Which mattress?!

[phoenix]

Hi Redhummingbird,

I had written a post awhile ago talking about my experience with a mattress company. I haven’t been pleased with the quality of the mattress as mine is sagging 3 inches measured without me in it. To the companies credit they have sent me replacement cores and toppers but all have started sagging at the 9 month point. The slatted foundation is fine.

As I mentioned in my previous replies in your other topic here … your experience is almost unheard of and it would have been interesting to see some pictures of your support system and the individual layers in your mattress to help identify the cause of the issues you were having.

Now that you are looking for a new mattress … 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 started looking for another mattress 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”, firmness, and PPP 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 he will sleep), durability (how long he 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 (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

I’m wondering if a latex mattress is not good for my back overall or whether it’s just this particular one?

Each mattress category can include hundreds of different mattresses with a very wide range of different designs, different “feels”, different characteristics, and different firmness levels. Every individual layer and component in a mattress (including the cover and any quilting material) will affect the feel and response of every other layer and component both above and below it and the mattress “as a whole” so each mattress category will generally include some mattresses that have a design that will be a good “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP and others that use the same type of materials and components and are in the same category and may be just as durable but have a different design or firmness level that may be completely unsuitable for you to sleep on … even if it uses the same general type of materials and components. The only way to know for certain whether any specific mattress will be a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) or your own personal experience when you sleep on it.

I’ve been reading through your wonderful website. I was hoping to find a memory foam mattress that doesn’t have any toxicity as I have chemical sensitivities (unfortunately).

Is there such a thing as a non toxic memory foam mattress or a hybrid?

The only reliable way to to assess the “safety” of different materials in more general terms is based on lab tests and the certifications they have for harmful substances and VOCs so that you have some assurance that any harmful VOCs are below the testing limits for the certification (see post #2 here for more information about some of the more reliable “safety” certifications). If the materials in a mattress or the mattress itself has a reliable “safety” certification then for most people they would certainly be “safe enough” … regardless of the type of material, the smell of the material, or the name of the manufacturer on the label, although of course some people that are more sensitive or that have certain health conditions (such as MCS or multiple chemical sensitivities) may still be affected by a material that is certified even if it would be fine for most people.

There are many memory foam mattresses that have a CertiPUR certification which would certainly be “safe enough” for most people but if you are uncertain about whether you will be sensitive to a mattress even if it has a reliable certification then a good return policy can be a more important part of the “value” of an online purchase just in case you are one of the exceptions.

I’m also considering a hybrid inner spring/latex…

There are certainly many people who prefer latex/innerspring hybrids over other types of mattresses (see post #13 here and the posts it links to) but again the only way to know whether you are one of them would be based on your own personal experience. While it’s not a complete list … outside of any additional options that may be available to you locally some of the better innerspring/latex options I’m aware of are listed in post #2 here and the post it links to.

I’m leery about buying an online purchase again after basically throwing away 2500 and I’m leery about latex since my mattress hasn’t held up well.

But I’m housebound right now due to my back so I can’t try out any mattress. I can’t imagine going to a store and having to try out beds It seems my only choice is to purchase online again.

As I mentioned in your other topic your experience with latex is certainly an anomaly and somewhat of a mystery because latex in general is the most durable foam material that is used in the industry,

When you can’t test a mattress in person or local testing isn’t a possibility then the only option you would have remaining would be an online purchase in which case 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 and 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 and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

Any specific mattress may be the “best” match for a relatively small percentage of people, a “good” match for a larger percentage, and an “OK” match for a larger percentage yet but the only way to know for certain whether a mattress you end up choosing will be a “good enough” match for you to keep it (even if it isn’t the “best match” out of all the mattresses that you “could have tried” instead) will be based on careful testing in a store and/or your own personal experience when you sleep on it.

Many online mattresses have a good trial period and return policy so you can try them in your bedroom instead of a showroom with little risk (outside of the time you spend sleeping on it and/or returning it if that becomes necessary or any costs involved in the return process) so if it’s not a “good enough” match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP you can just return it and try another mattress although of course you will only know whether it’s “good enough” and you won’t know whether it would have been better or worse or how it compares to other mattresses that you could have purchased that you haven’t tried in person.

Because the only way to know for certain whether any mattress will be a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own careful testing or your own personal experience … I would always make sure that when you are buying a mattress online that you haven’t tested in person or that you aren’t certain will be a suitable choice that you are comfortable with the options you have to exchange or return a mattress (or in some cases individual layers) and any costs involved just in case your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.

Is there such a thing as a hybrid mattress that has long durability?

While again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

As long as the individual layers and components meet or exceed the durability guidelines then it would be a suitable choice in terms of the durability and useful life of the mattress regardless of the type of mattress or the name of the manufacturer on the label.

I’m considering an adjustable bed so I would need a mattress that can work on one although it’s more important to me to get a mattress that won’t further injure my back.

In general terms most foam mattresses (memory foam, latex foam, polyfoam) that aren’t more than about 12" thick and most pocket coil mattresses will be flexible enough to work well on an adjustable bed. Foam mattresses that are over about 12" thick may not contour to the adjustable bed as effectively. While in general terms thinner mattresses will tend to be more flexible than thicker mattresses and will contour to an adjustable bed more effectively … this can also depend on the specifics of the mattress layers and components so 12" thickness is only a general guideline because some mattresses that are a little thicker than that which use more flexible materials may still be fine and some mattresses that are less than that may be less flexible and not work as well. The most reliable source of information about whether any specific mattress would be a suitable choice for an adjustable bed will be a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or the manufacturer that makes the mattress.

What I’m looking for is a non toxic mattress that has good edge support, a good return policy from a company that has been in business for awhile. You had an excellent listing of the mattress manufactures with your comments but I haven’t been able to find it. : )

There is more about edge support in innerspring mattresses in post #2 here and for foam mattresses in post #33 here and for latex mattresses in post #3 here but once again the only way to know for certain whether the edges of any specific mattress will be “supportive enough” for you and your body type and sleeping style will be based on your own personal experience.

I’m not sure which specific listing you mean but if you are only considering online options then the mattress shopping tutorial includes several links to lists of many of the better online options I’m aware of (in the optional online step) that include many different types and categories of mattresses that use different materials and components in a wide range of designs, budgets, firmness levels, and with different return/exchange policies that may be well worth considering.

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.

I appreciate any help. (do you do private paind consulting for helping with choosing a mattress?)

Unfortunately I don’t have the time available to do any private consulting outside of the forum.

Phoenix