Baby steps on a pair of extremely cold feet!!! 
Ok, here is the old mattress finally got around to uploading and posting pictures of what I have. Let me know what you think I currently have I am debating on whether to keep it or trash it. T purchased it on overstock prior to me coming into the picture. I took some pictures of the law label and in interesting picture of the bottom of the mattress. It does have a comfort layer of some sort glued to the base maybe 2" thick and a 8" base if I recall exactly unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of it. When I do lift the bed again I will photo it and add it to this post. It appears to be only around 3.5 to 4 years old.
Well after some serious digging into the archives it appears that the so called ācustomā mattress that I am now considering at one time had a name, this is reassuring! The little of what I could find for reviews mainly on their facebook page appear to be promising, and I am now beginning to experience this warm and fuzzy feeling throughout my body. Could this be a sign?
Hi TandL,
The law tag only mentions the type of materials (a layer of memory foam and a polyfoam support layer underneath it) and nothing about the quality/density of the materials although the memory foam is likely low density. Itās made by Sleep Innovations (Advanced Urethane Technologies is their form pouring division). Even if you did know the density of the layers though, whether to keep it or trash it would depend on its condition and whether you thought it was worth keeping as a spare or guest bed because based on your comments in your original post ā¦
ā¦ It certainly doesnāt seem to be doing the job for you.
The Aloe Adele was basically the same mattress as the Aloe Alexis except one of the top layers was memory foam instead of latex. Either one of the top two layers can be exchanged as part of their layer exchange policy.
āWarm fuzziesā are a good thing 
Phoenix
Its all coming down to this ā¦ 4lb Gel (actually 4.3) vs 5lb Standard Foam.
I have been going back and forth with this for a couple of days now. Iām thinking that the trade off in durability isnāt much between the two but performance wise (based on my personal preference and the direction of the retailer) is much greater. I am leaning in the direction of the lower density 4lb gel, as much as I would like to go with a higher 5 lb density memory foam.
I believe the difference is in the technology of the two, which is a little bit beyond my understanding and a little in more in depth then I am willing to go with my research. I guess this is where you have to rely on the retailer and ad into the equation their experience with their products.
Any insight phoenix???
Hi TandL,
Gel memory foam tends to be a little bit more āsupportiveā than the same density of āregularā memory foam and can also make some difference in temperature regulation as well (although it may be temporary when you first go to sleep rather than over the course of the night and other temperature regulating factors will play a significant role as well).
At your weight you are ājust in the rangeā that I would consider reducing the amount of 4 lb memory foam for durability reasons but having said that it would depend on the specifics of the mattress and all the other durability factors involved and if it comes down to a choice between PPP and durability I would choose PPP because I would much rather have a higher quality of sleep for a little shorter period of time than a lower quality of sleep for a longer period of time.
While there is no way to use a formula to make a choice without personal experience and it will ultimately depend on your actual sleeping experience ā¦ I would lean towards your ābest judgementā choice based on conversations between you and the manufacturer.
When the layers are exchangeable ā¦ you will still have good options remaining after you have had the chance to sleep on the mattress and you will have a much better reference point both for the mattress you order and for any changes you may choose to make.
Phoenix
Been doing some homework on the middle layer (support) of three it will consist of 3 inches of a Talalay Blend. Not only will I be using this for a support layer but I will also want to have the option of inverting it with the layer above it (4lb gel) in case I need a little more support.
7" Core/Base -(2.17 HD Poly), 3" Support (Talaly Blend), 3" Comfort (4lb Gel Foam).
My choices for ILDās for the support layers are 44, 32, 28, 24, 19, and 14.
Iām confident to say that 44 ILD will be too firm and as I realize that it is most preferred in its use as a core or base layer then a support of comfort layer. The 19 and 14 will be too soft for this layer and im confident to say that it would normally be used as a comfort layer and 4lb gel foam will be used in replace of this. So after a process of elimination I now have choices of 32, 28, and 24. During my numerous online chats with the retailer and two different reps I have been suggested by both the 24 and the 28. When I looked into the other choices of mattresses they offered mainly their 10" inch version of the same hybrid (8" Poly Core + 3 Talalay Blend) they categorize the 32 as firm, the 28 as cushion firm, and the 24 as medium plush. Based on this and the fact that we are are on the heavier side of the scale I am gonna lean more in the direction of the 28 and possibly the 32. When I look into their Total Series which is a 10 inch mattress with a 6" Talalay or Dunlop Core with three inches of a comfort layer. The most common ILD core is a 32 ILD and used with 4 of their seven recommended combinations with a comforts varying from 32-32 which they consider firm down to a 32-19 which they consider ultra plush and a 28-19 which they consider super soft.
I know this is relative to PPP but at this point I am undecided on whether I should choose a 32 ILD support layer or a 28 ILD support layer. I personally feel the 32 would be a better choice for the support and feel I am trying to achieve though the 28 was recommended. I also feel that the 32 as firm as they describe it to be if inverted and placed on top of the foam probably wouldnt feel as firm if it was used directly on top of a 6" 32ILD Latex Core.
Any direction or insight on this would be a big help.
Hi TandL,
I would keep in mind that all the layers and components of a mattress will have an effect on every other layer to different degrees and on the overall feel and performance of the mattress. The layers and components closer to the top will have a bigger effect on the pressure relief and the initial and overall āfeelā of the mattress than the deeper layers which take on a bigger role in alignment/support (which is a big part of what you feel in the morning). The cover and the type and thickness of the quilting materials and the quilting pattern will also play a significant role in the pressure relief and initial āfeelā of the mattress so a layer of latex that is otherwise the same in terms of the type of material, thickness, and ILD that is close to the top of a mattress can āfeelā very different with different covers and quilting materials or patterns so looking at the ILD of a latex layer alone is only part of what determines the āfeelā of the mattress.
When you are looking at small differences (such as the difference between 28 ILD and 32 ILD which is a single firmness increment) ā¦ then the other factors involved can play an even bigger role in how the mattress feels than the ILD of the latex.
Without a great deal of personal experience in different mattress constructions and designs that are very similar ā¦ you really wonāt be able to āpredictā how a specific mattress will āfeelā to you down to the level of fine detail you are looking at outside of your actual experience and itās really a matter of ābest judgementā rather than using a single spec such as ILD which will only be one of the objective and subjective factors involved that will make a difference. The more you try and āimagineā the differences between them without personal experience as a reference point the more frustrated you will likely become because you are really trying to decide on something which you canāt know for sure.
This is one of the benefits of having a layer that can be exchanged if your personal experience indicates that you would prefer something a little bit softer or firmer than your ābest judgementā initially thought would be best.
Phoenix
Thank you Phoenix again, and again and again!
Serta StablBase Ultimate - Bed Frame w/ 9 low profile glides 6" ($112)
First piece of the puzzle is in: Its the Serta StablBase Ultimate Bed Frame ($112) that I ordered from Amazon. It took 10 days from the time I ordered it to the time it reached my door. It took five days to ship out and it traveled from west coast to east coast in five days via FedEx. The box was in tough shape, torn in some places, open on the ends, and a bit soggy and mushy. The frame itself was a bit scuffed but all the parts were there and its very easy to assemble. My biggest concern was, that they could have possibly shipped one other then what I had ordered, a queen and low profile with 9 glides, they did not so I am pleased.
The reason I choose this base was that it appeared to be well built very few parts and not adjustable, it had 9 glides instead of wheels and most importantly it was only 6 inches high. I donāt want the frame and foundation to be much lower or higher then the existing bed frame that it will be sitting inside.
The only concern that I have with this frame, which may not be much of a concern if at all, are that the glides (legs) only attach to/support the cross members and not to the rails.
Hi TandL,
The cross members are what support most of the weight so they are what need the support to the floor.
Thanks for the pictures
Phoenix
Did it!!!
14" Aloe Alexis (Adele)
The 14" Aloe Alexis latex mattress
(top->bottom):
100% Natural Cotton & Aloe Mattress Cover,
1" Chemical Free Wool & BreathCool Poly Foam,
(1) 3" Layer 4lb Gel Foam
(1) 3" Layers of Talalay Latex 28 ILD,
7" of 2.17lb BB HD Foam Core.
Now for the hard part ā¦ sit and wait!
Hi TandL,
Way to go ā¦ and congratulations on your new mattress
Iām looking forward to your feedback when you receive it and as you know I think you made a āwell researchedā and great choice.
Phoenix
Thanks again for everything you do!!!
Forgot to mention two free latex pillows and a Sleep Tite mattress Protector.
Mattresses.net KD Wood Foundation (Queen)
The Mattresses.net KD Wood Foundation (Queen) is in. It took 11 days from the time I ordered it to the time it reached my door. It took five days to ship out and it traveled from Arizona to the east coast in six days via UPS. Packaging looks ok, it appears to have been re taped in certain areas, but nothing was hanging out of the box. I am confident that its contents are in good shape, besides if this item couldnāt make the trip then most likely it doesnāt deserve to be under the bed.
Really not much to say other then the fact that it does exactly what it is designed to do. Once its was put together, in place on the frame, and our current foam mattress was on top it is solid. It actually gave the current mattress a completely different feel.
I must say I am rather impressed with this. Exactly what I was trying to achieve, the one draw back is there isnāt going to be much headboard left once I place the 14" inch Aloe Alexis on top, not that it matters T is perfectly fine with that. Pretty impressed with my choices so farā¦
Brooklyn Bedding
(Our choice of retailer or manufacturer)
We have decided to go with Brooklyn Bedding who is a on line factory direct distributor. Over the past few weeks I have visited many websites and found theirs to be amongst the best and user friendly e-commerce bedding website I came across. Though I may be inexperienced at shopping for mattresses I do have some experience at shopping online. I have many other hobbies and interests that lead me to online forums and retailers who specialize in online sales. Many that have information that may not be up to date or miscategorized and this is a turn off to me and always has been my step one with online shopping. If the company who relies on selling products over the internet is not willing to put the time and money into their online store front and providing me the consumer with accurate up to date detailed information then I tend to want to pass right over them regardless of the quality of their product.
Variety in their selections of mattresses was another big factor when I was evaluating different online vendors I wanted to make sure that the company I was purchasing my product had a variety of mattresses to choose from. I wanted them to offer me both latex and memory foam for me to choose and I wanted them to have my choice of memory foam mattress as well as my choice in latex, which they do.
The prices of their mattress was also a concern their mattresses needed to all fall in a certain range that range for me was 1000 to 2000 dollar range which the majority of them did. I didnāt want to have to pay much more if I needed to exchange the one I purchased for another.
Chat is big, I wanted to be able to ask my questions as they popped into my head. Many sites have it but many do not utilize it like they do. This company did, they did so much that one of their reps (Carlos) new me on a first name basis. He knew me so well that just by my location and the way I addressed him he knew exactly who I was. When he felt like I had hit the wall in my decision he opened another door. He not only knew my preferences but he knew the preferences of my partner. I was made offers in my selection that I did not know was available to me based on the information I provided in reference to my likings and the likings of my partner. In my opinion this is a characteristic of a company that values and relies on their customers base.
We ordered the mattress on January 15 around 9 pm and Carlos walked me through the purchase to make sure I got all the information correct and the free extras. On January 16 at around noon time I received confirmation that the mattress had already shipped. This is a good example of what I consider to be great online customer service, one to three days and its out the door. I received tracking numbers on two boxes one box is around 120lbs and the second is approximately 20lbs. The use FedEx as a carrier not my personal preference in shipping companies so I m going to cross my fingers and hope it arrives ok.
(I have to put a good word in here for Carlos their online sales rep he really made the experience painless. He was great at answering my numerous questions. He had patience with me and always put forth this āno pressureā type demeanor. He answered my questions and not for one minute did I feel like I was dealing with a used car salesman. This tends to draw me into a sale and give me a sense of reassurance that I am doing the right thing. He listened to my concern, and remembered our conversations and when I began to experience paralysis on my decision of whether I should go with Visco or Latex he gave me just one more option Both. Not so much a hybrid where the core is poly and the comforts are latex but something I would refer to as a hybrid combo where one of the comfort layers were replaced with Visco. This was just the convincing that we needed to make our purchase.)
Hi TandL,
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights into the reasons behind your final choice ā¦ and congratulations on your new mattress
I think your experience is a good example of the type of attentive, individualized, and overall great customer service that Brooklyn Bedding is known for!
Phoenix
Its the least I can do ā¦ I hope it to be a resource for others, though Iām not done yet.
I was tempted to chose the Aloe Adele but just went with the Alexis insteadā¦I await your review as I may still buy the Adele for the guest room.
Ditto on the BB comments with Mario being the one who spoke with me - love that company.
Initial impression
The temps here in New England have been subzero for a few days, and the delivery was delayed a day due to a snow storm that passed through. The mattress sat overnight at one of its stops waiting for the roads to clear. The mattress was received today at 2pm approximately 7 days since we ordered it. The box was a bit beat up, but actually in better condition then I anticipated and no damage was done to the mattress itself.
When we finally got it up the stairs and unwrapped it the mattress was so cold that it appeared to have chilled the bedroom a bit. Cause of this we were under the impression that this mattress is gonna take a bit longer then norm to fully expand. The layer of gel foam actually appeared to have been frozen from the cold so we took some extra precautionary steps and unzipped the cover a bit and removed the layer of gel off the layer of latex so the latex and core could warm up a bit. It took a total of three hours to expand enough to fill the cover, once the latex was room temp we replaced the gel and zipped the cover.
The materials/construction are beautiful much better then we anticipated. This mattress is so much better looking in person then it appears in the photos or on their website. The cover is so soft and luxurious that it was a shame to cover it up. Finally after about 3.5 hours we got to lay on it and evaluate its feel. We were impressed, it really feels close to perfect, and exactly what we were hoping. Words could just not explain; it a little bit of pillow top, a bit of sink, some bounce, plenty of foam, we felt really confident with its first impression.
The pillows were a beautiful bonus, first impression was wow are these things heavy. They come with a nice rose pattern zipper cover and are filled rather high. I was concerned about these, I was convinced that much of the pain I experience from sleeping just might be caused by the choice of pillow I currently use and these felt really nice in terms of softness and support.
The Sleep Tite by Malouf protector mattress was lightweight with a thin plastic liner. It had a terry cloth type of fabric over the top and no protection on the sides. Really cant comment on this other then it appears that it will suffice with no regrets from us at least. The Duvet was nice according to T she was impressed with its looks and quality, its realy not my department but she seemed to be happy with itās feel and the thread count. We also ran out and purchased a 50.00 Eddie Bauer Micro Fiber down alternative Duvet to go in the cover. Once again not much thought into this we are not relying on it for warmth, but more for its appeal, an electric blanket is a must for us. She was happy it was 90"x 90" and on sale at the local T. J. Max.
