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

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
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401

I didn’t ask about the density of the foam. To be honest I didn’t study this site in as much detail as you offer. My feeling was that I was dealing with a reputable company, family owned and operated and a mattress with a 15 year warranty. I am glad to hear your input about what you do know about the foam they use, makes me feel better even though I didn’t ask myself. They did have a display piece there that showed the different foams used in it.

I got no indication whatsoever that I would have a problem down the road with this company. I was talking to one of the brothers that owns it. He was very low key and really didn’t offer much information although I probably didn’t ask very detailed questions either. They had so many options there that I was dizzy by the time I was done.

I went with my gut that your recommendation was good based on the incredible amount of knowledge and research you have done. I think Verlo would have been a fine option as well. We were only about 30 minutes away but figured we were happy so we could stop looking finally. They wanted $120 to deliver and Magicsleeper was only $70 for what it’s worth. I like that Verlo seemed to only sell what they made. I skipped Croydon although they were closer to me just based on some of the replies I saw here and how they seem a bit cagey giving up information.

I paid $1499.00 before tax, delivered almost 2 hours(he waived the delivery fee when I aked if he could do any better with the price.) That included the base. Also I appreciated how honest the owner was. He flat out said I probably wouldn’t need new box springs when we were looking at innerspring mattresses. He strongly recommended more of a platfor base for the Gel type mattress. I had no problem believing him since he didn’t try to push a new box spring set on me previously.

I also read sleeplikethedead.com’s reviews on many different mattresses which was also helpful.

Thanks again for this site. I will recommend it highly and just wanted to give a little back and tell my story. So far, very very happy with my new bed!

402

Hi iBuyer,

That’s very true but there are also dozens of independent smaller manufacturers that sell through better sleep shops that do provide the details of the materials that are in their mattresses and also have much better quality and value and are much more transparent than Serta. Almost every area of the country has these available if you research the retailers along the lines of this article before you begin the process of choosing a mattress. Following the steps outlined in this post will greatly improve the odds of ending up with a much higher quality/value mattress no matter which area of the country you live in and whether or not there is a local manufacturer close to you.

This is actually not accurate and a mattress is exactly as good as the sum of its parts and construction. This also has nothing to do with the suitability of any mattresses for the needs and preferences of each person because it is also true that low quality materials can be just as “comfortable” as higher quality materials … they just won’t last as long. There are also many factors that control the durability of a mattress (that you can read about in post #2 here). As you can see … the same mattress will last for different lengths of time for different people but this doesn’t change that the quality and value of a mattress is much more definable than the mainstream industry would want you to believe. Even low quality materials (just like particle board furniture) can last longer for different people and may even be suitable for a particular use or budget but that doesn’t change the fact that it is still poor value and that choosing a different mattress that used the same lower quality materials (or better) at a lower price and that was just as suitable for the needs and preferences of a particular individual would still be better value.

Again … these are not apples to apples comparisons and I consider both to be relatively poor value. They don’t use the same materials and the Novaform should be selling for lower prices. I wouldn’t purchase either of them and there are better quality/value choices available in both budget ranges. All you have to do is make apples to apples comparisons between either of them and other mattresses that use similar materials and layering.

Thank you :slight_smile:

If a retailer is “confusing” the Serta 10" mattress you are mentioning with an iComfort (or claiming they are the same) then they don’t deserve to have the business of an educated consumer (or any consumer for that matter). Like all manufacturers … Serta makes many different mattresses but any of them can be evaluated by following the guidelines of this site and knowing the details of the layers that are in them. For example … you will see an 8" Serta memory foam mattress here that uses 2" of 2.5 lb memory foam and 1.5 lb polyfoam as a base layer which is the lowest quality memory foam you will find anywhere and the base layer is also cheap base foam and yet its selling for $799 queen. It should be substantially less and is directly comparable in quality terms to some of the cheapest memory foam mattresses available. You can see my comments about the Serta Roma you are referring to in post #3 here.

If a mattress is an iComfort … it will say iComfort and the details of the layering of the iComfort lineup are known (you can see an analysis of all of them all in post #11 here).

Phoenix

403

Hi BensonDubois99,

Thanks for sharing all the extra details that led you to buying the mattress you did. These types of reviews that include some of the reasons why you made the choices you did can be very helpful to others down the road :slight_smile:

Phoenix

404

I went back and read your rather thorough review which I hadn’t seen before. Now that I’ve revisited the store, I find I confused myself with their myriad of names.

The two favorites were from the iSeries, not the iComfort. Our list at that store had gotten down to the iSeries Applause Firm and the Celebration firm, both of which have their new Duet Coil system, not foam, as a base.

As noted by you, we will go to the Williston Mattress Depot to see the Boyd and Natura lines, as well as a latex bed. If you have any idea which models would be similar to the Serta beds, shoot away.

One thing I forgot to add is that the Serta retailer will give us a 30% off anything they sell, in addition to the free pillows and 10% they have this month. So given other monetary constraints this year, that does weigh in on the decision.

So this weekend, we’re off to look at the Boyd line and the others they carry.

Addendum.

It’s going to take me longer to research properly than the time I have been allotted to do this (read, hurry up and get us a new bed, NOW). LOL

Now I’ve become hooked on reading you list here https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/latex-mattress

Of course, having something this large and heavy shipped sight unseen is a bit scary.

We are definitely not wedded to memory foam, so I’ve begun to look at Latex as well.

Given my above likes, could you steer me in some direction as to an equivalent latex mattress? Possibly the best supplier nearer me that does both types. Right now I’m reading the Sleep EZ factory site, and they’re some 2000 miles from me :wink: Nice site though

405

I just have to say this Phoenix.

I’ve spent some time this morning reading older threads, then researching the specs and layers of various beds sold in this area. I’ve begun looking for cheaper support foam that could break down, comparing models. I’ve learned more about mattresses in a couple of days on your site that I’ve ever known about them period!

I’m preparing a list of questions, plus organizing my notes, for our next mattress hunt this weekend. Look what you’ve done to me! I’m becoming a mattress geek trainee :wink:

Congrats on maintaining consistency and credibility here. You’ve won me over.

406

Hi iBuyer,

One of the reasons I started this site was because my own research quickly showed me how difficult it was to find a way to measure quality and value in any meaningful way and how in the mainstream industry, the quality of materials and construction was secondary and constantly being eroded or incrementally traded away for the sake of increased profit margins all along the supply chain. This is often in response to the demands of investment groups and shareholders at every step for ever increasing levels of profit from leveraged buyouts and to pay for advertising budgets and marketing and for “influence”. In most cases … the product that is being sold by major manufacturers (and many smaller ones as well) to their primary customers (the larger mass market outlets) is not mattresses at all but profit margins. This is also true of foam and component suppliers whose major customers are the larger mattress manufacturers. In both instances … mattresses are just a means to an end.

The major manufacturers are accountable to their primary customer base which is mostly corporate chain stores or big box stores and much less accountable to actual customers that buy a mattress. The effect of reputation is often secondary to marketing in the eyes (and buying habits) of consumers and they are well aware of this and cultivate it. They know that a few years after a mattress purchase “all will be forgotten” and that in most cases the glitz of “new” mattress lines will overwhelm any dissatisfaction that consumers may have with their old ones and once again their new mattress purchase will “follow the advertising”. They also do whatever they can to limit the distribution and exposure of their smaller competitors through pressuring their retailers to provide more floor space and focus more on selling their mattresses (often using various forms of kickbacks or spiff) and less on the smaller manufacturers. They also do everything they can to make meaningful comparisons between mattresses impossible and often sell their own mattresses under different names in different stores to make comparisons more difficult and make it easier for a retailer to claim “our mattresses are not the same and are better than the ones down the street”.

Where they don’t have multiple model names that make comparison shopping impossible, they will often use controlled pricing under the threat of removing the right of a retailer to sell their mattresses if they sell for less than they are “allowed” to. There is also a great deal of “collusion” inside the industry among the “old boys network” about how they will “split” their market. Of course most smaller retailers give in to this if their livelihood depends on “brand names” and “marketing stories” which is how they were trained and train their employees to sell mattresses. The lure of the high profit margins that are available by selling lower quality mattresses at higher prices can be very attractive and mattresses are among the highest profit margin items of furniture that is sold. Consumers end up paying the price in more ways than just what they pay for a mattress.

Marketing stories have become so effective in this consumer marketplace that it overwhelms any real quality considerations … especially in an industry that has little interest in providing any real information about how to even know what quality really means. How many people for example even know that the quality of polyfoam is primarily measured in foam density or if they did would know which density is good quality and which isn’t? I would guess less than 1% (and that’s probably being generous). In this environment, stories that use inflated claims have replaced genuine information as the basis of most buying decisions. In most cases it’s the sizzle that’s being sold instead of the steak. It also doesn’t help that most mattress information sites either have a vested interest (often hidden) in selling a specific mattress, are mostly about google rankings to increase advertising profit, have little knowledge of mattresses and materials and just repeat more “generic” information that is repeated everywhere else, or are so concerned with “stepping on toes” that what they say is so watered down that it has little meaning any more. In the mainstream industry … marketing stories have replaced real information and every year or two a new “story” has replaced the old one. As an example … the current “new” story is all about gel foams and all the stories that are connected to them.

I think too that one of the biggest problems is that even consumers that have learned how to look for quality can have a very difficult time because the industry as a whole doesn’t provide enough information about the mattresses they sell to make quality information easy to find. They will often buy out of frustration and fatigue because these problems are so endemic in the industry and there is a mattress store on every corner that sells in the same way. How do you find the gems that are different when everything can seem the same? If you ask the majority of retailers about what is really in their mattresses they will often look at you with eyes rolling or as if you are crazy to expect them to know the answers to the questions you are asking.

The top 15 manufacturers currently control about 86% of the industry and the hundreds of others share the remaining 14% (the updated figures are here and it’s still increasing). The top 5 control about 3/4 of this. Some of these major players even share common ownership (such as Tempurpedic who just bought Sealy and the common ownership of Simmons and Serta). In addition to this … most retailers themselves don’t understand the concept of quality materials and are dependent on selling mainstream mattresses because these are the names that consumers know about and this is how their suppliers have trained them to sell their mattresses. They have convinced many consumers that “off brands” (meaning smaller manufacturers that don’t advertise as much, sell more through local referrals and word of mouth, and that aren’t as well known) somehow make inferior mattresses. In some cases this is even true because some smaller manufacturers are more opportunistic and do make poor quality/value mattresses as well and also “sell the story”. In some cases their story is even that they sell “factory direct” which may be true in terms of fact but the benefits of their factory direct business model may not be evident as they also use lower quality materials and sell for higher prices than most “legitimate” factory direct manufacturers that are what I call “mattress people” instead of “money machines” or “money machine wannabes”.

It always a great surprise for me to find a smaller factory direct manufacturer who is still focused on making quality mattresses with great value and an even bigger surprise to find retailers who understand the importance of providing meaningful information about their mattresses although the number of these is slowly growing. Some “more courageous” retailers will even go as far as only selling mattresses made by manufacturers that provide this information. They make manufacturers “compete” for their floor space based on the real quality and value of the mattresses they make. They do their homework and do meaningful research on what they sell but these are much fewer and far between and they certainly go “against the grain” of their industry. Their integrity doesn’t let them do anything else but they can have a more difficult time succeeding in the environment of the industry today.

So I’m looking forward to your questions … and it’s great to have one more “educated consumer” that will be asking better questions and helping to “educate” the retailers about what quality and value really mean. While one site run by one person is only a drop in the bucket … step by step as consumers learn to ask different questions and become more knowledgeable and “vote with their wallet” … I believe the industry can slowly change for the better.

In a lighter vein (see the “story” of our origins here)… perhaps The Mattress Underground (in the larger group sense) really can prevent the “alien takeover” of spineless beings who make poor quality mattresses and help a sick and tired humanity reach it’s goal of finding “peaceful sleep and fully functional wakefulness”.

Thanks for your comments and for “inspiring” this post and I’m looking forward to your questions along the way :slight_smile:

Phoenix

407

Phoenix-

I have read over a lot of the forms here and I am a little overwhelmed as there is so much helpful information here.

My husband and I have had a king pillowtop mattress for the past 8 years. About 3 years ago we had to turn it in for warranty issues as it was sagging SO bad. They did that with no issues, once we took all the necessary pictures and everything and took the mattress back to our home state in Michigan from Kentucky since there wasn’t a local distributitor near us. Frustrating but we couldn’t afford a new mattress at the time. So we got a replacement free. Well it is having the same issues and now my head and back is hurting daily when I wake up. So we are looking into a memory foam icomfort revolution or something similar (latex maybe after reading your information).

My question is I need help knowing if I am speading our money on the best purchase for our needs.

I am looking at icomfort or Denver Mattress Snowmass Plush Only need Mattress as our bed doesnt allow for anything underneath as we have a bedframe that is solid wood and has drawers underneath. Went to look at Snowmass $1349 plus tax. Think this would be a good fit for us or do you have a list of manufactures that you would have us call for Louisville, Ky area? Also what do you think of sleep number beds? I have heard/seen commericals but havent went to see them myself.

My husband
215 lbs and 5’ 10".
Mostly Side sleeper
Retains Heat

I am
145 lbs and 5’ 4"
Side Sleeper and am always COLD :slight_smile:

Any input would greatly be appreciated.

408

Hi Overwhelmedsleeper,

Post #1 here (and the links it includes to read) has a series of steps that can dramatically increase the odds of buying a high quality and value mattress in any budget range.

Most importantly it will help you eliminate your worst choices (such as major brands or most chain stores) and help you know how to tell which are the better ones (both in terms of a manufacturer or retailer and a specific mattress).

Serta (that makes the icomfort) is one of the “major brands” that I would avoid unless there is a particularly compelling reason that they would be worth considering for you. You can see more information about the iComfort lineup in post #11 here.

Denver Mattress’ “mostly latex” mattresses are usually among the better quality/value choices in most areas where they do business. A forum search on “Snowmass” (you can just click this) will bring up many posts and lots more information about them.

My thoughts about airbeds are in this article but they can be summarized as “for most people they are a waste of money”.

The links in the post I linked earlier includes some generic information about how different heights and heights and sleeping positions need different types of mattresses and on which types of mattresses and materials can be cooler than others (and there is more information about sleeping cool in post #2 here) but these are more generic guidelines and because of the many variables involved … personal testing specifically for pressure relief, alignment, and your other personal preferences will always be more accurate than a “formula” or “theory at a distance”.

Yes … the better options or at least “possibilities” I’m aware of in the Louisville area are listed in post #3 here

Hope this helps :slight_smile:

Phoenix

409

Oh my goodness Phoenix, can I ever relate to the “backbone” and the “misfit” comments. I was definitely aware of the T & S combo, as well as the other S & S combo. Anyone that follows venture and vulture equity follows these things.

A quick look at any retailer would show people what has the highest margins and rate of turnover. It’s never surprised me why there’s a mattress seller on corners and in every plaza. Retailers large and small don’t devote that much room to shelf space without a good return. Costco and others included. That’s why you see fewer and smaller products in quick stops, and more and more wine.

But I digress…

I know you’re a huge fan of the latex mattresses, and you’ve certainly given ample reason for me to look at them as well. There are a couple of local retailers that sell them around here, as I’ve mentioned. I’ll be as selfish as I can right now and see if I can pick your brain for what you think of the models I’ve mentioned thus far. When I find something we like, then maybe I can go to one of the preferred manufacturers you list and see how they can match it or approximate it.

It’s the same in many industries today, has been for decades. I noticed awhile ago that my favorite beer just wasn’t cutting it. It didn’t have the same taste, not as smooth or consistent. Then I found out they stopped buying those expensive imported hops. They saved quite a bit of money, and ticked off a lot of people. But they don’t care, profits were up, and they controlled a huge share of the market already. Consumers are already drinking stinky beer, so why not?

Hey, get to work finding me a good mattress match :wink:

410

Hi iBuyer,

I looked back at the thread and the ones you’ve mentioned that you liked are the iSeries Applause firm and the iSeries Celebration firm. Hopefully these are the two you wanted me to comment on?

It would probably be more “accurate” and helpful the other way around where you actually test these mattresses and then let me know which ones your body tells you are similar and then include these as part of identifying a possible “pattern” of mattresses that you like to see if can help you identify what properties all the ones you like have in common.

Post #2 here talks about the difficulties involved in trying to match one mattress to another based on specs alone (which really isn’t possible unless both mattresses use the same or at least functionally similar layering and materials) as opposed to a common set of more objective standards. There are really only three ways to do this which you can see in (see post #2 here).

None of these 3 methods are really possible in the case of the iSeries because they don’t provide the “comfort specs” of every layer of the mattress (that have to do with the softness/firmness of every layer and component which are different from “quality specs” which have to do with their durability and quality) so you won’t be able to exactly duplicate it by materials. You also won’t be able to compare it with another mattress in “real time” unless a store had both the iSeries you liked and another specific mattress you wanted to compare. There also aren’t a lot of mattresses that have been both designed and tested to have the same specific feel and performance as the iSeries where a retailer would be able to confidently say that “this mattress” feels 90% the same as the iSeries you want to duplicate for the large majority of people.

Because of this … it’s much more effective to rate every mattress you test against a common set of more objective standards and then see how each one measures up to your individual criteria rather than to each other.

Having said all that … since you seem to like both the iSeries Applause firm and the iSeries Celebration firm there are a few very general “pointers” you can draw from this.
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The first of these is that both mattresses are on the firmer end of the range and use relatively thin layers of soft foam in combination with some firmer foam in the comfort layers. The applause uses 1.5" of soft foam on top (the comfort foam) before you reach a thin 1" layer of much firmer polyfoam (the support foam) and then there is some softer memory foam and the softer upper part of the duet coil under this before you “reach” the final firm part of the Duet coil (when both springs kick in). They “rate” this one as a 4. The Celebration has 2" of “softer” foam on top (the combination of memory foam and comfort foam) before reaching the firmer 2" support foam and because this firmer foam is thicker and the comfort layers are also thicker … they would reduce the compression of the innerspring below it so the soft part of the spring also wouldn’t be as soft. The rating here is 2. Because they both use the same innerspring for deep support … this would indicate that a slightly firmer than average comfort layer/transition layer (a slightly shallower than average pressure relieving cradle) would probably be better for you but not so thin that you can’t sink into it enough and the cradle is too shallow that it wouldn’t adequately relieve pressure. Your preference for the Applause also indicates that “not really firm or thin” in the comfort layers may work best.

Beyond this … there really isn’t much you can use to compare the iSeries to other mattresses that use different materials and layering except by assigning a rating for pressure relief, support and alignment, and any of the other preferences that are important to you and then compare other mattresses you test with each of the same criteria.

If other mattresses indicate a similar “pattern” meaning that the ones you prefer have slightly firmer than average comfort layers (but not really thin) over firm support cores then at least this could provide a guideline if you ended up ordering a mattress online. It may also indicate a preference for an innerspring support core which has a different “feel” from a either a latex or polyfoam support core (even though they can be just as or more supportive than an innerspring) but you can confirm this if the “feel” of several polyfoam or latex support core mattresses just don’t “feel” as good for you (they would have different levels of “springiness”) even though they may provide similar support and keep you in alignment just as well.

A “firm” mattress can either be a thinner layer of soft foam which you “go through” enough to feel the firmness of the layers below them or a slightly thicker firmer comfort layer where the firmness comes more from the comfort layer itself. It’s this second type of firmness that would be more of the “cause” of the firmness in both of these and which you could use as a guideline.

There is no right or wrong in this … only finding a mattress that provides good pressure relief, spinal alignment, and has the other preferences you want. Many different material combinations can provide your “needs” and then it’s just a matter of deciding which of them best match your other preferences including of course value and durability.

Hope this helps … and when you test other mattresses which seem to match your criteria just as well (or better) then looking at the layering of these as well may provide further insight into the general layering patterns that work best for you. Of course the best “guideline” for an online mattress purchase is one that uses the same materials and has a simpler layering that needs less “translation” between materials and more complex layering patterns.

Phoenix

411

Thanks again Phoenix, thanks for spending the time to write quality comments to each poster.

I think I get it now, and you’ve given me a better way to approach the process. The biggest help you’ve given me is to concentrate more on the quality of materials than anything else. I now understand fully how a bed can go from being “The One”, to a bed that just broke down and we’re looking again bed.

I’m at the lower than middle price point now, so my ultimate decision will be more limited than could otherwise be.

It will be an interesting process.

412

Thank you so much for all your feedback to me and the rest of the consumers!! I will let you know what we end up with and where we get it from!

413

We had some time last night, and driving right by the store, we stopped in again.

We sought out the iSeries Jubilance, because we hadn’t been on this bed yet. Our previous “budget” stop left us on the Celebration and the Applause. So we spent 15 minutes more or less on the Jubilance, which doesn’t have the cheaper IFD support. It has 2" of Koolcomfort memory foam, plus 1" of Coolaction Gel foam, plus another 1 " of that Gel foam as well. From what I got from the salesman, the 2" Koolcomfort is 5# foam, and the other 2 layers of 1" gel are 4#. Those are under a quilt top. While this mattress is labeled as Plush, it felt extremely comfortable. We didn’t sink in, and had no problem moving from back to side. We liked it, a lot.

It definitely felt more luxurious (whatever that means) than our original choices. The extra $500 seemed hard to digest.
This bed with foundation would set us back $1,300. Certainly not a huge budget, but higher than your average bed.

So now that we know more about quality, meaning layers that don’t degrade quickly, we’ll be off to see what we think of Latex beds this weekend. I looked at the Sleep EZ site quite a bit, and it doesn’t seem as scary now. Love free delivery from 2,000 miles plus away as well;)

The trick will be to closely approximate the feel we liked with the support on the Jubilance in latex. Hopefully, the latex retail store here will have enough products to try out that we can get an idea of what to look for. If we chose an online retailer, that would be extremely important.

From everything I’ve read from you Phoenix, this Jubilance bed is of pretty decent quality, although the Value proposition, even with our big discount, may not be the best. The one thing I like about your approach, is being able to get a bed with replaceable layers. So even if we don’t get it perfect in the first shot, we have an easily rectifiable option to try again by replacing layers. That makes me think that I should look for a higher quality support first, and then buy from someone that leaves my options open in the future. That definitely increases the value proposition by being able to replace a layer or two further down as the years go by.

the real trick will be to find this in our $$$ budget.

414

Hi iBuyer,

The iSeries Jubilance is a much better quality choice IMO because as you mention it uses higher quality materials in the comfort layers. The Kool Comfort memory foam is 5 lbs as he mentioned (good quality) and the lower quality gel memory foam (4 lbs with gel particles) is lower in the mattress where it will be more durable and the extra support from the “beads” can help offset the tendency to sink deeper into memory foam layers. It doesn’t have any obvious “weak links” like the other two you were considering.

If that’s a “set” price and queen size or better then it’s a reasonable value IMO (assuming they are an authorized dealer and it’s not a floor model etc) and much less than the listed price at most sites such as here. This would be a case of “better quality but not great value” becoming better value because of the discount you would receive.
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This will be tricky because latex and memory foam have a completely different feel although either can do a great job with pressure relief (again depending on layer thickness and softness in both cases and on the layers underneath them). Being a slow response material the memory foam will be more “motion restricting” (although the some of the newer memory foams are less so than the old slower response memory foams) and the latex will be more “motion allowing”. When you test latex I would try to get a sense of the differences in how the materials respond because either type of mattress can be softer or firmer and softness/firmness has less to do with the material itself than the different types of response and other properties of each type of foam. I would especially look for latex mattresses with softer comfort layers which will more closely “approximate” the softness of the memory foam so you can tell more of the difference between the two materials in “soft” versions.

Pure Latex Bliss has a line of latex mattresses that use mostly soft (19 ILD) Talalay latex layers on top and are fairly widely available across the country so these may give you a chance to test a comfort layer that uses various layers of soft latex on top. You can find the closest retailer to you on their retail finder here.

This can certainly be an effective approach either with a zip cover where the layers can be replaced or exchanged or with a basic mattress that is purchased more as a support system and then adding toppers to create your own comfort layers (or fine tune the ones you have). Some local manufacturers will also open up a mattress and replace a layer as well should it be necessary even if it doesn’t have a zip cover.

Yes … but at least you have a reasonable starting point :slight_smile:

Phoenix

415

Well at least you set me out on the right path.

Yes, the deal is pretty good with my discount. That price includes the foundation, as well as the promo pillows and blanket, for what they’re worth.

The only thing that concerns me is the “break-in period” referred to here as it relates to the firmness and softening of memory foams. I’d hate to go from Just Right to too soft. I wonder, given the layers in the Jubilence model being thin, if their propensity to get softer is far less than others.

The cheaper models have the 2" IFD support foam, which I “guess” would be far more likely to soften over time. I have no idea how the 2" Koolcomfort or 1" layers of Coolaction gel foam hold up. Someone could start a business going around cutting the tops off mattresses, and installing zippers :wink:

416

Hi iBuyer,

You are probably wise to look at this with any foam material but certainly with memory foam. If you are “on the edge” in terms of softness (and alignment) then you can count on some degree of softening and it’s also true that sleeping on a memory foam mattress over the course of the night will be softer and allow you to sink deeper into the mattress than testing it for a shorter time. I would definitely leave some room for softening over the first 90 days or so because with 4" of memory foam material there will certainly be some softening in the initial weeks before the break in period is over and foam softening becomes more gradual.

Two things to keep in mind are the floor model you are testing (how far along is it in the break-in period) and some “room” (hard to quantify I know) for softening so that you aren’t tempted to buy a mattress that is on the edge of your alignment range and may go over the edge during the break in period.

Interestingly enough … you can already buy zip covers of various types for mattresses in different thicknesses so if you ever needed to cut open your mattress and do “surgery” then you could remove layers and replace both the layers and your current cover with a zip version as long as the other layers and components were still in good condition and weren’t glued together (which can make removing them more difficult).

Phoenix

417

Hi Phoenix, I posted number 390, but didn’t see a response. Do u have anythg in your blogs about local manufacturers in Indiana? We found one and got some specs on a mattress comparable to the icomfort renewal refined, but it is hard to compare apples to apples on quality. We really like the renewal refined. And we also like the icomfort adjustable base. Any feedback on those? We have your breakdown on the renewal refined but are not sure how to compare apples to apples with other memory foam. It all gets overwhelming after a while. Thanks!!!

418

Hi wamp8ish,

I must have missed your post while I was writing another reply (which happens on occasion). My apologies :slight_smile:

If you can let me know a city or zip I’d be happy to let you know of any that I’m aware of in your area. Statewide searches are a little too time consuming and I prefer a starting point and forum listing for specific cities (or a zip code).

Phoenix

419

Well we did just that, we got to test another that was older. We have ruled out the Jubilance model because it’s just plain too soft for me. (it pays to go back and test and re-test)

Our favorite model is still the Applause Firm. Neither too soft or too firm. I kept hashing back and forth over this model, because of your analysis of the components. All in all, it didn’t Feel like a memory foam mattress, which is fine with us. In the other thread, I noted that we both elevated the latex bed Natural Elegance to first place, which as you know, creates a new problem.

420

Hi iBuyer,

It’s too bad about Comfort Solutions because in some of their mattresses they do use high quality materials and they do themselves no favors by being so secretive about them IMO. They want to be the “alternative” to the “S” companies (Serta, Sealy, Simmons) and are just behind them in size ranking but they are just as difficult in most cases to get good information. The top by size are Tempurpedic, Serta, Sealy, Simmons, Select Comfort (airbeds), Corsicana (moving up quickly) and Comfort Solutions (which until recently were ahead of Corsicana but I believe are now behind them).

Some of their latex mattresses are good quality and in some cases some retailers will sell them at good value as well and will even tell you what is in them. They also make an XL line (Extended Life) which uses polyfoam over 2.0 lb density which is sold as being a more durable mattress that is suitable for higher weights. This is the type of “quality/value” that for many smaller manufacturers is the “norm”.
ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: comfortsolutions.com

The retailer you deal with can make all the difference in how easy it is to get the information you need.

Phoenix