Tuft and Neede 10" Review, newly designed model.
Received a 10" T&N yesterday (12/16/14), confirmed it was the new model, which has 3.5 lb density in the upper comfort layer.
Impressed with ordering and delivery- great customer service, which included e-mail back and forth 3 times with lots of questions, which they answered promptly and in good enough detail. They honored my MU discount and gladly extended the return to 60 days.
Came rolled up in a long box- FedEx info said 67 pounds. We have stairs to manage, but two of us were able to “slide” the narrow box up the stairs- I’m too much of a weakling to carry it any distance, even with help.
Amazing amount of compression. After removing the wrapping, the mattress inflated in less than a minute. Slight “fresh foam” smell, but not much, and not the overwhelming chemical smell as with memory foam. By bedtime, the fresh foam smell had dissipated.
First thing I noticed, my mattress arrived with a completely different cover than is on their website. On their website they show a quilted, padded cover. My cover is a knit cover with their name embroidered on it- the types of covers that come with memory foam toppers. I was disappointed with the change. I will be sending them a “review” of the mattress, and will mention this. They need to change their website- the new version has been shipping for a month now, started shipping Nov. 18.
Before bed, I put on a couple of layers. On our old mattress, we had a nicely padded, but not overstuffed, polyfill mattress pad with cotton top and bottom. It’s still in excellent condition, so I washed it and put it on the new mattress. On top of that I put an organic cotton protector that came with our old mattress- it is about the weight of heavy flannel, and quilted, but no padding. Then flannel sheets. Even with these layers, the mattress felt no different to me than when I laid on it “raw” as received. Was hoping for a bit of addition of “pillowtop” feel from the mattress pad, but there was no cushion at all that I could detect.
First thing I noticed when getting into bed. Firm. Yes, even the new version is quite firm. I know the old version would have been too firm for me. There is good edge support on this mattress. Mattress feels good to sit on if you like to read in bed. The foam is “elastic”, but not particularly bouncy or springily like latex, sort of like memory foam without the sinking in.
I wasn’t sure how DH would like the change, but he fell asleep in about 5 min (his usual). He can sleep on anything- from air mattresses on the floor, to super soft pillow tops to hard innerspring. I am much more finicky.
DH was gone from bed at 3:30 am- I went to find him- it wasn’t the mattress, he thought it was fine. We just got back a couple of days ago from an overseas trip, he had jetlag. He actually felt pretty refreshed after just a few hours of sleep.
I don’t know how long it took me to fall asleep, but it probably wasn’t long, I don’t remember lying in bed lamenting the mattress feel. I normally start out the night on my back for an hour or two, then roll over to my side, and change positions throughout the night. Last night, I was surprised to wake up after 5 hours in bed to find I was still on my back! This is very rare for me.
On the mattress, I feel like I’m “floating” on top, although find my lower back completely supported while on my back. I experienced no pressure point pain while on my side (which is common for me on many mattresses) in either my hips nor my shoulders. All good.
The one thing I struggled with was getting the pillow (I was switching between 2) comfortable while on my side. My neck didn’t relax well while on my side. I know this is more likely a pillow problem than the mattress itself, so I will continue to try the various pillows I’ve collected over the past few years, to figure out the right amount “scrunching” for the proper height and support. I woke up a little stiff in my neck, but it went away quickly.
My main issue though. I woke up this morning aching in my scapula and thoracic spine area. I started to feel some discomfort in that area in the early morning. I was surprised by this. On some softer mattresses, when I lie on my side, I can feel my ribs “collapse” into the mattress- on the T&N, this doesn’t happen- I feel fully supported on my side (and back).
Our last mattress was a latex/innerspring mattress that I always found horrid. Too firm support layer, not enough comfort layers (we got it knowing latex can be good, but without knowing what was in the innards (before I knew about MU, maybe it wasn’t around then 6 yrs ago?): 1" Latex on top of 2" soft springs, on top of a very firm spring base, covered with very lightly padded wool/cotton top). My husband thought the TN feels firmer than our old bed, I feel the opposite. I’m starting to understand how weight and other factors (perhaps muscle tone?) affect the experience of a mattress.
Overall, I’m happy with the T&N, and hoping that my body adjusts to the new bed. I wish the updated mattress came with the quilted cover that was on the old version, a little disappointed in the new knit zip cover. We were considering getting a TN for our guest room, but have decided not to. I think this may be the type of mattress that appeals to some right off the bat, and perhaps a good long term choice for someone like me who was looking for a supportive, firm mattress that isn’t latex or memory foam (I prefer polyfoam out of all, no latex pushback or sinking in like memory foam), but for a short guest stay, I think most of the people wouldn’t find this mattress overly comfortable, at least not without a softer topper. My impression is that most people (at least in my family), sleep on a pillow top type innerspring mattress, and the T&N is a completely different feel. I have time to let my body adjust to this new type of mattress, but when a guest visits, they aren’t here long enough!
As a tidbit: my friend recently purchased a Casper mattress (seems like a lot of us debate between these two). I got to lie on it for about 30 minutes. Casper uses latex in their upper layer, and to me, I don’t like the pushback on my muscles that latex causes. However, the Casper felt great on my lower back for those 30 min. While I didn’t experience pressure point pain in my hips while lying on my side, I did start to get shoulder pressure point pain. The Casper is also firm, but in a different way than the T&N. It’s very hard to compare them, the feel and experience is completely different. The Casper is more springy and bouncy that the T&N. My friend and her husband found the Casper too firm after 2 weeks (he was getting numbness and pain in shoulders, she thought it just felt too firm), and Casper did send them a free memory foam topper to try. I’ve seen this a number of times when I was researching a Casper. I wonder if they will end up redesigning like Tuft and Needle?
I don’t know if it helps anyone, but I’m 5’ 2", 130 lbs, and carry weight in my hips.
Questions for Phoenix:
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Right now we have the mattress on our old foundation- an “adjustable” slat foundation: https://sleepworks.com/mattresses/flexible-slat-system I’ve never liked that foundation with our innerspring/latex mattress, I never could get it adjusted right. When I pushed the adjusters out to make the mattress softer, the mattress would “cave” and form a dip. Felt like i was sleeping in a hammock. I don’t think these foundations must be good for mattresses either- it is VERY flexible, more than it looks. Our old mattress developed permanent “dips” in the springs after 6 years (doubt it was the latex- there is only 1" in the mattress), I’m convinced from being on this foundation. Another natural mattress store owner locally said these foundations aren’t the best for a heavier mattress, and that they are “gimicky”. I agree. My question is: is it okay to have our new TN mattress on this foundation for a week or two? I think the TN weighs at least half of the old mattress. I ordered a mattress.net kd foundation, but it’s not here yet. I don’t want to compromise the mattress, but was too excited not to set it up when it arrived! I also think that a kd foundation will probably make the mattress even firmer? I hope not too much firmer… I am looking forward to no “beam” down the center of the mattress which I can feel through the mattress with the flexible foundation.
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Do you have any ideas why I got the scapular/thoracic pain last night? I’m still achey 5 hours later, despite rolling on my foam roller and hot bath. Is there anything I can change in the mattress/pillow or the way I sleep to help?
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I miss a more “pillowtop” type layer. On our last mattress (and guest futon), I’ve had thin toppers underneath the padded mattress pad- 1" of 14 ILD latex (which I don’t like by itself, but under thick mattress pad okay) and a 1" inexpensive egg crate foam topper (on top of the latex topper, again under mattress pad). Mattresses prior to this were polyfoam/innerspring pillowtops. Would it compromise the break in of the new mattress if I added a little bit of these soft, thin comfort layers?
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Does the foam in the bed break in under where we sleep only, or across the surface? Is there any benefit to rotating the mattress regularly (head to foot, not flipped). And how much does polyfoam actually “soften” during the break in period? I feel like this mattress is on the edge of being too firm for me, but I’ve read in some of your posts that sometimes if a person gets a mattress “just right” in the very beginning, sometimes it ends up being too soft a few weeks or months later, or something to this effect.
Thanks.