Stuck and need to exchange a "big brand" mattress

Long story short…
Before finding your site my husband and I purchased a Comforpedic Advanced Seabrooke. ($3000.) I purchased it mainly because it was one of the few mattresses that I could exchange and had a long comfort exchange period (a year).
I hate it…it is too soft. My husband loves it.
I prefer the support of coils and my husband prefers the feeling of sinking in to a conforming foam.

I must exchange it for a Tempurpedic, Simmons or Serta.
My husband feels that if we are going to exchange, which he is in favor of, that we should get a Tempurpedic. However, he has never read your site and I have been reading yours for months!!
I’m trying to “like” the foam and think that the Temp. Rhapsody or Contour Select is the best option for the foam,

or we go for a “hybrid” and chose a mattress from the Serta Iseries.

I understand that these are not good quality or high value beds, but now I am stuck. We are a military family stationed in a rural town, so we had little options and few places to actually try out mattresses…my zip is 88101.

My exchange period is running out so I must make a decision!! You are my last hope!
Thank you!

Hi mermla,

Unfortunately you are in somewhat of a difficult position when you need to exchange a mattress and there are only very limited options available to you. There are many others that have been in a similar position and post #2 here and some of the other posts and threads it links to has some of the suggestions and ideas that you will find helpful.

Post #1 here and the other posts it links to would also be worth reading and has the basic information, steps, and guidelines that may be helpful. It also has some suggestions for testing mattresses for sleeping posture/alignment and pressure relief and PPP (Posture and alignment. Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) is one of the most important parts of choosing a suitable mattress along with minimizing lower quality foam or other materials in the comfort layers so that foam softening doesn’t lead to the loss of comfort and support prematurely. Foam softening and the loss of comfort and support is the main reason a mattress needs to be replaced and isn’t covered by warranty (see post #174 here).

These posts should give you the information you need to make the best possible choice in difficult circumstances. Testing mattresses at other stores won’t be particularly helpful because I am assuming that you need to exchange the mattress for another one at the same retailer and that you don’t have a refund available (which would be ideal).

These are not mutually exclusive because there are mattresses that use innersprings for the support layers and also have highly conforming foam on top. The Serta iSeries is an example of this. Any type of comfort layers can be used over any type of support layers. All support layer materials or components (whether they are innersprings, polyfoam, or latex) come in a wide range of firmness and support levels and comfort layers also come in a wide range of thickness and softness levels as well regardless of the type of support system that is used under them.

You also have a fairly large credit available for the exchange which means that you also can exchange for a higher cost mattress and some of the iComfort mattresses and many of the Tempurpedic mattresses use reasonable to good quality materials in the most important comfort layers so the issue with these is more about their relatively poor value and not so much the quality of the materials. Without a refund you are locked in to lower value mattresses anyway though so the goal with an exchange would be to make sure you do good testing to make sure that the replacement mattress is suitable for your specific needs and preferences and that you minimize the amount of lower quality materials in the comfort layers either by knowing the density of the foams or by choosing a mattress that minimizes the use of low quality memory foam or polyfoam and adding your own comfort layer in the form of a topper.

There is some information about the materials in the iComfort line in post #11 here and about the Temurpedic line in post #10 here. In terms of the quality of materials there are some reasonable choices in both

If you let me know which store you are dealing with I can take a look at their website to see if they carry any other mattresses that may be worth considering.

Hope this helps.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Thank you for getting back to me. I purchased my mattress from Sleep Solutions in Portales, NM. They are partners with Ashley Home furniture which is down the block, so I run back and forth trying out their mattresses.
I am about 2 hrs. from Roswell, NM, Lubbock, Tx and Amarillo Tx. As long as they are Serta, Tempupedic or Simmons, Sleep Solutions will order any model for me.

Could you please give me some models which you think I should try? I need to narrow the field and make a decision. My husband is deployed and will not be back before our exchange period expires, so I must choose myself.

I know that I prefer a great amount of support in my hips and lower back area, and am a side sleeper. My husband seems sensitive in his pressure points…he loves the Rhapsody and says he “wants to be enveloped in foam”. Ugh. I love feeling my hips and lower back almost elevated…I don’t really like to “sink” although I do want to make the foam work.

This is why I go to the Contour Select or Rhapsody. I only recently discovered the Iseries and liked it very very much… (I think because in my mind I think coils are more supportive). Of course I’m concerned about softening of the all foam, or sagging in the Iseries.

Hi Phoenix…

I have discovered that my local mattress store, and the ones in Amarillo and Lubbock only carry the Applause and Ceremony pillowtop in the Serta Iseries. There is no way I can try the two that I’m interested in, the Enjoyment and the Jubilance. I can purchase one and take advantage of the exchange program if it does not work out I guess.

I did like the Applause, and I did like the Beautyrest Suri by the way.

I can easily order a Rhapsody or Contour Select, too.

Again, the store I purchased from is Sleep Solutions in Portales, New Mexico.

Thank you.

Hi mermla,

Speaking strictly in quality/durability terms because none of these have particularly good value and only you can know the suitability of a mattress in terms of PPP from your own testing …

iSeries Applause Plush (or firm):

You can see the layers here and this mattress has pillo fill fibers and 2.5" of “comfort foam” (which is lower density polyfoam) on top of the 1" medium density gel memory foam layer. The polyfoam and fiber would be the weak link of this mattress because lower density polyfoam will soften and break down too quickly. I would avoid this one.

iSeries Ceremony:

This one is even worse and has 4 1/4 inches of polyfoam along with the Pillo fill. I would avoid this as well.

iSeries Enjoyment:

With this one you would be on top of 2" of the medium density 4 lb gel memory foam which would be quite firm but wouldn’t have the same weak link and potential durability issues as the previous two. This would be better than either of the other two but would probably need a topper on top of it for additional softness.

iSeries Jubilance:

This one would be the best choice of these. It has 2" of high quality 5 lb memory foam as the top layer and then 2" of the medium density/quality 4 lb gel memory foam. The higher density memory foam would be more durable than the 4 lb gel memory foam and would also shield the gel memory foam underneath it from some of the compression forces from sleeping on the mattress. From a quality/durability perspective this would be the best of these four iSeries options.

Beautyrest Suri:

There seems there are different versions of this mattress (see here and here and here) but regardless of the version they all have at least 2 1/4" of low density polyfoam in the top layers and some lower density and unidentified questionable foam underneath that together would be the weak link of this mattress and I would avoid any versions of this mattress.

Tempurpedic Rhapsody:

This uses 1.2" of Tempur HD memory foam (7 lbs) and 2.8" of Tempur memory foam (5.3 lbs) which are both high quality memory foam. There are no weak links in this mattress but of course the value is not good either.

Tempurpedic Contour Select:

This has 1.2" of Tempur memory foam (5.3 lbs) over another 2.8" layer of Tempur memory foam (also 5.3 lbs). Both of these are also high quality memory foam and there would be no weak links in this mattress either.

Hopefully these will give you some examples of what to look for (and what to avoid) in terms of quality and durability and this along with your own personal testing will hopefully help you decide which is the best exchange possibiilty.

Phoenix

Phoenix,
First let me just say that I so appreciate your “lightning speed” response time…I am anxious to make this decision and move on with my life and without a sore back…I never expected that you would be so efficient and I am truly thankful.

Your advice has been invaluable in that I am narrowing down my choices…unfortunately I will not be able to try a Serta Iseries Jubilance. However, I am most intrigued about this one, as it is a “hybrid” and might be most comfortable for myself and my husband. I am almost ready to pull the trigger on this one based on the reviews I’ve read.

I can purchase it and possibly return it, but once I get a Tempurpedic, I am limited to exchanging only for another Tempurpedic.
Should I look at the new Icomfort Directions (I’m thinking about the Reinvention?), or the IComforts or is Tempurpedic superior in quality?
Again, I am most concerned about my lower back “sinking”. So one more…what about the Temp weightless?

As of now, it is the Temp Rhapsody, the Contour Select, and Serta Jubilance. Which one will provide the most support for my lower back and hips?
Thank you so much. I can’t wait to work this out. I could not do this without your guidance.

ONE more question…could you recommend a traditional mattress if I just cannot do the foam? (keeping in mind I have a huge credit) Thanks,

Meredith

Hi mermia,

I wouldn’t pay much attention to reviews (see post #13 here) unless you know the exact body type, sleeping style, and preferences of the person writing it because “comfort” is so subjective and subjective perceptions of other people (or even our own subjective perceptions) are not a good way to choose a mattress. Basing a decision on subjective perceptions of “comfort” probably has lower odds than random chance alone of choosing the most suitable mattress (see this study). A mattress that feels “comfortable” for one person or even hundreds of other people may be completely unsuitable for another. Each person’s needs and preferences are based on body type, sleeping positions, and personal preferences and how their specific body type and sleeping profile in all their sleeping positions interacts with the specific construction of the mattress.

Support is also misunderstood because different parts of the body need different levels of support and the goal of a mattress is not so much “support” in the sense of firmness but to keep your spine in its natural alignment in all your sleeping positions. This means that some areas of the body (such as the heavier pelvis) need more firmness underneath them which can “stop” the pelvis from sinking in too far (which tilts the pelvis which in turn is the main factor which controls the lumbar curve) while other areas of the body such as the shoulders of side sleepers need enough softness and thickness in the comfort layers to “allow” them to sink in easily enough. If the comfort layers are too firm then the shoulders won’t sink in far enough and the upper body would be “held up” with too much weight on the shoulders and you would not only have pressure points but alignment issues as well even though the mattress is firmer and “more supportive”.

In general you need good primary or “deep” support to allow the pelvis to sink in “far enough” but no further and also “enough” softness and thickness in the upper layers to “allow” the shoulders to sink in enough for good pressure relief and to provide the “secondary” support that will fill in the recessed gaps in the body (such as the waist or small of the back) so that they are well supported as well. This combination of “stopping” and supporting some parts of the body while at the same time “allowing” other parts of the body for all the infinite different types of bodies and sleeping positions is the goal of all mattress design and theory. Of course this example were shoulders need to sink in applies more to side sleeping but the idea is the same for all sleeping positions and spinal alignment and pressure relief that is suitable for each person is the goal of all mattress purchases. This along with each person’s personal preferences and making sure that the quality of the materials are good enough to maintain their performance over the long term without undue softening anor breaking down prematurely will translate into long term “comfort” and healthy sleep when you sleep on the mattress at home.

Each person has a different weight distribution and also a different surface area in each part of the body that contacts the mattress and it’s the pounds of force per square inch in each area of contact that controls how far that area of the body sinks in to the mattress. As you sink in deeper then the surface area changes while the weight stays the same (the hips for example are wider and have more contact area as they sink in more which spreads the weight around a larger surface area and reduces pressure) and once the shoulders sink in enough then the the torso also begins to contact the mattress and the surface area of contact becomes much larger there as well. Some sleeping positions don’t have “bony prominences” such as shoulders and hips and need thinner and firmer comfort layers because you don’t need to sink in as far. Eventually the pressures and surface areas even out which stops further sinking in in all the areas of the body. When you come to rest in each different variation of your sleeping positions then your spine and joints need to be in neutral alignment.

The reason that this is so important and that I’m mentioning it is because it’s complexity makes it impossible to predict which set of mattress specs (assuming they are even available) will create good alignment in any individual person and only your own personal testing and/or experience can tell if a mattress has the “support” you need in all the different areas of the body to keep your spine in good alignment in all your sleeping positions. This is why personal testing that is more objective and careful and follows the testing guidelines I suggest is much more effective than assessing any mattress for how “supportive” it is for any particular person.

The good news though is that if a mattress is too firm then it’s relatively easy to add some extra softness to the surface with a topper to “allow” the parts of the body that need to sink in a little more as long as the topper isn’t so thick and soft that it also “allows” the pelvis to travel too far before it reaches the firmer comfort layers. It’s much harder to “fix” a mattress that is too soft in the deeper support layers or too soft or thick in the comfort layers because making either of these firmer would involve removing and replacing the foam or component with firmer versions rather than just adding a firmer layer on top of them. Firmer layers or toppers will still sink into the softer layers below.

So if your mattress is a little on the firm side then it’s a much “safer” choice than a mattress that is too soft because foam softening may correct it over time or you can always add a topper.

If you are considering a mattress that you haven’t tested in person then you would be dependent on the knowledge and experience of the person you are dealing with and their ability to predict how well the mattress you are choosing will interact with people that have a similar body type, sleeping style, and preferences as you do based on the “averages” of their customers. This is as much guesswork as it is an art and science. In these cases your recourse if your choice turns out to be less than ideal is a big part of offsetting the risk you are taking when you are considering a mattress you haven’t tried and trusting the “best efforts” of someone that can easily make a mistake with all the complexities involved. If you are confident that the mattress if anything will likely be firmer than you need or prefer then the choice is safer than if it turns out to be too soft (unless you can exchange it again).

For the Directions mattress, from the perspective of PPP this would depend on the results of your testing. If you aren’t able to test it in person then it would have a higher risk and would depend on the level of risk you are comfortable with and on your recourse if it turns out that it wasn’t suitable for you. From the perspective of durability and quality (how long the mattress will maintain it’s comfort and support over time as the foam and other materials soften or break down) it would depend on knowing the density and quality of the foams which Serta doesn’t disclose and it may take some time for this information to become available (if they ever disclose it at all). Based on some information I have I believe that the dual action gel memory foam in the Directions is high quality and in the range of 5 lbs density but I don’t know any of the other specs.

Tempurpedic also doesn’t disclose the specific type or quality of the Tempur float material in their weightless line so your testing for PPP would be the best way to determine it’s suitability but there would be some question about it’s quality and durability as well although I believe it’s high resilience polyfoam and a good quality material. Without the knowing the specifics you are only guessing about what they might be using and I would tend to avoid any mattress where there are too many unknowns in terms of the density and durability of the materials. Without this information there really is no way to make any meaningful assessments about the quality of the materials in a mattress or the quality and durabilty of the mattress itself or make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses.

As you can see from the first part of this post and mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here … there are just too many unknowns and variables for anyone to recommend a specific mattress for anyone else based on “theory at a distance”. I can certainly help with how to choose but the specifics of what to choose is up to each person’s personal value equation and all the objective, subjective, and intangible parts of a mattress purchase (or in your case an exchange) that are most important to them.

Phoenix

Phoenix,
OK I understand that I should stop reading the reviews and focus only on the quality of materials and how it feels to me personally. I DO have the opportunity to try the new Directions mattresses. I will try them.
Is the Contour Select much more firm than the Rhapsody? (regular…not breeze).

With my limited access to mattresses, is it worth looking into the Simmons Beautyrest Black? They tout that as their highest quality mattress.

Thanks.

Hi mermla,

Degrees of softness and firmness are completely subjective and relative to each person’s perceptions and to the type of softness they are most sensitive to (see post #15 here). For example people who move a lot may be more sensitive to how fast the memory foam responds than to its actual softness or firmness and those who move little may be more sensitive to how well the mattress conforms to their sleeping positions and how it feels when they are still. If you move quickly the uncompressed foam can feel firmer until it softens and conforms to your body shape (like the difference between slapping honey and pressing slowly into it).

In general the Tempur HD memory foam (7 lbs) will feel softer and is more conforming than the same thickness of Tempur 5.3 lb memory foam so the Rhapsody will feel softer. They rate the Contour select as “extra firm” and the Rhapsody as “medium firm” so this would be two steps on the scale apart (with firm in the middle). How much difference this actually translates into for each person’s perceptions in different sets of circumstances and environments can vary widely.

The Beautyrest Black models are certainly their most costly models but once again they don’t disclose the density/quality of the foam and if you were to open it up and weigh each layer to find out it’s density (which some people actually do) you would discover that it had far too much lower density/quality polyfoam and memory foam in it to justify their prices or to have any reasonable expectation of good durability. Without knowing the specific quality of all the layers and being able to identify the weak link of a mattress (the layers that will soften and break down first which are almost always in the comfort layers of a mattress) there is no way to know the quality or durability of any mattress and “quality” becomes just a meaningless word used to describe high prices. When there is more than around an inch or so of polyfoam or memory foam in the upper layers of a mattress and you aren’t able to find out it’s density then it’s always safest to assume that at least some (too much) of it is lower quality/density and 9 times out of 10 you will be right … even with the most expensive mattresses (and certainly with the Beautyrest Black line).

Phoenix

Phoenix,

I went to the store today to try the Rhapsody…I want very much to like this because I know it is, although not a good value, good quality. I just don’t know if I can do the “sink in” feel.
I have to drive to Lubbock tomorrow and will try the Temp contour Select and Signature. I have never tried the Signature, but do recall that I liked the Select.

If I ultimately choose a coil mattress, keeping in mind that I am confined to Serta or Simmons, which do you recommend I try? I am going to Denver Mattress in Lubbock, Tx. to try out mattresses.

Thanks so much,
Meredith

Hi mermla,

I don’t suggest or recommend making “brand” an issue (it’s among the worst ways to choose a mattress) … only the quality of the materials inside a mattress and your ability to find out. The less you know about the specifics of what is in a mattress … the higher the risk that you will be in exactly the same position down the road no matter how the mattress feels now as lower quality materials soften and break down and you lose the comfort and support which is the reason you chose the mattress in the first place.

My recommendations are based on “how” to choose not “what” to choose and the “best” choice is the mattress that is the best “match” for you in terms of PPP and that also has the highest quality most durable materials inside it so that the materials won’t soften and break down faster than they should and you lose the comfort and/or support that was the reason you chose it in the first place.

I would follow the testing guidelines for pressure relief and alignment (only you can feel what you feel on a mattress), avoid making a blind choice where most of the layers are of unknown quality/durability, avoid a choice where the quality of the materials is known but low (especially in the upper layers which soften and break down the fastest), and if this isn’t possible I would choose the mattress that had the least amount of questionable materials in the comfort layers (which would probably be too firm) and then add a topper to provide the pressure relief you need (although this option generally leads to a less costly mattress where you may not be able to receive a refund between your credit and the cost of the new mattress and has the additional expense of buying a topper as well).

Denver Mattress has some good quality and value available with the mattresses they make themselves but for the major brands they also carry I would generally avoid them or at the very least follow the same guidelines .

Phoenix

Phoenix,

I cannot purchase a mattress at Denver Mattresses…I can only exchange at my local store which really limits me. In reading your articles and not really knowing about the quality of the materials in the Serta and Simmons, I feel as if my hands are tied. I have so few options and I realize that now, unless I buy a Temp, I am forced into buying a very questionable product.

So If I’m understanding you correctly, I should opt for the mattress with the least amount of “questionable” material…probably for half of what my credit is…should I ask that I purchase twin mattresses for my kids to use up the rest of my credit?

My husband will want me to go with the Temp.

Thanks,
Meredith

Hi mermla,

Yes … I realize this and my understanding was that you were going to Denver Mattress to try their major brand mattresses as a guideline for your exchange. This would be a good idea because they carry and you can test some mattresses that may be available for you for an exchange (if the store can order one of the mattresses that Denver Mattress carries that they don’t) as long as Denver Mattress can provide you with information about what is in the mattress you are considering (or it’s available elsewhere). My comments were more about avoiding even testing a mattress where you couldn’t find out enough information about what was in it to make an informed decision whether you test them at Denver Mattress or at Sleep Solutions.

My earlier reply in post #5 of the thread identified some mattresses that were reasonably good quality (including a couple of the Serta choices and some of the Tempurpedic choices) that would be worth considering if they are a good “match” in terms of PPP and going to Denver Mattress may give you the chance to test mattresses that Sleep Solutions doesn’t have on the floor but they could order. I would follow the guidelines I suggested when you make your final choice because no matter how a mattress feels in a showroom … how it feels in a year or two from now depends on the quality of the materials.

I wouldn’t assume that a Tempurpedic is your best quality or most durable choice or the best choice in terms of PPP unless both your own testing and the quality/density of the materials indicated that was true because Tempurpedic like other manufacturers has a range of different designs that may be suitable for one person and not another uses a range of higher and lower density memory foams in their mattresses.

No not at all … I mentioned this as a caution that may make the mattress/topper option less attractive not as a suggestion. If you are able to use the unused credit for something else that you would be buying anyway then at least it would be a reasonable possibility. I would also bear in mind that a topper/mattress combination also has some risk in terms of choosing the best topper unless you are able to test the specific combination in person so I would lean towards a mattress that was suitable by itself in terms of PPP and quality to the degree that was possible.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

You recommended I try the Serta Enjoyment and Jubilance but, believe it or not I cannot find any stores in Lubbock or Amarillo that carry those models. They all only have the Applause and the Ceremony.

Denver Mattress does have the new Icomfort Dirctions models, which is why I’m going there.

I am frustrated that I can’t try those Iseries models, because I really do like the feel of the Applause. I feel those higher end models would satisfy both my husbands need for foam and my desire for coil support. I’m just not sure where this leaves me.

Thank you for your unbelievable patience and expertise.

Meredith

Hi mermla,

Have you checked with Haverty’s and Sears. According to their websites they both appear to carry the Enjoyment and Jubilance and hopefully they have them available locally as well.

Serta has a retail store locator here that may give you other options that are a little further away if you are going to do some driving anyway.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Neither Haverty’s in Amarillo or Lubbock carry those models, and our Sears here does not carry mattresses in the store. I called Serta and they told me that they might have it in JC Penny in Albuquerque…I will try. I will also contact the Sears in Lubbock and Amarillo. Thanks. Hope it works out!

Meredith

Hi mermla,

I sure hope you can find them within reasonable driving distance.

It may also be worth testing the iComfort Prodigy as a reference (even though it doesn’t have an innerspring and is quite a bit less than your credit) which only has an inch of polyfoam and the rest of the layers are medium to good quality materials (with the medium density layer of cool action gel deeper in the mattress where it would be more durable).

Phoenix

OK I will try it…but as I recall I think that feels too soft for me…has a very similar feel to the comforpedic advanced seabrooke. I will go with an open mind! I was going to focus on the Insight and Genius. How do those measure up? But I certainly will try.

Thanks,
Meredith

Hi mermla,

The suggestion was to provide a “reference point” because the Prodigy is only slightly softer than the Jubilance although of course they use different types of support system and an innerspring may work better for some people than a polyfoam support system that was just as supportive because they have a different type of response curve. The Prodigy also has slow recovery latex under the memory foam and polyfoam (although it’s only an inch thick) and has 5 lb memory foam on top which for some people can provide more “even” support for the curves of the spine.

There are different versions of softness and firmness depending on whether you are describing the “hand feel” of the mattress, the comfort layers, or the support layers. There is more about this in post #15 here. This is why it’s important to test for pressure relief and alignment specifically and separately rather than for the overall “feel” of the mattress in terms of softness and firmness.

The Genius has 2" of low density polyfoam under the gel memory foam and even though it starts off very firm this is low density and will soften more quickly over time. I would avoid any mattress that had 2" or more of low density materials in the upper layers.

The Insight has the 4 lb gel memory foam directly on top of the firmer base layer so there are no obvious “weak links” in this mattress. It is one of the firmest of the iComfort line so it could make a good choice with a good quality topper to provide some extra softness in the comfort layers which would also increase the durability of the 4lb gel memory foam underneath it.

The insight with a 2" 5 lb memory foam topper would be similar in design to the Savant except the Savant has an additional 1" of low density “comfort” polyfoam in between the gel memory foam and the 5 lb memory foam on the top (which usually isn’t included in most of the descriptions for some reason) which would make it thicker and softer than just the two layers of memory foam by itself. While 1" of lower density materials is inside the guidelines I normally consider to be “acceptable” in terms of durability … I would still prefer a mattress without it unless it is quilted to the cover where the foam is compressed with the quilting which adds to its durability.

Of course the choice of the Insight and a topper would have some risk in terms of choosing the ideal combination if you didn’t test the combination together (unless the topper you buy can be returned for a refund) and could also leave you with the question of what to do with your extra credit and would also require some extra cost for the topper. The advantage of a mattress/topper combination is that the top layers are usually the first to soften and break down and it’s easier and more cost effective to replace just a topper if it softens more quickly than the rest of the mattress (or if your needs and preferences change over time) than it is to replace the entire mattress.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix…

So I went to Lubbock today and apparently when it comes to mattresses, I’m a “cheap date”. I seem to gravitate toward the entry level, or the firmest models in each series.

Today I tried the Temp Contour Select, Contour Signature and Rhapsody together ( I have never been to a store that had all 3 and I could try in one place!) . I really want to like the Temps, because I know they are good quality and my husband loves them. I like the Contour Select, but I swear that once I stop sinking, my hip feels pressure. I do like the firmness, although I just dont like sinking that much and fear that I might sink lower after a few hours…(?). And I also liked the Cloud Select.

Then I moved on to the Serta Icomforts…they had the Insight, Savant and Prodigy.
Now I am confused…I have laid on an Insight before and felt that it was like laying on concrete. Then online, according to which site you read, the Insight has a higher comfort level than the Genius.
Today, the Insight did not feel like concrete…I liked it very much. The Savant and Prodigy felt too soft for me. The Insight is the first in the line up, right? I like the idea of a topper… I may be able to use my credit for a Tempurpedic mattress topper, although they are 3 inches. My husband would love this, although I think its too much cushion for me.

Then I tried the Icomfort Directions…the Inception and Reinvention. I really liked the Inception. I came home to take a look at the specs…can you tell me what “graphene” is? It is the new material that they seem to be pushing. I am concerned about all the chemicals that are already in these mattresses anyway. I am not hung up on the “cooling effect”…we don’t particularly sleep hot although have enjoyed that aspect of our comforpedic. But I did like the feel of it. By the end I kept going back and forth from the Insight to the Inception, once in a while going to the Contour Select wanting to want it. I asked the sales guy what the difference between the Insight and Inception was and he didn’t seem too sure. I asked him what the density of the foam was and he told me that the reps tell hem the foam is all between 4 and 6 lbs.

I did try Sealy’s version of their hybrid, wondering if it had the same feel of the Jubilance and other Iseries.

If my kids are up for another road trip tomorrow, I will go try the Jubilance (3 hrs away) and then I am officially done with my search and it is decision time. I will also ask the store what I can do with the credit, or if I will lose it.

Thanks,

Meredith