Step 1 (initial feel) and already confused

[phoenix]

Hi Pegabo,

[quote]We’re in Montreal. We visited Literie Provincale for step 1 (initial feel).
I am 6’1 165lb and she’s 5’8 130lb.

Phoenix, you explain at the end of the “initial feel” stage that “it is time to go home and take a look at why you liked the ones you did. If you don’t see the pattern, then our forum and the rest of this website is the place to go to ask your questions”.
Well here I am![/quote]

The article “5 steps to your perfect mattress” was written over 4 years ago when the site was first started and is probably more complex than it really needs to be. While it contains some valuable information … over the course of the next few months I will be rewriting it (and the current tutorial) to amalgamate and simplify the information they contain into one tutorial but for now I would follow the testing guidelines that are linked in step 4 of the mattress shopping tutorial here which is a simpler process and just use the information in the “5 steps” section as additional information that may be helpful rather than as a specific process.

[quote]The mattresses that we have chosen based on the “initial feel” vary greatly Here is the list:

2 x 3/8" cotton quilting
2" 100% Natural Talalay 21 ILD (all latex at that store is 100% natural)
6" 36 ILD

1" Tencel quilting
1.5" 18lb foam (quality 3lb)
4" 35lb foam (quality 3lb)
[ i now realize that perhaps the 18 and 35 are ILD? ]

tencel quilting
2" 5.5lb memory foam
2" poly
innerspring core, 1200 springs.

The fourth is same innerspring core but smaller comfort layer (i think 1" foam) and double sided.

So within our 4 choices there are 3 types of cores and 3 types of comfort layers.
Here are my questions:

1. do you see a pattern in these choices? progressive construction perhaps?[/quote]

The first mattress you listed has a latex comfort layer but I don’t know the type of support core it contains (although I’m guessing it’s also latex?).

The second mattress you listed doesn’t mention the type of foam in the layers (polyfoam, memory foam, latex foam) so I’m not sure what type of foam is in each layer.

The third mattress has memory foam and polyfoam in the comfort layers and an innerspring (I’m guessing a pocket coil) for the support core.

The last mattress you mentioned also has an innerspring support core of some type but I don’t know the specifics of the comfort layer.

These are all very different mattresses and overall I don’t see a specific pattern that I can identify no. if you really don’t have a preference between these 4 mattresses (you really don’t know which one you would choose if you had to choose one of them at this point) that can identify the type of comfort layers or support core that you tend to prefer then it’s quite possible that you really don’t have a preference between mattresses or materials and that the firmness or softness or overall response of a mattress is a more important part of how it “feels” for you than the types of materials or components inside it.

2) Is it possible that we picked these 4 because the firmness/softness levels of everything in the showroom, applied to our preference, yields these 4 and that, really, if each configuration’s softness/firmness level was adjusted to our liking, we’d be able to better discern which materials we like?

While you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress so I really don’t know why you chose these four … it’s very possible that their general firmness or softness is the common denominator that led to you choosing them.

3) For the latex, it felt too bouncy for me, but its 100% natural talalay and in low ILD this is to be expected, if I recall? overall we are not sure about latex due to bounciness but we want to make sure we don’t reject it for nothing because on paper it is the best material.and we would appreciate its breathability and durability.

If it’s possible I would try several different latex mattresses in different firmness levels and that use different types of latex because there are hundreds of different latex mattress designs that would each feel very different from each other but if you feel that all of them are too bouncy for your preferences then it would probably be a good idea to focus on different types of mattresses and materials.

There is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here but PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences … in that order) is always the most important part of the “value” of any mattress purchase regardless of the type of mattress or materials it has inside it. This would be followed by the durability of the materials and the last priority would be all the other preferences that are important to you.

5) When I was on the latex mentioned above I felt I was ‘in’ the mattress whereas for memory foam I don’t recall feeling that, Is this possible?

While this wouldn’t be the usual feedback for people who have compared memory foam and latex in an apples to apples comparison (see post #2 here about memory foam vs latex) … your own personal experience always “trumps” theory or other people’s experiences. The memory foam mattress you tested may have been firmer than the latex mattress so you could have been sinking in more into the latex or some of the other materials or components in the mattresses you tested may also be affecting how they feel to you besides just the memory foam or the latex in each of them but in the end it doesn’t really matter what you are “supposed” to feel or “why” you feel what you do and what you “actually” feel on a specific mattress is all that really matters.

6) We both sleep on both back + side. Should this change the equation? One guy at the store said the memory foam choice above would be especially good for side sleeping.

The type of material or the type of mattress that each person prefers is a personal preference not a “better worse” choice and there isn’t a specific material that is better for certain sleeping positions. While it’s certainly true that your sleeping positions can affect your choice of mattress and in general terms side sleepers tend to need thicker/softer comfort layers than back or stomach sleepers … every type of material and mattress has a very wide range of firmness choices and designs that can be suitable for any sleeping position. It’s possible that the salesperson was referring to choosing between specific mattresses rather than meaning memory foam as a whole (some memory foam mattresses would be much too firm for some side sleepers for example) but the design of a mattress and the thickness and firmness of the comfort layers and the firmness of the support layers are a much more important part of whether a mattress is a suitable “match” for you in all your sleeping positions than the specific materials inside it and the best way to know whether any mattress is a good match for you is based on your own careful testing and experience. Your body will tell you more than any “theory”.

7) Is information found online about “other activities” taking place on a memory foam mattress going to be accurate or must experiences with lower quality memory foams be discounted?

There isn’t any consensus between people about which type of material is best for sex and it’s certainly a very personal preference that can vary widely between people but in very general terms there would be more people that would tend to prefer more resilient, faster responding, and less motion restricting materials (like latex, polyfoam, or innersprings) than less resilient, slower response, and more motion restricting materials such as memory foam. There is more about sex and memory foam in post #2 here.

Phoenix