I had a chuckle today when I noticed that the previous forum I posted at … what’s the best mattress forum … decided that they needed a new web page called “The Mattress Underground” in their buying guide section. Of course the page is not about this site or any of the concepts of this site … it talks about buying “cheap” mattresses and being wary of whether or not they are really new … but their decision to take advantage of the growing presence of this website and use its name for their benefit is quite a compliment in a strange kind of way.
If you do a google search for “The Mattress Underground”, you will see the link listed after several from this site. I guess that the idea is that if they become the first link for this search term, then people might mistake their site for this one and come to believe that the name is connected to their site. That would be unfortunate as unwary consumers looking for information would not be able to take advantage of the discounts available from our manufacturing members or come to know about the information on this site and the many places that offer such amazing value in mattresses.
They have a great forum and there is lots of great information there including 809 posts under “phoenix” from when I was posting there. Unfortunately, their business practices do not quite measure up to the same “great” standards. Sad in a way when all of the “informational sites” out there should be about helping consumers rather than trying to “capture” an informational market for financial reasons. There really is a real difference between “money machines” and “mattress people” in all areas of the industry.
These kinds of practices of “the big guys” trying to suppress smaller “competitors” and many others that are so common in all areas of this industry are exactly the reason why The Mattress Underground was founded and it is gratifying to me to see the response from so many high quality local manufacturers who truly support the vision and ideals of what we are doing.
One Step at a Time
One step at a time, genuine quality purchased from outlets that really care about what you are buying can once again become the “norm” in this industry as real information replaces “stories” in the selling of mattresses. While there is a long way to go before this happens, I believe that real value and the truth will always come out ahead and that consumers and the manufacturers who produce this value will once again become the focus of the mattress industry.
I’m glad you’re here, sir! My brief foray into mattress specifics was initiated, as most likely are, by the need to replace my aging mattress. The amount of information, and likely amount of misinformation, available on the topic is astonishing. The information should not be separated from the person and motivations who supplied it, and all-too-often, those motivations are not to provide me with the best information to make an informed decision. I’m glad to find an exception to that in your site. In addition to the information provided, you also motivated me to find a local retailer, who, it turns out, is already a member of your site! So thanks for being here, and doing what you do.
AAACK! I was trying to set up an account with you and an initial search took me to “that other mattress buying” site, but the last part of the link showed mattress underground in pale gray, so I now have an account with them. Needless to say I quickly realized my mistake!
I am new to the forum and just wanted to say “Thanks” for this website!! I tried to find a “Thank-you” thread under your topics, but ended up posting here instead. I am SO thankful for this website. The information has been very educational and helpful to me in sorting through the Wide World of Mattresses. Like so many other products these days, it was overwhelming to me with so many options to chose from and difficult to figure out what a “quality” mattress was amidst all the sales/hype/“science”. I started my quest by going to Consumer Reports figuring that would be the “scientific” way to determine what mattress to get. I was searching for a mattress that wouldn’t sleep so hot. They did a study using a copper plate on the different mattresses to measure temps and published their results. However, I realized that staying “cool” wasn’t the only parameter in determining what a “good” mattress is. I was a bit overwhelmed by all the info on your site, but have been reading bit by bit and as a result am feeling more competent as a consumer and am hoping to eventually purchase a mattress based on thoughtful study and not “hype”.
Thanks for all you do!
Thanks for your kind words. I am glad that you found the information on our site helpful and assistive In fact we get many “Thank-yous” (on and off the site) and I appreciate your suggestions regarding having a topic of TMU Testimonials … .when we hit some rough patches with back end technicalities it is good to read a stream of “Thank You-s” to be reminded of the difference TMU can make … sometimes testimonials can be a bit of a “recipe” often played as a marketing tool and in mind with the educational nature of our site I’ve always trusted that those who have eyes to will see, but I’ll be toying with your idea of creating a “Thank-you” thread for a while.
I heartily agree with you that some “studies” like the one you mentioned capitalize on certain strengths of specific components or even the mattress as a whole but fail to mention any of the week links within a mattress which can be just as important (or even more) in one’s purchase decision. Choosing an appropriate mattress is as much a science as art as all layers, components, and features work together and each person’s body type and sleeping position are an important part of how each person interacts with a mattress. As you noticed there are many other interrelated variables as well and this is why I like to recommend that after doing a bit of research to understand your own needs and preferences getting in touch with a retailer/manufacturer that knows about mattress construction can save much time, energy, and frustration.
You can find the thoughts of many of our experts on temperature regulation such as the second paragraph in Post #2 here recently answered by Arizona Premium (Ken Hightower). There are also many aspects to sleeping cool and temperature regulation in a mattress and once again this will depend on how many different factors interact. There is more about this in post #2 here.
I look forward to learning about your progress finding a suitable mattress and to answering any questions you may have.
Needless to say I quickly realized my mistake!