Searching for a mattress...take 4

[phoenix]

Hi camb,

I would need to know the complete specs to make any meaningful comments about either mattress (see this article).

[quote]The top layer is 2.25" of “cooling gel,” which specs out as “AUG” or “Aerus Gel” from Brenham Gel in Texas.
The second layer is 2.25" of 3.5lb. Visco Memory Foam “FXI”
The bottom layer is 2.25" of 5 lb Visco Memory Foam, with an ILD I believe is 35.[/quote]

The density of the top layer of gel memory foam is missing. The specs are also missing at least one layer of polyfoam on the bottom (I would need to know the details of all the layers that add up to the height of the mattress). The bottom layer of memory foam wouldn’t be 35 ILD but ILD isn’t a spec you need to know anyway because it’s a “comfort spec” which you can feel rather than a “quality spec” which affect the durability of the material.

[quote]Top layer is 3" if 30 ILD support foam
Middle layer is 8" of “Quantum” pocket coils
Bottom layer is 1" of 2.5lb 33ILD polyfoam[/quote]

While it’s likely to be fine because Texas Mattress Makers tends to use high quality materials … I would need to know the density of the top layer of polyfoam in this one as well to make any meaningful comments about it.

Or any thoughts on whether a “cooling gel” really works to cool the body?

You can read more about gel memory foam in post #2 here. The gel can have “some effect” on temperature regulation for a little while when you first go to sleep at night until temperatures equalize.

The salesman at Texas Mattress Maker also encouraged us to look at a mattress that has 8" of pocket coils, topped by 3" of Talalay latex. I still think there are benefits to Latex. But the owner of Houston Mattress Factory said he would "never’ sell that design because the coils dig into the Latex. Does that make sense to anyone? Has anyone seen that happening?

Mattresses that use latex over pocket coils are a preference for many people who prefer the feel and durability of having latex on their sleeping surface and like the feel and response and familiarity of having pocket coils as their support system. There are many manufacturers that make this type of mattress and if they use a good quality pocket coil with a reasonable coil count to support the latex (or in some cases a layer above the coils to even out the support of the coils) they can make a very high quality and durable choice that certainly don’t have the issues that they are mentioning.

Phoenix