Too many variables = head is spinning!

Last year, I left behind my beloved Stearns & Foster pillowtop (bought at massive discount through a luxury hotel chain “friends” program), and my already bad back has suffered since. I was at my best on a recent 2-month trip to Brazil, where the mattresses were (seemingly) a dense, firm foam.

Now back in Toronto, I can ill afford a new mattress but must purchase one ASAP because the one I’m currently on is a (practically hollow) coil-spring cheapie and my back is hurting more every day. I’ve done plenty of scanning on this site and others, and have been to two of the major chains (since going to the smaller shops will require a car rental). I understand that while I think I want extra-firm, that may not work because I’m a side sleeper with lower back pain. My boyfriend’s back is also starting to bother him; he sleeps on his back and prefers firm as well.

From the look of things online, my favourite options would be the Dormio Classic “Delight” (6" Medium Natural Latex, optional wool layer) or possibly a Galaxy (don’t have a model name at hand). Both cost more than I’d like to spend, but almost anything will at this point. (Having checked out the info here on “natural” etc., I think I like the “natural” and “safe” level of materials.)

In advance of this purchase I picked up a secondhand bed frame (standard metal variety) but am now concerned I can’t use it if I end up with a latex mattress, because it seems a box spring is a bad idea for those?

I’m not sure what to do next. The combination of desperate rush + low budget + option paralysis is not helping me here. If Dormio makes sense, do I need to figure out a different base option? Or - heaven forfend - do I take advantage of layaway at Slp C*try (haha) and buy a chemical sag-fest that’s just “ok for now”??

Thanks - this site is fantastic!

Hi 99times,

While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

I’m not sure what you’ve read since you found the site but just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Assuming that the materials in a mattress you are considering are durable enough for your body type and meet the quality/durability guidelines here relative to your weight range … the choice between different types and combinations of materials and components or different types of mattresses are more of a preference and a budget choice than a “better/worse” choice (see this article).

I would also avoid making a “rush” decision without doing “enough” initial research and testing to make a suitable choice in terms of suitability, durability, and your own personal preferences because the risk of making a choice that will leave you in a worse position than you are now would be much too high … particularly if you make a poor choice and don’t have any good options available to return or exchange the mattress for another one that would be a more suitable choice.

I’m not sure you are clear between the difference between a box spring and a foundation. A box spring has springs inside it that flex under the mattress and there are very few one sided mattresses today that use them as a support system and in many cases they will invalidate a mattress warranty. Most mattresses in the industry today need a steel or wooden bedframe with a foundation that has minimal to no flex (vs a box spring that flexes) or a platform bed which also has little to no flex under the mattress. There are many in the industry that mix up the terminology between box springs and foundations even though they are very different products.

In most cases a knowledgeable retailer or the manufacturer of a mattress will be the most reliable source of information about whether any specific foundation or a platform bed is suitable for the mattress you are purchasing but there is also more information about the different type of support systems (bedframes and foundations or platform beds) that are generally suitable for different types of mattresses and some examples of each of them in post #1 here.

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Toronto area (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines I linked earlier in this reply) are listed in post #1 here.

In its simplest form choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to FIRST finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers (either locally or online) that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in that are in a budget range you are comfortable with and that you have confirmed will provide you with the all the information you need about the materials and components inside the mattresses they sell so you will be able to make informed choices and meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …

  1. Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.

  2. Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.

  3. Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix! I had read much of what you recommended, but not all of it, so will check out the other links. I just wanted to clarify something I wrote, since I did not explain myself correctly. In response to your:

[quote]I’m not sure you are clear between the difference between a box spring and a foundation. A box spring has springs inside it that flex under the mattress and there are very few one sided mattresses today that use them as a support system and in many cases they will invalidate a mattress warranty. Most mattresses in the industry today need a steel or wooden bedframe with a foundation that has minimal to no flex (vs a box spring that flexes) or a platform bed which also has little to no flex under the mattress. There are many in the industry that mix up the terminology between box springs and foundations even though they are very different products.
[/quote]

What I meant was, I bought a standard steel bed frame meant to hold a box spring. Then I read that it’s not recommended to use box springs with latex mattresses, so if I buy latex it seems like I would need either a slatted frame or a platform-type base/foundation; and therefore this frame I bought would be useless. Hopefully that makes more sense now! Thanks again; hoping I can make it to a retailer where I can try out the 100% latex mattresses and learn more about my “PPP.”

Hi 99times,

If you purchase an all latex mattress you would either need a bedframe (such as the steel bedframe you have) and a suitable foundation OR a suitable platform bed (which doesn’t need a foundation).

An all latex mattress will generally do best with a firm, flat, and evenly supportive support surface underneath it that has minimal to no flex under the mattress and for larger sizes with at least one center support beam that has good support to the floor to prevent any sagging in the middle of the mattress. The components need to be strong and durable and stable enough to support the weight of the mattress and the people sleeping on it without some of the parts bending, sagging, or breaking over time. The support surface under the mattress should have enough surface area to prevent the mattress from sagging through any gaps or spaces in the support surface over time but still allow some airflow under the mattress. I would suggest that in a slatted support system (either a foundation on a steel or wooden bedframe or a platform bed with a slatted support surface) that any gaps between the slats are no more than 3" (with 1 x 3 slats) although less than that would be better yet.

Phoenix

Great info. Thanks again!