Orig. Mattress Factory or Ultimate Dreams

[phoenix]

Hi adam-in-pgh,

You may have seen this but there is another local manufacturer fairly close to you that also makes latex mattresses that may be worth a call or a visit. They are listed in the Pittsburgh list in post #2 here along with a few other possibilities in the area (I’m assuming you are in Pittsburgh).

I’ve tried the OMF latex beds - I found the larger one to be a little too squishy, where the thinner mattress seemed to be more stable and yet still conform to my body in a way that I liked. However, I did notice that I could feel the support layer through the comfort layer in a way that concerned me at first, but I forgot about later on. The larger model was fine, except I felt a little bit too ‘sunken’ into it. I do wonder if perhaps the ultimate dreams bed could have a decent compromise in this area, as it sounds like they can take this kind of thing into account.

With the OMF latex, I would make sure you know which foundation or innerspring they were on when you did your testing. OMF tends to use an “active” innerspring for all their mattresses which will make all their mattresses feel softer than they would be on a firm non flex foundation. They are unusual this way and if you test their latex I would make sure you tried it on one of their adjustable beds which are a firm surface to get a sense of what it would feel like on a firm foundation. 32 ILD with only an inch of foam over it may work well but is on the firm side for a side sleeper although it is more in the range for someone who is heavier. It is also a little on the thin side for someone who is heavier although your own careful testing (especially for any sense of pressure on your side) is always more accurate than “theory at a distance” even though it may also not be perfect.

Both the OMF and the Ultimate dreams use blended Talalay latex with foam quilting layers. The layering of the Ultimate Dreams is on their site and they use a very high quality polyfoam base layer. It is true though that a two sided mattress will last longer than a single sided mattress, all other things being equal and assuming it is flipped, even with very durable foams such as latex.

Assuming that you were still happy with the OMF on a firm foundation … then your choice between the OMF and the Ultimate Dreams would be a choice between “good and good” in terms of value. While OMF is usually among the better values in the ares where they have retail outlets, in this case I would have to give the Ultimate Dreams the edge in value terms even though it doesn’t have a latex core. Value is only secondary to making sure a mattress meets your needs and preferences though. In the end it would boil down to the level of “risk” you were willing to take in purchasing a mattress online but Chuck is very good in helping his customers make good choices that are suitable for their needs and preferences and working directly with the manufacturer and with a mattress where the top layer can be customized lowers the risk of an online purchase. They also carry another model here which is a little more but has a zip cover which allows for a comfort exchange for a small cost if you “guess” wrong and which lowers the risk a little more.

There are also some good foundation choices in this thread that should cost you less than $200.

If I was in your shoes … I would talk to Chuck to get a sense of your comfort level after a conversation with making a purchase online (either the non exchangeable model or the one where you can do a comfort layer exchange) and then make your choice based on which one you felt best about. There is really no wrong or right when the choices are all good ones and only you can really know what is best for your own “value equation”

Phoenix