Hi Phoenix, I think I have read and absorbed enough information from this site to make a more intelligent purchase this time around. There are not many choices for a manufacturer with transparency about materials in Maine but I am going to give Portland Mattress Makers a try. The model I am interested in (and they also do custom work which does not have a trial period, however), has 3" of 5lb Memory foam as a comfort layer, with hi-quality polyfoam as support with 17 /34 -I am assuming the 34 refers to the ILD making this medium firm support layer - not sure what the 17 refers to–any thoughts? This is priced at 899. w/o a box spring. They have another model with 2" of 5 lb Memory foam, then 2 more inches of 3lb memory foam over poly foam of 18/27 priced at 1199. I am slender, 5.6" sole side sleeper. Any insights? Thanks for any thoughts.
Hi Mamie,
My guess is that the 17 is the density which is 1.7 lbs. which is just below the bottom end of what I normally consider to be 'good quality" polyfoam although the base layer is not normally the weak link of a mattress. Sometimes though if you are looking at lower budget mattresses then it may be worth considering slightly lower density base foam if the comfort layers are good quality… If you are going to lower quality somewhere for the sake of budget then this would be the place to do it.
I tend to avoid 3 lb memory foam in the comfort layers of a mattress unless it is less than an inch in the quilting layers. Since you are slender, lower density foams will tend to last longer and being under two inches of 5 lb memory foam will also “shield” it from ongoing compression and improve durability but I would tend to avoid 3 lb memory foams regardless. The base foam here is probably 1.8 lbs (right at the density cutoff I normally consider OK unless there are other factors involved).
Phoenix