First off, thank you for all the great resources on your site. They’ve been incredibly helpful in my search for the right mattress.
My husband and I are both quite similar: we’re two guys, 6’ tall, about 200-210 lbs, and total side sleepers. I have long suffered from issues with hip and shoulder pain in bed so am looking for a soft comfort layer to help alleviate those pains but want to make sure we have the right support in the mattress so I’m not trading pains for back aches and the issues that come with lack of support. We haven’t decided on preference for the comfort layer yet because there have been several we’ve liked from latex to coils to memory foam, all about 3-4" thick.
We’re keen on a hybrid, with a pocket coil base because we like the spring feel, and two local mattress manufacturers that we visited presented very different options for this. The first suggested that of the three options he had available (pocket coils of ILD 20, 30, and 40), we should definitely go for the 30 because of our weight. He said that the ILD 20 would provide enough support for someone who is quite a bit lighter than we are (suggesting someone ~140 lbs or less) and than the 40 would feel too firm for our preference/need. He seemed to be fairly concerned with both comfort and support.
The second manufacturer went the opposite direction and suggested we try their softest coil base (which I believe was ILD 15 and feeling it with my hands, it was reeeeally soft) because of our preference for a soft mattress. It felt good to lay on it but I was concerned that they were just selling this mattress based on comfort without considering support - so I asked about whether this mattress base would provide enough support for us and the woman we were working with said it wouldn’t be a problem. But I know we wouldn’t really know until we took it home and slept on it.
So who’s right? Can we get the support we need from a soft, ILD 15 or 20 base? Or were my suspicions correct in the case of the second manufacturer and we were being sold a mattress based on comfort alone?
Welcome to The Mattress Underground ! Nice to have you here and thanks for your question.
Thanks for your kind words on the site; they are much appreciated! Happy to know that you’re finding the articles and resources useful for your mattress search . You will find the folks here are quite enthusiastic regarding all things mattress-related, so feel free to ask those questions and share your experiences with the forum.
Thanks for sharing both of your personal statsas they determine what materials and constructions are best suited for your preferences. I am sorry to learn of your ongoing hip and shoulder pain issues, those are no doubt frustrating for a side sleeper to endure. Some questions for you: what mattress brand/ type are you currently using and how old is it? What size mattress are you planning to purchase? What type foundation are you currently using and how old is it? Will you be replacing your pillows when you purchase a new mattress?
Generally speaking, ILD is a measure of a foam’s density and indicator of comfort preference. The lower the ILD, the softer the feel of the foam. The encased pocket coils form the mattress’s support core and there are many variables for determining coil firmness, such as wire gauge, coil thickness, number of turns, coil diameter, and coil height. The lower the gauge, the thicker and more firm the coil will be. A narrower coil yields a firmer coil. Also, the shorter the coil, the firmer it will feel. Leggett & Platt seems to have created their own unique ILD testing as part of the research and study of their pocket coil cores, here is a description of its use from their site:
[indent]“As a manufacturer of spring systems, we have developed our own world-class rigorous testing procedures and a unique testing machine to ensure that our products meet the most stringent standards: the Indention/Load/Deflection (ILD) Machine.
Essentially a tensile/compression test machine, the ILD evaluates the firmness of innersprings, boxsprings, upholstered mattresses, and bedding sets by taking measurements of typical indention areas. We measure such areas as the shoulder zone, geometric center, and calf zone. There are no established pass/fail criteria for this procedure, but the historical guidelines are referenced to put your test in perspective.”[/indent]
I’ve included a snap of L&P’s Quantum Edge Elite Bolsa Unit as it is q popular support core used in hybrid mattresses. They use 2 coils: Bolsa Coils, interior coils/ 15 gauge / 8" and Quantum Edge Coils, perimeter edge support coils/ 16 gauge / 8". The ILDs given for this core are 531 ILD for the interior coils and 570 ILD for the perimeter coils. The ILDs you mention of 20, 30, and 40 seem more in line with the foam/ comfort layer’s firmness: 20 = soft; 30 = medium; 40 = firm. With your slightly higher BMI’s, a 30 ILD/ medium firmness comfort layer in 3" thickness should be quite suitable. With a lower thickness or softer material, you may find too much “sink” while in your preferred side sleeping position and feel closer to the coils than you expect. More questions now: are these hybrids of a single piece or are the covers zippered and the comfort layer(s) moveable? Is there a transition layer separating the comfort layer and pocket coil array? It would also be interesting to know if the support core is a single zoned or multiple-zoned firmness and what the coil gauge is.
Not really sure what she’s talking about here. From a durability standpoint, higher body weights will compress the layers in a mattress more deeply than lighter body types, so these individuals will generally need more durable/ firmer materials and components in the upper layers than those that are in lower weight ranges for the mattress to maintain its comfort and support for a similar length of time. A 15 ILD foam is considered extra soft, and while its softness may feel better, it may not be a suitable long-term durable material choice unless used in a 3-4" thickness.
You’ll have to go with your gut here mr_sim. You posed a good question and one of genuine concern. A response of “it wouldn’t be a problem” is not as informative as an explanation of how the mattress base would act to correctly support both of you. A quality manufacturer will answer all questions thoroughly, provide product specs, and actively listen to all of your concerns without trying to “close” you and risk a future return in the process.
It’s hard to speculate on the recommendation of the second manufacturer for you. I’m not going to suggest that you name their showroom (and certainly not to reveal the identity of the person who helped you), but hopefully her suggestion was based on her knowledge of the mattress model and that it would be a good match for you. If you haven’t read this Phoenix article already, you may find "Mattress Specifications You Need to Know"useful for researching spec details, a key indicator of long-term durability. Also keep in mind the basic functions of a mattress: (1) comfort for providing pressure relief and (2) support for providing optimal spinal alignment. Great work on your research and showroom visits! Looking forward to your reply and any updates that you may have .
! Nice to have you here and thanks for your question.
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