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[phoenix]

Hi zebo42,

1. what about the boxspring. various places, like Flexus, recommend their brand because their mattress is x, y or z. do you have a post as to how to determine if your boxspring and frame really need a replacement for 2-400$

There is more about the different types of support systems (usually a foundation or a platform bed rather than a box spring which are only suitable and used with a few types of mattresses) in post #1 here and there is more in post #2 here about using your current foundation or box spring.

2. It seems like the best option for long term is to find a component bed that can have the top part replaced since the comfort layers are the ones that go first. of course, this doesn’t seem like anything any manufacturer or retailer would like! BUt is ther any downside.

You can read more about the pros and cons of component mattresses with zip covers vs “finished” mattress where the layers can’t be replaced in post #15 here and post #2 here.

[quote]3. SOme personal things

I have had 3 or 4 mattresses, all innerspring mostly name brands _Posterpedic, beutyrest, none over maybe 1100, tho of course at least 8 - 30 years years ago. All last about 8-11 years til one of us is uncomfortable. Until then we don’t wake up uncomfortable from the bed. On the other hand, neither of us are morning people (tho that may have a lot to needing the morning coffee) and we don’t bound out of bed raring to go. Perhaps that is the bed, who knows?

Given this, I am wondering if it makes sense to spend much more than another 1000 for a mattress. If I find a mattress we like for PPP, and the materials aren’t horrible … in 8-11 years I will need to get another one. If I spring for a 2500 latex matress or more from Flexus or another place for a King, is it likely to last much longer or provide a better PPP or sleep experience. It is not entirely clear to me what I am getting (other than better materials design etc) that translate to better sleep/longevity.[/quote]

This is one of those questions that can only be answered with “it depends”.

The biggest reasons to spend more on a mattress are the two reasons you already identified which are …

1. Better sleep and your ability to reach the deeper stages of sleep which in turn can have a significant effect on how well your body (and mind) rest, recover, and heal from the stresses of the day (or even illness) and on how you feel and perform during the day (mentally and physically).

2. The durability of the mattress materials which will have the biggest effect on how long you sleep well on a mattress before the softening and breakdown of the materials results in the gradual (or more rapid in the case of lower quality materials) loss of comfort and support that leads to crossing the thresholds between sleeping well to just sleeping “OK” to tolerating a mattress and then finally deciding to replace it. There is a significant difference between “sleeping well” and “sleeping OK” in terms of how well your body can rest, heal, and recover. The reality is that higher quality and higher performance materials cost more.

Having said that … if for you there would be no significant benefits to a more costly mattress that would result in improved sleep or a more durable mattress with a longer useful life then there would be little benefit to spending more. The challenge is that predicting how well you will sleep on a mattress can be difficult to quantify. There is more about an “ideal” mattress in post #4 here.

It’s always more realistic to think of about 10 years as a maximum reasonable expectation for any mattress no matter what the quality of the materials and then treat any additional time after that as “bonus time” because after about 10 years the limiting factor in the useful life of a mattress will often be the changing needs and preferences of the person sleeping on the mattress and even if a mattress is still in good condition after a decade … a mattress that was suitable for someone 10 years earlier may not be the best “match” any longer.

Having said that … with higher quality materials throughout a mattress and/or for people whose needs and preferences or physical condition or body type hasn’t changed much over 10 years then “bonus time” or even “extended bonus time” with higher quality/density materials like latex or higher density memory foam or polyfoam or natural fibers is much more likely than with less durable materials and with the most durable mattress constructions and materials it wouldn’t be uncommon for someone to sleep “well enough” on a mattress for 20 years before needing to replace it.

Phoenix