Hi John -
No, I did not go there, but I did call. The man’s name is Mike. I am looking for a mattress that contains some latex. He said he had one mattress with latex by King Koil, but other than that I did not get much more information about this mattress. He did speak alot about the memory foam mattresses that he has. He says they are high quality and low priced. He compares them to the high priced name brand memory foam mattresses.
Ginger
Phoenix -
I called this store and asked about their mattresses. “These are the best.” I was asking if they had adjustable beds with latex and no memory foam. I could tell he was in a hurry to hang up the phone, but he assured me the mattresses are good quality and worth coming to see. As I’m looking on the website, I am wondering if one of the ones I’m interested in looking is actually an Englander mattress. The Ultra Comfort has Nature’s Finest written above it but not Englander but some of the mattresses do. Does thiis mean the Ultra Comfort is not actually made by Englander?
Also, the Lifestyle Latex Quilt mattress, if I were interested in this mattress, would I need to ask him the density of the 6" premium luxury Comfo cusion foam?
Thanks again,
Ginger
Hi Ginger,
An adjustable bed is a base that goes under the mattress. Did you mean a mattress that was suitable for an adjustable bed? You can always buy an adjustable bed separately because you don’t have to test them like a mattress (they are all the same) so you can price shop a little more than a mattress.
I think that this is a pretty “standard” reply but it doesn’t mean anything. What does he mean by “good quality”. I would want to know some details about a mattress to make sure that it was at least close to what I wanted to look at before taking the time to visit any store. If I was looking for a latex mattress for example I would want to know if there was any polyfoam above the latex and if so how much. To me it is just too big a time waster to go and visit every store that sells mattresses only to find out that they can’t tell you what you need to know anyway.
Nature’s Finest is Englanders brand name for their latex mattresses. They usually use Dunlop latex. The Ultra Comfort is the model name, Natures finest is the brand name, and Englander (or a licensee factory for Englander) is the manufacturer.
The Ultra comfort has 5.5" of support polyfoam on the bottom(I would want to know the density but it’s probably OK)
Above that it has 6" of 100% natural latex (good quality) and 1.75" of comfo foam (this is polyfoam and i would want to know the density)
Above that in the quilting it has another 3" of polyfoam (quiltflex and pillowfex and comfofoam) so you would actually be sleeping more on polyfoam than on latex.
So there is almost 5" of polyfoam above the latex in this mattress and at this price I would probably pass it by. This makes no sense to me to put this much soft polyfoam above latex. At the very least I would want to know the density of all the layers of polyfoam. If there is less than an inch in the quilting then knowing the density is not as important because softening won’t affect the performance and feel of the mattress but with this much polyfoam that is subject to softening I would want to know the density of every layer.
The Lifestyle Latex Quilt is a little better.
It has 6" of polyfoam on the bottom for a support core (and I would want to know the density of this yes)
Above that it has 2" of 100% natural Dunlop latex which is good quality material. there’s not as much of this as in the other mattress but it’s closer to the surface where it belongs.
Above this in the quilting it has just under an inch of comfofoam in the quilting. This is inside the maximum (around an inch or so) that I would consider OK in a quilting layer.
Overall this mattress doesn’t have nearly as much latex in it but the latex is closer to the surface which means that you would be sleeping more on latex than on polyfoam and the upper layers (the weak link of a mattress) would be more durable. Even though this has a lower price … I would actually prefer this to a mattress that has thick layers of polyfoam on top. Assuming that the base foam is good quality (and that the layers listed are complete and correct) … the price of this is very reasonable for a set. Of course it would still need to work in terms of PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) because no matter what the quality or value of a mattress … if it doesn’t meet your needs and preferences then it would have little value for you.
Phoenix
Phoenix -
Are most all foam mattresses non- flip?
Thank you.
Hi ginger,
Most are yes but there are also some that are two sided. They can be made any way a manufacturer chooses but two sided is a little more costly because the comfort layers and any quilting layers and fabric used for the sleeping surface has to be added to both sides of the mattress.
Most of the larger manufacturers have only made only made one sided mattress in the last decade or more (since Simmons started the trend in about 2000) but there are some which are starting to bring back two sided versions again and many of the smaller manufacturers never stopped making them.
Phoenix
Phoenix -
Is it better to purchase a quality mattress with box springs that you flip or a quality foam mattress that you don't flip?
Thank you
Ginger
Hi Ginger,
There are many different styles of mattress and each design can have advantages and disadvantages. Everything involves a tradeoff of some type. For example a two sided mattress has a durability advantage but it also limits the design and layering of the mattress to some degree and is more expensive than an equivalent one sided design.
A mattress with box springs (usually but not always this is an innerspring mattress or a thinner foam mattress where the box springs add to the designed performance of the mattress) can be two sided or single sided and an all foam mattress that uses a foundation instead of box springs can also be single sided or double sided.
They key word in your question is “quality”.
No matter what style of mattress you choose the important part is that it meets your pressure relief and alignment needs and all the preferences that are important to you (there is more about this in post #2 here) and that it uses the highest quality and most durable materials that are available in your budget range.
Phoenix
Hello Phoenix,
I hope you are having a happy Monday! I tried two mattresses today, both Custom Comfort by Winn. The first one I liked contained 2 1/2 " Quilting foam, 2" Super soft foam, 1.8 21 lb compression, 3" firm 1.8 32 lb compression, followed by 2" 1.8 21 lb foam 1320 mini pocket coil unit. I was told there were 11 inches altogether equal on each side for this is flip mattress. Looks like I maybe missing another 2 inches, I will check with her again. The price for a king is $3595.
The other one has cashmere wool, 2" latex quilting foam, 2" soft latex foam, 6 inch firm latex core. 9" wood foundation $3895. Both mattresses have 15 year non prorated warranties.
I liked the feel of the first one the best, because it was slightly morej firm, I would say, but I would really like to have a latex mattress. The lady said they could make one for me in the latex to be a little more firmer. My questions that I have for you is, do you consider the first mattress to be of good quality? And in your opinion, do you have any suggestions on what type of material I should ask for in the second one to firm it up just a little more?
Thank you
Ginger
Hi Ginger,
If you add 2" for the mini pocket coil then the specs add up to about 11". The order of the layering seems a little odd to me (it looks like the 21 ILD foam and the microcoils are at the bottom of the 11" on each side and I know this wouldn’t be the case). Is this a 22" thick mattress?
The only concern I would have with this is the 2.5" of quilting foam and I would probably want to make sure it is also a higher density foam. While quilting foam is compressed with the quilting process and this would make it more durable … it is also a fairly thick layer of soft foam if the density was too low and could be the weak link of the mattress. 1.8 lb density polyfoam is generally a higher quality and more durable polyfoam than most mainstream manufacturers would use and the microcoils are also very durable.
To firm up the latex mattress … they would probably use the same layering but use firmer latex (probably in the layer under the quilting foam).
A am assuming that both of these are king size and include a foundation?
It’s generally better to compare mattresses on a “mattress only to mattress only” basis and then add the cost of the foundation or innerspring because you can make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses that way. In terms of quality/durability and assuming that both are close in cost with the box spring or foundation removed, I would personally be leaning towards the latex because of better durability and quality and I’m not so sure I would be looking at a 22" thick mattress regardless of material or the fact that it was two sided. This just seems to me to be overkill. I would also make some very careful value comparisons with both of these because they are both in a price range that I would question the need to spend this much unless there was a particularly compelling reason to do so. It seems to me that in the first case you may be buying much more mattress than you really would need and in the second case you may be paying more for a 10" latex mattress than may be necessary compared to others that are similar.
I normally suggest that a premium in the range of 20% or so for a local purchase compared to similar mattresses that are available online is reasonable because a local purchase that you can test is less risky but when the local “premium” starts to go above this then it may be a good idea to include some online options as well. I would also look at some other local options to see if you can do better in terms of cost and value as well.
While both of these use good quality materials (one better than the other) … I would question the prices you are paying (again depending on the size and on what else is included in the price besides the mattress).
Phoenix
Phoenix -
I may take a drive to Charlottesville to look at these mattresses. The 10" inch pure latex mattress and the EcoRestore Organic Mattress. Do you know anything about this company? The prices seem better than the ones I saw at a local furniture store that you and I discussed in my previous post. Thanks for your help!
http://atlanticorganicsleepshop.com/natural-organic-mattresses/
Hi Ginger,
The Natura mattresses they list are high quality but Natura as a whole tends to be overpriced when you make “apples to apples” comparisons with other similar mattresses. The prices they list on their site though are more reasonable than most so the value is more reasonable. The Ecorestore uses good quality materials and fairly thick layers of wool in the quilt (and wool is a costly material) which can improve ventilation and temperature control but can also affect the feel of the mattress materials below it … especially when the wool compresses over time.
Pure Latex Bliss mattresses are also high quality and they are also better value than many other mainstream mattresses but not generally in the same “value range” as latex mattresses made by many smaller manufacturers. They are owned by the company that produces much of the Talalay latex that is used in mattresses in North America (Latex International). In some cases though … local prices for these mattresses can be good value (they tend to control their advertised pricing but the actual prices in the store can be better than what is advertised). They have two “all Talalay latex” lines and one is made from blended Talalay latex (they call this natural) and the other is made from 100% natural Talalay latex (they call this “all natural”).
Of the two … the one they call “natural” (using blended talalay latex) is probably better value for most people than the “all natural” (this article talks about the different types of latex). The Nature that you are looking at is a good price for the “all natural” line for those who are willing to pay a premium for 100% natural Talalay even though it may be a little less durable and more expensive than the “natural” line (that uses blended Talalay latex). Some people like the Pamper (which in their store is the “natural” line that uses blended Talalay) and then add a latex topper to get to the comfort and pressure relief they want. The advantage of this is that a separate topper provides some flexibility in “designing” the performance and feel of your mattress and can also be replaced without replacing the whole mattress (the upper layers of a mattress will soften faster than the deeper layers).
These are good quality choices and while they may not be the “best” value … they are certainly reasonable IMO and may be better value than many of your local choices.
Phoenix
Phoenix -
I went to the Atlantic organic natural sleep shop today in Charlottesville, Va and I tried the 8" natural blend latex mattress with a 2" talalay topper and I like it. The mattress does not come with a foundation. The gentlemen did not offer to sell us one. He said it would be okay to put this mattress on our existing box springs. We have a king size bed. Ours are actually springs over slats. Is this okay or do I need another type of foundation?
Also, if we later want to add an adjustable foundation to this type of mattress, would this be okay to do?
Thank you,
Ginger
Hi Ginger,
If your current box spring is still in near new or very good condition with no sags or weak spots then it would probably be OK but it will change the feel and performance of the mattress compared to a firm and non flexible foundation. Latex (or most foam mattresses) are usually designed to perform best on a rigid non flexing foundation (although in some cases, usually with thinner mattresses, they are sold with a box spring or with a flexible slat foundation as part of the design of the overall “sleeping system”).
If the box spring/mattress combination is still in suitable condition and provides you with good PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) … then you will likely be fine (there may be a bigger risk of alignment issues vs a foundation depending on how well you and the mattress are “matched”). If you tested the mattress in a store on a firm non flexing foundation then it will not feel or perform the same on a box spring.
Both the Pure Latex Bliss and the Natura mattresses they sell have their own foundation (both are rigid non flexing foundations) so it seems a little unusual to me that they are suggesting a box spring if you purchased one of these.
If the warranty is an issue for you then you may want to check with the mattress manufacturer for what they consider to be a suitable or “matching” foundation. The PLB warranty says …
and the Natura warranty says …
Almost all foam mattresses are flexible enough to be used on an adjustable foundation but the manufacturer is the final “authority” on this. Latex works especially well because of its flexibility.
Phoenix
Phoenix -
I have been reading the tips and tricks section. While I’m not an exclusive back sleeper, I do sleep on my back some of the time, the other time on my side. I measured this gap in my lumbar area and this is what is currently so bothersome for me is that I am having low back pain from sleeping on our current mattress. I believe this is caused by the sinking of the mattress. My husband measured the distance of the gap in my lumbar area, it was about 2 1/2 inches. My question is, the topper I was going to buy is the 2 inch topper, but after reading this section, does this mean I should purchase the 3 inch topper or do you think it will matter? My personal feeling, when I was there I could not really tell the difference between the 2 or 3 inch topper, so I was going to get the 2 inch but maybe I’m wrong. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks again for all your help!
Ginger
Hi Ginger,
This would depend on the layering of the mattress you were adding the topper to but 2" would be safer because the mattress you are adding the topper to will also have some softer layers on top and your “comfort layer” is a combination of the topper and any softer layers in the mattress. If you add a thicker soft topper to a mattress that already has fairly thick soft layers … then you would be increasing the risk that you would be too far away from the firmer support layers to “stop” your heavier lumbar from sinking in too far when you are on your back. The combination should be “just enough” for your side sleeping so you have less risk for back sleeping. If you had a really firm mattress with very firm layers on top … then 3" may work better but it sounds like you already have a mattress that is fairly soft.
This would be especially true if you didn’t feel much difference because comfort (pressure relief) is easy to feel but alignment issues are more difficult to “feel” in the short time you are on a mattress … even though you will feel it in the morning.
Don’t forget too that a topper won’t “fix” a mattress that already has layers on top that are too thick and/or soft because it will just follow any soft spots. Toppers are usually best on a mattress that is too firm and using them on a mattress that is already too soft will only be a partial or temporary solution to alignment issues (which is usually the cause of lower back issues).
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix -
I just wanted to let you know that one of the referrels you gave me, around the Roanoke, VA area http://www.mainlymattresses.com/index.html that I had emailed during my mattress search, sent me an email letting me
know they now sell Saavy Rest products. I wrote back letting them know I purchased a latex PureBliss in Greensboro and that I was traveling there this weekend to pick it up. Also, that I found out about mainly mattresses through this website and how much valuable information I have received.
Mainly mattresses is a small independent business and very appreciative of this feedback. I told him I would let you know of the new product, so you could let others know if they are looking for this type of mattress around the Roanoke area.
Thanks!!!
Hi Ginger,
Thanks for letting me know and I’ve updated their listing in the Roanoke / Christiansburg list. I also put them in the right list in this thread instead of the Lynchburg / Charlottesville list which isn’t really their closest area.
Phoenix
I’m a student in the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area, and I am currently mattress hunting. This has been helpful at figuring out which store is useful and which is not!
I was wondering, has Mattress Outlet always been small? I visited there yesterday, but I could mostly find off-brand coil mattresses, pillow-tops, and one memory foam mattress. The sales person who was there (don’t remember his name) was knowledgeable about the basics of the mattresses.
The sales person of Mattress Zone had difficulty giving me correct information, but he was willing to give any information he could. He was very willing to help. Mattress Zone also carries Bed Boss and Mlily now.
If anyone is looking for a new type of bed, Chris from Mattress Warehouse (the one next to Lowes) was helpful and decently knowledgeable (he could give layer thicknesses and some quality information). All of the mattresses were very expensive, but that was to be expected. I can’t say anything for the other Mattress Warehouses in the area (there were quite a few more that I didn’t think to check out).
Mainly mattress is still very helpful. Mattress Depot was very helpful and very knowledgeable about their mattresses that came from Virginia.
This ended up being an update for the Christiansburg area, but I hope this helps!
Hi kphines,
Thanks for sharing your Christiansburg shopping experiences … I appreciate it.
They have over a dozen stores so I’m not sure why you are thinking they are “small”. In any case … I know little about the size or their business or their history (other than the about us page on their site) but the fact that they carry several smaller manufacturers where you are more likely to be able to find out what is inside a mattress you are considering is part of the reason they are on the list.
Phoenix
I thought it might have changed because it mostly had CMG and little else (probably location dependent). I didn’t realize that it was multiple stores (sorry, I didn’t read all the way through). And, yes, it has very reasonable prices.