Hi there, First post but have been reading up for about a week after my wife decided I needed to begin the search for a new mattress.
We’ve had our Simmons for a good 15 years and I agree, it’s time for a replacement.
I’m a big guy, 6’5" 250lbs. (higher BMI, low 30’s) She’s the opposite 5’1" 115lbs
She 100% wants an innerspring mattress but isn’t opposed to a hybrid. I was initially interested in a hybrid but after reading up here I see they have about double the fail rate as a standard innerspring. (Either way, she wants coils)
We live pretty much in the middle of nowhere (Zipcode 20619) and I’m having trouble finding anything local that carries anything but the major brands (Which I’ve read up to try and steer clear of in most cases if I can)
Our schedules are very tight, so I’ve been doing some laydown tests to get an idea on what fits out needs. We are both side-sleepers and we definitely want a firm mattress.
I’ve read up on all the posts normally recommended but am still having trouble, I think that’s mostly because everyone here has just the major brands based on the stores I’ve made it to the last week.
I know Sealy is made here in state but based on what I’ve read I should usually steer clear. Besides that one I can’t recall anything made locally.
What should my next steps be? (Without hours of driving)
Yes, you certainly are overdue for a new mattress!
Post #3 here has more information and suggestions about heavier weights that is worth reading, as a high BMI presents special challenges and generally requires firmer materials (in the support layers especially). This could be firmer latex or innersprings (the type of support component would be a personal preference and in the right design either could be suitable) or even a zoned construction. The same overall guidelines apply with higher weights though that PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) along with using high quality durable materials that will maintain their feel and performance for longer periods of time are the way to make the best choices. Heavier people in general will need firmer and thicker comfort layers and firmer support layers than those who are lighter and because no materials will last as long with much higher weights the quality and durability of the materials and components is even more important than normal. I wouldn’t “rule out” any types of mattress and base your choices on your own personal testing.
I want to make sure that I’m exactly clear on what you mean by a “hybrid”, as it can have many definitions. It was originally intended to mean a typical memory foam mattress where the polyfoam core was replaced by a pocketed coil innerspring unit. But the term has also been used to describe a latex mattress using a polyfoam core instead of a latex core. And today in showrooms, salespeople are capitalizing on the trendy “name cache” of the term hybrid and they’ll call any mattress containing even a modicum of memory foam a hybrid. As for “fail rates”, as long as any mattress you choose uses high quality componentry, the choice between any style of mattress would be more of a personal preference and part of your personal value equation.
Subject to first confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list that you wish to visit is completely transparent ( see this article ) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here … the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Washington DC area in post #2 here and Baltimore in post #2 here.
I’m assuming that you’ve read the mattress shopping tutorial here, but if not make sure you start there. Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
Outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.
If there are no options close to your home from the list that I linked to, and when you can’t test a mattress in person, then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc.) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
If you decide to look online, you can use the experience and expertise of the members listed in post #21 here who are all very experienced and knowledgeable and specialize in providing the type of help and guidance on the phone that can help you make good choices. There are a wide range of latex and memory foam and other options included in the choices there and I believe that all of them compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency.
In its simplest form … choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to FIRST finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers (either locally or online) that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in that are in a budget range you are comfortable with and that you have confirmed will provide you with the all the information you need about the materials and components inside the mattresses they sell so you will be able to make informed choices and meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …
Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.
Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight/BMI range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.
Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
Please let me know if you come up with more questions as your research progresses.
