Hi msprotege,
[quote]I had the Brooklyn Bedding Best Bed Ever. But I did not like it because I was thinking it would be more like a memory foam mattress. I had never slept on Latex before and I realize now it feels too much like a standard bed for my liking, I like the contouring feel of memory foam.
So I ordered the Tuft and Needle mattress. and this bed is much closer to what I am looking for and has some contouring, but just not enough, its just a tad too firm.[/quote]
If you prefer the “feel” and slow response of memory foam then it may be worth considering one of the memory foam mattresses that are included in the memory foam list in the tutorial (it’s linked in the optional online step). Many of them are designed to approximate some of the major brand memory foam mattresses (such as Tempurpedic) so you can get some sense of their firmness level and feel by testing the equivalent mattress locally and many of them also have good return policies as well.
If you are looking at mattresses that use combinations of foam that include memory foam mixed in with other types of foam in the design then some general guidelines that may help you “predict” how they may feel (at least to some degree) include …
You will “feel” the properties of foam layers that are closer to the top of the mattress than you will “feel” the properties of the same layer that is deeper in the mattress so a mattress that has memory foam in the top layer will have more of a “memory foam feel” than a mattress that has the same type of memory foam deeper inside the mattress where you will feel more of the properties of the material that is on top of the memory foam.
The properties of thicker foam layers will be more noticeable than the properties of thinner foam layers so a mattress that has say 3" of memory foam will have more of a “memory foam feel” than a mattress that has only say 1" of the same type of memory foam in the same position inside the mattress.
There are also many different formulations of memory foam that each can have very different properties (response time, temperature sensitivity, firmness, “feel” etc) and some people will prefer the properties and “feel” of some types of memory foam more than others. There is more about the many different properties of different types and formulations of memory foam in post #9 here and in post #8 here.
Since all of this together can be very complex and the “feel” of a mattress is so subjective and because different people can have very different opinions about how the same mattress feels to them … when you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
There is also more about the 3 most important parts of “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here 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 suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you).
If you aren’t confident that a mattress will be a good match for you in terms of “comfort” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) then of course the exchange or return options can become a much more important part of the “value” of your purchase because the cost of return/exchange options are built into the cost of a mattress so the majority of people who don’t return or exchange a mattress are the ones who pay for the minority of customers who do.
Phoenix