New Alexander Hybrid Mattress from Nest Bedding

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
121

Hi Vietnow,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

Both the soft and medium use an Airflow memory foam – 2" of 3.7 lb Premium Gel memory foam (not “cool” gel) in the plush and 2" of 5 lb Premium Airflow memory foam in the medium - which has a more open-cell structure that helps this foam to breathe better than previous generations of memory foam, whether or not a liquid gel polymer is added to the foam or not (which would be more of an addition to durability). And even with a different type of foam used on top, you may sleep warmer with a more plush mattress, as all foams are insulators to an extent, and sinking “in” more in a plush mattress can lead to a warmer sleeping environment.

Memory foam overall tends to be the least breathable of all foams, and if you are temperature sensitive it may not be your preference. You can read more about phase change materials in post #9 here and at the end of post #4 here) and you can read more about the various different types of gel foams in post #2 here. In general terms gel foams will tend to have a temporary effect on temperature while you are first going to sleep until temperatures equalize but have less effect on temperature regulation throughout the course of the night.

Overall, the materials, layers, and components of a sleeping system that are closer to your skin will have a bigger effect on airflow, moisture transport, and temperature regulation than materials, layers, and components that are further away from your skin and softer mattresses or foam toppers will tend to be more “insulating” and for some people can sleep warmer than firmer versions of the same material. There is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range.

I’m guessing that you mean the mattress feels warm to you, not hot to the touch, as there are no thermogenic properties within the mattress itself. And if you’re expecting your mattress to be back to room temperature after sleeping in one spot for a few hours and then leaving it for a few minutes, you may be disappointed with any product you choose, as that would be a very fast transfer of temperature. Even my latex mattress will still have some of my heat signature when getting up in the middle of the night.

Regarding being “angry” with Novosbed, or any other manufacturer for that matter, that I don’t understand. I can understand if you’re disappointed if something doesn’t met you comfort preferences, but there will always be an unknown with ordering something online, which is why many manufacturers offer exchange/return policies. And as a consumer it is your responsibility to become aware of those policies before placing your order, and why it is something I always recommend here on the site. Novosbed is incredibly transparent with their 120 night sleep trial, even to the point of creating a graph to help explain the timeframe for return or the ability for ordering a Comfort+ kit (which you can do after 30 days).

It may be that memory foam, in any form, isn’t to your liking, in which case you might want to investigate some other sort of comfort material with your next mattress, or at the very least read through what I linked to earlier and take a look at your sleep environment to see if there is anything you can do to make things more breathable and comfortable for you in the interim.

Phoenix

122

Hey abbygrant, how about an update on that Alexander Signature mattress. Wondering if you kept it or not and if it was soft.

123

The Alexander Signature did not work for me either. It’s a soft bed, but I ended up with lower back pain. The mattress I found that is closest to the TempurCloud is the Dreamfoam Ultimate Dreams Supreme 12" Gel Memory Foam . We have a split king bed and my husband now sleeps on the Alexander Signature. He likes it pretty well.

124

Thanks for the update. Did you end up with lower back pain because it was too soft? How does the dreamfoam bed compare to the nest? Is it softer or firmer?

125

Nest used to offer their Alexander Signature in three different firmnesses including a soft which is no longer available. I tested it out when available and it was REALLY soft, so I could see where it may have provided a lack of adequate support for many individuals.

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I’m just curious…why would anyone make a mattress that provided a lack of adequate support? Seems counterproductive. I’m so far in right now, I’m actually now looking at the 12 and 13 inch dreamfoam ultimate dreams gel memory foam mattresses. I’m going to a mattress store this weekend again and will try their softest memory foam mattresses and then research comparisons to these 2

127

Some people like an extremely soft mattress, but many such designs may only provide adequate support for very light individuals. Preferred sleeping position is also a factor in choosing how soft a mattress might be suitable for anyone.

128

Well, when I sleep on a mattress that’s too soft for me, I get lower back pain. However, my husband is still sleeping on the Alexander Signature Medium and it works for him. I can’t remember, but I may have tried the Signature soft and then swapped it for a medium.

The dreamfoam 12" has the memory foam feel that I like. I sink into it but it conforms to my body while providing support. It doesn’t feel like the Alexander Signature. I guess I would say it’s firmer. It feels closest to my Tempurcloud, which is now in the guest room since it’s a Queen size.

129

thanks abby

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Hi Phoenix. I guess this is directed more to you than anyone else, but anyone with the info please feel free to share. I am seriously considering purchasing the Ultimate Dreams Supreme 12″ Gel Memory Foam Mattress, but I just want some clarity on the foundation. I currently have a king size Simmons Beautyrest Classic Pillowtop with boxsprings(the boxsprings are 2 pieces). Can I use these boxsprings as the foundation for this memory foam mattress, or would I have to purchase a new foundation? If I need a new foundation, what is recommended? I like the current height of my bed now, and it sits on a bed frame with head and foot board. Also, I love the feel of this bed, so if anyone could maybe let me know if this memory foam mattress will have a similar soft feel as my current mattress if thats possible.
Thanks for the help.
PS_is dreamfoam a member of this site?

131

Hi droidx.

As always with any mattress, I’d make sure to first check with the manufacturer of the mattress you are considering to ensure that your current foundation meets the manufacturer’s warranty criteria. I am not very sure what type of “box spring” you own but if it is the metal semi-flex foundation that Simmons provided with their mattresses a decade ago I’d make sure to check that it is perfectly flat and that it has no dips or flexing that can negatively affect the performance and of your new mattress.

Generally, a foam mattress with a polyfoam support core will do best with a firm, flat, and evenly supportive support surface underneath it that has minimal to no flex under the mattress. In your case for a king size, the foundation would need at least one center support beam that has good support to the floor to prevent any sagging in the middle of the mattress. The components (either a bedframe and foundation or a platform bed) need to be strong and durable enough to support the weight of the mattress and the people sleeping on it without some of the parts bending, sagging, shifting, or breaking with extended use. The support surface under the mattress (which may be a solid surface, slats or a steel or wire grid) should have enough surface area to prevent the mattress from sagging through any gaps or spaces in the support surface over time but still allow some airflow under the mattress. If a foundation has a slatted surface then I would suggest that the gaps between any slats are no more than about 5" (with 1 x 3 slats) although I would strongly suggest 4" or less which would be better yet.

While an “active” boxspring (such as the one used for an innerspring) wouldn’t damage the foam, and as long as the supportive surface is even, in most cases an “active” boxspring under a foam mattress will detract from the performance of the foam (it will compress when it shouldn’t) and detract from the alignment and support of the mattress. … is certainly doesn’t allow the foam to live up to its best potential. An “active” boxspring it is not the ideal base for an all foam mattress in the majority of cases as the “active” part of it is usually designed to aid an innerspring mattress. There’s much more information about the functions of foundations, active slat systems and actual box springs in the foundation thread here. With most modern mattresses, the bottom piece of the mattress set is a foundation that does not flex.

You are looking at two different mattress types and design with different “feels”, different characteristics, and different firmness levels. Every individual layer and component in a mattress (including the cover and any quilting material) will affect the feel and response of every other layer and component both above and below it and the mattress “as a whole” so each mattress category will generally include some mattresses that have a design that will be a good “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP and others that use the same type of materials and components and are in the same category and may be just as durable but have a different design or firmness level that may be completely unsuitable for you to sleep on … even if it uses the same general type of materials and components.

Generally the best way to compare two mattresses from different manufacturers which are in the same mattress category and have a similar construction, would be to place a call to the manufacturer themselves and ask about how their product would compare to the other one (in your case the one you currently own) They would have much more experience with their own product and similar competitor products and usually base their assessment on their direct experience and on customer feedback … that could be more helpful to you.

While DF is not a member of our site, generally each time you wish to check if a specific company is a TMU trusted member you can always check the most up to date membership listing here.

Phoenix