NOVOSBED ARIA

Thinking about getting. I already wasted $1000 on a horrible cheap flimsy innerspring at the store so the $1200 novos sits well with me right now. Will the 4lb top layer hold up to my 260lb frame with large hips/rear and shoulder? I see the 120 day return makes it a zero risk but after that period is when deterioration may start. I am afraid because I bought a cheap spa sensations from walmart and it was firm at first but got softer and softer until after only about 3 months it created craters where I slept. I am working on loosing weight to around 215-225 but until then I need a bed that will hold up. Am I better off with latex as a lower risk rugged material?

Hi jaybackintheday,

While 4 lb memory foam is a good material and is certainly appropriate for more general use … as you can see in the guidelines here, at higher weights I would tend to reduce (and possibly eliminate) the use of 4 lb memory foam for higher weights (regardless of the manufacturer) and would focus on 5 lb density or higher memory foam because 4 lb memory foam won’t be as durable or last as long as higher density memory foam and this would generally be more important with higher weight ranges.

Post #3 here and the posts it links to has more information that would be useful for people in higher weight ranges.

While the choice between latex and memory foam is a preference issue (see post #2 here), latex in firmer ILD’s would certainly be a good option as well and is a very durable material although I would also be cautious with thicker layers of very soft latex at higher weights as well both for durability reasons and because of the risk of alignment issues with a mattress that uses comfort layers that are too thick or soft or support layers that are too soft regardless of the material.

Phoenix

Taking nothing away from Novosbed, and assuming your budget is in and around the 1k-1.2k range, you may also want to consider the following options:

Sleep Warehouse mattress: 10" King size is currently priced at $899 incl. shipping. It has a quality 3" 5 lb. Sensus topper with three separate base layers of 1.8 lb high density foam manufactured by Foamex. I recommend speaking with Andrew, as he’s been really helpful in my own mattress search (no purchase made yet). The base layers are available in five IFD ratings so you could configure the base layers to be more supportive/firmer for your weight, body type, and sleep position. The trade off here is that you don’t get the same 120 return policy as Novosbed, which may or may not be a deal breaker for you. There is a more restrictive return policy that needs to be done within 30 days and shipping is responsibility of the customer. It is also worth mentioning that Sleep Warehouse offers 4.7-5.9 lb. latex toppers and Andrew can advise you of some potential mattress options if you decide to explore the latex route. Keep in mind that latex topper/comfort layers will always cost a little more.

To share my line of thinking on this topic: locally I have tested and tried several memory foam and latex topped beds, all on various configurations of high density base foam. I know that I want this type of bed and I have a good idea of what “specs” I want, and thus I feel confident purchasing this style of bed without paying for the manufacturer’s built-in cost associated with offering a great return policy. Speaking PERSONALLY, I don’t place a lot of value on the no-risk return policy and would prefer to pay less for a very similar product OR pay approximately the same for a mattress that offers higher quality components and construction. This is my two cents; nothing more.

If the exchange/return policy is high on your list of must haves, Brooklyn Bedding has a 120 day exchange policy with their 12" Bamboo Bliss model where you’re able to swap out the 3" latex topper for a firmer/plush option at no extra cost, you only pay to return the topper back to Brooklyn Bedding, Currently priced at $1238 shipped (with the mattress underground discount) and two latex pillows, this could represent another option for you to consider in your search for the perfect mattress.

Thanks for replies! What do you think about Select Foam? My wife and I tried out some tempurpedics and liked the new Tempur Contour - Elite which is supposed to be Med/Firm. Looks like Select foam has one with same specs of foam, just gel type instead? Would this be a good mattress for $1800? http://www.selectfoam.com/cat-regalis-coolmax.html Thanks

I see Restava has this one also for $1800. What density is the top 2" layer though?
http://www.restava.com/p/147/The-Astoria-GEL/

The Christeli ones has 8lb density for only $1550 seems like good value?

Then one with even 2" of 8lb on top for $1700

I would be willing to go up to around 2k if the bed truly is solid with my weight and will last at least 4-5 years.

Hi jaybackintheday,

Select Foam is one of the members of this site which means that like the other members here I believe they are among the better manufacturers in the country and compete well with the best in the industry in terms of quality, value, and service and I wouldn’t hesitate to make a purchase from any of them that I was confident was a good match for me in terms of PPP and my the parts of my personal value equation that were most important to me.

Of course every manufacturer makes a range of mattresses and some of them may be suitable for you and some may not so I would always make sure that you talk with any online manufacturer to make sure you are choosing a mattress that is the most suitable choice for you out of the mattresses they have available (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

Phoenix