Bed Shopping Recommendations?

I bought this mattress (attached) and have had no back pain and no shoulder pain. It is awesome...doesn't sleep hot....and it is two-sided. Most mattress warehouse type places now will tell you..."you don't need a two-sided mattress". That's a load of @#^! Being able to flip a mattress now and again is wonderful. This manufacturer makes these mattresses in central Virginia.

Good luck in your search.



http://www.originalmattress.com/latex-foam/overview

We've had a Cal. King Sleep Number bed for over 8 years - LOVE IT!

SleepyT wrote:I bought this mattress (attached) and have had no back pain and no shoulder pain. It is awesome...doesn't sleep hot....and it is two-sided. Most mattress warehouse type places now will tell you..."you don't need a two-sided mattress". That's a load of @#^! Being able to flip a mattress now and again is wonderful. This manufacturer makes these mattresses in central Virginia.

Good luck in your search.



http://www.originalmattress.com/latex-foam/overview

In my last sleep study, the bed was an Original Mattress Factory bed, though I don't know which one. It was sooooooo comfortable. Big thumbs up for Original Mattress Factory for both comfort and for price.

I didn’t have time today to check this thread, but have read every line this evening and want to thank everyone who has taken time to respond in such great detail! I am delighted as always to have such a wealth of experience and information in this forum. Yay! Every post was helpful for different reasons, and I’ll research each option further from here, as a result. Hard to respond to individual posts at this point, but a couple of questions linger in my mind.

I need a Queen, and really do not want 2 bladders—had a king water bed once with 2 bladders, and it was ridiculously awful at the middle. I do not have a significant weight problem—about 15 lbs overweight.

Wondering why each of you decided to pay the unbelievable cost for a Sleep Number bed? Is there really any difference from a $50 Coleman double bed air mattress? (No I’m not kidding. I just don’t get the hocus-pocus of adjustments possible with this very expensive air mattress unless you need 2 bladders).

Still concerned about the heat factor with memory foam, and thinking that a heat-dispersing topper will flatten out the mattress’s ability to keep spine straight by not allowing hip to sink a bit lower. Anyone actually use one of these on a memory foam mattress?

Twokatmew, Your detailed report is so helpful! But I’m puzzled by the Sleep Number people having you “measure various parts of the bed to make sure it hadn't become compressed beyond tolerance.” ---How can an air mattress become “compressed”???

I agree with SleepyT that a regular mattress should be flip-able. These pillow-topped ones of the past 10 years are ridiculous, and just built to need replacement in half the time….obviously.

plr66 wrote:Is there really any difference from a $50 Coleman double bed air mattress?

I have used a Coleman air bed camping. There is no comparison. There is much more to an air bed than an air bladder.

plr66 wrote: Wondering why each of you decided to pay the unbelievable cost for a Sleep Number bed?

Because I am worth it and more.

Pugsy wrote:

plr66 wrote:Is there really any difference from a $50 Coleman double bed air mattress?

I have used a Coleman air bed camping. There is no comparison. There is much more to an air bed than an air bladder.

What is the "much more," Pugsy? Can you describe specifically how is it different? I truly do not need you to explain that you are "worth it." Yes you are. And we all spend what we think we need, against what we are able.

I am a large man (300+) and searched all over for the right mattress for me but most cost 1500.00 that I liked but just couldn't afford so I went by the reviews of the "Sleep Innovations 10-inch Sure Temp Memory Foam Mattress" from Amazon and ordered it since it was about the same price of a cheap single sided mattress sold locally. The mattress is great and holds my weight fine with no pressure points and it does not get warm to me or my wife.
I paid 345.00 for the 10" queen but if I had to do it again I would get the 12" and use a base instead of box springs since they are not needed, I used my old box springs to get the height I wanted. My wife weighs 120lbs and she just loves it because I can toss and turn and she never feels me move unlike our old mattress that has tossed her out of bed before when I had a restless night.

buckeyered wrote:.....most cost 1500.00 that I liked but just couldn't afford so I went by the reviews of the "Sleep Innovations 10-inch Sure Temp Memory Foam Mattress" from Amazon....
...but if I had to do it again I would get the 12" and use a base instead of box springs since they are not needed, I used my old box springs to get the height I wanted.

Thanks for your input buckeyered. Can you explain why you'd prefer a "base" rather than box springs for this mattress?

Only because my box springs are old and need replaced and they are not needed with this memory foam mattress, all that is needed is a flat base.
If I took out the box springs and used 3/4" plywood it would have set to low for me with the 10" mattress but with the 12" mattress it would have been OK.
When this mattress wears out I will get the 12" and use plywood instead of buying new box springs.

We had a select comfort and HATED it. Both my husband and I could not find a comfortable setting and both of us had back problems from sleeping on this bed. We now have a high end Verlo mattress and are much happier.

plr66 wrote: ....Wondering why each of you decided to pay the unbelievable cost for a Sleep Number bed? Is there really any difference from a $50 Coleman double bed air mattress? (No I’m not kidding. I just don’t get the hocus-pocus of adjustments possible with this very expensive air mattress unless you need 2 bladders).

Still concerned about the heat factor with memory foam, and thinking that a heat-dispersing topper will flatten out the mattress’s ability to keep spine straight by not allowing hip to sink a bit lower. Anyone actually use one of these on a memory foam mattress?

Twokatmew, Your detailed report is so helpful! But I’m puzzled by the Sleep Number people having you “measure various parts of the bed to make sure it hadn't become compressed beyond tolerance.” ---How can an air mattress become “compressed”???

Bumping this to the top, hoping for further responses.

Ooh, a thread to which i can contribute something since I've used aaaaallll these beds.

As background - I've never had "back trouble" but I do have four herniated discs in my neck, plus fibromyalgia, so I can't stay in one position all night - I really do have to change position in order to keep from hurting. I just started using CPAP a month ago, after nearly falling asleep at the wheel and refusing to leave my doctor's office until he ordered a sleep study. So all of my comments below are based on pre-CPAP use and are strictly based on comfort and durability as I experienced them.

Sleep Number - I used one of these for six months and could never, ever get comfortable on it no matter what sleep number I chose. I also found it to be uncomfortably heat-trapping. I awoke every morning with sore hips, sore neck, sore everything. Other people love them, but I hated the darned thing; your mileage may vary.

Dormia Memory Foam - An alternative to Tempur-Pedic, but no less expensive. I adored this mattress for the first nine months, then it slowly developed a softening of the center - not a visible sag, but a softening of the foam cells so that it no longer provided support as it had when new. Dormia's warranty only covers "structural defects and workmanship" and explicitly did not cover the loss of support due to softening, so I was simply out the (high) cost of the thing.

Tempur-Pedic - I bought a real Tempur-Pedic, thinking that it would provide what the Dormia did not, i.e. durability. Again, I loved, loved, loved this mattress for the first year - absolute comfort and support. I have never slept better. Unfortunately, it began to soften too, and after about a year, it no longer provided the support that it had when new. The softening was worst in the center, where it had been slept on the most, and the edges remained firmer. The result was that no matter what position I started in, the bed would roll me to the middle, where I lay in a hot, unsupportive trough, and I'd wake up feeling achy all over. When not in use, the foam would recover its shape, so it looked level - but under the load of a sleeping person, the support was simply gone. Tempur-Pedic instructed me to lay a yardstick across the middle of the bed, and to measure the amount of sag. If there was more than a certain amount of sag, they'd send someone out to re-measure, and then honor the warranty. Well, the problem was not a sag - it was softening - so they would not honor their warranty. Again, I was simply out the several thousand dollar cost.

Original Mattress Company - After my travails with memory foam, I decided I wanted Grandma's mattress - an old-fashioned, flippable mattress with box springs. At that time (2009), Consumer Reports had just rated mattresses and OMC got a very high rating. There are no OMC stores in my part of Virginia, but they will ship, so I drove 100 miles, selected one, and had it delivered. The delivery guys chuckled when they saw my Tempur-Pedic and said "you wouldn't believe how many of these we haul away." I have now had the OMC mattress and box springs for two years, and I love it. While it is not as high-tech or "cushy" as memory foam is when new, it provides great support and is very comfortable to me. I do faithfully flip the mattress every six weeks, and when I do, it feels like a brand-new mattress again.

A note on pillows - because of my neck woes, I have found that I really need to be persnickety about pillows. A good compromise for me was the OMC mattress/box springs, with a Tempur-Pedic pillow that I replace each year or so.

A while back I found a company that makes a memory-foam pillow with separate sections to support side and back sleeping. The sides are high and contoured for side-sleeping neck support, and the center is lower, with a ridge for neck support. It is strange-looking, but it has been very helpful to me. I can post the url where I found it, if that's within the rules and if anyone would like it.

Rocketgal, I so appreciate the time and detail you put into your reply. Thanks! I think you have swayed me completely away from the memory foam alternatives. I just cannot afford a couple of thousand dollars every year or two for another bed! Not even close! Remember when beds used to actually last 15 years??? I am curious about which Original Mattress model you chose. Also (not to be indelicate... ) wondering if weight has been an issue in your experiences. (Sorry, but truly it does make a difference).

Re pillows (another subject), I have been really happy with my double edge PaPillow for several years, as I am exclusively a trained side-sleeper.

We bought a Select Comfort and also hated it. It looked like a canoe after sleeping on it for a couple of days. We couldn't get comfortable on it no matter what we set it at. I was also disturbed by the cheap materials it was made out of. I bet there isn't more than $100 worth the parts in that bed. We took it back as we lived in Minneapolis where they were made. (Good luck returning one without spending hundreds in packaging and shipping costs) We were lucky enough to be able to drive it back. Let's face it - it's just an adjustable air mattress with some cheap foam on the sides and a fancy cover over it.

We purchased a Sealy Latex foam bed. It is comfortable but we have noticed that it is becoming softer after just a couple of years sleeping on it. We have a Memory foam mattress in our guest room. It's a nice mattress, (much firmer) but it does get very warm when you sleep on it in the summer. (It's an off brand as we got a deal on it)

Latex is a good material as it breaths.

If I had to do it over again I would have bought the firmest Latex mattress I could find as I know it will loosen up over time.

digitaleagle wrote:We bought a Select Comfort and also hated it. I bet there isn't more than $100 worth the parts in that bed. ....Let's face it - it's just an adjustable air mattress with some cheap foam on the sides and a fancy cover over it.

I was a tent camper for about 30 of my adult years, and have respected Coleman air-mattresses for an incredibly-good-tent-sleep. And I also bring my air mattress when visiting anyone, as it's often better than a sinking, soft guest bed. But to spend a couple of thousand dollars on an air mattress without some redeeming qualities?...NAW!

digitaleagle wrote:We purchased a Sealy Latex foam bed. It is comfortable but we have noticed that it is becoming softer after just a couple of years sleeping on it......Latex is a good material as it breaths.

If I had to do it over again I would have bought the firmest Latex mattress I could find as I know it will loosen up over time.

Thanks for the suggestion, d-eagle. I'll certainly check out the latex beds as well.