The Serta iComfort mattress ... what's the buzz

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
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118

Hi Cmurdock,

You make some good points and I appreciate your comments but they are somewhat incomplete. There are many factors which contribute to the quality of a foam as measured by its durability however the single biggest factor is the density of the foam itself. There is a great deal of in depth articles on the PFA site and some of the google books pages about this that get very technical but they are both very interesting and informative. As to a ā€œPERFECTā€ cell structure ā€¦ there is a great deal of debate even inside the industry as to what ā€œperfectā€ means and while there are many who will argue on one side of a position ā€¦ there are others who will take the other side of the same argument. For example Tempur foam is less open celled than other foams and by this standard it is certainly less than ā€œperfectā€ as there are many others which have a more open celled structure. ā€œPerfectā€ can also be defined in many other ways including temperature sensitivity and resilience (recovery speed) and each foam formulation has a different mix of qualities that is more about preference than it is about perfection.

Some of the other factors involved are the specific formulations and chemicals used (including the use of TDI or MDI or plant based polyols or different catalysts) and the particular challenges involved in each formulation and how it reacts to changes in humidity and temperature during foaming and the differences in the manufacturing ā€œstepsā€ and the timing of the steps used in each formulation. There are also various ways of creating a more open cell structure in memory foam (which all manufacturers are currently working on to improve the memory foam temperature issues) including the VPF process, chemical processes, and mechanical processes. Some manufacturers use both chemical and mechanical processes to ā€œopenā€ the cell structure of their memory foams. Compression of the foam over long periods of time during storage and shipping and the type of compression used (vacuum vs pressure) can also play a major role in durability.

With all of this though ā€¦ memory foam density remains the single most reliable indicator of foam durability with the others playing a secondary role as long you are comparing memory foams made by reputable manufacturers (as opposed to some uncertified foams with various types of ā€œfillersā€). There was a time when Tempur material was much higher quality than other memory foam manufacturers. This is no longer the case however the prices they charge remain higher than other equally ā€œperfectā€ foams made by other foam pourers and used by many other mattress manufacturers.

There is a great deal of ā€œconfusionā€ in the memory foam segment of the industry and a great deal of variety in terms of different formulations which can produce more or less desirable qualities or ā€œfeelsā€ based on individual preferences. Tempur has certainly led the way but they are no longer the undisputed leader in anything but their name recognition and the prices they charge.

As an interesting aside ā€¦ I always find it fascinating to read the 10-K reports for some manufacturers as it gives some interesting insights into the thinking of management, and what they are ā€œworking onā€. For example Tempurpedic spent almost 20% of its net sales on selling and marketing expenses in 2010 and almost 10% for advertising.

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Phoenix

119

So glad I found your site, I almost bought the Tempurpedic Cloud today. Could you please point me to a local mattress store in the Austin, Texas area. We also liked the Prodigy by iComfort but now I know better. We are both side sleepers and weigh 130 and 165. I really miss our old style waterbed but it had to go when we moved. So, I like a soft bed,my husband a bit firmer. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks so much for your site.

120

Hi Wendy,

Post #4 here should help.

Since both of you are on the lighter side ā€¦ you may prefer slightly softer foam in the comfort layer. Even your husband may prefer this although he may like a firmer layer than you underneath (much of the feeling of ā€œfirmnessā€ of a mattress comes from what is under the comfort layer). While it is quite likely that a similar construction would suit both of you ā€¦ there is always the option of a ā€œside to sideā€ split where each side is customized to the needs and preferences of each of you.

I have some fond memories of my waterbed days as well :slight_smile: If they ā€œfitā€ ā€¦ they can be very comfortable.

Phoenix

121

Hi Phoenix,
I have read a number of the following messages with much interest. We had been looking at the Temperpedic beds but were totally turned off by the price until we saw the iComfort beds. In comparison, they are much cheaper, but seem to have somewhat similar materials and outcomesā€¦perhaps better because of the gell which aids in sleeping cooler. Of course, this is all dependent on the truth of the advertising and ā€œstoryā€ told us by the salesfolk.

I am in need of a supportive, but mid-firm bed due to back and neck issues. My husband has difficulties with his shouldersā€¦so pressure point relief is important to both of usā€¦as well as good but soft support.

You mention that there are other beds made by other manufacturers that are better for a lesser price. I live in Sacramento, CA. Do you know of either manufacturerers or brands of beds that might meet our needs? I like the idea of foam vs. coils or springsā€¦

What do you think?
Lynjer

122 
Hi Phoenix,

 It's been i few days where I can go back out and learn some more.  I had read that redflags blog months ago and should have mentioned it, along with a couple others that were negative about the Restwell product.  I did talk to a Sales Rep for REstwell from the wh. man. office and tried the Novo line again.  He told me they made the Regeneration I & II for Sleep Country as they wanted something a certain way for pricepoint and if my back wasn't supported by that makeup of Latex/cheap polyfoam, then the NovePure may not be suited for me - same layout but better materials.  I liked the Novetech - Echozone(3-firm) and it's hybrid layering so that is still on my short list.  The SpringAir pocket coil Back Supporter(Caitlin) wasn't bad, but I remember reading to stay away from that line??  Even though I got some good info, he still sounded like he was pitching Restwell brands and knowing little about the competition.

 Now I will be going back to the store that sold Novotech, and try the Renelle mem foam beds, but i'll likely stick to pocketcoil/latex or just pure latex.  The Restwell rep sells to this local store that sells both, and says the store carries the last version of Novopure that is 100%latex, which Restwell doesn't make anymore(the new Novopure - Aether, Aberdeen Falls both have quality mem foam bottom layer now).  So, that doesn't sound good to me, that they are ditching the 100% model.
 On another note, I walked into Sears to check out their sale, and I know you don't like the big brands, but they have a couple of beds I liked under their own name through Serta and Simmons(the names u don't want to hear)

SearsOpedic (Serta) Wellness la Trinite II - had a firm and plush model that I both liked, pktcoil w/latex, but the info stated ā€œLuxurious Latexā€ to which the saleslady said ALL their models use talalay. Why wouldnā€™t it just say that?? Also uses 4lb density Avena foam.

SearsOpedic (Simmons) Serene - Pocket coil, 360 foam encased, Visco foam. Both firm and plush felt real good. Also tried pillowtops in both but not as comfortable.

SearsOpedic (simmons) Tranquil - pkt coil, layer of 3/8 foam, layer of latex.

They were advertising a Stearn & Foster mattress (Landmark - tight top latex core) but had no floor model to try.

 You may think I am taking a step backward from your suggestions, but I had the hour to spare to check these out and some to my liking.  I'm not woried about price, but $1000 compared to $3000, sounds better when i'm taking another chance into liking one.  I am wondering if the SearsOpedic line is another you have dealt with/ heard of that is the same as other big box stores, or isn't that bad?? 

 Anyway, I am not caring about the voucher Sleep Country gave me, as i am 99% sure i'm not buying from them...

Thanks, Jay.

123

Hi Lynjer,

If you havenā€™t already ā€¦ I would suggest reading the tutorial post first. This article and the links that are included will help you bypass much of the confusion and frustration of shopping for a new mattress and help you know about and decide between the different materials that are used in the comfort layers and the support layers of a mattress.

While the Tempurpedics use high quality memory foam and polyfoam support layers ā€¦ they are certainly overpriced IMO. The iComfort on the other hand uses some lower quality/density materias and are also overpriced. Both are poor value compared to memory foam mattresses that use high quality memory foam at a lower price.

In most cases you will be choosing comfort layers that are made of polyfoam (which are the most common but should be avoided in any amounts over about 1" or so unless it is for a lower budgets and purchased from a very knowledgeable outlet which knows the difference between the different qualities of polyfoam), memory foam (which is often very poor quality under 4 lbs density), or latex foam. All foam no matter what ā€œnameā€ they give it is one of these three types. The comfort layer will be on top of either a polyfoam (OK for the support layers in an appropriate quality), innersprings, or latex foam. While any material can be used to produce a mattress that ā€œfeels goodā€ for a while, the different materials and constructions used will make a big difference in how long your mattress works and feels the way it did when it was new. The single biggest durability issue in most mattresses made by the major manufacturers today is the use of low quality cheap polyfoam in the comfort layers of mattresses. The comfort layer is the ā€œweak linkā€ in almost every mattress.

There are a few manufacturers ā€œsort ofā€ near you but none of them are really close. In a case like this I would normally make a few phone calls and tell them my height, weight, sleeping positions and any back issues and see what they suggest would be worth testing in your budget range. I usually tell them that I donā€™'t want anything with more than an inch of polyfoam in the quilting or comfort layers so to make sure that what they are suggesting meets this ā€œqualificationā€ and that they can tell you the specifics of the materials in their mattresses. That usually weeds out the people that arenā€™t open about the materials in their mattress and try to get you to come into the store rather than talk about the materials on the phone. Once you have a couple that are more open and helpful ā€¦ then a trip is worth it and will save you a lot of time over going from store to store and never really knowing if what you are being told is the truth.

The factory direct manufacturers or better retailers or possibilities that are near you are below. This list is a slight revision of a previous list in the previous Sacramento thread and I hope itā€™s OK that I switched it to that thread to help others from the area.

Within about 50 miles ā€¦

http://www.sleepdesign.com/ Folsom, CA. Retail direct outlet. Carries a range of mattresses made by Berkeley Ergonomics which are high quality and include innersprings, latex, and microcoils. Better than average value, and knowledgeable people. Note: microcoils are not a foam and are another type of product like an innerspring that are specially made and used in comfort layers. They can be very comfortable.

http://mattressfactory.us/ Sacramento. Local factory direct manufacturer. They make their own lower end mattresses under their house brand. I would completely avoid the major brands that they also carry. They do not carry or manufacture any latex models.

http://sacramentovalleymattress.com/ Sacramento. Local factory direct manufacturer. In a very brief phone call it appears that they make a variety of mattresses including traditional polyfoam/innerspring, memory foam, and latex. I hope to talk further with the owner to confirm the materials they are using. Added Jan 18th: I talked with the owner and they make innerspring and memory foam mattresses and also offer re-conditioned mattresses. Their only latex models are re-conditioned. He has been in business about 18 years and while he clearly puts effort into making good quality mattresses ā€¦ he is not as knowledgeable about the different types of foam he uses or more ā€œtechnicalā€ questions.

http://www.ikea.com/ Sacramento. See post #3 here for more about their mattresses.

http://www.healthybedstore.com/ Folsom. Carries OMI, Savvy Rest, Naturepedic, Ergovea, Suite sleep, and Pure Talalay Bliss latex mattresses along with Nest Bedding memory foam mattresses. Have a good selection but some of the mattresses here have better value than others so make sure you make some good value comparisons. they also have some questionable information on their blog about a competitor.

http://shopmatthewsmattress.com/ Sacramento, Davis, Woodland, Roseville, Folsom, Dixon, Vacaville, CA. Carries Stressopedic which is a regional manufacturer that is committed to being open and transparent about their mattresses (see here)

www.thefutonshop.com/ Sacramento, CA. Carries a huge range of futons of all kinds including innersprings, latex, memory foam, polyfoam, and organic wool and cotton.

http://www.sleepshopinc.com/ Auburn, Grass Valley, CA. Carries OMI latex mattresses and Natures Spa (Paramount) but make some good value comparisons here because they are also in a more premium price range.

http://www.deltabedding.com/ Shingle Springs, CA. Cannon Sleep Products and Easy Rest mattresses.

http://www.laineysfurniture.com/ Vacaville, CA. Carries Easy Rest mattresses.

Further away (up to about 100 miles or so)

Nest Bedding Mountain View, San Francisco, Berkeley, Los Angeles, CA. They are a member of this site and are knowledgeable, experienced, and transparent and carry a range of mattresses including latex, memory foam, and latex and memory foam/pocket coil hybrids. They have also put a great deal of time and effort into carrying mattresses that are good quality and value. I have also talked with Joe the owner on many occasions and he is passionate about what he is doing and left a larger manufacturer that had a somewhat exaggerated focus on ā€œgreenā€ mattresses to form his own company because he wanted to ā€œdo it rightā€.

Community Mattress Co Concord. Local factory direct manufacturer with no website at the moment. Iā€™ve talked with Patrick here and he is very knowledgeable and helpful and knows his stuff. He uses quality materials and can build pretty much whatever you want (including innersprings, memory foam, and latex) and has good value.

https://www.foamorder.com/ San Rafael, San Pablo, CA. Local factory direct manufacturer. I have talked with Alan here and he is committed to providing high quality materials and mattresses. Tends to focus more on the benefits of Dunlop latex over Talalay and some of the Talalay information here is I believe is somewhat inaccurate. They also make memory foam mattresses. Also well worth including in your research as they have some good options with good value. Their Natural Sense mattresses are also available at stores in Concord, Arcata, and Albany, CA.

http://www.sleepworks.com/ Berkeley. Local factory direct manufacturer. They make a range of mattresses which include a variety of latex and latex / pocket coil hybrids and microcoil choices which are very interesting and also have good quality and value. They are also very knowledgeable about mattress materials and design and good at ā€œfittingā€ their customers to a suitable mattress.

http://www.mcroskey.com/index.shtml San Francisco, Palo Alto. Local factory direct manufacturer. Makes premium mattresses with a premium price.

http://squaredealmattress.com/ Chico, Cottonwood, CA. Local factory direct manufacturer. They make a range of innerspring, latex, and latex hybrid mattresses and carry some memory foam mattresses made by another manufacturer as well. Can also do custom builds. Would be well worth a visit.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/cozy-beds-sleep-center-chico Chico, CA. Carries Electropedic 2 sided latex mattresses and Spring Air (some with latex). Will call the factory to find out any specs they donā€™t have available.

http://starmattress.net/ Modesto. Local factory direct manufacturer. I also know little about them as well and their website doesnā€™t seem to be functioning very well and the links to their models arenā€™t working.

http://www.thenaturalmattressstore.com/home San Francisco, San Rafael, Palo Alto, Walnut Creek, Los Gatos, CA. Makes a range of high quality latex/innerspring hybrids and all latex mattresses (including component latex mattresses) that can be customized both before and after a purchase. Worth a visit.

http://www.roomandboard.com/ San Francisco. Retail direct outlet for Restwell Mattresses. Carries a range of latex and latex hybrid mattresses with fairly good but not great value. Also good for testing latex

http://www.ergosleepsystems.com/ Berkeley. Retail store. Carries a range of high quality latex mattresses including Ergovea, Obasan, Naturepedic, Organicpedic, Posh & Lavish and Magniflex and Ergosano mattresses well. Many of these are in higher budget ranges so I would make some careful value comparisons here.

http://sleepcitybeds.com/ Various outlets in the area from Santa Rosa to Napa to San Rafael. Retailer. Carries Posh & Lavish and Diamond mattresses. They are knowledgeable about mattresses and materials and as open and transparent about their mattresses as their manufacturers allow them to be. Good people

www.sleepworld.com/ Various outlets in the area. Englander (Dunlop latex), Aireloom, Kluft and others. Probably not the best choice though for value or knowledge ā€¦ even for testing.

Some wholesale manufacturers with stores in the area that may be close to you and worth including in your research includes ā€¦

www.diamondmattress.com/Diamond-Mattress/Store-Locator.aspx Wholesale manufacturer in Rancho Dominguez with retail outlets in Sacramento (check retail outlet finder on their site). Offers a range of mattresses including latex and memory foam which are good quality and can be good value.

http://www.easyrestinc.com/retailer-locator.php?State=CA Wholesale manufacturer in Oregon that makes a range of good quality/value memory foam mattresses. They have a retail outlet finder on their site to help you find the closest retailer to you.

There is also a list for the San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland areas (with a fair bit of overlap) in post #2 here

While there is some good quality/value on this list ā€¦ much of it involves a drive and there are not as many options right in Sacramento. An online purchase from a better online manufacturer or retailer such as several of the members of this site listed in post #21 here may also be a good option as well.

If you have questions along the way or need any help in ā€œdecipheringā€ the stories that you will likely be told at some of the ā€œnormalā€ mattress outlets along the way ā€¦ feel free to post them here :slight_smile: Iā€™d also love to know if you come across any outlets that I donā€™t know about that carry high quality mattresses as it is somewhat surprising that Sacramento has so few good options close by when the rest of California ā€¦ especially southern California ā€¦ has more than anywhere else in the country.

Phoenix

124

Hi Jay,

His comment makes a good point that a mattress can be made to be both pressure relieving and supportive using any material. Even the cheapest materials can be layered to feel good when they are new. The real question is how long will it stay that way as lower quality materials ā€¦ as evidenced by many of the Spring Air mattresses in the past ā€¦ donā€™t hold up that long.

Iā€™m not a big fan of the Spring Air back supporter mattresses because they use a type of ā€œreverse zoningā€ that allows the hips and shoulders to sink in further rather than putting firmer material under the hips. While this has its uses in certain circumstances ā€¦ I donā€™t believe that its a great idea for most.

I would not consider any of the Sears-O-Pedic or even spend any time researching them as they all break at least three rules I use when considering any mattress. The first is that they donā€™t provide the layer by layer specs of the mattresses. The second is that if they did, it would be easy to see that all of them have well over an inch of cheap polyfoam in them. The third is a result of the other two and that is I wouldnā€™t consider any major brand mattress because they either use low quality materials that are the ā€œweak linkā€ of the mattress or when they donā€™t they are overpriced.

All of these are at prices that are approaching mattresses that have either meaningful layers of latex or other quality foams or in many cases are even all latex. Even the S&F Landmark has 3" of cheap soft polyfoam over the latex core. All the Sears-O-Pedic are ā€œmajor brandā€ mattresses that I wouldnā€™t even consider both because of the materials in them and because they are not worth the price. For under $1800 (queen) you can buy a 9" all talalay latex mattress in Vancouver and less for high quality memory foam over a quality support core. Why would anyone pay close to the same for low density polyfoam?

Phoenix

125

Okay, I am down to three today. All Restwell products, as I liked the NovoPure all latex. Last of this model as the new Novopure is combined with mem foam combo. Both felt good, but the discontinued model felt better.

Then there is Spring Air Four Seasons (Windsong) with 1020 wrapped pkt coil with foam and latex topper(2inch). Restwellā€™s top line (says the owner) is the Chattam & Wells(Legacy Firm) 2040 dual response pkt coil(industry leading), one layer of plush latex, one layer of prem. mem foam, quilted with latex and pure wool. 10 year warr. w/ only 3/4 sag. I mention all this with the Chattam mattress because i wondered what u thought of the 2040 coils - 2 layers of 1020. I didnā€™t want to pay for gimmicks, but it felt good. The owner first lead me to the Four Seasons, but I liked all 3 that I mentioned. I tried about 5 others including the Renelle mattress u included in your link. Their Renelle had two terrible lumps in it, I wondered how long it was on display and whether the rep ever comes in! I was dying to say something but if they couldnā€™t notice, it probably didnā€™t sell well. It should be off the floor.

I can get any for under $2000, and the $4000 Novotech i mentioned in earlier posts, he could knock down to $2900. I guess iā€™m asking for your thoughts one last time. Some of the other links you sent mostly dealt with building your own foam/latex bed and order online. Iā€™ve decided to stay away from mem foam mattresses and donā€™t like buying online.

 Another selling point is that the mattresses are made when ordered as Restwell is only a few blocks away.  It was mentioned the pkt coils are made local, instead of being packed with 1,000's and shipped from overseas to the bigger box stores.  I'm guessing this is another good reason to buy local.

thanks, jason

126

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful information!

Here is my story and Iā€™m hopeful you have some suggestions. After 7 years on a pillow top (about 5 too long) Iā€™m determined not to make the same mistake. Iā€™m a side-sleeping 180 pounder and my wife is a 130 lb. slide/stomach sleeper. We live in Jackson, WY and the closest ā€œcityā€ is Idaho Falls, ID. I tried a medium-firm iComfort locally (maybe it was the Prodigy, though iā€™m not 100% sure of that) today and it felt very nice, but my desire to do some research is what brought me here. After reading this, its seems obvious that a high-quality latex is something I definitely need to try out. I know there is a furniture row in Idaho Falls and someone earlier in the post asked about their ā€œSnowmassā€ bed. The specs seem reasonable, but I was curious if you thought this might be suitable bed for us and whether there are any other stores in Idaho Falls that we should consider. Also, do you consider $1700 for a king Snowmass a reasonable value? Price is not my primary concern, however, I just want an awesome nightā€™s rest and donā€™t want to have to go through this ā€œfunā€ every 5 years.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

127

Hi Jayman,

I personally would be more than a little wary with all of them. Rule #1 for me is that the brand doesnā€™t matter as much as the layer by layer specs of a mattress and I took a quick look and didnā€™t see the specs for any of them. If you have a link for them Iā€™d be happy to take a look in more detail but without that there is little for me to evaluate. I also donā€™t know what theyā€™re charging so there is no way to determine value. I also avoid ALL major brands as none of them have the value of local manufacturers. This may seem like an overbroad statement but I have yet to see a meaningful exception. Spring Air is still in the top 15 and ā€œmaking a comebackā€ after their bankruptcy and I would call them a major brand with major brand pricing and materials and issues.

Some general comments on your three choices though ā€¦

The Spring Air Four Seasons (Windsong) I would probably tend to avoid because with only 2" of latex ā€¦ its clear to me that there is way too much polyfoam in the upper layers of the mattress. Granted even the lowest quality materials can feel comfortable but the price should reflect this and with a major brand ā€¦ the spec sheet becomes even more important.

If the ā€œoldā€ Novopure is all latex ā€¦ then it would certainly be a much bigger preference for me but the price and how it was constructed would dictate whether it had value IMO. I just cant get past the fact that they are charging as much as they are for the same materials that are available in Vancouver for so much less. Having said that ā€¦ I would tend to go in this direction in terms of quality of materials (of both the old and new models) if that is the sole basis for your decision since they are using good quality materials at least.

Chattham and Wells ā€¦ yes ā€¦ gimmick ā€¦ charging for appearance. Some of the ā€œKluft heritageā€ is about looking good and impressive on the outside ā€¦ not so good on the inside ā€¦ and of course it is the inside that justifies the price ā€¦ not the outside. When you hear words like ā€œindustry leadingā€ or people talking about coil count without talking about all the other ā€œingredientsā€ of an innerspring or the design of the mattress ā€¦ its time to run. Iā€™m guessing that the ā€œindustry leadingā€ features also are a justification for a price that IMO isnā€™t justified.

So if you can ā€œlead me to the specsā€ and the prices Iā€™d love to give you more specific feedback. For now though ā€¦ I just wouldnā€™t recommend any of them.

Thatā€™s sad about the Renelle and its amazing that they would keep them on the floor but there are certainly other choices in Vancouver. Just to give you a reference point from a recent thread (on the island) in terms of value ā€¦ these would represent good value (using the same materials as the Novopure and Novotech).

Phoenix

128

Hi Jaxson,

Denver Mattress (furniture row) is a regional factory direct manufacturer and they certainly offer better value than most of the alternatives ā€¦ and are probably the best value in your area (which as you know doesnā€™t have a lot of choices and no other independent manufacturers close by). They have 2 latex models which are the Aspen and the Snowmass both of which use 1" of poly in the comfort layers which is within the maximum I would consider. The Aspen is softer on top than the Snowmass and has a little less latex in it (it uses more polyfoam in the support layers). $1700 for a King mattress set including foundation with 8" of Talalay is very good value IMO.

Both of these would be suitable for most side sleepers however I would tend towards the firmer of the two (the snowmass) because of your wifeā€™s stomach sleeping. Your own personal testing for PPP (pressure relief, posture, and preferences) would be the most important part of your decision.

Phoenix

129

My husband, 5ā€™10" 230lbs, and I, 5ā€™9" 145 lbs are searching for a new king size mattress. We are both side/back sleepers for the most part, but he likes the mattress more firm than I do. We both seemed to like the icomfort beds, but I donā€™t want to pay 2500 for a mattress, we are hoping to stay under 2000. I appreciate the information you have posted, especially regarding factory direct. Do you have any factory direct stores you would recommend near Manhattan, KS? Thank you!

130

Hi kssleep,

As you are already probably aware, most of the mattresses available in your general area are from major manufacturers which of course tends to mean lower quality materials and/or lesser value for the money.

The closest factory direct manufacturer near you is a regional manufacturer with an outlet in Topeka
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They would be well worth including in your research and testing. They make a range of mattresses including latex and memory foam.

Beyond that the nearest independent manufacturer that I am aware of is in Lees Summit near Kansas City

There is also a Savvy Rest outlet https://www.eaglesrestnaturalhome.com/ within 100 miles of you which carries high quality latex mattresses where you can choose your own layers of either Dunlop or Talalay latex. While they donā€™t have the best value compared to similar online outlets such as several on this site or many local factory direct outlets ā€¦ thay can provide valuable experience in the type of layering that works best for you if you are considering an online ā€œchoose you own layerā€ purchase.

One of the advantages of an independent manufacturer, either local or online, is that you can often order what is called a ā€œside to sideā€ split which means that each side of a mattress can be layered for different weights, preferences, and sleeping positions. This is particularly helpful when there is a larger weight differential between partners.

If you do choose to go in the memory foam direction ā€¦ I would strongly recommend staying away from anything less than 5 lb memory foam because of softening and durability issues with weights larger than about 200 lbs.

If you havenā€™t read it already ā€¦ this article and the links inside it should help you avoid a lot of the traps and pitfalls of mattress shopping and arm you with enough knowledge to make good choices.

Hope this helps and feel free to post here with any of your questions along the way.

Phoenix

131

Hopefully someone can help. My husband and I have purchased 3 new serta mattresses over the past 2 years. The first one was returned under the 30 day comfort guarantee and the next two broke down and were covered by the warranty. Our dilemma: we can now go in and pick out a new Serta mattress and have no idea what we should get at this point. We have already spent $2,300.00 for the King ā€œPerfect Sleeperā€ and two inspection fees of $60.00 each.

We were considering the icomfort renewal refined, (the one that feels the best to us) but would cost us $900 more and we do not want to throw good money after bad. The dealer suggested we go with the insight, but it has quite a few negative reviews already. Unfortunately, I did not find this website prior to our initial purchase and now am stuck with Serta or be out the initial investment.

I like to sleep on my stomach and back, but wake up with pains in my back and elbows. I weigh 130. My husband is more of a side sleeper weight approx 275, he tosses and turns all night. Prior to this, we had a different memory foam bed which was good for about 10 years.

Not sure it makes any difference, but we are in our late 50s. Any advice would be appreciated.

132

Hi Sunshinegal,

You are unfortunately in quite a dilemma.

You and your husband may well need very different types of mattresses. You being very light and a back/stomach sleeper would normally need a thinner and softer comfort layer for pressure relief. If it is too thick and soft you may end up out of alignment which can cause back issues. If it is too firm this can cause pressure issues. Your husband on the other hand being much heavier and a side sleeper would need a thicker firmer comfort layer for pressure relief. If it is too thin or too soft for him ā€¦ this could cause pressure issues and the tossing and turning he is experiencing. The symptoms you are describing could well be because neither of you are getting the pressure relief you need.

While the choices you have are quite limited ā€¦ in the iComfort line I would tend to go with the Insight as it has the densest memory foam on top and none of the lower quality/density foams that Serta adds to the rest of the lineup. If you have a King size, you could each add different single toppers to accommodate your individual needs. If not you could add a topper that was the best compromise between you.

The other option you would have and that may be well worth testing is the Serta Pure Response or Vera Wang lineup. They use Talalay latex which can be both pressure relieving and supportive. They use some polyfoam in the upper layers so I would look for the firmest model they carried with the least amount of polyfoam (none of them are really firm).

When you are testing a possible replacement ā€¦ it is important that each of you test for pressure relief and for alignment separately (never go by just the overall feel of the mattress). Spend at least 15 minutes on each mattress while you are completely relaxed to test for pressure points in your shoulders or hips and to test for any muscle strain or alignment issues (expecially your hips sinking down too far and causing lumbar strain).

In your circumstances where your choices are very limited ā€¦ these would likely be your best options. Latex toppers can be added to soften up a mattress that is too firm but a mattress that is too soft and/or thick on top is much more difficult to fix. Avoid lower density memory foam (anything under 5.0 lbs) as it will break down much too quickly under your husbands weight and avoid as much as possible any polyfoam in the top few inches of your mattress as this will also break down much too quickly. The upper layers of your mattress will be the ā€œweak linkā€ in terms of durability in most cases. Latex is more durable than memory foam and will not soften nearly as much.

Knowing what is in your mattress layer by layer is an important part of any purchase or replacement as the materials used inside the mattress will be a big part of how well it stays the way it was when you tested it in a showroom.

Phoenix

133

Phoenix,

Thank you for your advice and prompt response. We will test the others as well.

Sunshinegal

134

Thanks for the response. Last week I took a day off and drove the family 100 miles to Idaho Falls to test out the Snowmass and Aspen. Despite promises that both were on the floor, the Snowmass was not there when we arrived. I was livid. I tried the Aspen and didnā€™t really like the feel as it felt too soft. The salesman told me the Snowmass isnā€™t much different. Iā€™m debating whether its worth trying again in a week or two. Any thoughts on whether you think that statement is true (not much difference between the two)?

Also, Iā€™m curious if you could give me your opinion on the longevity of these two mattresses. Would they feel substantially similar at year 3, 5, 7 as they do after an initial break-in period?

Today I went to a local mattress shop (Sealy) and asked if they had any latex mattresses. The guy said they donā€™t sell them due to heat trapping issues. Is this true? He tried selling me on the S&F Duval Firm and Blisswood Firm. They were about $1800-2000 for king sets. Safe to assume you would avoid these?

I value your opinion.

135

Hi Jaxson (sorry about the wrong name in the last reply),

I would have been more than a little upset as well if they assured you on the phone it was there!

While the difference between the two is not huge ā€¦ it would definitely be noticeable and everyone Iā€™ve known to try both of them have said they can feel the difference. How much someone weighs would also make a difference in how they each felt and some people who are lighter or less sensitive may not feel as much difference. Both have 2" of 24 ILD talalay in the comfort layer but the Aspen has an inch of Super Soft polyfoam underneath the latex and has a stretchy unquilted ticking. The Snowmass has an inch of firmer HD polyfoam in the quilting above it (and the quilting would make the polyfoam a little firmer as well). Both use 32 ILD talalay in the support layers but there is 4" of this in the Aspen with 4" of firm polyfoam underneath this while the Snowmass has 6" of latex underneath this and 2" of firm polyfoam under this. So the Snowmass would be both a little firmer in the comfort layers and slightly more supportive in the support layers (because of the extra latex). I personally believe that the firmer polyfoam in the quilting is a better construction than having polyfoam sandwiched in between the latex layers.

There is not really a break in period with latex as there is with memory foam or even polyfoam (to a lesser degree) and latex itself is very durable so the feel will be much more consistent over time. While all foams will soften including latex ā€¦ good quality latex will take much longer and in 3, 5, or 7 years and well beyond that they will stay ā€œsubstantiallyā€ the same with only minimal changes.

As to whether it is worth taking a long drive to test a single mattress which may or may not ā€œworkā€ for you ā€¦ thatā€™s hard to say ā€¦ but it is not the same as the Aspen. It may provide good feedback for an online purchase though even if it doesnā€™t work out since the specs of the latex at least are known.

Phoenix

136

Thank you for that. Weather permitting, may be heading back over tomorrow. Iā€™ll follow up with my thoughts. Hopefully it will work out, but if not Iā€™m likely to ask for your opinion regarding the best online options. Thanks.

137

Hi Phoenix,
Iā€™m glad i stumbled across your thread today. My wife and I went out ā€˜just lookingā€™ at mattresses today with the idea that we should get some type of foam mattress. I had back surgery in January and my lower back still isnā€™t quite right, although much better for sure but I still have some circulation and nerve issues to sort out. We live in Edmonton, Alberta and today checked out a few mattresses we thought were alright. Weā€™re going from an 8 year old ā€˜cost-effectiveā€™ spring mattress so I think a brand new cot would probably be an improvementā€¦ We test-drove the iComfort Insight at Sleep Country and The Majestic and The Imperial at Foam King. All felt great but the iComfort offers a longer warranty than the Foam King mattresses and The Imperial felt bouncyā€¦ The Imperial was the only Latex foam we tried outā€¦ but they want $2200 vs under $1400 for the iComfort ($2100 for their Majestic memory foam). Iā€™ve read you refer to Talalay and have read interesting things about it. The bouncy one from Foam King - The Imperial ā€œfeatures a 4ā€ layer of ā€œTalalayā€ latex foam bonded to a 3" layer of Energia, which is then bonded to a 3" layer of extremely firm Reflex foam"

Is that a smart $800 more to spend on the FoamKing? Or is the imperial a good mattress but there are equivalents available at much better prices?

Thanks so much for your time.

Mike