Thank you all so much for the great info throughout this website! I know that this saved me from another costly mattress mistake! After reading through a lot of the material, and looking at your local members, I found a great mattress manufacturer close to me: Comfort Sleep Systems. We went there this weekend and have it narrowed down to 2 choices.
We are deciding between either a 1.8 lbs/ft poly or a 2.6 lbs/ft poly. We just need a support layer because we have a 2 inch memory foam (4 lb) topper that we just spent about $250 on a few years ago and I’d like to max out some of the investment that I have in that.
I’m hoping I can get some advice on which way to go. One mattress is double the price of the other so it’s kind of a tough choice.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
You are asking a more complex question than you may realize
There are many variables that would be involved in deciding which of the two would be best for you (regardless of whether the same choice would be best for someone else) but it would really come down to which one would be the best “value” for you based on the same factors that I would use to make “value comparisons” between mattresses. There is more about the most important parts of the value of a mattress purchase in post #13 here.
The most important factor is which one would be the most suitable for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) and the only reliable way to know this would be based on your actual testing of the mattress/topper combination or your actual sleeping experience. Any density of polyfoam can be made in a wide range of firmness levels but as a very general guideline a 2" topper will give you a “little to a fair bit” of additional softness and pressure relief. There are some topper guidelines in post #8 here that you can work “backwards” (because most people that are choosing a topper already have a mattress not the other way around). As you can see I would choose a base mattress or foam layer that was a “little to a fair bit” firmer than you would choose if you were buying the mattress by itself. 2.6 lb polyfoam is also a higher grade of polyfoam than 1.8 lb polyfoam in some of the other more complex specs that can contribute to the suitability of a mattress such as compression modulus and resilience (see post #2 here) so this may make it a more suitable choice as well but it will always come down to which one of the two you will sleep better on in combination with your topper.
The next most important factor would be durability and for this part the 2.6 lb polyfoam would have a clear advantage over 1.8 lb polyfoam. This would be especially important if you are in a higher weight range (in the low 200’s or higher) or you have a body type where your weight is more concentrated in one part of your body because with only 2" of softer foam on top of your support core the durability of the support core would play a bigger role than it normally would because it will compress more “through” your topper when you sleep on it than it would if your comfort layers were thicker or you had a thicker topper. There is more about all the variables that can affect durability and the useful life of a mattress relative to each person in post #4 here and the posts it links to.
It may also be worth considering dragging your topper into the store so you can test the different combinations in person which would be a more accurate method of choosing than using “theory at a distance”. Other than this (and perhaps most importantly of all) I would use the knowledge, experience, and guidance of the people at Comfort Sleep Systems who are very knowledgeable and helpful and will know more about the specifics of each one and all of the mattresses they sell than anyone else.
Thank you so much Phoenix. It took me a little bit to get back to you because I was looking at all of the links and pages you recommended. (This website can feel like a bit of a maze!) Many of my questions were answered by the links you provided. Thanks! I just wanted to respond to your posting and then ask 1-2 more questions (hopefully!).
I think we already have a good idea about the 3 “P’s”. We have been sleeping on a very firm (exact specs unknown) polyfoam mattress (with the memory foam topper) for about 3 years. That mattress was on a boat but we are moving and have to leave the polyfoam behind - although as I mentioned we are taking the topper. So we are basically trying to re-create that feel with our new mattress.
My concern is spending “x” amount of dollars on a mattresses that may not last beyond 5-7 years, but I am equally concerned about spending double on a mattress that will be either undesirable or “outdated” in 5-7 years (with whatever “new” thing comes along). FYI, neither I nor my husband are over 200 lbs or have any “parts” that need more support
I guess what it comes down to this question: Would the 1.8 polyfoam be considered a “weak link” in a support layer?
Thoughts are seriously appreciated. Thanks so much.
While I can’t speak to how it would feel to you … it wouldn’t be a weak link in terms of durability no although it would also be “less durable” than the 2.6 lb polyfoam.
Thank you so much. You really helped me sort this out! My gut is telling me to go with the 1.8 and then spend more on my comfort layer when the memory foam starts to give out. Thanks again. I’m so glad that you’re out there in mattress land!
This wouldn’t be a concern for me because while there will always be new “marketing spins” about so called new materials … the reality is that good PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) never gets “outdated” regardless of the materials in your mattress or which “new thing” comes along that is the current “buzz” in the industry (which is usually more about marketing than accuracy).
I hope you have the chance to let us know how things work out for you when you’ve had the chance to sleep on your new sleeping system.
Kate - How did you like working with Comfort Sleep Systems in Branford Connecticut?? We like the idea of supporting a local business instead of the big box stores.
Love the idea of supporting local business too. That was the main reason we went. The service has been excellent - informative but no pressure. We had every intention of shopping around at other small, local shops, but after dealing with them we didn’t even bother. We just ordered our mattress yesterday I would highly recommend them.
