Phoenix,
I had 2 questions. In a recent post titled “Taking the plunge with my very first memory foam mattress purchase - A Select Foam Cirrus Luxe-ES 13,” you said, “They have actually tested their mattresses against the Tempur-pedics they compare them with using side by side customer feedback in their store as well as their own testing and the quality of the materials they use is similar or better,” talking about Select Foam. I have been unable to find any stores that offer Select Foam. I live in Huntsville, Alabama and would love to be able to try out this brand before I buy anything.
I have laid down on every Tempur-Pedic mattress available and honestly can’t tell which would be the best for me without actually sleeping on one. I really like the description that Select Foam gives for its Regalis bed, but I would like to try it in store first. I know the Regalis is supposed to compare to Tempur-Pedic’s Rhapsody Breeze, but I don’t know exactly how similar they would be. And I also don’t even know if I like the Rhapsody Breeze, having not slept on it yet.
My second question is about Dynasty Mattress. I’ve noticed that you don’t seem to trust them very much. And with good reason, as they give little details on the materials that they use. But I just can’t turn away from all of these great reviews. I was wondering what you thought of their newer gel mattress, found at “https://www.amazon.com/DynastyMattress-Breeze-12-Inch-Memory-Mattress-King/dp/B000WZTVRG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top” I have lower back and neck problems and also am always very hot, so I need a cool bed that has a lot of support. I am also 6 feet tall and a very solid 235 pounds (I am a body builder).
Select Foam has a bricks and mortar store in Florida called Brickell Mattress. This is the only other place they are available.
In case you haven’t seen this … there is a list of some of the better options in the Huntsville area in post #2 here.
You can get very close to your long term needs and preferences if you spend at least 15 minutes fully relaxed on any mattress you are seriously considering and with careful and more specific testing. This article may be helpful for testing for pressure relief and this article along with post #11 here with testing for alignment … especially with some good guidance from a better retailer or manufacturer.
In the case of Select Foam however you at least have the assurance of knowing that the mattress can be returned if it doesn’t work out although I would still do my best to differentiate between them (using the local Tempurpedics) because it’s still a “job” to return a mattress even if the return is free.
The guidelines I use for memory foam mattress are listed in post #10 here.
They don’t meet the guidelines so I would pass them by. For me it really is as simple as that
While I tend to prefer local purchases when possible when the “local premium” compared to similar online choices isn’t too high (I usually use a guideline of 20% or so depending on people’s risk tolerance) online retailers or manufacturers can be a good value reference point or purchase option in areas where there is little in the way of similar quality and value available. Some of the better online sources for memory foam mattresses I’m aware of are in post #12 here (although of course this is not an all inclusive list).
I pay little attention to “comfort reviews” except as a very general comfort indication based on clear “patterns” that may have no relevance to any particular individual. I also pay little attention to reviews that are mostly about someone’s initial excitement about the “deal” they think they got with little consideration to the actual quality of a mattress or the materials that are in it. Even the cheapest materials can feel great initially … they just don’t last and if a mattress isn’t suitable for the needs and preferences of a particular individual than anything you have spent on it … no matter what it’s quality or value … is money wasted.
You can read more about my thoughts on reviews and what they can be useful for and what they aren’t in post #4 here.
I think that there are 3 main issues in the industry today that are the main contributors to its current sorry and confusing state. The first is lack of transparency and meaningful information about mattresses and the materials and components they contain. The second is the “race to the bottom” that includes retailers that know little about mattresses and are just in business to make a quick profit regardless of how they do it or what they say. The third is overcharging for mattresses based on proprietary or marketing “stories” that have little facts behind them and that use materials that belong in mattresses that should be selling for much lower prices. I tend to avoid all of these and hopefully provide the information that can help others to do the same or at least help them connect with the manufacturers and retailers that don’t fit in any of these groups.
Mike,
Another point you should consider is this: “How particular are you?”
If you are open to a wide range of beds, than there are a lot of options out there for you. If you have specific comfort preferences, than a reference point is useful. We’ve tried to build our lines so that there is a reference point across the board for folks to go into a physical store, try out a product like Tempurpedic, and know what a specific bed of ours will feel like.
I cannot comment on Dynasty Mattress; there are lots of companies selling products out there, and outside of the major’s, it’s difficult to keep tabs on everybody. In doing a quick search, however, I’d implore you to ask about the details: what is the foam used, is there layering, does the bed appeal to your needs as a side,stomach, or back sleeper, etc. These details make a difference over the course of months and years. Mattress Underground offers a plethora of information on the benefits of these details.
Feel free to PM, Text, Email, or Call me whenever you’d like.
