I will summarize my issues and my proposed solution. I would appreciate any comments and other ideas you may have.
About 6 years ago my wife and I purchased a memory foam mattress from amazon. For the first 3 1/2 years it was great. Due to quality issues with the material it wore out and the last year or so was not very good. A year ago after some research on this site we purchased a Dreamfoam 12-1. Initially I thought I liked it but we started having back and hip pain. We have tried every combination with the layers, but have not had any luck. Last month we decided to go back to a memory foam mattress and purchased an Addable Mattress. It has been horrible. Not to say it isn’t a good mattress, it just isn’t right for us. I believe the issue is that we have both changed from back sleepers to side sleepers. I need a softer mattress than I liked in the past.
We live in the middle of nowhere, but I recently drove to a near by furniture store to try out some mattresses. I preferred the foam mattresses that were medium soft and had a slightly springy feel to them. I also discovered that I do not like a pillow top. I prefer to sleep directly on the foam. My favorite mattress was the iComfort F500 ($3500 for a king).
Here is my idea. I have all of the foam layers for the 12 in 1 (3x3" of poly in soft, medium, and firm). I thought I would purchase a 3" Talalay latex pad in either soft or medium from one of the component suppliers recommended on this site, along with a basic mattress cover. I was going to place that on top of the medium and firm layers from the 12 in 1, and wrap it in the new non-pillow top cover. FYI I live in Webster SD. I called all of the mattress retailers within an hour and have not been able to find one that carries latex.
Any help would be appreciated… I haven’t had a decent nights sleep in over a week.
I’m sorry you’ve had some bad luck with your recent mattress purchases, either through poorer quality materials or comforts that don’t fit your personal preference or (newer) sleeping position.
Unfortunately, there is no general consensus (nor would it be possible) of universally applicable comfort designations like “medium soft”, but the term is of course important as it relates to you and your ability to compare one item to another. Also, pillow top isn’t a designation of comfort, but rather a description of mattress construction.
I think from what you’ve described is that you desire something that has a “plush” surface comfort, but not so soft that you sink too deeply into the product, but also not so firm that it is uncomfortable to you when sleeping upon your side. Sleeping directly upon the foam, you like something that doesn’t have a polyfoam quilt panel on top. The Serta mattress you mentioned you tried in a showroom is a memory foam product, and would tend to have a bit more of a "dead’ feel to it than a “springy” feel.
As you currently have all of the layers of the 12-1 mattress (they are all good quality 2 lb. polyfoam pieces), your idea certainly sounds like the beginning of a fun DIY project.
I would recommend holding off on a mattress cover at first, as you may end up experimenting with different configurations. Besides starting with your initially expressed configuration (firm poly foam, medium polyfoam, latex), you may desire a bit more surface plushness and also end up also experimenting with using all three of the polyfoam layers with the latex on top (perhaps something like a firm polyfoam, medium polyfoam, plush polyfoam and latex; or firm polyfoam, plush polyfoam, medium polyfoam and latex) and end up with a thicker product. You might even desire a bit more of the “springy” latex feel and decide to do something like a firm polyfoam, medium polyfoam, medium latex plush latex. Once you come up with a final configuration, I’d then pursue a mattress cover – preferably one that is a stretch knit to not inhibit the feel that you’re attempting to achieve and what you stated you desire.
As you are attracted to the idea of designing and building your own DIY mattress out of separate components that are purchased from one or several different sources then the first place I would start is by reading option 3 in post #15 here and the posts it links to (and option #1 and #2 as well) so that you have more realistic expectations and that you are comfortable with the learning curve, uncertainty, trial and error, or in some cases the higher costs that may be involved in the DIY process. While it can certainly be a rewarding project … the best approach to a DIY mattress is a “spirit of adventure” where what you learn and the satisfaction that comes from the process itself is more important than any cost savings you may realize (which may or may not happen).
I’m looking forward to what you decide to do and your results.
Phoenix
Note Added: I forgot to address any potential quality retailers in your area that might offer latex. I did a search and the closest I found were quite a distance from your home. I couldn’t find anything compatible in Watertown, Brookings or Aberdeen.
Subject to confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article ) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here … the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Sioux Falls area are listed in posts #2 and #3 here . The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Minneapolis/St Paul area are listed in post #2 here .
Just to give my 2 cents, before you order any latex, if you’ve never tried latex try find a place with latex mattresses to see at least what the surface might feel like to you. Worth travelling even a couple hours and maybe phoenix knows of retailers with full beds near your area. I know that icomfort memory foam and find it quite groovy, but myself top layers of most latex don’t always suit me. Just saying that for some people it’s not a good substitue, like Pheonix mentions about that springy feel, for some it’s awesome. Funnily enough, I had that 12 in 1 that top soft layer was always a problem and that middle layer a little too firm and I found in the very end memory foam was the best top layer for me. So I guess I’m just saying, if you can try latex before you buy, do. The only big store I know that sells a top layer of latex mattress is Sleepy’s/Mattress Firm’s Zuzu latex hybrid. Probably poor quality, but it may give you some idea of what latex is like if there are no stores with latex beds within 2 hours of you (even though it’s totally different construction as it has springs, ay yi yi, so hard these things). Although funnily enough, even though I’m not crazy about latex I do like that mattress. Lol.
Here is a quick update. We found on mattress store close by that had a mattress with 3 inches of latex on top (can’t remember the brand). We liked the feel. Before purchasing a new topper I gave Chuck at Dreamfoam a call. I explained the issues I had with the 12 in 1. He offered me a fantastic deal on a latex topper. Best of all he is sending me two twin XL’s so I don’t have to cut it. What fantastic customer service!!!
Once we finish our mattress adventure I will let you know where we ended up.