Review of the Ultimate Dreams mattress

I just ordered mine and can’t wait.

Hi Nealdo,

Congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

You won’t have to wait too long because they normally ship very quickly.

I hope you have the chance to share your feedback once you receive it.

Phoenix

so after a long debate i ordered the UD 10" latex mattress in a 28 ILD. i also ordered the wire frame from amazon you posted in the bed frame thread. got the mattress friday. quality looks nice. i was a little disappointed though, the only thing i wasn’t expecting was that the mattress has a pillow top with that 1.5 " of polyfoam in the quilting. thats really not listed in the description. after two nights i have some lower back pain, not terrible, but definitely not what i was expecting. i thought the mattress would be more like a tight top or that the polyfoam was highly compressed. the pillow top makes the mattress seem way to soft. i have to call chuck tomorrow but i dont know what to do, i am pretty confident it is not the latex, i actually went a step higher than i was thinking of getting originally which was an ILD 24. and the mattress i liked in the store has the following specs below.

1" talalay latex 16 ILD
2" Soy Based High Density 2LB polyfoam 19 ILD
2" Dunlop Latex 24 ILD
6 1/2" Soy Based 1.8 LB Polyfoam 28 ILD

so that leads me to believe that its not the ILD i chose but the top quilting/pillow top. i really wish i would have known that prior to purchasing. i was thinking maybe get another 2" latex topper or 2" memory foam topper to sit on top of the existing pillow top to give the bed more of a tight top feeling. like i said i will call chuck on monday but figured i would ask around here since there is a wealth of knowledge here.
thanks

Hi suffolk,

It actually is listed in their descriptions (see the product description here) and is also mentioned in many threads around the forum. There have even been threads that talked about how they changed the quilting pattern for some of their customers to create a firmer or softer surface that was “in between” their regular comfort choices. Their description couldn’t be more clear that they use 1.5" of soft reflex foam in their quilting.

Your comfort choice is actually a fairly “standard” choice but softness and firmness is subjective and varies with each person’s perceptions. For some people your choice would be too firm. For some it would be too soft, and for many it would be just right. I would give it some time though to let the mattress break in and for you to go through the initial adjustment period that is part of every new mattress purchase. I should also clarify that this mattress isn’t a pillow top (which has a separate layer that is attached to the mattress like a separate “pillow” and the attachment is recessed like this… it’s what is normally called a tight top.
ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: 1800mattress.com/en/1800-Mattress-Collection-Hotel-Premium-Pillow-Top-Mattress_73624/.

Your mattress has a very different design than the one you mentioned and there are many different specs that contribute the “feeling” of softness and firmness in a mattress besides just ILD along but based only on ILD then the mattress you listed would appear to be softer overall than the mattress you chose … although again softness and firmness are very subjective and “best guesses” based on averages that are part of an online purchase may be accurate for most but of course not for everyone.

If your mattress is already too soft then adding a topper is not a good idea because the softer layers would still compress under the topper and could create an alignment issue (or make an existing issue worse). It’s fairly easy to soften up a mattress that is too firm but it’s not very effective to make a mattress firmer by adding layers on top and would normally require the softer layers in either the core or comfort layers to be replaced with firmer or thinner layers. There are some options that may help (at least partially or temporarily) in post #4 here.

Your best course of action would be to do what you are doing and talk to them. If your order was fulfilled by Amazon then you would be covered by their large items return policy but if it was fulfilled by Dreamfoam then it would be best to discuss any options you may have with them.

Phoenix

i guess i was expecting the 1.5" of polyfoam to be tightly compressed, this definitely does not feel like a tight top to me. guess thats subjective too but from my experience at the mattress stores the plush feel in the top inches that feels more like a pillow would be a pillow top. now i have to figure out what to do to get rid of that pillow top feeling. memory foam or another 2" of latex…thats the big question. any advice?
thanks

Hi suffolk,

Oops … I hit submit on my last reply before it was complete.

This is very true and softness and firmness is completely subjective and varies with each person. One person’s “too soft” is another person’s “too firm” and there is no “formula” that can predict what someone will feel on a mattress outside of their own personal experience. Again though … I would always give a new mattress some time to get used to a new sleeping surface because your perceptions can change significantly over the course of the first few weeks.

In general … adding a topper to a mattress that is too soft can make an existing alignment issue worse because you would be adding even more soft foam to the top of the mattress which would “allow” your pelvis to sink down even further. firmer toppers will still “bend” into the softer layers below them.

Post #4 here has some suggestions that may be helpful.

Phoenix

Have any people who sleep very hot tried this bed? I’m in LA and have problems with overheating. I’m 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 you’re waiting for any replies from other members … 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. I’ll be sure to report back at regular intervals to let everyone know how we’re getting along once it arrives.

Hi Deeoh,

I’m glad you found us and that the forum could help.

You certainly made a good quality/value choice and I’m looking forward to your feedback once you’ve slept on it and of course from time to time as you have the chance.

Congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Thanks for the info everyone. I’m 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. I’m 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 isn’t 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 “averages” 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. It’s 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 :stuck_out_tongue:
But I’ve 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 … like working :slight_smile:

In any case … congratulations on your new mattress … 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 I’ve 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 it’s 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:

  1. How’s 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?

  2. 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 don’t personally own this mattress … 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 “virtual impressions” 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 Dreamfoam’s 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 don’t 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 don’t even apply to the mattress she purchased. I also don’t believe she has the knowledge or experience to put the change into context and she certainly doesn’t 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 I’d be happy to let you know of any of the better options or possibilities I’m 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 wouldn’t find anything that was a “duplicate” 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 “feel” 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 you’ve 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.
I’ll check out the links on your post.
We are in Auburn, CA 95603

thanks!
~Melinda

Hi MelindaCA,

Some of the better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Sacramento region are listed in post #5 here.

Phoenix

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