Southern California Retailers/Mattresses?

[phoenix]

Hi SoCalSleeeping,

So. I am wondering if there are any retailers that build in a comfort layer of latex over a more standard memory foam setup? I seem to not be able to find any… We’ll without just getting a separate topper and doing what I did in the store.

There are certainly manufacturers that either do or could make a mattress like this (and it can be a good option for those that like the more resilient sleeping surface of latex but with some of the slow sinking in of memory foam underneath this) but I don’t keep a list of mattresses based on their design (it would be an impossible job to keep up with in a constantly changing market) so you would need to look for them either on websites or with phone calls to local or online manufacturers. I would also keep in mind that they may not be the same as the combination you tested because all the layers of a sleeping system (including a topper) will affect the feel and performance of all the other layers so it would be important to use a topper with the same type of material in the same thickness and firmness level on top of a very similar mattress to end up with a similar combination. A topper will also have a different “feel” if it’s used on top of a mattress compared to using the same material inside a mattress cover.

It would be much simpler to choose a mattress that was similar to the Tempurpedic you tested or that was a good match for you in terms of PPP and then add a similar topper. A topper can also be replaced without having to replace the entire mattress if it softens or breaks down faster than the rest of the mattress and can also improve the durability of the materials underneath it. The more differences there are between the mattress/topper combination you purchase compared to the mattress/topper combination you tested the more likely it would be that the combination would feel and perform differently than what you tested. The better online sources for toppers I’m aware of are listed in post #4 here.

Any other recommendations?

The tutorial post includes a link to the better online memory foam manufacturers/retailers I’m aware of (it’s in post #12 here to save you looking through the tutorial) and many of these make mattresses that are designed to be good approximations of some or all of the Tempurpedic mattresses.

One thing I like about Christeli is it looks like I could buy a 2" topper and swap out the top memory foam layer for latex if I ever wanted, basically doing what I was looking for above, but keeping the normal quilted finish of the mattress. Would this work?

I’m not sure which Christeli mattress you are considering but their mattresses are designed to approximate various Tempurpedic mattresses as they are listed (with the topper) not without the topper so if you replace the topper with a latex topper then the base mattress would be be missing one of its layers and would be different from the equivalent Tempurpedic so the combination would also be quite different. To put together something that was a rough equivalent to the Tempurpedic mattress with the 2" latex topper you would first need a sleeping system that was similar to the Tempurpedic you are testing and then you could add a topper on top with the same type of latex and in the same thickness and firmness level.

Also, one concern I have is that the softer mattresses may not hold up with my weight (~240) over time, even though I seemed to like them the best.

This is a legitimate concern since softer mattresses and lower density foams are not as durable with higher body weights. The tutorial post includes a link to some of the guidelines I would use (in post #4 here) and also includes a link to post #4 here which along with some of the posts it links to has more information about the variables that can affect the durability and the useful life of a mattress.

Also, I worry that the 3-5 minutes I spent on mattresses was not sufficient,

I agree that 3-5 minutes on a mattress may not be long enough to be able to use your testing to predict your sleeping experience and I would follow the testing guidelines in the tutorial post when you are testing mattresses.

Phoenix