Hi.
I’m considering the Ultimate Dreams (from Amazon) and the Cotton Camilla (directly from Brooklyn Bedding). What I have now is an “entry level” memory foam mattress; I’ve been sleeping on it for ten years, and am overdue for a new mattress because of the indentation on the side where I sleep. The Man and I agree that, if anything, we would like the next mattress to be a little firmer, so we are considering latex even though neither of us has ever even felt a latex mattress.
He sleeps mostly on his stomach (sometimes side); I sleep on my back. The top layer in the Ultimate Dreams is 1-1/2 inches, and it’s only 1 inch in the Cotton Camilla. I am wondering what kind of difference the half inch will make. My main priority is that when I get out of bed, I want my back to feel aligned. And yet I do like some cushiness. I’ve slept on hotel mattresses where I just felt my posture was better when I got up in the morning, and I really like that. There are only two firmness choices in the Cotton Camilla (6 and 3), and I think there are ten for the Ultimate Dreams.
I guess my question is do you think that 1" is enough? Or would the top foam layer bottom out pretty soon? They have the 120-day exchange if you’re not happy with the top layer, but I don’t see on the BB site that they sell a replacement top 1" layer, so if we want to replace it a year or two down the road, I’m not sure that we could (guess I should ask BB about that).
The price difference, given that I would have to pay tax on Amazon but probably not on BB, and factoring in the 5% Mattress Underground discount (??), would be approximately $100 (Ultimate Dreams about $100 cheaper).
And one other question: My current memory foam mattress came with a “box spring” (although I don’t think it really has any springs). I don’t think there is anything wrong with it, and I’m wondering if a “box spring” made for memory foam would also be suitable for latex.
Thanks!
Hi VictoriaS,
As you can see in mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here … I can only speak to the quality and value of a mattress and comfort choices are always best left to your own personal testing on similar mattresses or to more detailed conversations with a retailer or manufacturer who can help you make the best possible choices based on the “averages” of other customers that may be similar to you.
I personally would place a high value for an online choice where there are good options available after a purchase to make exchanges of either the mattress or layers in case you make a comfort choice that is less than “ideal” but each person may have a different risk tolerance and more or less confidence in the suitability of their choices.
The Ultimate Dreams Ultra Plush on Amazon doesn’t have the option to change the layers after a purchase and a refund with reasonable return shipping costs would only be possible with an Amazon fulfilled order (which would involve some higher costs than their regular return policy) which also means that there would be no pillow bonus
The Cotton Camilla and Ultimate Dreams Ultra Plush would be very similar in terms of feel and performance (with the same comfort choice) and both use the same 1.5 lb polyfoam and the same latex comfort layer. The Ultimate Dreams has many firmness options while the Cotton Camilla only has 2 comfort choices but as you mentioned it would give you the ability to exchange the comfort layer if you made the wrong comfort choice. In most cases the support layers are not the weak link of a mattress and the quality of the upper layers (which are the same) and the upper layers would have the biggest effect on durability although different types of support layers can make a difference in the feel and performance of a mattress as well. they could tell you more about how they would compare in terms of feel and performance with the same comfort layer choice.
I would also tend towards choosing firmer rather than softer if two choices seemed roughly equal because you can always add a mattress pad or topper of various types to fine tune a mattress and make it softer but it’s much more difficult to affect the support of a mattress because this can involve removing and replacing comfort layers that are either too thick or too soft or replacing the deeper support layers with a firmer one (which isn’t an option in this case).
If it is a foundation (no springs) then as long as it meets their criteria here and has no sags, dips, or weak areas and the surface still has non flexing even support then it would probably be fine. If you were choosing a mattress which had latex in the lower layer instead of polyfoam then I would also make sure that any slats were no more than 3" apart but this is not the case here because you are looking at latex hybrids not an all latex mattress.
If it is a box spring (with springs) then they don’t recommend it.
Phoenix
Thank you, Phoenix. I appreciate the thoughtful response.
I just used the chat function on Brooklyn Bedding, and was urged to look at their Bamboo Bliss model instead of either of the ones I was considering. Higher quality core poly foam, he said, which would be more durable and provide better support. And more choices in firmness. Something to think about.
Of course it is all very subjective, but if anyone here has experienced both the Cotton Camilla and the Bamboo Bliss, I would be interested in any observations.
Thank you again! Much appreciated.
Hi VictoriaS,
I doubt you will find any members who have experience with both (since they would have purchased either one or the other) but of course it’s always possible that someone purchased two mattresses and hopefully they will see this and share their experiences. The Bamboo Bliss uses a higher quality and higher performance base foam as they mentioned (2.17 lb) and also has a higher cost and quality cover which includes wool which can improve temperature regulation. As you know … it also has more firmness choices which can also make a difference in being able to “match” your needs and preferences more closely.
The quality of the latex in the comfort layer is the same in both cases (and the comfort layer has more effect on both durability and what most people feel when they first lie on a mattress) and a latex top layer in the Cotton Camilla would have a similar feel to the same ILD layer in the Bamboo Bliss. The support qualities of a mattress are what people tend to feel more when they wake up in the morning (and how their back feels) and the durability of the upper layers especially but to lesser degrees the deeper layers in the mattress are the biggest factor in what people will feel years down the road and the speed that the mattress will gradually soften over time and change in terms of comfort and support.
Phoenix
I doubt it, too, now that you mention it. :silly:
Thanks so much for your helpfulness. And now I’m eyeing the Alexis and wondering how much difference it would make, comfort- and support-wise, to have the two layers of latex.
Hi VictoriaS,
The extra layer of latex can certainly make a difference in your ability to make adjustments and having a latex transition layer can also make a difference in performance both in terms of pressure relief and support (a transition layer can affect both). It would also have a more significant effect on durability because you sink into a middle layer more and layers that are closer to the top affect durability more than layers closer to the bottom.
A forum search on Bamboo Bliss Aloe Alexis (you can just clidk this) will bring up more posts with comparisons between them.
Phoenix