Hi bendybody,
[quote]That being said, I went on a mattress hunt. Blindly testing, I neither looked at prices, labels or description, and did not allow the sales force to follow around with information. I simply lay down on the mattresses, test rode them, and immediately knew yes or no. In the end, only one mattress was comfortable, the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe. However, it’s way out of my price range.
Does anyone know of a mattress comparable to this? I’m very hesitant after reading the articles, actually even more confused, and don’t know how to begin to go about this. Any and all help is very much appreciated![/quote]
There is more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” or “approximate” another one in post #9 here. Any mattress that uses the same or better quality/density materials would be very similar in terms of durability but this will have little to do with how the mattress feels.
I would also keep in mind that there are no “standard” definitions or consensus of opinions for firmness ratings and different manufacturers can rate their mattresses very differently than others so a mattress that one manufacturer rates as being a specific firmness could be rated very differently by another manufacturer. Different people can also have very different perceptions of firmness and softness compared to others as well and a mattress that is firm for one can feel like “medium” for someone else or even “soft” for someone else (or vice versa) depending on their body type and weight, sleeping style, physiology, their frame of reference based on what they are used to, and their individual sensitivity and perceptions. This is all relative and very subjective and is as much an art as a science. There are also different types of firmness and softness that different people may be sensitive to that can affect how they “rate” a mattress as well (see post #15 here).
The tutorial post includes a link to a list of some of the better online memory foam manufacturers/retailers that I’m aware of as well (in the optional online step) and many of them make memory foam mattresses that are designed to approximate many of the Tempurpedic mattresses either in terms of firmness and feel or in terms of the quality/durability of the materials (or both) that are in much lower budget ranges than the Tempurpedic mattresses that are equivalent to theirs. I would keep in mind though that while they may be “close approximations” … they won’t be an “exact match” in terms of how they feel because if two mattresses don’t use the exactly same materials and the same design then they can have some differences between them that some people may notice more than others. Most online memory foam manufacturers or retailers will be familiar with the Tempurpedic lineup and would be able to tell you which of their memory foam mattresses would be the closest approximation to any of the Tempurpedic models and some of them also include a specific Tempurpedic mattress in their description (including the Cloud Luxe in some cases) that would be the closest approximation to their mattress.
There may also be other memory foam mattresses available locally that also are close approximations to the Tempurpedic line as well either in terms of their firmness and how they feel or the quality of their materials (or both) but you would need to test them in person to compare how they feel and you would need to know the type and quality/density of the materials inside them to know how they would compare in terms of durability (see this article). If you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know about the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.
When you are considering an online mattress that you can’t test or compare 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 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 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 to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences or to other mattresses that they are familiar with (such as the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe) than anyone else (including me). If you are purchasing an online mattress then the options you have after a purchase to return or exchange the mattress would also become a much more important part of the “value” of your purchase.
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 PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for (or that doesn’t feel as close to another mattress as you hoped it would) that are involved in each of them 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, durability, and value.
Phoenix