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I just purchased a new FloBeds. It is the 100% natural Talalay 4 layer mattresses. The top most layer being a soft egg crate 2" piece of Talalay. I purchased the following configuration. On the left side of the bed I have a median top layer, firm middle layer, and extra firm bottom layer. On the right side the top layer is firm, the second layer is extra firm, and the bottom layer is extra firm. I felt that this should give me an opportunity to switch the layers around and come up with the configuration that will work the best for my 6' 2" 210 pound frame. It has been quite a wrestling match, reading all the different descriptions that various people like, when it comes to firmness layers. You also run into this with some of the websites. No two people seem to consider this the same way. So I'm just going to have to experiment. This is one of the main reasons that I went with FloBeds. They have the most liberal exchange policy coupled with a generous return policy. They definitely get more money than some of the other sites. But when you're purchasing something this expensive from the Internet, and cannot lay on it, feel it, look at it, and even smell it, it's good to have a situation where you can make corrections at a nominal expense. Given the fact that FloBeds has an excellent reputation with the BBB, and Dave and Dewey Turner are excellent people to do business with, it just seemed to make good sense to me to consider the extra cost as an insurance policy. One last point I would like to make. I just realize that I have been misspelling FloBeds name. I had been misspelling it "FlowBeds." Wrong! It is spelled FloBeds.com. I hope I have not misdirected anyone. It will probably take about a week to get this bed in my home, set up, and slept on. When I have had an opportunity to do this I will be sure to post back and let you know what my experiences are, as I know how confusing this kind of a purchase can be. This message was modified Sep 22, 2009 by eagle2
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I hope I have configured my response TJ in the best fashion so as to make that response intelligible. Hello eagle2! Hello. Well, I just joined this forum after spending many hours reading all of your posts which I am very appreciative of. Thank you! You are welcome, thank you for the compliment. I am about to purchase a latex mattress but admit I only started my detailed research in the past few weeks. I have spoken to both SleepEZ and FloBeds and agree with you that FloBeds might be the best "fit" for us because it appears they are the ones that started the 90 day guaranty process. Wish they offered free shipping as does SleepEZ but that would not be a deal breaker for us. As I recall FlowBeds shipping was quite reasonable, about $140 from Firstly, I see that overall you found the natural Talalay to be denser and more supportive. I don't think I saw much commentary from you regarding the life of the natural v. the blended. When I spoke with SleepEZ, they said the natural only lasted about 10 years; when I spoke with FloBeds they said that the only difference between the two was about being "green" and that they both felt the same and had the same warranty. Did you speak to Dave or Dewey? Dave is the owner and Dewey is his son. I think you are overly concerned about years of use. I have heard estimates, on all natural rubber, out to the 50th year. I think a lifespan more in the neighborhood of 20 years would be much safer and more realistic. But I do not believe that this should be your primary concern as they are going to last a very long time, whether a blended bed or an all natural bed, much longer than any innerspring mattress last, at least that is my understanding based on my research. So, now I am confused. I realize that the all natural has not been out that long but was wondering what you thought? (It seems I also read somewhere that the natural was denser as you said, but felt softer and reacted to body pressure a bit more so that maybe over time this could be an issue and break up quicker? Forgive me if I mixed up any info here...there was a lot of info to absorb in the pages and pages of this forum! I found in my limited experience that the all natural with its greater density, to give me more support from a less firm piece of latex than the blended piece did. Also, I was a bit surprised at how quickly FloBeds told me what mattress I needed based on body weight and size (same as your daugther's for me) without listening to my preferences. He originally suggested a medium/medium with the medium VZone I believe for me but changed it to medium /firm when I insisted i liked a very firm mattress with a bit of a "soft" feel on top. You did not stipulate as to your height and weight. But as I indicated in my last post my daughter at 135 pounds and 5’ 7” found the firmer side of my bed (F/F/XF) to sleep well for her. My wife at 5’ 2” and 115 pounds found the softer side of my bed (M/XF/XF) to be too firm for her. You have to take into consideration not only height and weight but personal preference. It's just one of those things you'll have to work out for yourself after giving it a pretty good guess initially when you are ordering. But that's the beauty of FloBeds and their unlimited exchange and quite reasonable shipping charges). Yesterday, when we bought our adjustable foundation locally (at both FloBed's and Sleep EZ's suggestion I might add...both were very honest about the practicality of that)...I tried a Latex International mattress which was blended Talalay which the local store relabeled as "firm,"and I really liked it...I also tried the ultra firm and liked it as well but it might have been just a bit too hard, not by much though. They categorized their mattresses into 4 groups: soft/medium/firm/ultra. Silly me, I forgot to check the ILD of them which I can still do but I must admit..I haven't gotten so educated on understanding the subtleties (sp?) of yet but don't have much time. However, this convinced me that my instincts were right about wanting a firm mattress. Any input or suggestions? I am also wondering that since the FloBed was so customizable, is it even necessary to go with the VZone? (My issues are mainly hip and shoulder (tendinitis in both) which is why it sounded like a good idea. I know you felt that that might just add too much more work to manager/figure out..but at one point, I also think you stated that if we could truly get a custom fit, that would be closest to perfect. And I am thinking that the VZone almost does that. I personally would not want to have had to deal with a V Zone mattress as there are too many conflict experiences for me. Also, since you experimented with the different cores so much, I was wondering what you might think of the VZone purely from an engineering point of view? I.E. Could all the extra pieces possibly affect the stability of the mattress by feeling where one piece stops and the next one starts or are they so tightly together in the case that that is not an issue? You would have to talk to Dave Turner about this as I have no experience, but I believe Dave told me that he sleeps on a V Zone as he has shoulder problems. Ok..last question...why did you pick the 4 layer instead of 3? It just seemed like a mattress that would give me the flexibility that I wanted so that I could make sure that I had a configuration that would suit me over time Sorry for all the questions but if you can find the time to reply soon, I would be most greatful!! Thanks so much!! You are quite welcome and I believe if you will talk to Dave Turner he will be able to help you find a configuration that will be satisfactory for you. The reason I like FloBeds so much is that not only do they have a really great exchange policy, the best in the business as far as I have been able to ascertain, but they have shown me, and many others, the kind of excellent customer service that makes doing business with them quite pleasurable. This message was modified Dec 29, 2009 by eagle2
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Thanks for replying so quickly eagle2! I spoke to Dewey so I guess I will ask for Dave when I call back. As far as firmness goes, I am the same exact height and weight as your daughter. Interesting that she liked the F/F/XF since Dewey originally wanted to put me in a med/medmed and then upped it to med/firm/med when I insisted I liked a firm bed. I think that he might have only heard that I am a side sleeper when in fact, I like side and back sleeping. Since we are going with an adjustable base I suspect that I will be doing a lot more back sleeping because the feeling of having your legs elevated is pretty amazing when you have a good mattress under you. It also takes a lot of the pressure off of your lower back. So, I will see what Dave says and about the VZone as well...I definitely hear ya when you mention it's a lot to manage and since I alread obsessively compulse on perfection, perhaps it's a dangerous option for me! As far as worrying about the quality..yes, I do fully believe the latex will last a long time... it's just that I got so frustrated at having the top two dealers giving me completely different stories on this subject. Doesn't make it any easier to make a decision! I'll let you know what I find out this time... Again, thank you! (P.S. Are you sure you don't work for Flo?! You definitely are such a great supporter...they should be paying you a referral fee! |
"(P.S. Are you sure you don't work for Flo?! You definitely are such a great supporter...they should be paying you a referral fee!  Just kidding!"No I sure don't work for FlowBeds. I have been accused of that by someone who was not being complementary, but rather accusatory. I am just an old retired guy living on social security and Medicare, an ex-salesman. I was in sales for over 30 years and had a territory covering the central part of the United States. The last 15 of those years I was a traveling factory representative for industrial containers to the petrochemical industry . My approach to selling was very simple. Sell something you believe in and tell the truth about it. Therefore the product had to be a good product and one that I would be willing to purchase myself. This certainly applies to FloBeds because that's exactly what I did, I bought their mattress. I can appreciate this company because it is run by the man who started it 30 years ago. David Turner is a throwback to the way business used to be run. I will add this. If the FloBeds did not exist I would probably purchased from SleepEZ as I feel they make a good bed and have the next best exchange and return policy. I grew up in the 40s and 50s and to some extent the 60s, although by then I was married and had children. I was raised in a small Midwestern town where there were a lot of companies like FloBeds. But they're pretty hard to find today. Today we rely on 24/7 TV advertising where the little man comes marching out on the screen dragging a banner ad behind him, while you're trying to watch the regular program that you're paying the cable or satellite provider $60 to $100 per month for. Disgusting! I hate it. Yes talk to Dave, while Dewey is an excellent young man, and will certainly help you in a professional manner and is quite knowledgeable, Dave has more experience. But how many companies do you call today and get a live human being, let alone the person who actually started the company many years ago. This is the only one that I have found. This message was modified Dec 29, 2009 by eagle2
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It was only meant as a compliment! As far as your background, that explains why I was so drawn to your advice. I, too, am in sales and unlike others who are, I am 100% honest and ethical (I also have a legal background, so ethics is so important to me). I get berated by my peers because I spend so much time trying to understand all the little details (which I feel I need to do more so because I sell technology) so that I can better explain and represent to my customers, while others just want to get it over with. Like you however, I cannot sell something that I do not think is a good product. And although I grew up in the 60's, I am right with you when it comes to sales, commercials and the way it used to be! Yeah, I guess it's a sign.. :)...I keep saying I am ready to retire! I wish! As far as Dewey, I think you hit the nail on the head..very polite and helpful...but not quite as detailed or interested in developing the best solution as we would have liked him to be. More so, because I think we might have some limitations to consider with an adjustable bed (sheets staying on mattresses, finding good quality twin XL fitted sheets that stay on, etc.) and then...just the old aches and pains that we need to address individually to make sure we are getting as close to the right solution as possible. One question you didn't answer...what made you go for the 4 layer v. the 3? With the natural Talalay, that's a 12" mattress...I would imagine you might have some sheet challenges too...even without adjustable issues. Thanks! |
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TJ12 wrote: It was only meant as a compliment! As far as your background, that explains why I was so drawn to your advice. I, too, am in sales and unlike others who are, I am 100% honest and ethical (I also have a legal background, so ethics is so important to me). I get berated by my peers because I spend so much time trying to understand all the little details (which I feel I need to do more so because I sell technology) so that I can better explain and represent to my customers, while others just want to get it over with. Like you however, I cannot sell something that I do not think is a good product. And although I grew up in the 60's, I am right with you when it comes to sales, commercials and the way it used to be! Yeah, I guess it's a sign.. :)...I keep saying I am ready to retire! I wish! As far as Dewey, I think you hit the nail on the head..very polite and helpful...but not quite as detailed or interested in developing the best solution as we would have liked him to be. More so, because I think we might have some limitations to consider with an adjustable bed (sheets staying on mattresses, finding good quality twin XL fitted sheets that stay on, etc.) and then...just the old aches and pains that we need to address individually to make sure we are getting as close to the right solution as possible. One question you didn't answer...what made you go for the 4 layer v. the 3? With the natural Talalay, that's a 12" mattress...I would imagine you might have some sheet challenges too...even without adjustable issues. Thanks! TJ said: "It was only meant as a compliment!" Yes I know. "One question you didn't answer...what made you go for the 4 layer v. the 3? With the natural Talalay, that's a 12" mattress...I would imagine you might have some sheet challenges too...even without adjustable issues." The reason for the four layer, versus the three, was the fact that I wanted the greater flexibility to change my mattress configuration without having to resort to an exchange. Even with this many layers I still had several exchanges, since like you, I tend to be rather picky. I have not had any sheet problems since the three bottom layers are 3 inches tall, and the top layer is a convoluted layer that is 2 inches of soft Talalay that is quite malleable and adaptable to sheets. FlowBeds is somewhat more expensive than SleepEZ, but they have a more liberal exchange policy, so I consider the additional price to be an insurance policy. Another thing about SleepEZ that troubled me somewhat, was the fact that they seem to be more inclined to promote the blended product. Now there's nothing wrong with the blended product. It is less expensive, and it may prove to be more durable in the long run. But the natural product just appealed to me and given the limited experiment that I performed I believe I will be more satisfied with it over the long haul. There are three principal companies that seem to get the most attention on this site. FloBeds, SleepEZ, and Savvy Rest. there is also Foam Sweet Foam and Habitat. They all have somewhat different approaches to latex mattresses and different exchange and return policies. As I have stated over and over again, as far as I know, FloBeds has the best exchange policy, and an equal return policy, except for Habitat, who has no exchange policy but a six month return policy. And you have a very limited choice of configurations with this company. But they do have an excellent website with videos for explaining natural 100% botanically grown latex. The top three that I have mentioned have many satisfied customers on this form. You will just have to read their websites, their various limitations, their costs, and make your choice. This message was modified Dec 29, 2009 by eagle2
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Hello TJ12, I don't visit this forum as often as others do, so I may have missed some of your posts (and those of others) so hopefully I'm not repeating what you already know. Anyway, I've had a natural talalay latex Flobed bed since June and am happy with it; it's the 4 layer one, with the top layer being a very thin convoluted layer. I would probably have gone with dunlop for the bottom 2 layeres if they had offered it, but they didnt'; and for other reasons I chose Flobeds over others I considered. You could do a search for my previous threads for further info re all this. I am about 5'6" and 130 lbs, and I have soft over firm over firm on one side and med over med over X-firm on the other. I have written in other posts what I need (due to pain and other health issues, i.e. soft on top but very supportive underneath) and what I like about each of those combinations. In figuring how soft or firm to go as Eagle said, it depends so much on one's individual needs and preferences. However, I will say that I think the "firmness advisor" on the Flobeds website perhaps errs on the side of softness, at least for my height and weight. Whether I put in that I slept on my back or side and whether I put soft or firm as a prefernce, it advised me to get some combination of soft and medium layer.s That would have been disasterously soft for my needs. Dewey did advise me to go firmer than this, but even that suggestion, which was soft, medium, firm was too soft for me in terms of support with talalay (I've slept on both talalay and dunlop, and dunlop feels much firmer due to it's higher density). I cannot comment on mixed talalay as I was only in the market for all natural, and that's all I have ever slept on. Previous latex beds have lasted ages for me. My 12+ old one is still fine (now in the second bedroom) but it was much too firm for my current needs, and was not reconfigurable. Older dunlop beds (when I was very young) never seemed to wear out. So I'm not so worried about the longevity issues. There's no comaprison between latex and innerspring or futons IMO, the latter not lasting nearly as long. Anyway, the great thing about Flobeds is that you can do exchanges easily and their customer service is exceptional. I'm sure they will work with you to get the best combination for you. Personally I did not liek the V-zone (one reason being that I do toss and turn quite a bit and did not want to feel concerned with being in the "right " place of the zone), but have heard others say that they really do....just goes to show how individual we all are. I think that there would be less need for it if you have an adjustable foundation, but that is just my opinion. Speaking of that, I first tried my new Flobed on my European slat foundation (mine is quite different form the one Flobeds sells, and I think may be springier as it is 2 layers; hence it is hard to compare) I had from my old bed, but found it made it too bouncy for my taste (but that was also when I was trying the softer layeres, i.e. soft, medium, firm). I switched to a firm slat foundation. At any rate, if you have an adjustable slat foundation, and prefer a firm feel, you may want to go firmer than someone else might. But please keep in my that these are my opinions only. I know Dave (and Dewey) have much more experience with various configurations (although each of us knows our own body best; trust you instincts!) As to 3 vs 4 layeres, I wrote about this in another post. Most companies told me that with my height and weight that I could get by with just 2 core layers (not inc top layer, sch as Flobeds, though not all companies have this additional top layer). However, I have tried the bed both ways and find a prefer it with the 3 cores, i.e. 4 layers, even thugh there is no way I can actually directly feel the bottom layer (whereas someone heavier might sink in to the extent that they could bottom out on a thinner bed). I do feel the added support though (and I would never want to go softer than firm on the bottom layer; I actually prefer the X-firm bottom layer, with med as the top 2 layers as long as I can sleep on my back. However, I prefer sleeping on my side, and then need a soft layer on top to alleviate a lot of nerve pain I have. The I sleep on the side with soft, firm, firm. If my husband sleep in the same bed, he's happy to sleep on whatever side I don't want! He can sleep on most anything.Also if ther are 2 poerople regularly sharing the bed, I think one has to go firmer thatn if you are on your own. This is also evident in their website "firmness advisor", and also makes good sense. Also depends on the other person's size. Hope this helps. |
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Thank you Linda and eagle2 (again!). Both of your last posts helped tremendously. I called Dave today (and by the way eagle2, he said to say hi to you! :) That was hysterical...I made mention of the fact that I heard the natural Talalay was denser and more supportive, a comment which he let slip by the first time but by our second call we were old buddies and he slipped in the "hi to eagle2" comment! He said that the moment I had made that remark, it was a giveaway that I had been in touch with you....as you were the only one who had presented that feedback to him. Anyway, you were right to recommend that I speak with him...he was tremendously helpful..and yes, he does have a VZone and loves it, as well as an adjustable bed so he was able to help with the questions I had there. With my hip and shoulder issues, he also recommended that I try the VZone, which of course, he said I could always change later if I don't like it. Linda, your input helped as well, because I decided that I did truly want to go firmer so instead of the normal med/medium, Dave recommended the medium/firm...not as firm as your daughter's eagle2 but I decided to give it a try based on another mattress I had tried locally and the feedback I shared with him....and the VZone as well. So, the order is in....and I will have to be patient for a week until I receive it so I can see for myself how wonderful these mattresses really are. And you're right, they were a true pleasure to deal with. Definitely a throwback to better times of customer service. Thanks again! TJ12 |
| P.S. Forgot to say, I did go with the Natural Talalay. I hope to not to have to do this too often so we went for what we hope is the best although I realize it may be subjective. |
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TJ12 wrote: P.S. Forgot to say, I did go with the Natural Talalay. I hope to not to have to do this too often so we went for what we hope is the best although I realize it may be subjective. I'm glad to hear that you made your decision. Based on my own personal experience I believe you will be satisfied with your choice. Talalay has proven to be quite adequate for me. I am of the type, and it sounds from your description of yourself that you are to, that will never be completely satisfied because I never did get to sleep on Dunlop. But from my experiences so far, and from everything that I have read, I do not believe that I have made a wrong choice. In the end, what is most important, is how well you sleep on your bed. As I have stated many times, for me at least, the gold standard is, "Do you look forward to going to bed, and do you hate to get out of the bed in the morning because you are so comfortable?" If you get up feeling refreshed and without any aches or pains due to the sleeping process, then you have a good bed. Keep us posted about your experiences. I am assuming that you bought a VZone bed. I am curious how it will work out for you. It is reassuring to know that you can exchange it for a standard bed if you do not like it. This message was modified Dec 31, 2009 by eagle2
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This message was modified Jan 1, 2010 by eagle2
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