Just found you this week! Thank you for existing and for creating this wonderful resource and “movement.” For the inquisitive, analytical, and highly cynical consumer, the layers of high-density information and blended guidance you’ve assembled here – zip-covered with a bold and transparent philosophy – is a breath of fresh air.
Two years ago I made pretty much every mistake you caution against and bought a crappy Sealy queen-sized coil spring mattress for 800 bucks and it’s already wearing out…the comfort layer is toast. I suppose I could start by maybe trying something like a 2" latex topper. Assuming the springs are still ok, maybe that would give me a decent-feeling mattress for another few years?
If it comes to buying a new mattress, I don’t mind spending up to twice as much this time around, as long as I get something that I know will last 10 times as long. This information I’ve read so far gives me the impression that this is actually a realistic expectation with an all-latex mattress. Is all-latex really that amazing and durable? Is it going to feel the same for 20 straight years?
I’m 5’11" 190, and sleep in all three positions. I am also the proud owner of a back with several manufacturing defects as well as damage from end-user misuse (herniated lumbar disc) and the warranty is worthless. I don’t really know how much a “perfect” mattress can do to relieve the pain but I’m getting pretty interested in finding out.
I have already looked into the build-your-own option because it seems hundreds of dollars cheaper… and wondering how hard it would be to “get it right.” I spent some time on nestbedding.com and sleepez.com…I know you are a fan of the latter…any thoughts on the former?
But I’m getting ahead of myself because I’ve never even tried out an all-latex mattress before. There don’t seem to be that many dealers nearby (I’m in Arlington VA), but I guess I’ll shuffle off to Savvy Rest, bearing your mattress-testing advice in mind. They’ll have a crack at my business, but I’m not especially eager to pay hundreds of dollars more on an already expensive purchase just to get all-organic “green” everything. SleepEZ has the right idea offering both, I think, but I guess everyone has their pet movements.
Anyway, thanks again for the education so far and any thoughts you may have – and I will update as I make progress!
Probably not for 20 years with a typical soft upper layer … but it will certainly stay within a narrower range for a longer period of time compared to what it felt like originally than other materials. Like all materials … softer latex is less durable than firmer latex so if all your layers were in a medium/firm or higher firmness range then the odds are much better that your mattress would remain in a suitable range for 20 years (sometimes longer) but if your mattress has softer latex on top (mid to low 20’s or less) then the softer latex layer on top may need replacing before 20 years is up (again depending on where you started off inside the range that provides you with suitable comfort and support). The good news though is that with a mattress that has a zip cover and separate layers … you can just replace a single layer rather than the whole mattress if it softens to a point that the mattress crosses your “comfort and support threshold” or if your needs or preferences change over the next decade or two (aging does take some toll for most of us although I’m working on ways to reverse it :))
In general I think highly of Nest Bedding as well and have had several good conversations with Joe the owner there. He is knowledgeable and definitely “mattress people”. You can see some of my comments about them in the San Francisco list here.
Yes … I agree with your sentiments and I wish that Savvy Rest was in a more reasonable price range for any of the versions of the mattresses they offer compared to other manufacturers (including SleepEz) which have the same or equivalent materials for significantly less. It would certainly make this type of mattress more available at a local level to a larger group of consumers but unfortunately they carry a premium which is much more than the typical 20% or so premium that I normally suggest would be roughly equivalent “value” (depending on each person’s personal value equation and risk tolerance) when comparing an online purchase with a similar local mattress that you can test in person.
I’m looking forward to your feedback and any questions you may have along the way.
