some more searching & reading. I’ve seen some DIY stories, they scare me. I’ve seen a few people do tons of research, spend $300-800, and be completely unsatisfied with the result (an unusable mattress). I figure if I buy something cheap, it’s easier to ignore the faults (and everything has faults).
I narrowed it down to 2 budget latex hybrids:
(spring hybrid) $209, $240.44 after taxes/fees LINENSPA 10 Inch Latex Hybrid Mattress - Supportive - Responsive Feel - Medium Firm - Temperature Neutral
advertised as having:
-7" of steel coils
-4 layers of foam and latex
** 1" quilted memory foam
** 2" latex
** 7" coils (13.5 gauge steel)
** Foam edge support
Linenspa states that it is adjustable bed compatible
Reviews suggest it is soft and comfortable.
(foam hybrid) $225, $258 after taxes/fees LUCID 10 Inch Latex Foam Mattress - Ventilated Design
advertised as having:
-3" Latex foam (natural/synthetic blend, supposedly 3.5-4.0lb density dunlop latex)
** Customer photos show 2" thick latex
-7" high density support foam (1.8lb/cubic foot, high-density polyurethane foam)
Customers state they’ve used it with adjustable beds without problem
There are ~6 reviews that say it’s as hard as sleeping on the floor, that worries me
I know TMU recommends spring hybrids.
I can add a pillowtop, or 1-3" latex topper to either. I think I’d really like a shredded latex topper but think they’re too expensive
For some people, DIY mattress turned to be a very rewarding project, but in general, the best approach is a “spirit of adventure” where what is learned and the satisfaction that comes from the process itself is more important than any cost savings that may be realized (which may or may not happen). For those that decide to take the challenge of building a DIY, I advise having more realistic expectations and getting comfortable with the learning curve, uncertainty, trial, and error, or in some cases the higher costs that may be involved in the DIY process.
If you wish to take this challenge on and a DIY is still of interest to you I would start is by reading option 3 in post #15 here and the posts it links to (and option #1 and #2 as well)
Restless nights are hard to “ignore” and wihile a cheap mattress can be satisfactory for a certain period of time it may quickly reach the end of its useful life and you could end up spending more in the long run. Sometimes “cheap” can have a higher cost than people may realize or hope for. As far as finding faults in everything … it really depends on the perspective… it is like seeing the bottle half full or half empty. I am sure that once you find the right mattress even a little higher price can be overlooked… but of course that all depends entirely on your own personal value equation and what is most important to you. In the end … the “value” of a mattress purchase boils down to three main factors.
[indent]• How well you will sleep on a mattress in terms of Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences (PPP)
• How long a mattress lasts and continues to provide you with PPP and the quality of sleep.
• Then all the other parts of “value” that are part of each person’s personal value equation (including return or exchange policies and the price) are also important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase but are secondary to suitability and durability because a mattress that isn’t a good match in terms of PPP and you can’t sleep well on it or a mattress that is a good match in terms of PPP initially but uses lower quality materials which lose their comfort and support too quickly relative to the price you paid would both have little “value” for most people.[/indent]
As I mentioned previously 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” 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 ).
Linenspa 10" Latex Hybrid Mattress is advertised as a medium-firm feel and they recommend it for back or stomach sleepers, but there is no way for anyone else but you to assess if any mattress would be comfortable for your particular needs, preferences and sleeping positions. They list it as having 4 layers of foam and latex for a total of 3" on top of the spring unit (1" quilted Fast response foam and 2" fast response foam and latex) but they do not list the specifications (density and thickness of each of the layers. If you manage to find out the specs for this mattress I’d be happy to comment upon it. (On amazon most of the questions related to upper layers specs seem to be deferred to [email protected])
Linenspa is a trademark for Malouf which is a Chinese manufacturer of mattresses, pillows, and bedding products. They sell some fairly cheap memory foam mattresses that use lower density memory foam that I personally wouldn’t consider and because the price of their latex hybrid mattresses is in the same range it would make me cautious about its quality. If I was considering a Chinese manufacturer though I would want to know the specifics of all the foams and eventhough they use CertiPur certified memory foam or polyfoam they are compressed for long periods of time in their transportation from China which ages foam much more quickly and reduces durability and can actually damage latex (Dunlop especially).
Overall … I would be very cautious with these and make sure you get more information … including about their return costs and method of return if it isn’t suitable (because you can’t ship them back compressed the way you received them which means that return shipping would have to be with much more expensive truck freight). They are also a one size fits all choice which means they are much more “risky” in terms of suitability than a mattress that you can choose your own comfort level.
I think that other than personal testing on a mattress … your research into the quality of materials and dealing with a retailer or manufacturer that can provide you with good guidance about which mattress may best “fit” your needs and preferences is among the most important parts of your mattress purchase. The quality of sleep is very important and there are very few purchases that we can make that can have such a big effect on our overall well being for the next decade or so than the mattress we sleep on. Rushing a mattress purchase IMO is a big mistake along with a mattress purchase that doesn’t take into account the suitability and quality of the materials in it.
I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding … and of course any additional comments or questions you may have along the way that I or any of the Expert members of the site can help with.
First, sorry if this is the wrong place to post but I literally cannot figure out how to initiate a New Topic after spending a long time scrolling around the site.
In any event I greatly appreciate this fantastic resource. I bought a Charles Rogers St.Charles mattress in 2015.
I have never been fully comfortable on this mattress and find it “sleeps hot” for me- with many restless nights and my back is always getting too hot - (I am a back sleeper) after an hour or so attempting to fall asleep - and I’m waking up and flipping around trying to find a comfortable position. Recently have been waking up experiencing intense itching, despite very hygenic bedding and surroundings .
The frustration is, i find the pillow-topper - which i didn’t know it had til I got it) seems to retain heat - at least for me. A certain ‘bed blogger’ I asked about this. suggested trying a 2" talalay topper for cooling -
I never followed through but I want to find a solution now.
The main issue i see with the topper is that this mattress is already very high and i can’t see how any conventional sheet set would fit over it with an additional 2" 'topper. I feel like i’d need a small ladder to get in/out of the bed.
I welcome any thoughts and advice.
Thanks!
Mike
