Here are the 3 choices that I am considering, I am 5’5" and 145lbs (side sleeper) and my husband is 6" and 165lbs (stomach sleeper). I am not overly curvy, but do have issues with pressure points in my hips, and with the Regalis-12 I have developed neck pain.
BB Aloe Alexis $1519 with 5% MU discount.
DreamFoam Ultimate Dreams Eurotop $999.
DreamFoam Ultimate Dreams $764.
My thoughts after reading all the reviews on Amazon and info here was if I bought the Ultimate Dreams at $764 and I found it too firm I could afford to buy a latex topper and still be ahead of the game, and if I liked it as is I would save about 1/2 the cost of the Aloe Alexis.
If I bought the Ultimate Dreams Eurotop I could exchange the comfort layer out for $100 and still be ahead of the game, but if I still needed more cushion and had to buy a topper I would be even or be spending a little more than the Aloe Alexis.
If I bought the Aloe Alexis I would have the most cushion and be able to change it out for free if I didn’t like it or if my husband liked it but I didn’t we could split the layer and both get the firmness/cushion that we desired.
I’ve read all the post here about the differences between the Aloe Alexis and the Ultimate Dreams so I understand it isn’t apples to apples. My big worry is that 3" of latex (like in the Ultimate Dreams) won’t be enough cushion and I will be kicking myself for not buying the Aloe Alexis in the first place. I haven’t found any retail stores around me that carry latex mattresses to try. I did take a ride to Ikea to try their latex mattress, but I don’t feel that gave me an accurate picture of what a latex mattress has to offer.
I have had a Tempur-pedic (Deluxe model) bought in 2006 and currently have a Regalis-12 by SelectFoam that I am going to be returning as soon as my 30 days are up. I plan on writing a full review of the Regalis-12 as soon as all the mattress drama is complete which hopefully will be soon!
Any advice or insight would be appreciated.
Thanks, Cownox
Neck issues are often a pillow issue although of course there are other possibilities as well.
Some of the other possibilities that can affect how a memory foam mattress feels and performs when it is new (especially when it has high density 7 lb memory foam like the Regalis) are listed in post #2 here. I would probably wait a little longer before deciding to make changes since you still have lots of time left in your trial period. have you called them for any suggestions they may be able to make as well?
You can read a little more about making final choices in post #2 here. Your choices are all between “good and good” and they all have good quality and value which is all I can really speak to.
Given the difficulties you have had with making choices that worked out well for you … I would also consider the benefits of having more options and layers that can be exchanged or re-arranged which means the Alexis may have an advantage for your circumstances.
Hi Phoenix,
I have tried 4 different types of pillows and found that my old mf pillow works the best. The shredded mf/gel foam started out OK, but didn’t offer enough support overnight, my Brookstone that I had been using without issue, put my neck WAY out of alignment, and another mf pillow also didn’t allow for my neck to be aligned.
Something very interesting, when I saw that you said 7lbs mf I went and checked the website, when I purchased my mattress about 1 month ago it was 1.5" of 8lb gel mf, and 2.5" of 5lb gel mf, and now it’s 1.5" of 7lb plain mf and 2.5" of gel mf. Maybe my mattress is really this configuration and the website didn’t reflect the change. I haven’t unzipped the mattress to see if I could tell if it was gel or not, the zipper is on the bottom and I would need to take it out of the bed to check.
I have tried a mattress pad that has some fiber filling I didn’t like how it felt, (trapped too much heat), so I tried a very thin pad, that was a little better but it didn’t feel like it was responding like mf should. So I put the pad just on my husbands side so I am sleeping with just the sheet on the mattress, and it’s a little better, but I feel like my hips sink down too far and bottom out (where it feels very hard) not the pressure relief I was looking for.
If anything the sheets are too big for the mattress, they are 400tc and all cotton, so that shouldn’t be a problem either.
We are using one of the metal High Rise frames which seems to be fine as far as support goes. We keep the room temp set at 72 at night so I don’t think that is an issue either.
I think my hips sink in too far and my shoulders not enough so that my neck and spine is not aligned.
What do you think of using a gel topper (BB carries a 4lb gel for $169) over the DF Ultimate Dreams latex or any of my other combo?
Thanks, Cownox
It’s unlikely that you would notice any difference in the different design. As technology improves and changes over time … it’s very common that a manufacturer will switch suppliers or make other changes to a mattress and most good manufacturers are always looking for and testing new and better sources of materials that can offer better performance or value to their customers.
I don’t think that your sheets or foundation are an issue although a mattress pad as you discovered can certainly affect how a mattress feels and performs … for better or for worse.
When you are looking to make adjustments to your mattress … what it “feels like” is very subjective and not that reliable in terms of knowing what if anything needs to change and I would tend to focus on more specific symptoms (such as specific pressure points or discomfort or pain in your back).
The most important part of fine tuning a mattress is a phone conversation with the manufacturer who has more knowledge about their mattresses than anyone and is in the best position to make suggestions for your specific circumstances based on a more detailed conversation.
In some cases … split layering can also be very helpful when a couple has very different needs and preferences. Stomach sleepers tend to need firmer and/or thinner comfort layers than side sleepers to reduce the risk of sleeping in a swayback position.
I can only speak to the quality or value of a product and the products that BB supplies are certainly good quality/value. There are too many variables and unknowns in choosing a mattress and/or topper based on “theory at a distance” and only your own experience can really know how it will end up feeling and performing in combination with your mattress. The only way to know how any combination will feel and perform is personal experience. If this isn’t possible … then the guidance of a manufacturer or retailer based on “averages” (that may or may not apply to your specific circumstances, body type, and sleeping style) is the best way to make your choices. The benefit of using a topper is that it can add softness under the hips if you are feeling pressure points there. The thinnest topper that you believe will do the job is usually best to reduce the risk of replacing a pressure issue with an alignment issue. Once again … more detailed phone conversations with the manufacturer of your mattress is the best source of advice when it comes to your comfort and support. They have more experience with their mattresses than anyone. There are also some topper guidelines in post #2 here and the posts it links to that may be helpful.
If you are looking at a new mattress … my focus would be on a single variable which is getting the mattress right without a topper a all. If you make the wrong comfort choice … then you can either make changes to the mattress if there are options to re-arrange or exchange a layer or you can choose a topper for fine tuning based on your actual experience but I certainly wouldn’t set out buy both a topper and a mattress. Once you have slept on the mattress by itself … then you can use the topper guidelines in combination with more detailed conversations with a knowledgeable retailer or manufacturer to make the best possible choices.
Thanks Phoenix,
I should be making a decision sometime next week, my 30 days for the SelectFoam is up the end of the week. I really wanted the Regalis-12 to work out. When I tried the Tempur-Pedic Rhapsody Breeze I really liked how cool it felt and I didn’t feel like I was bottoming out like, I do on the Regalis (I laid on the Rhapsody for a good 30 minutes in the store).
Thanks, Cownox
[quote]I really wanted the Regalis-12 to work out. When I tried the Tempur-Pedic Rhapsody Breeze I really liked how cool it felt and I didn’t feel like I was bottoming out like, I do on the Regalis (I laid on the Rhapsody for a good 30 minutes in the store).
Thanks, Cownox [/quote]
If you really wanted the Regalis to work out then you would need to give it more time and talk to them about the options you have. High density memory foam takes longer to break in and there are other suggestions they can make that might also help.
You may be moving a little bit too quickly IMO just waiting for your 30 days to be up instead of giving any new mattress purchase enough time and working with them if that’s necessary.
You will still have the option of a return for some time and if the Rhapsody felt good for you in the store then it’s likely that once the Regalis has broken in and softened that it would be very similar as well.
Hi Phoenix,
I have been experiencing back pain since I got the Regalis. It feels like I’m bottoming out in my hip area and if I feel with my hand under my hip it feels really hard. Would a longer break in period help with that at all. I figured if I already feel like I’m bottoming out it would only get worse not better. When you say that high density mf takes a long time to break in are you talking about the base, or the 1.5" of 7lb mf or the 2.5" of 5lb mf? I thought you were talking about the top 4" (1.5" and 2.5" of MF), but maybe I misunderstood.
Thanks, Cownox
There would be no way you would be bottoming out on the Regalis but it’s much more likely that the high density memory foam layers haven’t fully softened yet (this is what happens during the break in period) and are feeling firmer than you are comfortable with. I have seen people that purchased a Rhapsody (which has equivalent memory foam density) for example that took many months (in some cases almost a year although this would be rare) to get to the level of comfort that they were looking for and that they remembered the Rhapsody having when the tested it.
Have you talked with Select Foam yet?
This is the first thing I would do because they will probably also be able to offer some other good suggestions and guidance.
Hello Cownox,
We are sorry to find out that you are not 100% satisfied with the mattress. At the same time, it is not a surprise. Hundreds if not thousands of happy Regalis owners felt the same way the first 30 days. That is one of the reasons why we extended the comfort guarantee period to 90 days.The break in period on this mattress takes longer and once that occurs you are going to start liking the mattress more and more. It is hard to believe that this mattress is bottoming out especially with your body mass index. Having HD 8 LBS memory foam allows the mattress to be not only more supportive but will give you more contour.
The neck pain could be related with an inadequate size of pillow.
Please contact us at 18773626123 to explain all the options that you will have available towards your comfort.