Hi Grizzlymann,
Some of the better options or possibilities Iâm aware of in the Dayton area are listed in post #5 here.
Phoenix
Interesting, Iâm 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 couldnât 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 isnât as highly rated here (or with anyone that focuses on the quality/value of the materials in a mattress) because their quality isnât 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 âplaying fairâ even though that may not be a particularly happy outcome for you.
Having said that ⌠Iâve 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 youâve started a new thread while I was posting this one so Iâve switched these posts to your new thread.
Yes, they honored their part of the original âone time tradeâ, but out here, in the loonies, I mean boonies, reputation is important. Its all over priced to begin with and having the âshredâ information really chaps my arse !
Now that I have let that steam go. I havenât read enough here to know the anti Serta way lol . Iâm not exactly anti Serta at all. Itâs all beautiful, I really have no complaint with either model. My husband actually loved the Prodigy but I couldnât 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 wouldnât choose a 4" topper which wouldnât 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 arenât 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 âscratch and dentâ mattress when in fact they are used mattresses. To me this would be a big plus in the reputation of a retailer that they arenât resorting to unethical business practices. I also donât think itâs reasonable to expect a retailer to take back a second mattress when their policy is only one and I really donât 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 ⌠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 ⌠and hopefully avoid the worst ones.
Phoenix
Thought Iâd say, the Genius sells for $1699.00 - it is firm, and again, I have nothing bad to say about its quality other than itâs too firm for me - So, if you like firm - this one is for you @ $1200.00 SALE PRICE !!!
This is a good deal . . . . . . .
Hi Barb,
The problem with the Genius is that the firm poplyfoam layer below the memory foam in the Genius that gives it its firm feel is very low density/quality and subject to softening so it may not maintain its firmness or feel over time (see post #11 here).
I would also consider lowering your price somewhat because there are many new memory foam mattresses that have 3" of 4 lb memory foam over a polyfoam base layer (like the iComfort) that are in the same price range as what you are selling this for. The original price of the iComfort mattresses are not good value compared to other mattresses that use similar or better quality materials and designs so $1200 may not be a particularly good deal compared to other similar new mattresses that the people on this forum have access to. You can see some examples in the list of online memory foam mattresses in post #12 here (just look for memory foam mattresses that use 3" of 4 lb memory foam over a polyfoam base layer).
This is not to discourage you from selling it but to make sure that anyone that is considering it can make some âapples to applesâ comparisons with other mattresses that are as good or better in terms of quality and have a lower price new than what you are asking for the Genius.
Phoenix
Hello All,
I am 90% sure Iâm gonna get the Ultimate Dreams 10" Latex Mattress from Amazon thanks to the all info provided about this mattress on this forum. It has definitely helped me narrow down my choices.
I am planning to use this mattress with an Ikea bed frame and using their slatted bed base (Luroy). From what i read, the slats shouldnât be more than 3" apart but I couldnât find any info if that is the case with these slats. So I was wondering if anyone else out there has used this mattress/slat combo and how are the results.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Phil203,
The Ultimate Dreams has a polyfoam base layer so the slats wouldnât need to be as close together as a latex core (although it can still be a good idea) but either way the Luroy should work fine. I donât own one myself and hopefully a forum member that does will see your post and share their experience with it but they do have some flex to them which may change how the mattress feels a little compared to a non flexing support surface.
Phoenix
Ok awesome Iâll go ahead and get that combo.
Another question: How would I take advantage of TMU discount with Dreamfoam and get that free shredded latex pillow along with the mattress order? Would I just let Chuck know that Iâm a member in the email he will send me about what level firmness I want for my mattress?
Thanks again for all your help Phoenix.
Hi Phil203,
As long as your order is fulfilled by Dreamfoam and not fulfilled by Amazon (who are not a member of the site) all you need to do is call them or send them an email right after your order and they will include the pillow bonus 
Phoenix
Amazon is also charging sales tax in some states now, so I saved about $75 choosing dreamfoam as seller as they didnât add the tax.
Hi,
I am 6 â 185 â 190. I am in the market for a new mattress.
I had been looking mostly at memory foam because I like the sinking in feeling but not too deep. Maybe in the range of an icomfort inception or Tempurpedic cloud supreme (after it has softened a bitâI tried a floor model that had been on the floor over a year).
While on a chat with Jacob at Brooklyn, he suggested latex. I told him I liked a bit of the sinking in caress memory foam gives but really not so much that I feel I am âinâ the mattress, more like I have sunk somewhat into the surface layer. I asked if latex was too bouncy and he said in the lower ILDs it shouldnât be.
After our chat I tried a latex mattress at Verlo and found it way too bouncy and did not âfeelâ much conforming, although the rep said I looked great (in terms of conforming and potential pressure relief). They werenât able to tell me the ILD but I wondered how less bouncy and more conforming the lower ILDs would be.
Currently I need pressure relief. I have been sleeping on a Bedinabox pacbed original with only 3â of 3 lb. foam and after 2 years I am sinking down too far to the support layer. This has resulted in pain in both my upper arms as well as in my back and joints,
Jacob suggested the Aloe Alexis but it is out of my price range (unless I absolutely needed it to relieve the painâthen I could maybe swing it but it would be hard. I saw the DreamFoam Ultimate Dreams latex mattress on Amazon and I wonder if I can get away with that.
I am concerned that if the 3â latex layer is too firm it will be too bouncy and not allow me to sink in at all; and if it is too soft I will sink right down to the support layer.
Is it true that with the proper ILD you can sink in a bit into a latex layer? And also in the lower ILDs that it will not be bouncy?
In order to try to get the most bang for my buck, I was thinking that, if I needed an extra 3â of latex, I could add a latex topper to Ultimate Dreams for much less money than the Aloe Alexis.
Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
Hi ddcfri,
This is one of the disadvantages of 3 lb memory foam which is a less durable material and will soften faster than higher density memory foams.
[quote]Jacob suggested the Aloe Alexis but it is out of my price range (unless I absolutely needed it to relieve the painâthen I could maybe swing it but it would be hard. I saw the DreamFoam Ultimate Dreams latex mattress on Amazon and I wonder if I can get away with that.
I am concerned that if the 3â latex layer is too firm it will be too bouncy and not allow me to sink in at all; and if it is too soft I will sink right down to the support layer.
Is it true that with the proper ILD you can sink in a bit into a latex layer? And also in the lower ILDs that it will not be bouncy?[/quote]
Like all of their mattresses ⌠the Ultimate Dreams is certainly a good quality/value choice and if you choose the most suitable ILD for you it can certainly do a good job in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) but latex will never feel like memory foam because itâs a fast response material and memory foam is a slow response material (see post #2 here for more about how they compare). You would sink in more deeply into lower ILD latex than higher ILDâs but even low ILD latex is more resilient than memory foam although it would be less âbouncyâ than higher ILDâs. The best way to know how you would feel about lower ILD latex would be to test it locally and see how you liked it. Like any material ⌠no matter what the benefits of latex may be ⌠if you donât like how it feels then it probably wouldnât be the best choice for you.
Thatâs certainly an option but it can also be somewhat difficult to choose the thickness and ILD of a topper that is a good match for you on a specific mattress in terms of PPP and if the latex in the Ultimate Dreams was already soft enough for you and you didnât need the additional pressure relief from a topper, then if you add more soft layers on top of the mattress there would be a risk of alignment issues. I wouldnât add a topper to a mattress if you didnât need it just for the sake of having more latex. The best reason to add a topper is to add additional pressure relief to a mattress that is too firm.
Phoenix
Hi,
I am tossing out our 12 year firm coil, pillow top mattress for a new version due to developing back pain.
I am shopping for a new mattress and I am very interested in purchasing a Latex mattress for improved support and durability. I have been looking at both the Ultimate Dreams and the Total Latex and would like to know what are the benefits of going with an all Latex version compared to the hybrid Ultimate Dreams aside from just the price. My spouse and I prefer a firm bed for our weights and back issues and do not want a bed that it too soft. I am also concerned about the odor, since we both have some sinus allergies. We are not allergic to latex specifically. We generally do not like pillow top mattresses of any kind.
- Does one of these mattresses differ in terms of the odor and length of time it takes to air out?
- Does one of these mattresses (starting at equivalent firmness) soften up faster over time/use?
- Does either of these mattresses provide a better value?
- I have not been able to find many reviews on the 100% Latex version for purposes of comparison; do you have any recommendations?
Specs: weights 140 pounds side/front sleeper and 240 pounds side/back sleeper.
Thanks
Hi Lshpfrosty,
Post #2 here has more about the pros and cons of an all latex mattress vs a latex/polyfoam hybrid. The Total latex mattress also allows you to customize the support and comfort layers and allows for comfort exchanges as well whileif you need to make an adjustment to your comfort layer while the Ultimate Dreams latex allows you to choose the comfort layer but there are no exchange options after your purchase. The total latex also has wool in the cover which is a more temperature regulating material while the Ultimate Dreams is quilted with polyfoam.
There shouldnât be much difference no and most people would be able to sleep on it right away.
This would depend on your weight to some degree but the polyfoam support core in the hybrid would be less durable and soften more than the latex support core in the Total latex mattress. How much this will make a difference would depend on how much you are sinking in to the layers under the comfort layer.
The âvalueâ of a mattress purchase depends on the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including how well it matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP).
While assessing the âcommodity valueâ of a mattress isnât really a useful measure of value since a mattress is more than the cost per inch of foam or the cost per pound of fabric (like buying a suit based on the cost per pound of fabric) ⌠in most cases the mattresses made by the same manufacturer would have similar âcommodity valueâ across their lineup with perhaps slightly higher margins in the higher budget ranges.
Reviews wonât tell you much if anything about how well a mattress will match your own unique needs and preferences in terms of PPP (see post #13 here) but any all latex mattress will be a very durable choice regardless of which manufacturer makes it. If you canât test a mattress (or a very similar mattress) in person then the best source of guidance would be the retailer or manufacturer who will know more about their mattresses than anyone and will be the best source of guidance that can help you choose the options that you believe would be the best âmatchâ for you (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
With your weight differences it may be worth considering a âsplitâ construction where each side is customized for different body types or sleeping positions and are available in king sizes.
Phoenix
Have been looking at various mattresses for a few months now - Presently sleeping on a futon for the last 6 months. Decided I definitely wanted to give latex a try; but have yet to find any in stores locally. Spotted the Ultimate Dreams mattress on Amazon and have been seriously considering it (the high reviews and bang for the buck factor are definitely there); but have also been looking at the Brooklyn Bedding web site and see thereâs the Tri-Comfort all latex mattress for a bit more money. Didnât want to get up into the thou$and$ for an all latex mattress; but that one looks do-able. Still trying to sort things out - This site has been a Godsend⌠
Hi IronMan,
Iâm glad you found us ⌠and welcome :).
Youâre certainly looking at some good options and Iâm looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding.
Post #2 here may be helpful as well.
Phoenix
I have been following this forum a lot and have read through this post but still have some questions. I am very overwhelmed by all of this, but I love this forum. Please let me know of a way to donate to the site, I love supporting websites like this.
Anyways, Iâm pretty interested in the âUltimate Dreams Natural Latex Mattressâ and was wondering, does anyone know if this uses the 2.35lb foam or the 1.5lb foam? Is there much of a difference?
Me and my partner really liked the feeling of the Tempurpedic Contour Allour when we went to the mattress store down the road but cannot really stomach the $4500 price point. Will the Ultimate Dreams provide the same kind of feel? I suppose that the Contour Allour is hard to measure up against the Ultimate Dreams because of the different layers of HD & ES foam that work together, but nonetheless any input would be appreciated. If we take the firmest mattress that Tempurpedic has to offer, how would that mattress correlate on the Ultimate Dreams 1-10 scale?
We wish there was a place around here in St. Louis, MO to test out this mattress.
If we like the Contour Allour, what ILD or firmness level (1-10) do you think would work best when ordering the Ultimate Dreams? Does the Eurotop model make a difference? Is that the equivalent of a plush pillow top? Is it better to error on the side of getting a firmer bed than a softer one because of break-in and whatnot?
Would we notice much of a difference between the Ultimate Dreams Latex vs the Ultimate Dreams Natural Latex vs the Ultimate Dreams Full Latex models?
Overall we like it medium-firm, not mushy but bed that feels nice a solid but still be able to sink into a little and feel like weâre cradled into place. We sleep on our backs and sides equally it seems like, but never on the stomach.
Would this bed work with an adjustable base as well?
Our apartment is also set-up to where we couldnât move a queen boxspring upstairs so we had to buy split boxes. For this bed we were thinking about getting a king sized since it comes in such a compact form. When we move and the bed is at itâs fullest, would we be able to compress it again to move it back down? I was thinking that we could use a bunch of those ratchet-action tie-down straps that you could buy from any hardware store.
Thanks in advance for the help.
-Ray