NexGel vs Pure Latex Bliss

Hello - please help me decide which mattress would be more suitable for me. I am totally confused and would appreciate some advice. Wth the help of this site, and the 5-step matress purchasing guide, i have moved from considering a low-cost coil-foundation matress through a Tempurpedic, then memory foam, and now decided on latex or gel and a much higher-cost purchase to get a really good mattress because it’s clearly worth the investment. I can’t find much out there about the NexGel in terms of user feedback/independent reviews. Everyone seems to love the Pure Latex Bliss, and their warranty of 25 years unprorated is the best I’ve found out there. The NexGel offers a 10/10 warranty. I am aware of the general uselessness of warranties, but still, this is worth comparing, I think.

I experience general right side pain from neck to hip, especially right hip & pelvis, which cause sleepless nights. I am a 50/50 back & side sleeper. I disturb my partner with my constant position shifting. I hope with this mattress purchase to start sleeping more, find some relief from chronic pain, and stop disturbing my partner. I’ve narrowed it down to these two mattresses which feel really great and seem to be built of materials that will last a long time, provide pressure point relief without stopping circulation, and seem to dull motion transfer. I am 5’6", 140lbs, my partner is 5’10" and 185 lbs.

Would you recommend either of them, and one more than the other in terms of durability, effectiveness for my needs, and support? Should the description of “soft” Talalay latex as two of the three foundation layers of the NexGel concern me in terms of durability? It sure feels great, and the manufacturer claims it will lose only 3-5% of its’ shape over the 20-year warranty period, if not longer. Plus it is doctor- & chiropractor-recommended, though I cannot find any testimonials to that effect anywhere online…

I am comparing these two mattresses:
NexGel Awakenings Double

  • stretch-knit ticking
  • 1" quilting foam
  • 4" double OrthoGel layer
  • 2" Talalay latex (soft)
  • 4" Talalay latex (soft)
  • 2" plant-based foam

Pure Latex Bliss Beautiful (I think these are right)

  • 3" ActiveFusion Fast Natural Talalay Latex
  • 3" Natural Talalay Latex Pressure Relief
  • 6" Natural Talalay Latex Support Core

Thanks in advance!

Hi Caribee4me,

Both of the mattresses you are looking at use good quality materials so there are no obvious weak links in either mattress. The Nexgel has an inch of quilting foam which is within the guidelines I usually recommend where foam softening wouldn’t have a significant effect on the mattress and the polyfoam layer on the very bottom is a stabilization layer that wouldn’t be subject to the stresses of sleeping so it would not affect durability either. The Beautiful is all Talalay latex with no polyfoam. In cases like this … the simple answer to your question about which is best has less to do with the materials and more to do with which provides you with the best PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and personal preferences).

The most accurate way to know this is to test each one specifically for pressure relief and alignment and any of the other preferences you can “feel” (see post #46 here) for at least 15 minutes, fully relaxed, in all your sleeping positions.

This article will help you test for pressure relief (which is fairly straightforward) and this article along with post #11 here will help you test for alignment. The other preferences you can feel (such as motion isolation) are also fairly straightforward (as long as both of you test the mattress together).

Once you have compared both mattresses for your needs and obvious preferences … then you can compare the other pros and cons of each mattress and the retailer you are buying it from (both are an important part of the “value” of each mattress. Because all the materials are good quality … the real difference between them would be which one best matches the needs and preferences of each of you separately and together.

Both of them would be considered fairly soft (they don’t list the ILD and “soft” can be relative but the softer layers are fairly thick) so I would pay particular attention to alignment on both mattresses. If for example your hips sink down too far it could hyper-extend the hip joint (so it was outside of its neutral position) and this could contribute to your pain. the “key” with the thickness and softness of comfort layers is “just enough” to isolate you from the firmness of the firmer support layers in all your sleeping positions and with slight movement but no more than necessary so you aren’t too far removed from the firmer support which can “stop” your heavier parts from sinking down too far. When people are subject to pressure issues … there can be a tendency to shop for comfort and pressure relief only and pay less attention to spinal and joint alignment which are just as important.

You are correct that softer layers are less durable than firmer layers but in the case of the NexGel there are several layers of material above the soft latex which would be absorbing much of the constant compression. Layers that are deeper in the mattress would be more durable than layers that are closer to the surface so this wouldn’t be a particular concern at your weights.

As far as doctors or chiropractor’s recommendations … these are just about marketing and nothing more. They are often paid endorsements. Doctors and chiropractors generally have no idea about which specific mattress may be more suitable for a particular person and tend to know less about mattresses and “fitting” them to people than good salespeople at a good manufacturer or sleep shop. They may understand that good alignment is important but most of them have little idea about the type of mattress that will produce good alignment for each individual or the differences between different materials.

I would also pay particular attention to how your hip feels to make sure that there is no subtle sign of pain that could be coming from the mattress (and could get worse if you sleep on it for longer which is probably part of the reason for the tossing and turning.

There is no right or wrong here … only how your body responds to each mattress … and how well you listen to what it is telling you when you are testing.

I think the biggest “mistake” people make when they are buying a mattress is that they don’t spend long enough “re- creating” their sleep environment and fully relaxing for at least 15 minutes (and longer is also fine) on each mattress they are seriously considering. For those that do this … their body will tell them more than most of the “theory at a distance” … at least for the qualities of a mattress that they can feel.

User reviews can sometimes be more misleading than helpful although they can help tell you about the knowledge and service of the retailer you are buying from. You can see some of my thoughts about reviews and which ones can be helpful and which ones can be misleading in post #44 here.

As you mentioned … mattress warranties are mostly useless and have no bearing on how long a mattress will last or when it may need to be replaced. I would put much more emphasis on the materials in your mattress than I would on the warranty itself. Most “defects” that are covered by a warranty show up early in the life of a mattress. Softening and loss of comfort and support are the biggest reason people need to replace a mattress and this will generally happen long before the warranty period is over. There is more about warranties in post #174 here.

One final thing to bear in mind that neither mattress may be the best value available to you (depending on local pricing and on how they compare to other local options) because while both of them would probably be better value than most mainstream manufacturers … if there are any local factory direct manufacturers close to you they may have better value yet and in many cases can fine tune their mattress construction to take your unique needs and preferences into account.

In terms of value comparisons between them … they both use good quality materials so if either is significantly more than the other, I would ask yourself if any performance difference between them justified the higher costs.

I would not become “attached” to any specific component or material because both of these are good quality and the most important difference between them is the one your body feels the most.

Hope this helps.

Phoenix

Phoenix - thank you so very much for taking the time to provide such a detailed reply…I was hoping you would :slight_smile:

We will try both mattresses at length and I will read the links you provided, paying particular attention to the alignment subject.

We are in a Medford, Oregon…so if you have any knowledge of local, factory-direct mattress manufacturers you would recommend, we would greatly appreciate your advice.

You should write a book!

Thanks again :slight_smile:

Hi Caribee4me,

There are a few factory direct manufacturers in your larger area …

404 | Furniture Row Central Point, OR. They make some good quality traditional innerspring and a mostly latex mattress that can be used by itself or with a memory foam or latex topper. I would avoid the major brands they also carry.

Mattresses & Toppers Archives - Shepherd's Dream Manufacturer with locations in Ashland, Montague, and Mt Shasta that makes an all wool mattress.

Mattresses & Toppers Archives - Shepherd's Dream Manufacturer in Shady Cove, OR. They also make an all wool mattress using Ecowool for those who are looking for this style of mattress.

http://qualitymattressgp.com/home/3550124 Local manufacturer that has been making mattresses in Grants Pass for 35 years. They make latex along with one and two sided spring mattresses and also carry Englander and Northwest Bedding as well. Will also custom manufacture and rebuild mattresses and are transparent about the materials they use in their mattresses. Well worth a trip for those that are in reasonable driving distance.

http://www.kramernaturalmattress.com/ Factory direct manufacturer in Sprague River. Sister site to Mulligan mattress in Portland. They both make a simple high quality latex 6" + 2" latex mattress and a solid wood bedframe that has good quality and value.

There are also a few retailers there that carry some alternative manufacturers that I would include in my research on a “mattress by mattress” basis. The brands I’ve listed beside them are the ones I would focus on (and again I would exclude the mainstream brands they also carry) and like any purchase it’s important to make sure that the retailer can provide you with the details of all the layers in their mattresses.

http://www.mattressxp.com/
http://www.medfordmattress.net/ Medford, Grants Pass, OR. Pure Latex Bliss, 45th Street Bedding latex mattresses. I’ve talked with Adam here and he is knowledgeable and experienced and they can be better than average quality/value choices…

http://www.mattresslandoregon.com/ Medford, Grants Pass. Northwest Bedding and mLily.

http://www.ashlandhomecenter.com/ Ashland (13), OR. Pure Latex Bliss, Northwest Bedding, Natura, mLily.

Hope this helps.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix. We ended up buying a Pure LatexBLISS Beautiful from Adam Angel at Medford Mattress :slight_smile: He was extremely patient through my five or six extended visits, knowledgeable, no-pressure, funny & kind, and gave us a fabulous deal! He also got us into the 2013 model with the ActiveFusion for the price we were going to pay for the 2012 model without it. We added a Simmons NuFlex adjustable foundation too, as adjusting to some positions seemed to further alleviate pain in my hip. Time will tell if the mattress or combo helps. We had the option to buy from another retailer, but buying from Adam was important to us because he himself became part of our process and our counsellor, so-to-speak. We provided him with a competitor’s pricing & financing, & he beat it :slight_smile:

We decided on the Beautiful because my alignment seemed the best on it, I felt the most comfortable, I like the low level of toxins in the product, and the warranty of 20 years unprorated (I know, it’s just marketing, but I’ve seen around on several forums where the CEO of PLB has personally resolved customer service issues, and their customer service team has been really helpful).

My final request is advice for this bed I regard to the mattress cover. If we want to reap the cooling benefit of the gel in the ActiveFusion pad, while maximizing waterproof protection and breathability…what would you buy? I read your advice herehttps://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/just-ordered-a-latex-bed-some-questions and I just don’t know what to pick out of all of the advice you provide. I’d like to know what you would choose, and that is good enough for me to follow.

After we take delivery, I will post about setup, and again after some time has passed to report for others on how the bed feels.

Thanks again :slight_smile:

Hi Caribee4mee,

Contratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

As you mentioned … it’s great to work with someone who is knowledgeable and cared about what you buy!

There are tradeoffs involved in the choice of mattress protector and the most waterproof, the most breathable, and the ones that have the least effect on your mattress would all be different choices depending on what is most important to you. There is more about this in post #89 here.

If waterproof was the most important … then I would buy one of these two (depending on whether you preferred the smoother feel of the tencel or the organic cotton) both of which have stretch knit fabrics which would have less effect on the mattress. The membrane type though are not as breathable as the other two types.

http://www.gotchacoveredusa.com/organics.html
http://www.protectabed.com/Twin_Tencel__Protector_White/product.htm?pid=646657&catid=34737

If ventilation and moisture wicking were the most important to you along with a stretch knit that would have little effect on the mattress (and a nice soft feel like a great sheet) but waterproof or water resistant weren’t important (just moisture absorbency) then I would choose one of these.

If you wanted water resistant (but not waterproof) and good breathability and ventilation but didn’t mind a slightly thicker protector (with a jersey knit cotton fabric) that would have a little more effect on the feel of the mattress … then I would go with this.

http://dormeir.com/products/mattressprotectors.htm

A google search on these will bring up the current best prices for those that are sold at various merchants.

My own personal choice would probably be the Dormeir not because it’s “better” but because I like the combination of water resistance and breathability/temperature control and don’t mind a protector that has a little more effect on the feel of the mattress.

The thinner membrane types would probably put you closer to the active fusion gel and it’s cooling effects but they could also add to your sleeping temperature because they are less breathable and ventilating.

Hope this helps.

Phoenix