I thought I would share my experience and ask for advice if anyone can help. After trying out the Serta I comfort Genius in the store and loving it, I bought it about 6 months ago. For about four months it was great, and then I noticed that where I slept the foam was starting to break down, there wasnât a valley but it felt âsquishyâ and noticed that I awoke in the morning with one of my butt cheeks being numb. About two weeks ago I woke with very bad back pain ( have had a bad back for awhile), and couldnât even straighten up and could barely walk.
It appears that the foam is breaking down and is not providing good support. Fortunately I have a high quality memory foam mattress topper that I put on top of the mattress and my pain has slowly gone away. The I serta mattress is still the same height as when I bought it, so I canât return under warranty, but the foam has broken down and it is not what I bought. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
Unfortunately ⌠you are in the same position that many other people that have purchased an iComfort mattress are either already in as well or may be over time.
There are generally three stages of foam softening and breakdown. The first stage is over the first few weeks and is the initial more rapid softening or âbreaking inâ of the material. This is followed by a more gradual softening period over the life of the mattress. The final stage is when the foam starts to break down completely and starts to develop impressions. Warranties donât cover foam softening which is the most common reason that a mattress becomes unsuitable for sleeping on and only covers the impressions if they are more than the warranty exclusion without any weight on the mattress (allowing the foam to weakly come back) which is usually not the case. This is why most warranty claims are denied and why warranties as a whole are mostly meaningless except for obvious manufacturing defects which tend to show up early in the life of a mattress. Warranties have nothing to do with how long a mattress will last in other words.
The iComfort uses a type of gel memory foam which adds particles to memory foam and any particulates or fillers which are added to a foam will generally shorten the life of the foam. You can read a bit more about the different types of gel memory foam in post #26 here. In addition to this ⌠the materials they use in their mattress are not the highest quality when you consider the prices and a mattress is only as good as itâs weakest link and most of the larger manufacturers wonât give you meaningful information about the quality of the materials they use in their mattresses⌠They also cater to a certain âsubjective feelâ in the highly managed environment of a typical mattress showroom where people are often encouraged to buy a mattress that âfeels goodâ (and certain marketing techniques will make mattresses seem to be more comfortable than they are in long term use) without really understanding a lot about or knowing how to test for pressure relief and alignment which is a large part of the long term performance and suitability of a mattress for an individual.
It appears to me that your Genius may have been on the edge of being suitable for you in terms of support and that the initial and some more gradual foam softening may have put you âacross the lineâ.
In general ⌠there is not so much you can do for a mattress that has lost the appropriate level of support because any topper you put on top will still be subject to the further softening of the materials below it which can still lead to sleeping out of alignment over time.
Memory foam though responds to body heat and if you add a topper on top ⌠it will isolate the softened gel memory foam from some of your heat which may firm it up in the short and maybe even medium term. How well or how long this works will depend on the type and quality of the memory foam topper you are using. It will also be subject to the typical softening of memory foam with longer term use (even though for the moment it has put you back to the other side of the line) and the problems with alignment are likely to re-appear as both your topper and the foam underneath it continue to soften most in the areas where there is more weight (hips/pelvis). As this happens the topper will start to âfollowâ and bend into the softened foam below it.
One âbetterâ possible solution would be to use a topper that isnât as subject to softening as memory foam and will isolate your body heat from the memory foam below it and help to keep it slightly firmer. Latex may help here (it wonât soften as much or as rapidly as memory foam). A thicker wool topper will also help prevent the compression of the memory foam below it with heat and likely wonât compromise your alignment nearly as much as an âextraâ layer of memory foam. Even a topper with polyurethane foam may hep firm up the memory foam for a while although it will also soften over time.
In the end though ⌠these may end up being imperfect or temporary solutions because the 2.75" of gel foam in the Genius and the 2" of polyurethane âsupportâ foam below it will continue to soften over time and even a topper that helps to keep the memory foam firmer (or at least slow down itâs compression over the course of the night so you donât sleep out of alignment as long) and help extend the life of the polyurethane foam below it may not be enough if you are âclose to the edgeâ. At least it may extend the life of your mattress for a while though and with luck this may just keep you on the âbetter supportâ side of the line for long enough to make the investment in the extra materials worth it.
I wish I could give you better news but at least you know the âbestâ solutions ⌠even if they are not completely satisfactory. Itâs always easier to soften a mattress that is too firm than to improve the support of a mattress that has become too soft.
Great info Phoenix! I am currently bed shopping and I was going to buy the Serta iComfort mattress and adjustable base shown at this link.
However, after reading all the info you have provided a better bargain would be to buy the Serta adjustable base and the Aerus mattress from Walmart you recommendedâŚdo you think that mattress will be compatible with the Serta adjustable base?
Thanks for your help!
While the Aerus mattress (with 4 lb memory foam or higher) from Walmart is good value for the price ⌠it will also be significantly different from the iComfort line and of course you run the risk of buying a mattress that you havenât tested for pressure relief or alignment and the purchase is from a source that doesnât have the knowledge to give you good advice about how suitable it may be for your needs and preferences. While itâs an âall or nothingâ purchase ⌠the good news is that the Walmart return policy is great so that at least the ânothingâ side of the equation doesnât have a cost attached and all you have lost is some time and the effort involved to return the mattress if that becomes necessary.
The Aerus mattresses they sell like most all foam mattresses ⌠would work with an adjustable base yes.
Another option that can provide the best of both worlds is to talk with a local manufacturer or better sleep shop that has both the knowledge and skill to help you make great choices and also makes or sells mattresses that are the equivalent or better quality and value. This is the best of both worlds.
If you let me know what city you live in (or your zip) ⌠Iâd be happy to see if I know of any better local options that are near you.
Phoenix,
The Serta adjustable base is on sale right now at Sears for $1600 for a King!! At tat price I am going to go with that for sure. The mattress is still up in the air though so I would love to check out a local place and âtest driveâ some mattresses. My zip is 90740.
Thanks!
The Motion Perfect as Sears is only half of what you will need for a King size bed so the total cost for two (which makes up a King Size) would be $3200. This is about $1200 more than you will find here ⌠just so you know. ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: adjustablebeds.org/reverie_deluxe_adjustable_bed_with_wireless_control_and_massage-9981.aspx
There are some great choices for mattresses available in the Greater Los Angeles area. Post #2 here has many of the better ones.
We were testing out numerous mattressâs yesterday and this is the one we were strongly considering. Now after reading this I am not sure. Can you please tell me what stores you recommend in zip 16501. I am generally leaning to the memory foam. I also liked the Temper Pedic line as well.
Forgot to tell you I am 5 11,170lbsâŚsleep on back,side and stomach. Have bad back/hip pain. My husband is 6 2 200lbs side sleeper. He has been having horrible neck/shoulder pain. Our bed is about 16 years old. We really like the feel of the memory foam but after reading thru this may have to go with latex. So confused. I found another website where everone said they had horrible back pain with the icomfort.
Update: I bought the Restonic latex six months ago and I canât begin to express how happy I am. It is so comfortable, doesnât hurt my neck and shoulders. Its like sleeping on a cloud. Thank you so much for your advice and research to help ensure I was able to make an informed decision.
While itâs true that memory foam can be very tricky and risky ⌠especially when you sleep in all positions ⌠I would also pay much more attention to your own experience than the experiences of others. There is an almost infinite amount of variables in the height/weight/body shape of different people and also many variations of sleeping positions that are unique to each person. Stomach sleeping can also be quite risky when it is combined with other positions ⌠especially side sleeping ⌠because the needs of each position are very different.
Most of the âreviewsâ and comments online donât usually take into account or describe the specific layers of a mattress or the height/weight/shape of the sleeper and even if it does there are so many variations of sleeping positions that someone else may still may not do well on a mattress that works well for someone that seems to be quite similar. Itâs not so much memory foam that is the problem (although it can be risky as I mentioned) but the specific layering of a mattress and how it interacts with each individual person. Memory foam is normally âbestâ used in higher quality thinner layers (often in combination with other materials) which can offset the risk somewhat. The quality of a mattress has little to do with its suitability for the pressure relief and alignment for any individual.
Tempurpedic uses high quality foams (except in their new Simplicity line which uses very low density/quality foam) but it is also a very poor value when compared to other mattresses that use equivalent or better quality foams and sell for much less. This article will give you a few guidelines that can improve your odds of making a higher value purchase.
There are certainly some better options in the Erie, PA area. These include âŚ
http://www.jamestownmattress.com/. They are a local manufacturer based in Jamestown but have an outlet in Erie and make a full range of mattresses of all types. The owners are a father and son, Jim and Jim, and I think highly of them. They make high quality and value mattresses in all price ranges.
Furniture RowÂŽ Store Locations - Store Hours & Addresses Regional factory direct manufacturer They make a range of âtraditionalâ mattress and two mostly latex models as well that have good quality and value. They donât make memory foam. Although they do carry some mainstream brands that do, I would avoid their mainstream products completely,
I havenât talked with them although it appears they are a factory Direct manufacturer. They have some very good information on their site and make both memory foam and latex mattresses. They also use use MDI memory foam which is IMO is a better material. They appear to have some very expensive prices though so I would want to know if these are their âregularâ prices or if they are the baseline for a discount. ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: hybridnationsleep.com/about.php
https://www.fredsfurnitureco.com/ Carries an independent brand called Dutch Craft which makes a gel memory foam mattress that may be worth looking at although I donât know the specific construction details. They are Amish made.
Therapedic also makes some gel memory foam mattresses that use better quality gel memory foam than the iComfort. A phone call to Pennsylvania bedding may help you find some local outlets that carry them. ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: therapedic.com/about-us/locations/u-s-locations/
These are probably the better local choices that I would consider.
You had mentioned that Omaha Bedding was something to look into, so I took your advice and found this. Havenât had a chance to try it out yet, though. We are both side/back sleepers, I weigh 115, he weighs around 140. So, not big people. As far as off gassing and toxicity, how would this differ from purely memory foam? Thanks again for all of your help. I never would have imagined the complexity involved in picking out a quality mattress if it wasnât for this site.
In terms of materials it seems to me to be good value. It has an inch of latex over 3" of 5 lb âregularâ memory foam over a polyfoam support core.
I would make sure that the polyfoam and memory foam was American made or CertiPure certified (or another meaningful certification) in which case it would be just like any other memory foam. I would guess that it is but I donât know for sure. It would also be nice to know the density of the base foam. The latex they use doesnât have any offgassing issues and is from Latexco.
I personally like the âmodifiedâ feel of memory foam with some latex over it more than I like sleeping directly on memory foam but this is just a personal preference. Of course none of this speaks to how it would âinteractâ with the two of you in terms of PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and your Preferences) but if it works well then and the questions are answered, I would certainly consider it.
I am going to give Omaha bedding a call tomorrow to ask a few questions about their foam. In the meantime, I was hoping you could give me your opinion of the mattresses from southerlandsleep.com/ , They have quite a few different types of mattresses and didnât know if you were familiar with the lineup and could recommend one. ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: southerlandsleep.com/products/american-sleep
I fixed the link in your post so it would go to the page (the comma was included in the URL)
A forum search on âSoutherlandâ (you can just click on the link) will bring up quite a few comments about them.
In general though they are sometimes listed at prices which are way too high IMO and sometimes can be better than average value depending on the mattress, the outlet, and their prices.
The Southerland page that you linked to doesnât really provide any meaningful information about the foam density in any specific mattresses and only mentions the general class of materials that they use which is the same as most other manufacturers. To have a sense of the quality and value of any particular mattress you need to know the specifics (like foam density) of the layers and materials that they use or there is really no way to make any meaningful comments about them. The brand name on a mattress means very little (unless you know that a particular manufacturer always uses good quality materials in a particular budget range and always has good value) but the ingredients in a particular mattress is always the most important part. If you have a particular Southerland mattress in mind and you have the specs for it Iâd be happy to let you know what I think of it. Itâs not a mattress that I would specifically recommend though unless you tried a particular one and liked it and then wanted to know if that particular mattress had good value. They are all over the map it seems in terms of value so it would depend as much on the outlet and their prices as it would the mattress.
Thanks, PhoenixâŚthis is AWESOME info! While the iComfort may have slightly increased density on the foam, it appears that the Novaform is the better value. Iâm ok with spending $500 on the Novaform with the realization that I may have to replace the mattress after maybe 5 years. I actually spoke with a Costco sales rep at my local store earlier today who just bought the mattress herself and she loves it so far. In light of your advice about the Dynasty, it appears that the Novaform will be great for my needs. Now I just need to find a good sturdy foundation. Thanks again for your input!
Hi Phoenix,
I was seriously considering buying an Icomfort that i checked out today. it felt great when i tested it but after reading all this great info i would like to also check out a local manufacturer. I am in NYC 10024.Also i am very concerned about heat retention thatâs why i gravitated to the gel.
Also the icomfort seems to have springs where the novaform you were comparing it to seems to be only foam
Many thanks
The iComfort models are all foam mattress and you can see some of my comments and analysis of it (except for the most recent additions to the lineup) in post #11 here. Since that time they came out with some of the Refined models which are also all foam and the newest introduction which is the iSeries which uses their Duet innersprings along with their particulate gel memory foam.
There are many parts of the âsleeping temperatureâ puzzle and some of the various factors are discussed in post #2 here and in post #6 here. Itâs actually somewhat strange that Serta didnât use the gel memory foam in the top layer of many of their mattresses when this is where any cooling benefits of the gel would have the greatest effect. This is probably because of the firmness of the gel memory foam however (only the firmest versions of the icomfort and the iseries have the gel foam on top). This is unlike some of the many other manufacturers who are making gel memory foam mattresses with better and more durable non particulate versions of the gel memory foam who use gel on the very top to take better advantage of itâs cooling properties.
Post #2 here has some of the better manufacturers and outlets in the NYC area and post #7 here also has a more detailed description of most of them.
Phoenix,
i am sorry i misspoke. Thje one I was considering today was the I Series. specificallly the branded the Admiration.
which had springs and retails for around $1200. Do you find this to be overpriced also?
thanks
Scoooter
