The first place I would start your research is the tutorial post here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines you will need to make the best possible choice. It also includes the answers to many of your questions
Once you are at step 3 then the better options and possibilities Iâm aware of are listed in post #2 here which also includes Texas Mattress Makers who is the newest member of the site (they were just added today) which means they are among the manufacturers or retailers that I think highly of and believe compete well with the best in the industry.
If you follow all the steps in the tutorial post you will end up making a great choice. As you will also read ⌠outside of careful and objective testing for PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences), the most important part of a mattress purchase is to make sure that you know the quality of all the materials inside your mattress (see this article). The quality guidelines I use are in post #4 here and if you find out and list the information about all the materials in the mattress in the forum (and they will provide these to you) Iâd be happy to comment on the quality of the materials inside the mattress or the mattress in general.
I went to two Houston mattress makers today and wanted to share my experience.
HOUSTON MATTRESS FACTORY
I first tried two natural latex mattresses. My trouble is that I could not tell much of a difference between them. As described by the owner, they were:
(1)
Support layer(s): 9 to 10 inches of 28-30 ILD Dunlop latex, in progressive layers (firmer on bottom)
Comfort layer: 2 inches of 24 ILD Talalay latex
This felt comfortable, but harder than the bed Iâm used to. That being said, it felt good. It had a perimeter beam and cotton cover. The total cost was $1670 for a King, I believe. Is that a good deal?
(2)
Reversible mattress
Support layer: 5.5 inches of 22 ILD Dunlop latex
Comfort layer(s): 1.25 inches of 24 ILD Talalay latex, on each side
The King size was $2200, being more expensive because it is reversible, I was told.
No perimeter beam. Even though the support layer was softer than #1, it felt about equally firm.
I then tried a âMurphyâ bed:
(3)
Support layer: 3-4 inches of ILD 33 synthetic latex called XL33
Comfort layer(s): 3-5 inches of polyfoam, ILD 15
Perimeter beam
King price was $844.
I like the softness of this one a bit better than the first two. But I am concerned that the synthetic latex loses some of the benefits, and its buried in polyfoam, which I am concerned will degrade more quickly.
Does that make sense to anyone?
TEXAS MATTRESS MAKERS
The showroom was somewhat nicer here, but the return/improvement policy did not feel as flexible.
I tried several latex mattresses with a bamboo cover, which felt nice.
But the salesmax (Lax), who was nice, steered me to this bed:
âMadridâ
Support layer: 8" of âmicrocoilsâ (Quantum trademarked pocketed coils)
Comfort layer: 1" of 2.5lb 33 ILD polyfoam.
No perimeter
King $1900
Would someone point me to some information on the âmicrocoilsâ and whether they are any better than regular pocketed coils? I think the salesman was explaining that having more of them allowed finer pressure relief. I am concerned about durability, squeaking, etc. compared to latex. The price of $1900 seemed high for a non-latex bed, but is that consistent with âmicrocoilsâ?
I am also concerned that the comfort layer had polyfoam instead of latex. Would that be a concern to anyone else?
I would want to know the blend of the latex and I would also want to know the thickness of all the layers in the mattress (see this article) so that you have confirmed that all the layers and materials are included in your description but if all the layers are latex and there are no other materials then there would be no weak link in the design.
There is more about the most important parts of the âvalueâ of a mattress in post #13 here. As you can see there is much more to the value of any mattress purchase than just the price you pay or the cost of the raw materials. Value is always relative to how a mattress compares to other similar mattresses or to any other mattresses you are considering and are available to you and are included in your finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are important to you. While I donât know whether the price you quoted is for a âmattress onlyâ and Iâm not sure if you included all the layers in the mattress in your description, or any of the other criteria that may be important to you and their âvalueâ to you (such as return or exchange policies) ⌠the price seems to be very reasonable for a 9" to 10" latex mattress. Iâm not sure what you mean by a âperimeter beamâ if you are referring to some type of edge support then there is more in post #3 here about edge support for latex mattresses.
I would make sure you do some careful testing on this mattress to make sure that itâs a good match for you in terms of PPP because the ILD of the support core is a little softer than the norm ⌠and again I would want to know the blend of the latex ⌠but if you are confident that itâs a good match for you then there would be no weak links in this mattress either. There is more about the pros and cons of a two sided mattress in post #3 here and the posts it links to.
Polyfoam comes in a very wide range of grades from very low quality to very high quality and unfortunately these specs are incomplete and are missing the density of the polyfoam layers so I canât make any meaningful comments about it. If you can confirm that the latex is actually synthetic latex (and not just polyfoam that may have a tiny percentage of latex inside it) and the density of the polyfoam comfort layers then Iâd be happy to make some comments about the quality of the materials or let you know if I can see any obvious weak links in the design. I would make sure that the law tag includes latex in the materials (it should be well over 50% of the materials by weight if these are all the materials in this mattress).
You can read a little more about Quantum Coils in post #5 here and in post #8 here. They are high quality pocket coils (although they are also more costly than many other innersprings) and 2.5 lb polyfoam is also a very high quality and durable material so if these are all the layers in this mattress and nothing is âmissingâ then there would be no weak links in this mattress either.
As you probably also know Texas Mattress Makers is also a member of this site which means that I think highly of them and I believe they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency.
You are certainly looking at some good options (with the exception of #3 because I donât have enough information to say anything about it) and you have some very good final choices that would all be well worth considering.
I bought a mattress from Texas Mattress Makers. The quality is unsurpassed. I got the model with the micro-coils and then a thin layer of memory foam on top. I LIKE it and it is top quality, but realized I donât need that. Iâd be happy without falling for the âmemory foamâ crazy which I was actually tried to steer away from at TMM, but I was hell bent that the more you pay the better, and memory foam equals comfort. I wasnât wrong, but wasnât right. Iâd prefer no foam. Iâm a firm-support, could guy. But the mattress is great, I would now just prefer a little firmer mattress. But I sleep like a pig in poop every night. Maybe I sleep too wellâŚ
At Houston Mattress Factory, I think Iâve eliminated (2) and would focus on (1) and (3). Iâve read your linked articles and will follow up to get the blend of latex, if blended. I can confirm that the âperimeter beamâ the owner spoke of is an edge support beam. Thank you for linking to the article on those; it was helpful in understanding that this may be the âweak pointâ of a bed.
At Texas Mattress Makers, I will check if there are any âmissingâ layers. Iâm just a bit hesitant on that model because I had a preconceived notion that latex offered the best long term value and had other benefits (breathability, heat dispersal, dust mite resistant, hypoallergenic), and now Iâm focusing on a mattress with no latex at all. Would it make sense to ask about switching the 2.5# 33ILD polyfoam comfort layer for a 33ILD latex layer?
The salesman did a test where I laid down on my back, and he put his fists on either side of me, pretty close, and pushed down. On the Quantum coils, I could not really feel it. On the latex, I could feel it a bit more. Iâm not sure what that test shows, however. Is that a standard test in the industry?
I suppose it would show that if I had my wife or a child sleeping next to me on latex, it might remove the support for my back or hips. But maybe Iâm missing something.
Let me thank you again for the wonderful resources on this site.
Post #13 here that I linked earlier has more about the most important parts of the âvalueâ of a mattress purchase based on each personâs individual needs and preferences and the most suitable choice or âbest valueâ for one person may be very different from the most suitable choice or âbest valueâ for someone else.
There is also more about the many variables that can affect temperature regulation in post #2 here but springs are more breathable than any type of foam (although the support components arenât as big a factor in temperature regulation as the materials and components of a mattress that are closer to you). There is also more about dust mite allergies in post #2 here
Switching out the 2.5 lb polyfoam may not be an option they even have available but even if it was it would be a different mattress that may not be as suitable for you in terms of PPP. The ILD of latex also isnât comparable to the ILD of polyfoam (see post #6 here). Unless you had the chance to test a different mattress in person ⌠it probably wouldnât make a great deal of sense to make changes that can add to the uncertainty or risk of the choice you are making.
I arenât really any âstandardâ tests for testing for PPP but they were helping you to experience the difference between different materials in terms of motion isolation and how much one personâs movement can be felt by someone else that is sleeping on the mattress. It would also show the âpoint elasticityâ of the materials (how exactly a material can conform to a body shape without affecting the surface area around it) which can also affect how much one person sinking in to the mattress can affect the other person on the mattress if you sleep close together (the heavier person can create a valley that the other one may roll into). The âbestâ test to check for motion isolation or for a couple to know how much one person will affect the other one though would be to test a mattress together.
I have a bit more information on a mattress I at which we are looking at this store, but was hoping for some help understanding the technical specs. Here is a photo of the innards of the mattress:
The top layer is 2.25" of âcooling gel,â which specs out as âAUGâ or âAerus Gelâ from Brenham Gel in Texas.
The second layer is 2.25" of 3.5lb. Visco Memory Foam âFXIâ
[li] The bottom layer is 2.25" of 5 lb Visco Memory Foam, with an ILD I believe is 35.
I know from reading this site that mattress wear from the top layer down. So my primary question is whether this Aerus cooling gel has longeviety and will be prone to forming body impressions. When I tested it, it rebounds to its flat shape in just 2 or 3 seconds, like memory foam.
There are benefits to such a soft gel layer in terms of contouring to my body. Especially since I am 6â4" 180" and broad in the shoulder; so when I sleep on my side, a âsquishierâ top layer could help accommodate the shoulder sinking in.
But I am just concerned about it forming body impressions, losing its resilience over time, and it making it harder to roll over or shift positions slightly on the bed. Any thoughts?
Or any thoughts on whether a âcooling gelâ really works to cool the body?
Besides that âcooling gelâ layer, do you see any weak links in the rest of the mattress?
Does a price of $1865 for a King mattress sound like a good value?
TEXAS MATTRESS MAKER
At this store, we are narrowing in on the âMadridâ mattress, which has this design:
Top layer is 3" if 30 ILD support foam
Middle layer is 8" of âQuantumâ pocket coils
Bottom layer is 1" of 2.5lb 33ILD polyfoam
This is a very different feel from the âcooling gelâ mattress I just discussed â you sink in less, and feel more pushed up against immediately. I know I have to determine âPPP.â But are there any weak links in this design? And would it be a âgood valueâ at $1800?
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 "neverâ sell that design because the coils dig into the Latex. Does that make sense to anyone? Has anyone seen that happening?
If I had to do it again, this is what Iâd do. I would stop thinking for myself in a field I have limited knowledge in and take the advice of the pros who are in this for life: just get a solid coil/microcoil mattress from Houston Mattress Makers and then adjust as wanted. Itâs really not that big of a deal. You have to trust me when I say this because Iâve been through the fire of a mattress purchase and am on the other side. I thought about my mattress, OBSESSED about my mattress, but in the end itâs really only a place youâre going to spend half your life.
Question 1: Memory Foam vs Coils?
If after you do your due diligence as Phoenix suggests and you still just donât know: you are coils. You can always add a topper. I love New Balance shoes. A buddy of mine likes cheap shoes and just puts a quality insert in them. You donât want to be stuck with something you obsess over and canât change. You can always add that layer of memory foam or latex which will be supported by the coils. I know you donât want to spend a lot of money and then have to modify the mattress to your liking, but tough it out. You will be happier.
Question 2: The mattress is in my house, what now?
When my mattress arrived at my home, I expected angels to be singing as I drifted off into the sweet sandmanâs arms. That is not realistic. The mattress is much different in your house, and much different after six months. They say that there is a âbreak in periodâ to any mattress. Thatâs half you breaking in the mattress and half the mattress breaking in you. My mattress has coils and then a thin layer of memory foam.
The first period of break-in:
During the first couple months of break-in, I was always conscious about the memory foam. I thought I may have made a mistake. After ALL that research and searching and and questioning, I knew more about mattresses than a majority of the salespeople I talked to. At that point, I knew more about mattresses than I will ever know in my life.
Which leads me to another tip: a salesperson is not a mattress professional. Outside of the Houston stores recommended on this fantastic site, I met ONE person who knew as much about mattresses as I did. That was at the DUMP, which actually had some pretty good mattresses, but their sales pressure tactics are vicious. The knowledgable salesperson I had was low-key and informative and we had a great discussion about mattresses, but his âmanagerâ came up at one point to another salesperson within my earshot and said, âhey we only have two of these left.â Which they might have. Except that I asked my salesperson about it and he said that wasnât true and the mattress would probably be available through the next weekend. Only go in there if you have the power to leave.
Which leads me to another comical story. I walked into one of the big chainâs warehouse store next to Gallery Furniture (where I went to âlook for a mattressâ as an excuse to see the monkeys and birds and Mattress Mack), and the whole time I was educating him on mattresses. Eventually, I humored him, sat at the desk and had the âtable talkâ. I told him I was thinking about the other mattresses Iâd seen, especially from Texas Mattress Makers (I went there three times before I bought the mattress). I told him I want to do all the research I could before I purchased a mattress. He pulled out his calculator, punched in some numbers and said, âlook, do you want to have the best sleep of your life tonight? Iâll tell you what. Iâll give you this price (punches in some numbers) if you buy right now. You know what, Iâll even give you this price (punches in more numbers). We donât even make money off this price. If you find a mattress similar to this one at that Texas Mattress Makers that is cheaper than this, Iâll refund any of the differenceâ. Right buddy. Which is a tip in and of itself. Once you buy a mattress, YOUR SEARCH IS OVER. Let it go.
If youâve really studied this site, try going into one of the big chains and just ask open ended questions and listen to the responses. Itâs almost comical. You know more than almost any salesperson out there because youâre passionate about it and theyâre not. BUT you donât know more than a mattress lifer. A mattress professional will know what you know plus 20 years of experience. Trust those people. A great mattress sells itself.
The second period of break-in:
After a few months, I forgot to think about it.
The third period of break-in:
The third period (about 6 months in), where I am now, the mattress is awesome. I mean itâs a mattress. Itâs everything I would expect. To use a baseball analogy, the best umpires are the ones you donât even know are there. I havenât consciously thought about my mattress since this thread got replied to and I got an e-mail. The memory foam has settled down, and Iâve found new sleeping positions. I used to be a 100% back sleeper, never sleeping on my side, now I find myself doing it sometimes and I like it. When I answered âunknownâ to coils vs memory foam, I immediately answered memory foam because I wanted to like it. My current mattress from Texas Mattress Makers does have the thin layer of memory foam above the micro-coils and then the base. The people there make mattresses. They live mattresses. Mattresses pay for their life. Trust them. Reading about mattresses is a great way to know what youâre getting, but it gets to a point where you will not know what youâre getting. Once again with the analogies, itâs like reading about how to throw a curveballl.
My advice would be:
Know that the mattress in the store will be much different from the one in your home. Ask questions about this and trust the professional who lets you know what to expect.
If you think the mattress is at all too soft, donât get it. You can always make it softer.
DO NOT get wrapped up in the hype of memory foam vs. latex vs. coils. But be knowledgable.
Memory foam is different from your coil mattress, be sure you like that feeling.
My first few nights with my mattress, I didnât know if the memory foam topper and myself would âgelâ. I thought I might have gone overboard and cursed the seductive space-age name of âmemory foamâ. But now itâs fine. Iâm not unhappy itâs there, but I do wish that I had a little more opportunity to soften up the bed or make it harder at my own whim via a topper, but it works just fine and I donât have to mess with it. Iâm comfy every night. My mattress broke me in, or I broke it in, or something happened. I donât love it, I donât hate it. Itâs my nighttime umpire: I always sleep sound, never wake up with any problems whatsoever, and best of all, I never even know itâs there.
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 âcooling gel,â which specs out as âAUGâ or âAerus Gelâ from Brenham Gel in Texas.
The second layer is 2.25" of 3.5lb. Visco Memory Foam âFXIâ
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 wouldnât be 35 ILD but ILD isnât a spec you need to know anyway because itâs a âcomfort specâ which you can feel rather than a âquality specâ which affect the durability of the material.
[quote]Top layer is 3" if 30 ILD support foam
Middle layer is 8" of âQuantumâ pocket coils
Bottom layer is 1" of 2.5lb 33ILD polyfoam[/quote]
While itâs 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.
You can read more about gel memory foam in post #2 here. The gel can have âsome effectâ on temperature regulation for a little while when you first go to sleep at night until temperatures equalize.
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 donât have the issues that they are mentioning.
