Have any people who sleep very hot tried this bed? Iām in LA and have problems with overheating. Iām thinking the latex should keep everything cooler, but does the top foam make the bed sleep much warmer than something with a top layer of wool?
Hi LA47,
There are many factors that work together which affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress and while youāre waiting for any replies from other members ā¦ post #2 here may be helpful.
Your choice of a mattress protector, a wool or other more breathable mattress pad, or different choices in the type of sheets and bedding you have can also have a significant effect (in either direction) on the sleeping temperature of a mattress that can play just as important a role as the actual foam or the ticking and quilting in the mattress itself.
Phoenix
Thanks, Phoenix, and all you other posters, this thread (and site) is a goldmine of information. After reading about BB and a lackluster trip to Sleepys, my wife and I have decided on the Bamboo Bliss with a level 3 firm comfort layer. Iāll be sure to report back at regular intervals to let everyone know how weāre getting along once it arrives.
Hi Deeoh,
Iām glad you found us and that the forum could help.
You certainly made a good quality/value choice and Iām looking forward to your feedback once youāve slept on it and of course from time to time as you have the chance.
Congratulations on your new mattress 
Phoenix
Thanks for the info everyone. Iām moving in 2 weeks with my girlfriend and we need a Queen mattress that is not too firm yet not too soft, since we are both side sleepers and like some good support when we sleep. We are both small-average in size. After much thought, I am deciding between the Ultimate Dreams Latex with the #7 firmness level, or the DynastyMatress 10" gel memory foam.
Reviews show that the Latex #7 firmness would provide a nice amount of softness for side sleepers. Reviewers also say that the DynastyMatress gel foam may be too firm for side sleepers. Iām upgrading from my current mattress, an 8 inch Independently Encased Coil Premium Futon Mattress from Walmart. Not bad, but I sometimes wake up with soreness on the side.
Any thoughts? Thanks.
Hi bmurphy,
Memory foam and latex have a completely different feel and performance but the choice between them is an individual preference so the first thing I would do is test both memory foam and latex at local stores (that can provide you with the information you will need about what you are testing) so you can decide which of these two very different materials are your preference (see post #2 here).
I would never go by reviews when making a mattress choice because each person is very individual and what works well for one person (even if their specific body type and sleeping position is the same) can be completely unsuitable for the next person.
Post #2 here has more information about making comfort choices and the best way is with your personal testing and/or experience and if this isnāt possible then a more detailed phone discussion with the manufacturer (who knows more about their mattresses than anyone else and can give you some guidance based on the āaveragesā of their customers that may be similar to you) is the next best way to choose. Many manufacturers can also tell you about some local mattresses that are similar to one of their models so you can test a mattress locally to get a sense of what some of their mattresses may feel like. Itās also a good idea if you are unsure to make sure you know the details of any exchange or return policy in case you make a choice that is less than ideal.
Phoenix
All this info is greatly appreciated, I spent my whole work day reading about mattresses instead of working 
But Iāve made the decision to buy one of these, seems to be such a great value.
Hi JHead,
I can think of worse ways to spend a day ā¦ like working
In any case ā¦ congratulations on your new mattress ā¦ you are certainly making a good quality / value choice!
Phoenix
Update - I bought the 7 and have been sleeping on it for 3 months. The mattress is the best sleep Iāve had. Softer pillow top with a firmness underneath, but the top is not so soft that you sink in, it has some resiliency to it because itās latex. I did have a very bad allergic reaction with sneezing and wheezing the first week, so I purchased a mattress protector/bed bug protector that totally emcases the mattress. I have woken up fine ever since. However, I cannot use the included shreded latex pillow due to the allergic reaction. Overall a great deal.
Hello,
My husband and I are used to our (latex) Flobed. We are shopping for 5 beds (2KC, 3Q) for a vacation rental and really want to offer comfortable beds to our guests (but need to keep cost reasonable). We will also be using the rental and sleeping there ourselves. We do not like the tempurpedics or memory foam. I find that the regular spring mattress beds in the store are not very comfortable, but I do travel a lot for work and never seem to have a problem with hotel beds. This bed sounds like it may work but after reading through the thread I have a couple of questions/concerns:
-
Howās it holding up? There are some pretty strong reviewers on Amazon that have noted that this mattress does not hold up over time (7- 9 months). Have any of you had this mattress for an extended period of time and is it still great?
-
A reviewer on Amazon pointed out that it used to be 2.35lb of base foam and now it is 1.5lb? Is this true and what kind of difference will that make to how it feels and how it supports and how it lasts?
Lastly, Is there a brand/type that is similar that we can test in a local store?
Thank you in advance for your responses! Mattress shopping is such a challenge!
~Melinda
Hi MelindaCA,
While I donāt personally own this mattress ā¦ you can see my comments about some of these reviews (as few as there are) that would also apply to any similar mattress in post #20 here. In most (not all) cases, outside of actual defects which are covered by warranty, most people who write these types of reviews have unrealistic expectations for the budget range or have chosen a mattress that was either too soft in the first place or the initial break in period has resulted in āvirtual impressionsā that made the mattress too soft for their individual needs and preferences. Latex is the most durable type of foam regardless of which manufacturer uses it in their mattresses.
The person who posted this particular review (cinnamonsticks) is a member of the forum and you can see my brief comments about the change in the first part of post #4 here, my much more detailed comments to her after she changed the rating on her review in post #14 here, and Dreamfoamās comments about the change in post #4 here.
At best the change she made in her review (from a 5 to a 1) is very misleading (and has discouraged some who donāt know any better from purchasing a very good quality and value mattress) and at worst is bordering on unethical IMO because she is making comments that donāt even apply to the mattress she purchased. I also donāt believe she has the knowledge or experience to put the change into context and she certainly doesnāt have the knowledge or experience to to be able to recommend or not recommend a specific mattress to anyone else. This is one of the reasons that I take all mattress reviews (good or bad) with a big grain of salt because in most cases they only apply to a specific person and not to anyone else (see post #13 here about the difference between mattress research and reading reviews).
The weak link of a mattress is usually in the top layers of the mattress. If you are in a higher weight range or your weight is more concentrated in a specific area of your body (such as a pear shape) and the odds are higher that you will compress the base foam more than most then I would consider an option with a higher density base foam but for most people this would be one of the more durable choices you could make in this budget range.
If you let me know your city or zip code Iād be happy to let you know of any of the better options or possibilities Iām aware of in the area but there may or may not be anything similar in your area. You would need to call them and ask them if they had a mattress with similar specs (1.5" of softer quilting foam over 3" of blended Talalay latex over a polyfoam base layer with a similar firmness). Many retailers may not even be familiar enough with the specs of their mattresses to even know if they has something similar on their floor. In most cases though you wouldnāt find anything that was a āduplicateā but you could test mattresses that had Talalay latex in the top layers (the top 3" especially with or without a quilting layer over the latex) to have a reference point and some idea of the āfeelā of Talalay latex and how different firmness levels feel to you since the top layers of a mattress will have a bigger effect on how they feel when you first lie on them than the deeper layers.
Hopefully youāve also had the chance to read the tutorial post here which has the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice for you.
Phoenix
Phoenix,
Thank you for your response.
Iāll check out the links on your post.
We are in Auburn, CA 95603
thanks!
~Melinda
Hi MelindaCA,
Some of the better options and possibilities Iām aware of in the Sacramento region are listed in post #5 here.
Phoenix
aaa
Hi Grizzlymann,
Some of the better options or possibilities Iām aware of in the Dayton area are listed in post #5 here.
Phoenix
Interesting, Iām very close to Dayton and I am stuck with a brand new king size Genius by Serta. Its a beautiful bed, very beautiful, but it hurts me. It is a firm mattress. It is in a guest room not being used by anyone at all. Clean, spotless, non smoking home. I slept on it until I could not take the pain any more. Now I am back to sleeping on an old icky yucky over 20 yr old mattress. I must get another bed but I also MUST recoup some money from the brand new one sitting in am empty bedroom. Interested?
I couldnāt have had it but a few months, and not using it. I have the receipts and will even throw in the $120 dollar mattress protector and magical pillows that came with the bed also. This bed is highly rated, by most everyone, but not I. Sad situation I must say.
Every time I walk down my hallway and see nearly 2k sitting there un-used I could cry. I already traded the Prodigy because it was too soft and now I am stuck with the Genius and it is too hard. lol I need an in-between. I will entertain all offers (reasonable of course) because like I said, brand new.
I tried hard to get my local retailer to help me, but it sure was a no go. Shame I tell ya, because I learned that all they do when they let you trade-up once, is shred the trade. Not much of a loss for them. I even asked for discount, veteran discount, disabled veteran discount, Muscular Dystrophy discount, federal worker discount, tax write off discount etc. But, local business was not playing fair. jmo - Barb
Hi Barb,
Unfortunately Serta isnāt as highly rated here (or with anyone that focuses on the quality/value of the materials in a mattress) because their quality isnāt good compared to other smaller manufacturers in the same price range.
If they lived up to the terms of their purchase agreement with you and honored their exchange policies then they are āplaying fairā even though that may not be a particularly happy outcome for you.
Having said that ā¦ Iāve switched your post to a new thread that will be easier to find for someone that may be looking for a low cost Serta Genius in spite of the general suggestions here to avoid Serta or other major brands.
With some luck you may be able to recover some of your investment and hopefully start over again to find a better quality and more suitable choice.
It may also be a worth considering adding a topper for some additional softness and pressure relief because if that solved your pressure relief and firmness issues it would be much less costly than taking a huge loss on the mattress and starting all over again.
Phoenix
PS: I see youāve started a new thread while I was posting this one so Iāve switched these posts to your new thread.
Yes, they honored their part of the original āone time tradeā, but out here, in the loonies, I mean boonies, reputation is important. Its all over priced to begin with and having the āshredā information really chaps my arse !
Now that I have let that steam go. I havenāt read enough here to know the anti Serta way lol . Iām not exactly anti Serta at all. Itās all beautiful, I really have no complaint with either model. My husband actually loved the Prodigy but I couldnāt go that soft and I traded up for the Genius. There was no odor etc. Now were both irritated with the firmness. I DO know, now, that I will either read more or straight up ask opinions here as to what to get next. Pressure points are a huge mess here; shoulder and hips. As for my spouse; military accident. Lower back.
oh yeah, another $150 for a 4" topper - been there - done that - B)
Hi Barb,
I certainly wouldnāt choose a 4" topper which wouldnāt be suitable for most people but if all you need is some extra pressure relief and softness and you choose a good quality topper (4 lbs density or higher in the case of memory foam) that works well for you in combination with your mattress then your problem would be solved and it would work as well as any mattress that was suitable for you without a topper. The top layers of a sleeping system will generally soften and break down before the deeper layers (whether they are a topper or inside the mattress cover) but a suitable topper has the advantage of being replaceable when it softens while if the same layers were inside your mattress you would need to replace the entire mattress even if it is only the top layer that has softened or broken down (which is most likely). A topper can also improve the durability of the layers below it. The topper guidelines here may be useful if you decide to go in that direction and if you up with a suitable combination you would have a good quality sleeping system that is much more suitable for you for much less than the loss you would be taking on the mattress.
Of course this is only a suggestion that may or may not be the direction you wish to pursue.
If they are shredding their returned mattresses then at least you know that they arenāt re-selling it as new which is what some unethical retailers or manufacturers do. Some of them will also sell their returns to liquidators who in turn may sell it as a āscratch and dentā mattress when in fact they are used mattresses. To me this would be a big plus in the reputation of a retailer that they arenāt resorting to unethical business practices. I also donāt think itās reasonable to expect a retailer to take back a second mattress when their policy is only one and I really donāt see how this could harm their reputation if they are transparent and clear about their policies. If a retailer was to go in this direction then the retail cost of their mattresses would need to be raised to make up for it (more than they already are to include one mattress exchange) and that could put their prices out of a competitive market range. Exceptions can quickly become the rule as soon as a retailer does this once ā¦ especially in a smaller community.
Once you are ready to start researching a new mattress then the tutorial post here is the best place to start and has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice ā¦ and hopefully avoid the worst ones.
Phoenix