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Phoenix, In a previous post you provided a list of mattresses manufactures in the Texas area....thank you for this information. In my continued search I came across the IBC Europa Gemini mattress, on the label it indicated that the mattress was from Cleburne, TX. I can not find many reviews about this mattress or this company. The ones I have found have been around another line they carry called Miralux (?). So just wondering if you could provide some food for thought on this mattress. When I laid in this mattress I got that ooh aah feel, because it is one of the first ones that actually filled in my lower back area and gave some instant relief. The price is around $1400 for a king which compared to some major brands is very reasonable. My major concerns is will this mattress last and how can I tell if it is too soft (again it feels great when laying for 15 minutes or so but what about 8 hours or more??) Here are some links to what I believe is the mattress with some of the specs, but not the store where I would purchase: http://becksfurniture.com/Item.aspx?ItemID=-1604588731&ItemNum=15675Q http://www.bedroomsfirst.com/Products_pages/Europa_mattress/Europa_gemini_pillow_top_mattress.html Thank you!
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http://www.ibcgroup.com is considered to be a fairly "progressive" manufacturer that has continued to grow while other manufacturers have been declining. They are currently if memory serves me the 9th largest manufacturer in the US. They also make the Dr Breus mattress which is the subject of another thread. I looked at them and got the stats for all their mattresses but IMO they have fallen prey to the practices of other manufacturers who are putting way to much poly in their comfort layers. While they may offer better value than some larger manufacturers, I don't think they are anywhere near the value of many smaller regional and local manufacturers or even some larger ones. I especially looked at their origins line which is their top line and has much more latex (the one you linked in the Europa line only has 1" of latex and can't fairly be called a latex mattress) ... and while I really "wanted" to like them, the minimum 2" of soft poly in the upper layers of all their mattresses except their memory foam was more than I would consider. I believe their mattresses in the origins line would be better if they cut this out completely. I understand that some of these could be very comfortable when you lay on them and this is valuable in getting to know more about the feel you like, but that comfort won't last nearly as long as you may hope it would. I would personally tend to avoid anything over 1" of poly in the upper layers of a mattress and if I was to go beyond that it would certainly be from a smaller manufacturer that would be using HR foam and be willing to give me an honest appraisal of how long it would keep it's qualities. $1400 is a lot to pay for a queen that only has an inch of latex when you could get a complete latex mattress, or latex memory foam or other superior combinations for close to the same (or in some cases less) which had all the qualities you were looking for. At this stage of your search I wouldn't be looking in any way for specific models or prices but more for a general idea of construction that fits what you are looking for. Using higher priced matresses to find out what you like and need ... and I really do mean any mattress ... is a great way to help you decide what to buy at the end at a much lower price. The first step is to find out the overall feel that you like. This is the overall impression that you get when you first flop on a bed and move around a bit. Springy, dead, plush, firm, sinking in, lay on top, innersprings, all foam etc. Just do some flopping and then write down the make and model of the ones that felt the best overall. It seems to me that at least part of this has been answered (you seem to like soft or plush mattresses) :) Which mattresses you use for your testing ground here doesn't really matter. The more expensive the better. Don't worry about brand or any construction details at this point. When this is done, then take a look at your few favorites and see if there is a pattern. There usually is. Once you have the overall feel you like then it's time to check out the comfort qualities of a mattress. This means testing out a mattress for it's ability to distribute and relieve pressure when you lay on it in all your sleeping positions. It is best here to stick with higher quality known materials on top like latex, good quality memory foam (only if you know you like it) and natural stuffings like cotton, wool, horsehair etc. if you are considering that as an option. Layers of poly can also be helpful here if they "work" for you but only if you know the exact (density, ILD, and layer thickness) details of the poly that is used. This part is important to know what you are laying on (material), ILD (softness) and thickness of the top layers as this is part of what would be used to "duplicate" the comfort layers you like at a lower cost. Outlets that can't or won't give you this information (when you can't find it on your own or on the forum here) are not worth your time. There are just too many quality manufacturers here this is known or who are happy to give it to you. Make sure you use a suitable pillow for this step and take notes of where you feel any undue pressure after laying in all you sleeping positions completely relaxed for at least 5 minutes per mattress. Kind of "bounce" slightly with your hips and shoulders to see if you can detect layers below that are too firm for your liking. More later about support ... durability ... and the final part of your decision ... value. If you can take these steps in a place that you know already has great value and quality (I use their price for an 8-9" all latex mattress as one indicator but of course there are more), then this is easier as you would be doing your testing with known materials and also know that you wouldn't go too far wrong if you actually ended up buying from them. I have your "stats" from the other thread but if you could fill in any blanks about your sleeping style, any "issues" (pain pressure etc) that you may have, and anything else about your preferences that you know it would help give better feedback. Phoenix This message was modified Dec 2, 2010 by Phoenix
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I personally believe that the biggest "mistake" that people make when they search for a mattress is looking right from the beginning for a specific mattress that is within their price range and that has all the qualities that they feel they like and need. They take every criteria and "evaluate" every mattress as a whole which very quickly becomes confusing. This also tends to make them vulnerable to salespeople who quickly read what they have come to believe is important to them and then steer them in the direction that they may like the best and add a "custom built story" to two or three mattresses that they believe their prospect will buy. More often than not they do. In most cases a mattress purchasor is buying a story and these stories can get really expensive. I would much rather buy a good book. In my opinion, it is much more productive to look at the 5 main categories involved in mattress selection and to evaluate them more independently. It is much less confusing and you learn much more about what really is suitable for you and what makes a good mattress for you outside of the stories you will be told. These 5 main categories are overall feel, pressure relief/comfort, spinal alignment/support, quality/durability of materials and construction, and price/value. It is at step 4 and 5 that the actual manufacturer and model begins to become important. Before this price, manufacturer, and specific model is pretty much irrelevant (except for research purposes) and every mattress in every store regardless of price can be your playground or testing lab. By the time a consumer gets to step 4 and 5, they are probably better prepared to make a good purchase than 90% of buyers and you will probably know more than many mattress salespeople that actually sell the mattress stories. You can buy a comfortable and supportive mattress in any price range. Knowing what really makes the difference when it comes to quality, durability, and price will help you cut through the stories and have confidence that a mattress for 1/2 the price really can be as good in every way as one you could pay twice as much for. This is especially fun when you discover one of the many gems that exist throughout the US and Canada who actually enjoy helping you "deconstruct" the stories and are confident enough in their product and value that they are actually happy to help you in this "research journey" that so many would rather you avoid. They will happily tell you where to go and what to look for knowing that the more informed you are, the more likely it is that they will see you again. They won't have the "amazing sale if you buy now" story or the "famous personality" story or the "we are the only ones who have this" story or the "just lay on it and if it feels good buy it" story, or the "this is guaranteed for the life of your grandchildren" story. They will ask you better questions and when they really know what you want and need they will tell you their story ... which is all about what is in their mattress, why it's there, what it does, how it's made, how long it will last, and what it costs today, tomorrow, next week, and next month (with an occasional legitimate sale for added value). The only pressure you will feel from them is the pressure relief that comes from buying a mattress that is perfect for you at an amazing price ... taking it home ... and sleeping on it. Phoenix This message was modified Dec 2, 2010 by Phoenix
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Phoenix, Thank you so much for the information. Some additional info:
The other thing, which I do not think I mentioned is that we actually do NOT currently have a mattress, we bought one, and returned it after donating our old one. So right now we have been rotating places in the house (futon, kids beds, and sofa) for the last 2 weeks and we are miserable. We have got to find something this weekend. Luckily my husband has been traveling with work, so this gave me some more time to look. Unfortunately we do not have time to special order a bed and that is why I was hoping the IBC would be a good option for the both of us (of course he has to try it first). The other thing about this store is that they have a 30 day comfort exchange policy. The other mattresses I found that were comfortable were
So right now these are the ones I am leaning towards presenting to my husband. I have definitely learned so much from this experience and this forum, that next time will be different, but unfortunately this time around we will probably not get the best mattresses for our money, we just want a good night sleep and right now I am willing to buy a "S" brand or another knowing that in a few years we will have to replace it. Thanks for your help.
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Considering the urgency of your need, here are a few ideas. I checked with a local manufacturer in Houston that I hadn't put on my list before that seems to make a good selection of mattresses http://www.sleep-designs.com/collection.htm#dream and their mattresses are sold at Ashley furniture and at Hilton furniture. I would suggest they are worth checking out and they likely have other brands as well. Noah's manuracturing also has a retail finder on their website for stores. I have seen some good comments about these as well. Well worth checking out. I also called mattresses1 since I really like the value they offer and she looked up some recent shipments to Houston for me and they are also available at Hilton Furniture as well as Lee Blum furniture and K furniture. She also said that if you found something you like that they would make it for you directly and include it with their next shipment to Houston (would be less expensive). I also talked with the guy here who is a small retail outlet that came up on a quick web search. He didn't seem really knowledgeable about the mattresses and only has 15 or 20 mattresses on his floor but he seemed nice enough and I thought I'd include him because he carries Sleep design, AMM (another local manufacturer on the first list), and Corsicana. If he's close enough he may be worth a quick trip although you would likely find low-mid range there. I didn't have the time to call the whole list or do any detailed searching but I just wanted to give you an idea of what could be done to find some really good quality mattresses available locally outside of "S" companies at better prices. All 3 of these (and any of the others on the list that are available through outlets in Houston) could give you much better value (better quality - lower price) than "S" company offerings (including the ones you listed) and you could actually lay on them first :) Good luck and I hope you find something perfect. With a little more time you would have much better choice but at least you have 3 good choices without doing any more research. Phoenix This message was modified Dec 2, 2010 by Phoenix
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WOW! Thank you so much for this information. Will keep you posted. |
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Hello -
I'm hoping that I too can benefit from your advice. I am dreading mattress shopping I've been to 3 stores so far. I'm looking for a price point of $700. I am currently sleeping on a 12 yr old matrress with a 2 inch memory foam topper. I love the bed. I just need to move it to a guest room, so hence here I am. I tested the Europa Gemini today and it feels very similair to the memory foam top that my husband and I are used to. I'm not finding a lot in terms of reviews on this manufactuer or brand. I've been quoted a price of $720, but now I question the durability. This is a new store, so who knows who long they will be around. I do not want to shop for another mattress for another 10 years! PLEASE HELP. I also tried the Serta Wyrick yesterday, same price point.... I like this Gemini, in terms of feel much more... Please provide insight!
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