Searching for Mattresses in Bay Area--1st Time Latex Mattress purchase?

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

Hi all,
My mattress (a Stearns and Foster innerspring firm Wethersfield, purchased in '09) was recently soaked when a pipe burst while my landlord was doing plumbing upstairs…twice, and my “waterproof” mattress protector failed. Fortunately, he’s agreed to replace it. The Wethersfield was a decent enough mattress, I slept well on it, but it was just starting to hammock before getting a fatal shower.

The Wethersfield is no longer made, and apparently it was S&F’s comfort level “I,” whatever that means. I have no idea how the thing was built, layers of polyfoam, types of innerspring, who knows? I was expecting a bit better longevity from it, water damage aside.

I’m considering, after reading through Phoenix’s basic mattress buying guide, of a hybrid polyfoam/latex mattress, such as Brooklyn bedding’s Bamboo Bliss mattress http://www.brooklynbedding.com/latex-mattresses/12-inch-bamboo-latex-mattress
I’m certainly attracted to their swappable Talalay comfort layers, since it will likely take some fine-tuning to get the support and sink-in right with an online purchase. How long is the 2.17lb density HD polyfoam base likely to last?

The mattress.net Queen Eco Sleep Latex looks attractive, too, but I have yet to investigate its construction with their salespeople. Queen Eco Sleep Hybrid Mattress, Eco Sleep Hybrid Latex / Pocket Coil Mattress, Latex Mattresses-Talalay and Dunlop, All Products

Anywhere else in the Bay Area (I’m in Oakland) you’d recommend for a decent value equation, or at least a chance to try a latex and/or a latex hybrid mattress before committing? I’m a bit concerned by wool top layers, as I have a slight wool allergy, but am told that bare latex sleeps hot.

I’m recovering from a motorcycle accident that crushed my foot and did a certain amount of other damage, so comfort and rest have been particularly important.

Budget is about $1100. I’m 5’6" 165 lbs, my partner is 180 and 5’8". We are both about 1/3 side sleepers and 2/3 back sleepers, and both of us prefer things on the firm side. We don’t sleep particularly hot, and the climate here is super mild, so temperature control is not a huge issue; we both sleep pretty soundly, so motion isolation isn’t a huge priority either.

Thanks for your pointers!

2

Hi Quercus,

Stearns & Foster and the other major brands tend to use some fairly low density polyfoam in the comfort layers which will soften faster than higher quality materials. It’s not uncommon at all that in the 3 - 5 year mark they need to be replaced because foam softening leads to the loss of comfort and support (which isn’t covered by a warranty). This is especially true with their mattresses that have thicker comfort layers so perhaps your accident wasn’t such a bad thing.

This is the support layer which is not normally the weak link of a mattress (a mattress softens and breaks down from the top down) and it’s also a high quality material so it would last for many years.

Wool sensitivities generally involve contact so you may be fine with wool quilting. Some of them may be able to provide you with a sample of their cover that you could wear against your skin for a day to make sure you would be OK with it.

The better options in the Oakland area I’m aware of are listed in post #2 here. There are some good options in the general area but I would check websites and/or make some phone calls first to make sure they have some mattresses on their floor that fit your general criteria.

Bare latex will generally sleep warmer with an unquilted cover (although it’s still more breathable and cooler than other foams) but it will also depend on all the other combined factors that can affect sleeping temperature including the softness and thickness of the comfort layers, the type of mattress cover, your mattress protector or any mattress pads you use, and the type of sheets and bedding you use (see post #2 here).

Good luck … and I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up choosing. Of course if you have questions along the way don’t hesitate to post them.

Phoenix

3

Thank you! I’ll head over to European Sleepworks and Select Sleep Mattress soon and see what I can learn.

I am curious to hear any thoughts you might have on the support, feel and longevity of decent-quality polyfoam bases like Brooklyn Beddings vs. the pocket coil/latex combinations available from Select Sleep and Sleepworks.

4

Hi Quercus,

The relative firmness of each (which I’m guessing is what you mean by support) would depend on the IFD of the polyfoam vs the spring rate of the specific type of coil you are comparing it to (which will vary by gauge, height, coil type, number of turns, coil construction, and number of coils). In some cases polyfoam could be firmer and in others it would be the other way around. Both of them can do a good job of keeping your spine in alignment depending on the specifics of the mattress design and all the rest of the layers and components.

In terms of durability … in most cases the support core of a mattress isn’t the weak link of a mattress and I would treat a good quality innerspring and a good quality polyfoam support core as approximate equals in terms of durability although again it can depend on the construction and design of the mattress and the specifics of each.

The biggest difference between them would be in terms of the feel and performance of the mattress. Innersprings are more “springy” and have a different response curve than foam. You can read a little more about some of the differences between a latex support core and an innerspring in post #2 here that would apply to some degree to polyfoam as well except polyfoam would generally be less springy, less responsive, “stiffer”, and less contouring than latex.

Polyfoam would also be less costly than an innerspring.

I think in general terms an innerspring/latex hybrid would be more of a preference issue for someone that preferred this combination in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) vs a latex support core while a polyfoam/latex hybrid would be more of a budget issue for those who were looking for a latex comfort layer but were not in the budget range of being able to use a latex support core underneath it.

Phoenix

5

I ended up talking to a few places by phone, and visiting the European Sleep Works store. I’m glad I tested mattresses in person, as I has a very solid preference for their innerspring/latex hybrid designs. The “liveliness” of the feel and my spine/hip/shoulder alignment all seemed to agree, fortunately. I found their all-latex mattresses were too energy-absorptive in feel for my taste, rather a deadened feeling that I didn’t care for.

I like the idea of a local mattress supplier, and am satisfied with their transparency about materials and somewhat-modular construction, which seems to be of good quality. They also offer a 60-day guarantee in which the top latex layer can be swapped out for a firmer or softer layer at no charge–not as long as the Brooklyn Bedding guarantee, but easier to talk to and no shipping, either.

I ordered an Alpine Classic mattress (2" of latex over innersprings)–can’t wait for it to arrive.

6

Hi Quercus,

As you know I think highly of Berkeley Ergonomics and I think you made a good choice for all the preferences and reasons you mentioned.

Congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

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

Phoenix

7

The mattress arrived yesterday, and as I was able to sleep a solid 10 hours on it, I’m pleased so far! There was a little off-gassing from the latex, but it wasn’t enough to be disruptive. I added one of their woven cotton mattress pads, threw on my sheets, and settled in for some great sleep.

8

Hi Quertin,

Thanks for the update … 10 hours of sleep on your first night on a new mattress sounds promising :slight_smile:

Phoenix.