Need local outlet info - zip code 21114

If there was a better way to get this info, I’m not sure but I would like to find some quality outlets near me–zip code 21114.
Thanks!

Looks like you might be in the same town I am . . . zip is 24112 here.

Phoenix gave me a link to Roanoke and High Point dealers . . . I started a thread asking for input on mattresses or toppers, and you can find his answers to local dealers in my thread from earlier this week. I’m going to Roanoke next week to check out the first dealer on his list - I think the name is perfectlatexmattress.com.

Hi seekeroftruth,

You are right in between Baltimore and Washington DC so there are two lists that would apply to you.

The Baltimore list is in post #2 here and the Washington DC list is in post #2 here.

There is a fair bit of overlap between them but also some differences and they cover the region that includes the Annapolis area as well.

@ Clawdia,

24112 (Martinsville, VA) is almost 300 miles away from 21114 (Crofton, MD) so you are a little ways away from each other.

Phoenix

You’re right . . . I was transposing 2s and 4s in my mind and moving them around. I do have an excuse - had cataract surgery a few months ago and my eyes have been playing tricks on me ever since, with double vision, blurred vision, etc. That simplest of surgeries proved not to be so simple in my case.

I hate getting old. I’m going to shut up now, unless I come up with something really pertinent to say (and read it over and over a few times and make sure it makes sense).

Sorry. :blush:

Hi clawdia,

I completely understand … my eyes sometimes start going blurry after about 12 hours on the computer and I start seeing all kinds of things that aren’t there … and even worse my fingers start to press the wrong keys as well :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix. I spent all day yesterday on the computer trying to find the best mattress solution for my husband and myself. I read through some posts but I am still not sure. Husband has degenerating discs in back and I have osteoarthritis. Husband and I both are mainly side sleepers so the pressure point pain especially for me is horrendous. Looks like latex might be the best compromise for both, especially if we customize it in a split king bed but I am a little on the fence because of the weight and re-packaging if we need to exchange layers, etc. I think memory foam is out for both of us because of the “hot” factor.

We are having such problems and I am kind of gun shy because I tried to create a fix by ordering a two-layer topper for our innerspring mattress. It was comprised of a gel layer and a memory foam layer that you could zip into a two pocket cover in any combination. I tried it all, every which way, and it is even worse! Memory foam layer was rolled up and taken to the dump last weekend. So, another $200+ down the drain. I am really concerned about online ordering and about putting together layers because they also seem to not stay exactly together either. I also would definitely think that trying to ship back and forth, if necessary, would be a nightmare. You could never get these compressed mattresses back in their boxes.

Aaaargh! Thanks for all you are doing to try and educate people. I did see the Wash. D.C. list yesterday on one of your mattress forums and we certainly have a dearth of local outlet places where you can just be left alone to do your scouting and then ask the questions that you have. I’ll take a look at the Baltimore list. Thanks so much!

Seeker

Hi seekeroftruth,

You won’t find your “best solution” by reading the information here … only through testing mattresses. The only certainty you will have will be based on your actual testing and experience not based on what “sounds better” or “seems better” based on theory. The “art and science” of designing the “best” mattress is beyond the scope or ability of 99% of consumers and actual testing and experience is always needed to make any “theory” meaningful. Almost any mattress designer will tell you that when they have an idea that they want to use to design a mattress, the first prototypes will rarely feel or perform the way they imagined even though they are designing the mattress based on a great deal of knowledge and years of experience.

I would read the information as you would a good book and not “study” it like you would a textbook or make it the primary basis for your decisions or you run the risk of trying to design a mattress based on 'theory" instead of your actual needs and preferences. The information here can help you recognize who is an “expert” based on what they are happy to talk about and can act as a “fact check” to make sure you are getting accurate information but isn’t all that useful without a way to translate what you are reading into actual experience.

Once you have read the basic information and know what you are interested in testing, what to look for, and what to eliminate … then it’s time to research the retailers or manufacturers that you will use to test mattresses. Part of this will be based on your budget range, part of it will be based on the materials in the mattresses they carry that you are interested in testing, and part of this will be based on their knowledge about mattress materials and their ability to inform and educate you about what is in the mattresses you will be testing.

The “best” value for each person depends on what is available locally (or as an additional option what is available online that would be similar for those who are comfortable going in that direction). For some people their local testing will give them more confidence in including online options (because they are more familiar with the materials in the mattresses) and for some their options will remain local only so their options are limited to the “best” local choices. This is up to each person to decide based on what they are most comfortable with and on the criteria they use for their personal value equation. Once you have decided on which of the local retailers and manufacturers to visit (step 3) then the next step is to choose a finalist at each one you visit (step 4).

If you spend too much time researching or trying to define what is “best” without actual experience … then you run the risk of information overload without any meaningful way to “translate” what you are reading into your own personal experience.

So if you have read the basic information and you have a good idea of the different materials that are available to you … then it’s time to see what the many combinations of these materials and components you have been reading about actually feel like and which ones you prefer.

I wouldn’t worry at all about any “sales” because most of the best retailers or manufacturers sell great quality and value mattresses every day of the year and “sales” just create a false sense of urgency and “fear of loss” that is meant to entice consumers to buy a mattress before they really know or understand what they are buying (see post #5 here).

When you look back on a mattress purchase 10 years from now you will remember much more about how well you slept than you will about how much you paid for it and the small saving that can come from legitimate sales (as opposed to the “fake” savings that come from the “huge” sales) are really not a good basis for making a decision before you are ready to make your most informed decisions. If a “fake sale” offers such large savings that it would make a significant difference then I would question the validity of the sale itself and why they are overcharging the majority of their customers the majority of the time for the same mattress and treat it as more of a warning sign than as an “enticement”. Somebody else will still have a similar mattress at a good price when the sale is over. Don’t forget a mattress is only as good as its construction and the materials inside it no matter which manufacturer’s label is on the cover or the law tag.

A mattress purchase based on the “fear of loss” is much more likely to be a poor choice than a mattress purchase based on what you legitimately need and prefer and that is available at good value every day of the year.

I would take the time you need to make the “best choice” rather than making a choice based on the pressure that comes from believing that the “fake sales” at certain times of the year are anything more than marketing tools.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix,
I was not intending to jump on any sales, this weekend. In fact, I was going to start my in-store scouting this coming week based upon the retailers that you recommended in the Balto/DC area.

I also posted a new link to a retailer in our MD, PA area on a new topic for your thoughts. In our area, it is hard to find latex mattress dealers that you can test. For instance, there is a Savvy Rest dealer (Rhintek) in Columbia, MD–not too far from me–but you have to make an appt. to test the beds and I know how that goes as I have dealt with manufacturer/retailers in Columbia. They are high pressure and I am sure that having to make an appt. and put them out will only add another layer to the pressure. And you know that the Savvy Rest mattresses are very expensive… :frowning:

Was just trying to nail down what would work best for us and then figure out how I could possibly test it, by doing all the research. I don’t want to waste time and get confused by mattresses that might feel good in the store and then 3 months down the road, you have made another bad decision. Based upon my research/experience, I can probably totally eliminate innerspring and memory foam mattresses, so the search to find a place to test latex mattresses is on. As you know, in my area there is a dirth of warehouse/outlets and I must go into higher priced retail establishments and try to compare apples to apples (which means that I have to ask lots of questions about the actual mattress components) and deal with “salespeople.” I don’t feel good about peppering them for info and turning around and ordering on-line, especially if they are very knowledgable and helpful, but I can’t afford some of these ridiculously high retail prices. Wish I could find a place to test the mattresses, talk to a knowledgable person and buy locally from them at a reasonable price. But, that is my problem…

Seeker

Hi seekeroftruth,

In my experience the Savvy Rest dealers are not “high pressure” although of course a blanket statement about all of them wouldn’t be possible. In some cases they may also be open to reducing their pricing somewhat if you are able to show them a similar mattress at a lower cost that is very close to an “apples to apples” comparison but this will also vary depending on the retailer. The SAvvy Rest dealers that are closest to you are [url=http://www.savvyrest.com/dealers?distance[postal_code]=21114&distance[country]=us&distance[search_distance]=60000&distance[search_units]=mile]listed here

I don’t feel good about peppering them for info and turning around and ordering on-line, especially if they are very knowledgable and helpful, but I can’t afford some of these ridiculously high retail prices.[/url].

I would personally have a “clear conscience” if you gave them the chance to earn your business by providing roughly equivalent value to similar choices based on a fair comparison and your own personal value equation. I would normally suggest that a 20% difference or so between a local retailer or manufacturer and something very similar online would be “roughly equivalent” value based on the greater risk that can be involved in an online purchase but of course the actual percentage may vary depending on each person’s criteria and risk tolerance. I would also keep in mind that a “fair comparison” would be based on the design and all the materials and components in a mattress and not just the latex layers.

If you follow the steps in the “read first” post and talk with a manufacturer or retailer on the phone before you visit them to find out about their knowledge and experience and their transparency about the materials in their mattresses then you will be able to save yourself a great deal of time and also be able to make meaningful quality and value comparisons. If you know the materials in a mattress then you can also identify any potential “weak links” in a mattress in terms of durability before you buy it.

There are many knowledgeable retailers and manufacturers on the Washington and Baltimore lists and some phone calls before you visit them will identify the ones you feel best about visiting.

Phoenix

Okay, I have now done a little scouting. I went to the Mattress Store in Annapolis and the saleswomen (30 years exp.) would not recommend the Serta (some kind of quality issues). They carry a subsidiary of Restonic called Elevate with all models having a supposed hd polyfoam 6" core–which concerned me and I was never able to get the density information of the polyfoam. So they are latex hybrids. They only use talalay latex for comfort or additional layers in combinations of 2" and 4". Could not get density of talalay in ILD but talalay layers are soft, medium and firm. Of course, I liked the most expensive mattress which had 4" soft talalay. All are covered with wool felt for fire protection with a quilted cotton cover with gel foam (I think) on top. Not being able to get specific information regarding the polyfoam 6" core and the fact that the king version of the mattress that felt good to me was approx. $3700 and for that price I could easily get an all latex mattress on-line, and the fact that the saleswoman poo-pooed Dunlop latex, I am very skeptical and frustrated. I am getting too much conflicting information. I asked the saleswoman why Restonic didn’t make an all latex mattress using possibly a Dunlop core and her answer was that the mattress would be way too expensive. She also said that Dunlop latex varies too much in consistency. I was also a little skeptical about her assessment of my spinal alignment. I did come home and try to get specific information about Elevate mattresses on-line but to no avail.

Now to confuse things even further, I spoke in depth to the owner of the East Coast Organic Mattress Store. They use only Dunlop latex in their latex mattresses and she (Lee) said that they haven’t found talalay latex that they are happy with! Their latex mattresses are covered with organic cotton and wool and here is a new twist–she told me that they encase each of their layers in a thin organic cotton cover so that the layers don’t stick and tear if you are turning them or changing them out. Seems to make sense but not sure if it is really worthwhile or just something to justify higher prices. Since they are located 3 hours or so away from me, I haven’t the means of trying the Dunlop versus the talalay latex. She did send me a test kit for allergy which I slept with on my bed next to my pillow last night because I have latex sensitivity. Their return policy does not cover allergy and I am not sure about exchanging layers. I seemed to be okay with the soft Dunlop latex, at least allergy-wise. As for trying to get the Dunlop layers right, her remedy for the possibility of a too firm mattress was an additional topper.

However, I am now more confused than ever about conflicting information about Dunlop vs. talalay latex and I have no easy means of trying an all Dunlop latex mattress. I do have to say that the price for a mattress alone from the East Coast Organic Mattress store was more reasonable than the price of the Restonic latex hybrid with questionable polyfoam core and the inability to customize each side of a king mattress. Any other suggestions?

Hi seekeroftruth,

A mattress is only as good as its construction and the quality of the materials inside it so I wouldn’t consider any mattress where you weren’t able to find out the specifics about what was in it. This would be particularly true about the comfort layers (the upper layers of the mattress) which are the most prone to early softening and breakdown but I would also want to know the specifics of all the other layers as well. Serta doesn’t provide this information for most of their mattresses which is one of the reasons I suggest avoiding them completely but I would also avoid any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the specifics of what is inside it because otherwise you are making a completely blind purchase and won’t be able to make an informed decision or make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses.

If a salesperson doesn’t have the specific information you need available then part of their “job” would be to call the factory (or have someone call the factory) to find out the density of any polyfoam or memory foam in the mattress. “Quality” is a meaningless word without this information. Many of the Restonic factories will provide this information to their retailers so they are the ones that should be tracking it down for you.

Unlike polyfoam and memory foam … the density of latex is not a “quality spec” and you don’t really need it. It is more closely connected to the softness/firmness of the latex which you can feel with testing anyway. The relevant information for latex is the type (in this case Talalay) and the blend (which is probably a 30% / 70% blend of natural and synthetic latex). Latex is a good quality material though no matter what type it may be.

In other words what you need to assess a mattress is a list of all the layers and components from top to bottom which includes the thickness of each layer in inches, the type of material, and the “quality” of that material (density with memory foam and polyfoam and type and blend of any latex).

I agree this is a very high price for a latex hybrid if it only has 4" of latex over a polyfoam support core. As you mentioned … similar mattresses would be available for very much less.

You can read a little more about the different types of latex in post #6 here and in post #6 here (which are similar) but Talalay and Dunlop are just different … one is not “better” than another. You can also read more about covered layers vs bare layers in post #2 here and post #10 here.

I would treat the choice between Talalay and Dunlop as strictly a matter of preference and not in any way as a “better worse” comparison. In other words I wouldn’t get caught up in any of the “better worse” comparisons that are so common everywhere because most of them are misleading. You can also read a little more about the difference in “feel” between them in post #7 here but it’s usually better to test them in person because that’s the most reliable way to know which one you prefer.

Phoenix