Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Dec 28, 2008 1:34 PM
Joined: Dec 28, 2008
Points: 13
Just purchased a King Koil - Cool Nights latex mattress and both my husband and I feel like it felt much less firm in the store.

My gut was telling me not to make the purchase, but my husband was waking up in pain every morning.  We were sleeping on a Simmons pillow top Back Supporter.  We decided latex was the way to go.  I thought we should go the DIY route or buy a more expensive "all latex" model....but here we are.  I know the KK has a non latex foam core and lots of latex on top, we bought a higher end model that has more latex in it but still...

Now I'm thinking I need to soften this KK up.  Will a laytex topper help?  Can someone recommed a topper model, latex or otherwise?

I am so disappointed so far with this purchase.

Thanks.

Re: Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Reply #11 Jan 2, 2009 6:24 AM
Joined: Sep 7, 2007
Points: 476
Steve wrote: You know, I went the customizable route (with SleepEZ) and after many months of messing around I am still not happy and feel like you do. I wanted to sleep late today (because of New Year's last nite) but got out of bed at 8am because my body hurt from being in bed. Its sad. I did a couple of exchanges and ended up making things way softer than they suggested at first. Then I added layers - 1" memory foam, 1" convoluted foam, 1" wool topper, cuddlebed, feather bed, etc (not all at the same time obviously). Still can't find any combination thats really comfortable, and I'm still very sore when I wake up in the morning. And don't really know what to do. I'm thinking that maybe foam just isn't for me - I didn't like my Tempurpedic either. But what now? Don't know...

I briefly had a SleepEZ mattress too-- nicely constructed, beautiful LI latex--but no matter how I configured it I was so uncomfortable I just couldn't sleep on it. Either the mattress felt so hard my body ached just from lying on it or it was so soft I had no back support and my back hurt in other ways.  I would lie awake for hours before I fell asleep out of pure exhaustion, and after two hours I would wake up in pain, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep again. Sometime I would get up and tear the bed apart rearranging the cores trying to get some relief. Eventually I just went into the guest room and finished out the night on my old mattress. After six weeks I sent it back.

Latex can be very difficult to configure and SleepEZ only gives you one comfort exchange. Sure if you go with Flobeds you can keep trying for the next 90 days, but honestly, I was so worn out I wouldn't have had the energy to go through all that--to say nothing of wanting to incur the shipping charges swapping out cores all the time. The fact is, latex just isn't for everyone. I was really disappointed to discover it wasn't for me at this point in my life, even though I had slept on latex for 20 years as a teenager and young adult and loved it.

After the SleepEZ mattress I went back to an innerspring, but today's innerspring mattresses are more like PU foam mattresses with a built in box spring that sits on a solid foundation. They just don't provide the same kind of support the old flippable mattresses did. So what's next? Kait has the best solution, but it's not as easy as all that to find a mattress maker. And if you just have to settle for what's out there why bother buying a new mattress at all? I've tweaked my mattress by removing some of the foam and replacing it with my own and it's already better than it was, although it's still not perfect yet.  I have to agree with Michelle about so many mattresses these days:  "It totally sucks to spend so much money and have this kind of result."

Re: Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Reply #12 Jan 2, 2009 5:05 PM
Joined: May 22, 2008
Points: 171
cloud9 wrote:

I briefly had a SleepEZ mattress too-- nicely constructed, beautiful LI latex--but no matter how I configured it I was so uncomfortable I just couldn't sleep on it. Either the mattress felt so hard my body ached just from lying on it or it was so soft I had no back support and my back hurt in other ways.  I would lie awake for hours before I fell asleep out of pure exhaustion, and after two hours I would wake up in pain, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep again. Sometime I would get up and tear the bed apart rearranging the cores trying to get some relief..xxx... .After the SleepEZ mattress I went back to an innerspring, but today's innerspring mattresses are more like PU foam mattresses with a built in box spring that sits on a solid foundation. They just don't provide the same kind of support the old flippable mattresses did.


Yeah, I don't blame SleepEZ, they were nice and let me keep my exchanges for a long time while I played around with layers. Its just that I could never get the bed feeling really good. Its weird because I feel like its too firm sometimes (especially shoulders) but too soft other times (especially hip area). I may call them back to see what they suggest, but at this point I am thinking that (for whatever reason) latex just isn't for me. There is something to be said for being able to customize your mattress; on the other hand, it would be awfully nice to just buy a bed and have it feel great and last! Since I don't want to go back to an S brand, I'm thinking of checking out Dux and Hastens. Expensive, but worth it if they let me sleep comfortably...

Steve

Re: Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Reply #13 Jan 3, 2009 9:18 PM
Location: Yosemite area
Joined: Sep 10, 2008
Points: 249
People say that latex doesn't sag, but I had a Talalay mattress that did.  Looked okay, but my low back was in pain.  I don't really like the feel of latex, feels boingy to me. 
It is a serious business to purchase a new bed these days.  I have actually lost count of how many I've gone through in the last ten years.  There is no connection between what I've paid to the length of time they've lasted.  If I went with a name brand, I would have probably gotten a Sealy.  But I didn't because they own S & F and did not honor any warranty on a new bed I bought.  Foam went flat and my back ached inside of three months. 
Shop around.  Try to find an independent place that makes beds, perhaps.  At least you can go back and tweak the insides if it isn't quite right.
Kait
Re: Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Reply #14 Jan 3, 2009 10:00 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 793
My Talalay Latex bed from FloBeds is very firm and has no bounce. I have a 1" soft topper over two 37 ILD Extra Firm for FloBeds over a 46 ILD Super Firm latex core over a slat box that to me is very comfortable. But it did take me awhile playing with latex cores to get this comfort level but to me it was worth it.  Everyone's backs are different and I know anything softer I could not sleep on and too firm hurts also I have learned. 
Re: Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Reply #15 Jan 8, 2009 10:01 PM
Joined: Dec 28, 2008
Points: 13
2 inch topper came in today from FBM.  We took off the other two toppers and just have the laytex topper on.  We'll see how this goes.
Re: Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Reply #16 Jan 11, 2009 1:02 PM
Joined: Dec 28, 2008
Points: 13
After three nights now with the latex topper, we really like it.  It could be just a tad softer and I think we will put the pillow top topper back on and see if that feels even better.  I still regret buying the King Koil...live and learn I guess.

I do think that this will be the last mattress we buy for a very long time and I guess that's a good thing.

Re: Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Reply #17 Jan 11, 2009 2:04 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 793
TXMichelle, I am so glad that the latex topper is helping and the bed feels better. I lived for to many years with the hardest Posteurpedic bed with no topper and I turned from side to side all night feeling that it was normal but I guess it was my body's way to get off the pressure points. Now I learned that I like a little cushion that is latex under very firm support. Before I bought my FloBed, I learned this by trying to sleep on the floor and finding out I needed more cushion which I got from the natural latex topper I bought over the Internet.  It helped me decide that Latex was probably right for me especially since all of my life I have slept on a natural latex pillow due to my allergies.
Re: Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Reply #18 Jan 21, 2009 8:28 PM
Joined: Dec 28, 2008
Points: 13
Well, I am back to being miserable.  We put the pillow top topper back on because I still need just a bit more softness and now I feel like I've been run over by a truck.  Bed feels pretty comfy when I go to sleep except laying on my side which has hurt my shoulder from the beginning.

I'm thinking now maybe I need a more supportive pillow.

I wish we had NEVER bought this bed.  :(

Re: Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Reply #19 Jan 21, 2009 9:37 PM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
TXMichelle wrote:
Well, I am back to being miserable.  We put the pillow top topper back on because I still need just a bit more softness and now I feel like I've been run over by a truck.  Bed feels pretty comfy when I go to sleep except laying on my side which has hurt my shoulder from the beginning.

I'm thinking now maybe I need a more supportive pillow.

I wish we had NEVER bought this bed.  :(


My suggestion is that you try different toppers. There are many ILDs (firmnesses) of latex, so try some softer or  harder. Try 1", try 2". Try 2 X 1" - one softer, one firmer. Try it with the firm on bottom, try it with the firm on top.

Since you and your husband are different weights, if you have a King, you can buy twin toppers for just your side, and experiment on just your side til your heart's content. If he also wants a topper, you can still do them individually. Two toppers side by side tend to stay put, so this allows you to experiment with different toppers on each side.

Try zoning:
Get 2 different one inch thick toppers: one firmer, one softer. Cut each one into thirds, upper body, middle and lower body. Now you can mix and match. You can for example put 2 soft one-inch layers for your shoulder (top third) then you can put the 2 x 1" firm layers under your midsection and the other two at your feet. The lower third is a "free zone" because it doesn't really matter what you put there, in my experience. You can also of course try putting one firmer over one softer layer in the middle, or vice versa. Having the two 1" toppers cut into thirds gives you a lot of room to experiment. Use an electric meat carving knife to cut them, it's easy as pie, they cut like a hot knife through butter.

You can also try buying one soft latex 1" topper and one soft memory foam 1" topper and that also gives you a lot of choices.

Good luck!
Re: Feel like I slept on a Rock - Now what?
Reply #20 Jan 21, 2009 9:50 PM
Joined: Dec 28, 2008
Points: 13
It's just too darn complicated for me.  We already spent a small fortune on the bed itself and three different toppers.  I already took the 1" foam topper back.

I would rather just sleep on the old bed which is upstairs versus ordering and returning toppers and dismanteling the bed every time we try something new.  This bed purchase was the biggest $3000 mistake we ever made.  Actually it's the only $3000 mistake we ever made.