Recommendation for full-sized college mattress

My son is headed back to college next week and will be in an apartment for the first time. We need to get him a mattress. I don’t want to spend a lot, but also want him to have the support and comfort he needs. He has a full-sized bed. Any thoughts?

Hi sunnyslope76,

The first place I would start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice for your son … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists (based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you).

The tutorial post also includes several links to lists of the better online options I’m aware of (in the optional online step) that include a wide range of different types of mattresses in a very wide range of budgets as well.

If you let me know your city or zip code I’d also be happy to let you know about any of the better local options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.

I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding … and of course any comments or more specific questions you may have along the way that I can help with.

Phoenix

Hi sunnyslope76,

This is my exact question too! Are you considering a Full or Full XT. I’ve done a little research and have found that many MU members (vendors) do not offer the Full XT. My son needs the XT because he is over 6".

People here seem to really like Brooklyn Bedding. I am not so sure – their mattresses are made in Phoenix, AZ and we live in the Northeast. Maybe it’s preferable to support local vendors. Plus, they do not sell foundations but their sister company does. Also, it’s seems their product has changed and I am not sure if enough time has gone by for reviews of the newer product to be posted.

There’s so much info here and time consuming to read and take in. I would love a video tutorial!

Good luck!

Hi Coneflower,

Many manufacturers can make custom sizes so it’s always worth asking if they can make a mattress that is size you are interested in even if they don’t list it as one of their standard options.

This would be a preference choice and would depend on the quality and value of the mattresses that are available to you locally compared to the online choices you are considering and how they compare based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you. There is also more about the pros and cons of local vs online choices in this topic and the other posts it links to (in post #4).

I would keep in mind that with any good quality mattress if you aren’t able to find a relatively large number of people that have had a specific mattress for at least 5 years or more and that also identify their particular body type and sleeping style that online reviews really won’t tell you much if anything about the durability or useful life of a mattress that uses good quality materials that would be relative to your own personal experience. If there are consistent durability issues that show up in reviews sooner than that then it would be because of lower quality and less durable materials in the mattress that would be relatively easy for any “informed consumer” to identify and avoid without needing to read or wait for reviews. Even if you are able to find enough long term reviews on a mattress that talk about durability over a period of many years by the time they are written then it’s quite likely that the same mattress would no longer be available for sale anyway.

In terms of durability … a mattress is only as good as its construction and the quality and durability of the materials and components inside it (regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label) and the most reliable way to assess the durability of a mattress or to identify any weak links in the design is by using the quality/durability guidelines in post #4 here.

A mattress that would be a durable choice for one person and that could last them for many years may also not last nearly as long for someone else (in some cases even a few years or less) depending on the many variables that can be involved. There is also much more detailed information about the many variables that can affect the durability and useful life of a mattress relative to different people in post #4 here as well.

If you let me know your city or zip code I’d also be happy to let you know about any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area as well.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Thank you for the reply.

College zip is 02912.

Hi Coneflower,

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Providence, RI area (subject to the quality/value guidelines here) are listed in post #4 here.

Phoenix