New to latex mattresses but need to make a decision quickly. Welcome any input!

[eml298]

Hi all!

I moved from Nashville, TN, to Portland, OR, just over a month ago. Have been sleeping on an air mattress since I arrived as my husband and our belongings are still in TN until he gets a job here and/or our home sells. We have been sleeping on a King Koil pillow top, which while comfortable is sagging significantly. Because we bought it here in Portland (when I was on fellowship three years ago), and it is now in Nashville, we have had a ridiculous time trying to get warranty assistance. Apparently the regional networks don’t interact effectively and we’re stuck in the middle.

All that aside, I suffer from dust mite (and other) allergies, and it seems to me that a latex mattress may be helpful in this area. Also, I think I need more support than I was getting from the King Koil (which we affectionately call “the marshmallow”). I’m not certain its lack of support, though cushy, wasn’t leading to some back pain.

I am 37 and heavy for a woman (5’6" and currently 293 - down from 307!). My husband is 6’2" and about 210. We both tend to sleep on our sides, with some time on our backs. Neither of us has any injuries, though I tend to hold stress in the right side of my neck and shoulder.

We are accustomed to and therefore show preference toward softer mattresses (as opposed to firm). However, I have read enough to know that, with latex and my weight, a “firm” layer will “seem” softer to me as I will sink in more than a lighter person. That said, I suspect my body would do well with firm/x-firm support layers and maybe a medium top, cushion layer?

I think we’re most strongly considering FloBeds, SleepEZ, and CozyPure from what I’ve been reading (scouring) during the past few weeks. My air mattress has now failed a second time. I work long hours in mental health leaving little time to go to mattress stores in person (during their business hours). At this point, we’re about ready to pull the trigger on an online order instead of trying to find local vendors. I’ve been to the “big box” stores, and the closest thing to “comfort” I found was the Tempurpedic Cloud on Ergo base. I’m not impressed, however, with their build quality and cost, and refuse to deal with some of the issues I’ve read about.

I’m quite motivated by:
*natural materials
*latex being more resistant to dust/dust mites, etc.
*providing more solid support, which won’t break down as easily, for our spines while still allowing our curves (I’m an hourglass to pear shape) to sink in comfortably enough

Any advice here on which, if any, of the several lines I’ve mentioned might be best? I anticipate that we’ll have to switch a layer or two here or there, and have read about the associated costs. While my husband and I have different body types, we are fortunate enough to prefer the same “feel,” so I’m wondering if we would need a “split zone” bed? I’m open to any input, especially that which recognizes our time crunch. I’m sleeping on a pallet of blankets on the floor tonight. I understand I’ll need to wait for any mattress to be made once ordered, but the sooner I can make a decision and order, the better!

Thanks in advance for your help!

ETA: FoamSweetFoam is another line that I’ve read a good bit about and seems positive. So, I meant to add that above (making the ones most strongly being considered FloBeds, CozyPure, FoamSweetFoam, and SleepEZ). I am guessing we’d be choosing the 3-4 layer mattresses, so we’d be in the upper price range with any of these vendors.

[phoenix]

Hi eml298,

All of the vendors you have mentioned would be high quality choices IMO but you also have the option of local choices where you could actually test the mattress for your needs and preferences in person and avoid any of the risk of an online purchase. While this is not always possible because there are some areas of the country which don’t have good local choices … in Portland you do have some good options available including one of the members of this site.

They are listed in post #2 here.

There are too many variables to use a “formula” or what I call “theory at a distance” for figuring out the best mattress layering based on body weight, sleeping positions or other specs without a longer and more detailed conversation with the manufacturer or retailer of a mattress. They know every detail of the options and components of the mattresses they make or sell (not just the ILD of the layers) and have the benefit of a large database of customers that can act as a reference point and can also take any local testing you have done into consideration to help you decide which of the specific mattresses that they make or sell has the best odds of meeting your needs and preferences.

There are some guidelines that can help you understand the effects of different types of mattress construction and layering along with some height and weight guidelines and some sleeping position guidelines which can help you to ask better questions and better understand some of the “theory” behind different choices but specific “online” recommendations or suggestions are always more accurate on a phone call with the manufacturer or retailer of the mattress or through personal local testing where your body can tell you what works best for you.

Regardless of whether you choose to go in an online or local direction for an actual purchase … local testing can be very helpful as a guideline and either way have some very good choices available to you.

Phoenix

[Coventry]

Hello from Creswell OR! If you are in Portland, I would highly recommend a trip to Parklane mattresses in Portland. I’m fairly sure they are a member of this site so they offer a MU discount along with being one of stores that’s has great value and knowledge. They have a good website and offer latex mattresses.

Phoenix will verify this for you since it’s been awhile since I looked at the ‘official’ members list for Oregon. Anyways, good luck on your search and welcome.

[phoenix]

Hi Coventry,

I think the word for doing the same thing (or in this case making the same recommendation) simultaneously is “Kismet”

Just to clarify as well … Parklane is a member of this site but they are one of the ones that offer a bonus bedding package rather than a discount on their mattresses to the members of the forum.

Phoenix

[eml298]

Thanks for your input, both to Phoenix and my more local neighbor, Coventry! :cheer: More specifically, Phoenix, thanks so much for all the hard work I see evidenced on this site. It is beyond helpful.

I’ll do my best to make a visit to Parklane Mattresses. Suppose I’ll need to try and make time tomorrow after work. Hopefully I can get there with more than 20 minutes to spare before they close.

To clarify, is it the case that the local stores are recommended so that one may get the “feel” of latex, different levels of firmness, etc.? (I imagine this would be quite helpful in general, assuming I can attain some general information such as the level of thickness of various components, type of latex, ILD, etc., so that I might compare “apples to apples” as I make a decision.) Or, are there additional benefits to buying local over the online stores? Do you think that latex mattresses from Parklane are made of materials as high in quality as those I mentioned previously? Since I’m such an avid online shopper (largely due to inability to make it to brick-and-mortar stores during their business hours), I’ve read so much about the online choices and now feel like I’m “uninformed” again about these mattresses - having not read lots of reviews, comments about specific materials, etc. - does that make sense? I’m assuming that there are criteria these stores must meet to be members here, though, so that would suggest that at least some minimal level of quality has been met.

I apologize for all the questions. Given that we feel a bit swindled by BedMart/King Koil, I’m already a bit on the defensive going into another brick-and-mortar mattress store.

[phoenix]

Hi eml298,

Local testing for PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) which is specific to your own unique needs and preferences where your body can tell you what is “right” is always a more accurate and less risky method of choosing a mattress than going by “specs” which are based on averages and may not be specific to you. There are many variables involved where each person may be very different from others … even if their body type or sleeping positions are similar. This is particularly true if local testing is done with the help and guidance of someone who has the knowledge and experience to help you make your best choices. They can see how you respond to each mattress in real time and have the benefit of instant feedback and how you feel and interact with many different mattresses.

In addition to this … there is also some excellent value available from many of the better local factory direct manufacturers across the country (and Parklane is certainly one of these).

While a better online manufacturer or retailer can also make a great choice (especially if there are no high quality/value options available within reasonable driving distance) … and many of them offer options such as layer exchanges which along with their ability on a phone call to help fit you into the “averages” of their customer base which may be similar to you can significantly reduce the risk … an online purchase for something as important as a mattress is different from other online purchases and because you can’t “feel” what you are buying and there are so many variables involved is more inherently risky.

The guideline I normally suggest is if an online mattress is similar to a local choice in terms of type, quality, and value and can save you about 20% or more (and this of course is a guideline that would vary with each person’s “value equation”) then it would be worth considering an online purchase where the increased risk is traded for better value but if the local “premium” is less than that (and some may be even less than an online purchase) … then the benefits of buying locally may be a better way to go for most people.

You can read a little more about the manufacturers or retailers that I invite to become members here and which I consider to be among the best of the best in the country in terms of quality, service, and value.

Phoenix