Tempur-pedic Contour Supreme is not the same as the old CS!

[phoenix]

Hi Marthago,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum!

I had a contour supreme for 8 years and LOVED it until it began to sag in the middle. TP approved the warranty and so I figured the new contour supreme would be similar to the old one – Wrong

I’m sorry to hear that your Tempurpedic had a warranty defect. But I’m glad you were taken care of with a warranty replacement.

Tempurpedic has certainly changed their specifications over the past eight years (even though they’re quite secretive about things ). Additionally, the mattress you replaced had gone through eight years of use and was sagging in the center. Also, your body has changed over the past eight years. It is quite possible that the new Contour Supreme is very close in overall feel to your original mattress when you purchased it eight years ago, and that you are simply used to the feel of the older mattress that was broken-in and sagging. It’s also possible that the new Contour Supreme (which was always a bit of a “firmer” mattress) is a little firmer than the old version was eight years ago. It’s also possible that you like a softer mattress now more than you did eight years ago. I would tell you to focus on the here and now and start from there.

I knew it felt pretty firm but I like firm and thought it would “break in” after awhile but here I am, almost 3 months later and my lower back hurts (since day 1) and I hear all kinds of back cracking/popping all day from I guess the mattress being to firm…

Usually a mattress that feels to “firm” (hard) will result in pressure points and soreness. One that is too soft will usually result in low back pain, for lack of proper alignment. I can’t tell from your description exactly which you are experiencing, but your judgment of it being too hard feeling is what we’ll use. At three months old, this mattress will still soften a bit as time goes on, but if you’re approaching the limit of a trial/exchange period with this warranty replacement then I guess you’ll have to make a decision on what to do.

On a recent visit to a mattress store they had a fancy computer that did an analysis while laying on a mattress and it took pressure points, weight, fact that I sleep on my side/back etc. said that the Cloud Supreme was my best option - To go from a Contour Supreme to Cloud Supreme (almost the opposite end of the firm/soft spectrum) has left me really confused on what to go with.

There is more about the “pressure mapping” machines like the bed match system in this topic and you can read a little more about pressure mapping systems in general post #2 here and post #4 here. While they can be helpful as a very general guideline … I would be cautious about overemphasizing their importance compared to what your body tells you and using the testing guidelines in the tutorial because they can help more for pressure testing than spinal alignment (pressure relief is not the same as spinal alignment and a mattress that does a great job relieving pressure is not necessarily the best choice in terms of alignment). They also won’t tell you anything about the quality and durability of the materials inside the mattress. Overall these machines tend to be a “crutch” for salespeople and an attempt to add validity and “science” to their recommendations, but in the end they are a mostly a sales tool to point you toward products in their store.

If you’re being allowed to exchange your mattress, I would go back to the store and test the mattresses as if you were a new customer. While Tempurpedic isn’t a brand that I recommend to members of the forum due to their overpriced nature, you said you are a Tempurpedic fan so you could try some of the softer Tempurpedic options in that lineup. If you’re not being allowed to do an exchange and you desire extra comfort, you could always investigate a memory foam topper for your mattress.

Have you found that people who like firm end up going with the Cloud Supreme?

I don’t keep track of what mattresses people switched to when they made a new purchase (it would be too cumbersome and in the end wouldn’t provide any meaningful data for people here to use), but even if I did I would tell you to trust your own opinion of comfort. I can’t speak to how any mattress will “feel” for someone else in terms of firmness, “comfort”, or PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances … outside of PPP (which is all about how well you will sleep on a mattress) the most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is it’s durability and in terms of durability a mattress is only as good as its construction and the type, quality, and durability of the materials inside it (which is all about how long you will sleep well) regardless of the name of the manufacturer or the name of the mattress on the label.

I’m not entirely sure of what options you have at your disposal or what you’re considering, but to give a very general answer to your question, there certainly are people who go from firmer to softer mattresses over time. However, I’m not sure if that applies in your situation. I would focus less on what you used to like and more on what is appropriate for you right now and make that choice within the scope of the options that are being presented to you by your retailer.

I hope that information is helpful!

Phoenix