So here’s the situation. Did extensive research, ended up going to The Magic Sleeper to look at all latex mattresses. It’s a 2 hour drive. The fiance and I ended up choosing their “Medium” over “firm” which is 2 inches of 35ild talalay atop 6 inches of 45 ild talalay. link here Made a second trip back to confirm and order it. We’re both stomach sleepers so we thought a firmer mattress would be good. It felt pretty good in their showroom but now that we got it home it feels much much harder. My fiance and I both woke up sore the first night. its been 3 nights with lower back pain and shoulder pain. I’m gonna try and give it two weeks before contacting the store for an exchange. Any advice?
Also on a side note we got the split king box spring with it and noticed that when you first lay on the best it makes some wood shifting noises is that normal?
This is not much help - Phoenix is the one who will be your best guide - but I just wanted to add that I had the same experience with an all latex mattress from Ikea (their Morgongava).
The floor model felt much softer and comfortable, whereas the one we got at home feels too firm.
Maybe it DOES take some time for these mattresses to be “broken in”?
Then again, they say Latex doesn’t give in easily - which begs the question “why was the floor model softer?”
Hi digitldave11,
Giving it a little time is usually the best approach with a new mattress but there are also some suggestions in post #2 here which may be helpful.
If it’s still too firm after that (or if you can’t wait that long) then the first step would be a call to Magic Sleeper to go over your options.
While your mattress certainly uses high quality materials … the specs seem indicate that for many (but not all) people it would be on the firm side.
When you go back to “re-test” mattresses I would test as carefully and objectively as possible using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post so your testing has the best possible chance of predicting your sleeping experience and I would let your body tell you what you need to know much more than the specs of the mattress.
Depending on your sensitivity, the accuracy of your testing, your frame of reference, and whether the mattress has broken in … it’s not unusual to feel that a new mattress is firmer than you experienced in a showroom. Some of this is also part of the nature of more subjective experiences (see post #2 here).
Phoenix
So I guess my options for going softer would be switching the 2" 35 ild comfort layer to a 28ild, or switching out the support core for 35ild. Would 2 inches of 28ild talalay over 6 inches 45ild talay feel ok or bottom out? I weigh 210lbs 6 ft tall, fiance is 5’7" 150lbs.
Hi digitaldave11,
I don’t know the options they have available to make changes to your mattress but either one or even both of these would be options that would likely move you in the right direction yes. Changing the upper layers would have more of an effect on pressure relief and comfort which appears to be the issue you are facing although all the layers of a mattress will have some effect on all the other layers as well and any change to softer layers can make “some difference”. If the only issue is that your mattress is too firm then adding a topper would also be an option to add some additional softness and pressure relief to your mattress but of course I would work with fine tuning the mattress first whenever that’s an option that is available to you.
I can’t feel what you feel or see you on the mattress so there is no way for me to know this. I also don’t know anything about your circumstances or body type or how much time you spend in other sleeping positions besides your stomach (most stomach sleepers only spend a minority of time in their stomach) but even if I did there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone to be able to predict which mattress or layering someone will do best with based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). Your own careful and objective testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post) will be a much more reliable way to answer this than any comments I could make . Having said that your layers are firmer than many (but not all) people would choose but this would also depend on your body type, weight distribution, and physiology and the other positions you sleep in besides your stomach.
Phoenix
After testing things out a whole bunch, i’ve concluded that my shoulders aren’t sinking in deep enough. I think this is creating alignment issues and pain at my lower back and shoulder area when i’m on my side (which i found out i sleep on more than I thought!) I have the option to swap layers if I want. Would simply switching the 2 inch comfort layer help remedy this or are these kind of issues more support core stuff?
Hi digitaldave11,
It’s sometimes surprising for “stomach sleepers” to find out how much time they spend in other positions.
There is more in post #2 here and the posts it links to about the different “symptoms” that people may experience and some of the underlying causes that can contribute to them and there is also more in post #2 hereabout the difference between pressure relief, primary support, and secondary support and the relationship between them. Both of these can help with the “detective work” that can be involved in deciding on which layers to change and how to change them.
While I can’t feel what you feel or see you on the mattress … based on the details of your mattress and on your feedback, If I had to guess I would say that changing the comfort layers to a softer version would probably have “more” effect in your case and have a higher chance of success than changing the deeper support layers although both would have “some” effect.
Phoenix
just spoke with The magic sleeper. They’re going to send me a 2 inch 22 ild layer to put on top. Also they’re replacing the box foundation for just the cost of delivery. Hopefully this will work out.
Hi digitaldave11,
That should certainly move things in a softer and more pressure relieving direction that should also allow your shoulder to sink in more.
I hope you have the chance to let us know how it works out.
I’m glad they replaced the foundation as well since a new foundation should be “tight” and shouldn’t have any obvious noises.
Phoenix
I opened up my matress cover today and noticed a thick ticking wrapped around the core, its not fastened just two pieces tightly wrapped at the corners. Could this be making my matrress too firm? Is this just a required fire barrier or required to preotect the mattress. Im sure the pieces I tried out in the show room didn’t have this ticking.
Hi digitaldave11,
It would be helpful if you could attach a picture so I can see what you are referring to.
Most fire barriers are an inherent fire resistant non woven material that are either a “sock” that surrounds the contents of the mattress or are quilted to the mattress cover.
Every component inside a mattress or part of the cover will have some effect on the “feel” and performance of a mattress to some degree but they would be much more familiar than I am about the specific component you are referring to and would probably be a much better source of information about what it is or how it may be affecting the feel or firmness of your mattress.
Phoenix
heres a pic
Hi digitaldave11,
The picture isn’t clear to me and I can’t tell if the materials in the picture are all part of a single cover of some type but if you mean the “bunched up” material and/or the material that has the corner that isn’t tight around the mattress content with the “wing” then I have no idea what it is, why it’s there, why it’s all “bunched up” (unless that’s something that you did in partly removing it) or how it would affect the feel of the mattress except to say if it’s bunched up like this inside the mattress cover then I think that most people would “feel” the bunched up material. Based on the picture It looks more like a thick flannel sheet on a bed that hasn’t been made than a material you would normally find in a mattress.
A fire barrier sock normally fits much more tightly around the contents and isn’t “bunched up” and a fire barrier that is quilted in the cover would be part of the cover itself.
I think it would be worth sending them the picture and calling them to find out more information and I’d certainly be interested in what they say.
Phoenix
It is one large piece of material that covers the entire mattress in a folded over manner it lays flat on the top but the extra material is bunched up all along the edges. In the picture I have removed the zippered cover and what you are seeing is the corner where extra material is folded over itself.
Hi digitaldave,
OK … that makes more sense if the “bunched up” material is the cover you partly removed to expose the layers inside.
I’ll be interested in what they tell you when you call them 
Phoenix
I called this morning. They said its a fire barrier, two layers. I also confirmed that they will send me another 2 inch layer of soft talalay. I let u know how that works out.
Hi digitaldave11,
Thanks for letting us know about the “mystery” material
I’m looking forward to finding out how your soft talalay layer works out for you.
Phoenix
So when i get the 2 inch piece of foam should i try to put it inside the fire barrier or just put it on top but still zippered in the main cover?
Hi digitaldave,
It may not fit inside the cover or the fire barrier (or if it does it may be more compressed or “squished” which can change how it feels and performs (see posts #3 and #4 here and this topic about the differences between a layer inside the cover and outside the cover).
I would at least start with the extra layer outside the cover for the sake of “fit” and simplicity but in the end the one that works the best for you would be the one I would use. If you do decide to try it inside the cover (and assuming it “fits”) I would tend to use it over the fire barrier because it will contour a little more effectively than if there is an additional layer of non woven material over it.
Phoenix
Sorry it’s been so long I was on vacation for a week in North Carolina, needless to say that kind of threw off my mattress-getting-used -to period. The bed at the hotel was an old worn out innerspring that got the job done, no serious pain, just some stiffness that went away. I removed the stiff fire barrier material all together which was making pressure points, bunching up etc. it was a total pain. Now I have a gigantic ugly piece of felt sitting around, that’s not a huge deal, nor the most important.
The mattress is all talalay , 6 inch core of 45 ILD and 2 inches of 35 ILD over that, that’s what my fiance and I tried in their showroom (no fire barrier on their display) and it felt great to us then. That setup is way too firm for us so they sent us a 2 inch topper of what i found out is 19ILD talalay. It feels good and plush but I sink right through and have hip pressure.
The main issue I’ve had is LOWER BACK PAIN. Every single day, without fail, to some degree. Fiance was initially ok but now has lower back pain in same place and her hip started popping, i could even hear it pop when she was tossing around at night. We both sleep like crap and toss and turn. I tried adding extra support under the box foundations in case it was them that was sagging, that has made no difference. I tried the fire barrier material above the topper, between the topper and 35ILD, both setups just made pressure points. I used to always sleep on my stomach on my old mattress but part of getting a new mattress was sleeping on my side more. Both positions hurt me now. My fiance is pregnant and can only sleep on her side.
Any suggestions? I kind of dont know what to do, even if I could get some kind of layer exchange I’m afraid it would just be “wrong” in a different way. Lack of sleep serioulsy is starting to effect my life.
Also i noticed on the latex the holes are in rows of different sizes, like small at head and foot area, and large at shoulder and hip. Is this some kind of zoning? that was never explained to us? could tha be the problem?
It’s almost like it’s too soft on top and too hard on support, allowing my heavier parts to bottom out and throws me out of alignment.
We’ve both woken up several times with a dead numb shoulder.
I’m going to target/walmart tonight out of desperation and am picking up a mattress pad/topper to go on the 35 +45 setup without the 2 inch 19ILD super soft topper. any suggestions here?