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Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who has kindly contributed their input in my previous threads. I've learned quite a bit about mattresses and toppers, what to look for and what to avoid, and I'm certain that right now I'd be 100% happy with my mattress if only I'd heeded *all* of the sage advice I've been given (but sometimes you just have to forge ahead stubbornly and make your own mistakes, none of which I plan to ever repeat). The OMF mattress that felt absolutely perfect in the show room is now causing me grief, mainly in the form of lower back aches. To those of you enamored of the convenience of purchasing an innerspring mattress that feels great in the store, here's what I've learned: if you suffer from any back issues whatsoever, get the firmest model possible with the least amount of PU foam, then craft your own comfort layer using toppers. Or have your bed custom-made by a local mattress maker (this will be the method by which I acquire my next mattress, I hope). I don't care how fabulously comfortable, supportive, etc., that mattress seems during the "test drive", it is not going to feel the same after sleeping on it for several hours. So now I am planning to exchange my orthopedic ultra plush for either the ortho ultra firm or the ortho extra firm (I haven't tried the ultra firm yet, but both have only 1" of PU padding), and I will need toppers to make it comfy. At this point I'm torn between talalay blended toppers and memory foam, or possibly a combination of both. I need good lower back support, but I crave that "pillow top" feel, so I'm uncertain as to how to best approach this issue. I've had memory foam toppers in the past and loved them, so I thought I might do well with either 2" of Sensus foam, or a layer of "cushion firm" latex and 1" of either Sensus memory foam or 1" of soft latex. I'm a side sleeper, so I don't know if a 2" comfort layer will be enough, but I'm more than willing to start with that and go from there. So what do you think? 2" of Sensus, or a latex/Sensus combo, or a medium latex/soft latex combo? A combo I haven't thought of? I'm going for softness *and* support here, which I know is a tricky combination to pull off. Any advice welcome! |
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from your previous posts im aware you probably wont belive me, but this is what i got to offer. if you are suffering from lower back pain, a firm/extra firm mattress will make it worse. for the top layers i would go with latex it tends to be a cooler surface than foam (if you are a hot person as i am) and reacts a bit quicker, not the same lagg as with memory foam. but everyone has there own prefrences. i would also strongly advice you go down the route that you suggest of going to a local mattress maker, but im sure people know my views on that from other threads. |
| Thanks for updating, I was a little worried earlier. I'd go with the extra rather than ultra firm. I think if you get the mattress back to thier warehouse within 90 days that they will rebuild the mattress with your springs for very cheap. They do that here in Ohio. |
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Marshall wrote: from your previous posts im aware you probably wont belive me, but this is what i got to offer.<BR><BR>if you are suffering from lower back pain, a firm/extra firm mattress will make it worse. Well, I test drove the mattresses crafted with higher gauge coils and found none of them acceptable. The 14 gauge offset coils made the mattress too bouncy, and it didn't feel very...substantial. I preferred the solid feel of the 12.75 gauge, which is what I purchased, with thick layers of foam and cotton batting. Problem is, the PU foam does not conform to body contours, it bends around them and throws the spine out of whack -- and this wasn't evident until I'd slept on it for several hours. In my defense, this was my first mattress shopping excursion. I'm a newcomer to the great world of mattress frustration and am learning many crucial lessons in a hurry now that I've discovered this forum (!). Quote: for the top layers i would go with latex it tends to be a cooler surface than foam (if you are a hot person as i am) and reacts a bit quicker, not the same lagg as with memory foam. but everyone has there own prefrences. I've had memory foam toppers in the past and loved them (I'm a "cool" person who sleeps au naturel, so heat-retaining foam is not a problem for me), but I am leaning towards latex now for its hypoallergenic properties and durability. I made the newbie mistake of ordering a dunlop processed topper, not realizing that the closed cell structure meant it wouldn't conform to the body the way talalay does. So now I'm looking at blended talalay toppers. Quote: i would also strongly advice you go down the route that you suggest of going to a local mattress maker, but im sure people know my views on that from other threads. I don't know if such a place even exists in my area, but that's irrelevant now because OMF does not issue refunds, they allow a one-time exchange (for a fee). |
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jankdc wrote: Thanks for updating, I was a little worried earlier. I'd go with the extra rather than ultra firm. I think if you get the mattress back to thier warehouse within 90 days that they will rebuild the mattress with your springs for very cheap. They do that here in Ohio. Worried about the PU foam layers? Me too! Geez, even before my mattress arrived at the store I was having panic attacks and nightmares (that I was trapped in mattress "sink holes"). It never occurred to me that the foam would cause problems right off the bat (because of its inability to conform to body contours, not because of sink holes, that is). I wish the OMF here in PA performed mattress reconstruction, but they've recently changed their policy. They have a "comfort exchange policy" that allows for a one-time exchange + 25% of the cost of the mattress you're upgrading to/exchanging your current mattress for. Fortunately, I won't need to replace the box springs since I'm staying within the orthopedic line (I probably would've kept them, regardless). I'm curious, why do you recommend the extra firm over the ultra firm? |
| Sleeplikeabear.com has recommended a 2" 28 ILD topper + 1" 19 ILD topper (LI Talatech). They (Evelyn) suggest that this would create the plushy-yet-supportive comfort layer I'm seeking. Any thoughts? |
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An update on the continuing mattress saga: I received blended talalay latex samples from sleeplikeabear.com in 32, 28, and 19 ILD. The 32 feels just like its "cushion firm" description, it is firm with plenty of give. The 28 feels very jello-y, it strikes a perfect balance between softness and firmness. The 19 feels like springy, rubbery memory foam, though it does not perform the same. While I preferred the feel of 2" of 32 ILD with 1" of 19 ILD on top, and this combination may very well be ideal for a person who likes latex and wants a plushy, supportive sleeping surface, I was disappointed by the latex's inability to conform even a little to the shape of my hand. If I gently pressed down on the latex, I only succeeded in compressing the entire square of latex. Also, the harder I pressed, the more tension was created, except for the 19 ILD sample, which felt springy but didn't really push back against my hand. So my verdict is that latex is not the right kind of foam for me. I am looking at Sensus memory foam toppers now. |
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I am sorry that your not finding the right fit. The ultra firm feels like a board to me. They use an extra thick layer over the coils that dampen the coils. The extra firm has more give. Latex does not give indentations, some like sleeping on it others don't. As for the memory foam make sure that you air it out before using. Also, you might consider surgery on the mattress if all else fails. This message was modified Jul 1, 2009 by jankdc
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jankdc wrote: I am sorry that your not finding the right fit. The ultra firm feels like a board to me. They use an extra thick layer over the coils that dampen the coils. The extra firm has more give. Latex does not give indentations, some like sleeping on it others don't. As for the memory foam make sure that you air it out before using. Also, you might consider surgery on the mattress if all else fails. Well, I definitely want some give, so it sounds like the extra firm is the right one for me. I thought it odd that they charge more for the ultra firm, since the price generally increases in direct proportion to the cush factor, but maybe people who like sleeping on boards are willing to pay more...who knows. That means I save a few bucks, so I'm not complaining. Will do on the memory foam topper. I'm going to go ahead and order it in advance of exchanging the mattress so I'll have plenty of time to air it out. I really wish they'd figure out a way to prevent that stinky off-gassing. :-\ |
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I had a difficult time with foam toppers because my issue was shoulder pain. With inches of memory foam, my shoulders were better, but my hips sunk so low back hurt. I had a latex mattress and hated it. I ended up with a polyfill mattress topper which is so far working for me. Kait |
| Kait. Where did you buy the polyfill mattress topper? |
| A quick answer to your question: you can go online at HSN.com and just type in fiberbeds. They have a 2 inch polyfil fiberbed that I purchased last month and I love it. Very high quality and so far it is holding its shape very well. It has a $50. They also have a 4 inch feather bed, but they are much harder and need to much attention. I have a very firm mattress, and the fiberbed makes a tremendous difference. I believe Kait is the one who suggested it to me a while back. Good luck. |
| Whats the difference b/w a fiber bed and a cuddle bed? |
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Zzzzzzzspleaze wrote: An update on the continuing mattress saga: I received blended talalay latex samples from sleeplikeabear.com in 32, 28, and 19 ILD. The 32 feels just like its "cushion firm" description, it is firm with plenty of give. The 28 feels very jello-y, it strikes a perfect balance between softness and firmness. The 19 feels like springy, rubbery memory foam, though it does not perform the same. ...... Thanks for posting that. I thought about asking for samples from SleepLikeABear; maybe I still will. When I tried out a couple of latex mattresses in the stores (the Prana mattresses at City Mattress, and a latex mattress at Genesee Mattress), they felt great. But that's for a few minutes, and it's hard to guess what just a topper will feel like. (I didn't want to spend the big bucks to get a full latex mattress, and I wasn't up to trying the Flobeds/SleepEz/FBM DIY mattress-building at this point.) Last night was my 2nd night on my new mattress -- an extra firm, flippable innerspring mattress (660 Lura-flex coils, 14.5 gauge, with extra layers of the Novabond fiber mats that go directly over the coils). According to the notes I scribbled in the store, there's 3/4" of 1.5 (density?) foam, flat. Genesee Mattress, where I bought this, is owned by Jamestown Mattress, in Jamestown, NY, so all the mattresses they sell are made by Jamestown. I was glad to find that Jamestown still makes the old-fashioned double-sided innerspring mattresses, along with a few other types. I was afraid I was going to have to drive to Pittsburgh (5 hours away) or Cleveland (4.5 hours away) to try out the OMF mattresses before ordering. (Wonder what the delivery charge would have been.) Zzzzzzspleaze, I understand how you wound up with that plush mattress. I almost bought something similar at Genesee Mattress, even though I went in there resolving to get a minimally padded one. The cushier ones just feel sooooooo nice when you try them out for a few minutes at the store; they are *very* tempting. (My 18-year-old mattress was so shot, I could feel the coils beneath me.) But I was really afraid of having the cushier mattress compress too soon, so I managed to stick with my original plan. I'm glad you will be able to exchange your mattress for a less-padded one. But back to toppers: First night on my new mattress, I tried it with just a fairly cushy mattress pad (no toppers). My back and hips felt fine, but my shoulders felt a little crunched. Last night I added an old polyfill fiber-bed -- I think that's what it is, but it's about an inch thick, so I'm not sure if that makes it a really thin fiber-bed or a really thick mattress pad. (Laura Ashley brand, bought a few years ago on sale at Kohl's, I think. Fairly cheap. Looks like the polyfill got a little bunched up in the wash, within in each quilted square.) I put my cushy mattress pad on top of that. That setup was more comfortable for my shoulders. Hips seemed fine this morning; but there's a little bit of low back pain. I'll keep testing this setup for a while, though; I don't want to judge by just one night, especially since I stayed in bed till almost 9 this morning. (Saturday, and ooooh, ahhhh, no more coils digging into me!) I had emailed SleepLikeABear before my new mattress arrived, and asked what latex topper they might recommend for an extra-firm innerspring mattress and a side sleeper who's about 5'6", 120 pounds. The reply was "Based on the information you have provided us, we would like to recommend our 2" 19 ILD latex topper." But based on what I've read here in the forum (and because of prices), I'd be more inclined to try a 1" topper, before going to 2", if I need to go that route. (I'm not interested in memory foam; if I need a topper, I'll probably stick with latex or a fiber-bed.) (And with all this typing, I think I have not added a single helpful thing to your thread! D'oh!) I will be very interested to find out what you end up with. Thanks for the info you have posted. -Catherine PS: Last337, I think that Cuddle Bed is a brand of fiber-bed. |
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Marybeth, glad the fiberbed topper is working for you. Sounds similar to mine. I am sleeping quite well these days...the foam inside my bed MUST be HD, took 8 months to get softer! The fiberbed topper is just the ticket for my shoulder area. That and a nice down pillow to adjust to my perfect neck position and I'm good to go. I sometimes wake up in the am and haven't moved an inch all night. YAY for feeling good! Kait |
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Zzzzzzzspleaze wrote: I need good lower back support, but I crave that "pillow top" feel, so I'm uncertain as to how to best approach this issue. I've had memory foam toppers in the past and loved them, so I thought I might do well with either 2" of Sensus foam, or a layer of "cushion firm" latex and 1" of either Sensus memory foam or 1" of soft latex. I'm a side sleeper, so I don't know if a 2" comfort layer will be enough, but I'm more than willing to start with that and go from there. So what do you think? 2" of Sensus, or a latex/Sensus combo, or a medium latex/soft latex combo? A combo I haven't thought of? I'm going for softness *and* support here, which I know is a tricky combination to pull off. Zzzzzzspleaze, have you decided what kind of topper (or topper combo) to get? Or are you still trying to figure that out? (Did you say elsewhere that you didn't like the latex?) I'm pondering various possibilities (and I've read and reread and reread bunches of threads here). I have a new (6 weeks ago), firm, minimally padded innerspring mattress (flippable, 9" total depth), with a 1" 24 ILD Talatech topper from SleepLikeaBear, and a light fiberbed on top of that. My hips & back are pretty happy; my shoulders are not. (Side sleeper, mostly -- though wondering how hard it would be to train myself to sleep on my back; it would really simplify things.) Tried removing the fiberbed for a night; put it back on this morning 'cause my shoulders hurt quite a bit. Before I remade the bed, I lay on it with just the topper on, to see if I'm bottoming out on the 1" 24 ILD. My hips are not; I think my shoulders are. I don't think I need something softer (like 19 ILD); I think I just need more cushioning in general -- just a little more stuff for my shoulders to sink into. (I'm 5'6", 120 pounds.) So now I'm considering adding another 1" topper (either 24 ILD or 28 or 32 ILD; I don't want to lose back/hip support) or adding the 1" Sensus memory foam topper (relatively inexpensive at Overstock). (Foamorder.com also has 5.3 lb density memory foam, available in 1" depths & upward.) I said before that I don't want memory foam, and I still don't like the idea of dealing with the off-gassing, but a lot of people seem to like the Sensus foam or the combo of latex and memory foam. So I dunno. (Didn't care for the Dunlop latex, as far as I could tell from the small samples I got from Sleepwarehouse.) Pardon me for piggybacking on your thread, but it seemed silly to start yet another thread on picking the right topper.  - Catherine This message was modified Sep 18, 2009 by Catherine
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Catherine, Good luck with finding the right combination. I too am struggling with finding the perfect toppers for my springs. Thought I'd give you this promotion code for overstock.com I got in the mail - I assume it will work for anyone who uses it: 144454 I do like the Sensus and I think it's always better to buy 1" and then add another 1" if needed. I made the mistake of buying the 2" and it's just too much for me. Wish I'd have bought 2 x 1". One thing you might try which I have had some success with is to put the memory foam UNDER the latex or under some other kind of fiber or cushioning. That way you don't sink into it too much, which is what I usually have a problem with. Probably most people WANT to sink into it, which is how it's designed. But sinking in sometimes makes my arm go numb (due to a nerve issue I have at my shoulder/neck). |
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Jimsocal, thank you for the Overstock code and the other info. I've been following your posts closely, among others. This forum has been such a big help. My main reservations about memory foam (besides the off-gassing) are the same ones that other people have mentioned: I don't want to sink into a crater or get too hot. (I've seen a few reports online that even the Foamex Aerus foam sleeps hot, and it's supposed to be cooler than other types.) From what I've read here, I'm figuring that I can't crater too much in an inch of foam, nor would that provide too much heat, especially if it's under either the latex or under just the fiberbed. I looked again at FoamOrder.com's Web site. They also have a promotional code -- recession09 -- for anything on their toppers page (http://www.foamorder.com/foam-toppers.html). Looks like that includes their Dunlop and memory foam toppers. (Does not include anything on the Clearance page.) Prices for memory foam toppers look pretty reasonable. They kind of diss their own products, though, in a way (talking about all the chemicals in memory foam, and pushing the Dunlop latex), so that's a bit odd. I don't want to spend a fortune on this stuff or spend oodles of time tweaking, but I'm willing to spend a little bit more, and tweak a little bit more. I'm still sleeping much more comfortably on this new mattress, with topper & fiberbed, than I was on my 18-year-old mattress, which was so shot that I could feel the coils beneath me. (But hey, I paid $300 for it, so I certainly got my money's worth; it was OK for about 15 years.) When I was testing my 1" 24 ILD topper this morning, before re-making the bed, did it occur to me to try folding it over to see how 2" of it would feel? No. Duh. (rolls eyes) Guess I'll have to do that at some point. -Catherine |
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Forgot to mention: FoamOrder.com offers a 90-day trial on their 5.3lb-density memory foam toppers. I've never done business with this company; no idea how good they are -- I'm just putting the info out there. -Catherine |
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Hi! I was just wondering... seems like a lot of folks (think most have been side sleepers?) have said that something works for their hips, but not their shoulders, or vice versa. So I was wondering if anyone's ever tried to make "zones" with different ILDs (or maybe even with memory foam vs latex)? I know some latex mattress places will say they "zone" the density within their mattress, but I was wondering if any of you have tried a similar idea with your DIY beds? In other words, just for example in your case, Catherine, cut the top third of your 1" 24 ILD latex topper off (where your shoulders and head would go), and (after having bought another 1" topper in something softer like the 1" 19 ILD latex topper you were thinking of, or a memory foam topper) do the same thing - cut a third of it off, and put it in place where the 1/3 24 ILD topper was removed, if that makes sense? I suppose that might create a lot of "waste" though... Potentially you could make pillow(s) or doggie beds (if you have the 4-legged furry friends) out of the "left overs"? Or actually, I think I saw on some of the sites that you can order a custom size - not sure if the cost would be comparable or if they'd charge a bunch for it being "custom cut"?? Forgive me if there's already been a gazillion posts with this idea! Been trying to read as much as I can! |
Oh, and the obvious downside to not being able to return them then...  |
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mattressnewbie wrote: Hi! I was just wondering... seems like a lot of folks (think most have been side sleepers?) have said that something works for their hips, but not their shoulders, or vice versa. So I was wondering if anyone's ever tried to make "zones" with different ILDs (or maybe even with memory foam vs latex)? I know some latex mattress places will say they "zone" the density within their mattress, but I was wondering if any of you have tried a similar idea with your DIY beds? In other words, just for example in your case, Catherine, cut the top third of your 1" 24 ILD latex topper off (where your shoulders and head would go), and (after having bought another 1" topper in something softer like the 1" 19 ILD latex topper you were thinking of, or a memory foam topper) do the same thing - cut a third of it off, and put it in place where the 1/3 24 ILD topper was removed, if that makes sense? I suppose that might create a lot of "waste" though... Potentially you could make pillow(s) or doggie beds (if you have the 4-legged furry friends) out of the "left overs"? Or actually, I think I saw on some of the sites that you can order a custom size - not sure if the cost would be comparable or if they'd charge a bunch for it being "custom cut"?? Forgive me if there's already been a gazillion posts with this idea! Been trying to read as much as I can! Yeah, mattressnewbie, many of us here have been zoning. Not sure how many here currently are doing so. I experimented with zoning for a year or so and I have never come to any conclusions. Sometimes it seems to work for me and sometimes it does not. For me, I think the zoning has to be VERY subtle. If not, then it's like my body curls in all the wrong ways. So overall, yes, it can be good, but it has to be just right. That's my opinion. There used to be a guy here who was really into it and had like a bunch of soft foam for his shoulders. But that kind of extreme zoning never has worked well for me. I have a bunch of pieces of HR foam and latex and memory foam cut into thirds but mostly I don't use much zoning, at least not lately. |
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mattressnewbie wrote: I was just wondering... seems like a lot of folks (think most have been side sleepers?) have said that something works for their hips, but not their shoulders, or vice versa. So I was wondering if anyone's ever tried to make "zones" with different ILDs (or maybe even with memory foam vs latex)? ... In other words, just for example in your case, Catherine, cut the top third of your 1" 24 ILD latex topper off (where your shoulders and head would go), and (after having bought another 1" topper in something softer...) do the same thing - cut a third of it off, and put it in place where the 1/3 24 ILD topper was removed, if that makes sense? Zoning probably works for some people, but I'd like to avoid that. For one thing, I don't think I could bring myself to slice up something I just forked over $132 for (my Talatech topper). For another, I prefer to channel my considerable OCD-ish tendencies in other directions.  My bed is pretty close to perfect now. When I got into bed last night -- extremely tired and sore after a weekend of intense physical labor (building a retaining wall on a steep hillside) -- it felt sooooo good. I think I need juuuust a little more cushioning, since my mattress is so minimally padded. I'm leaning toward 1 more inch of latex -- either 28 or 32 ILD, under my 24 ILD topper -- and if I do that, I'll stick with SleepLikeaBear. Their prices just went up a bit, unfortunately, but their products seem reliable (you know what you're getting) and their service is great. Still considering, at times, the 1" Sensus at Overstock -- it would be cheaper than the latex topper -- but I'm changing my mind about every 7 seconds or so. If I ever make up my mind and try another layer (of whatever), I'll report back on the results. I could be wrong, but as I said before, I don't think I need *softer* cushioning; I think I need *more* cushioning. Not a lot more -- just a teensy bit more, for my shoulders. Which, after the past two weekends of wielding a chainsaw, drill, and sledge hammer, might be a tad more muscular. -Catherine |
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Hi Everyone - I've been lurking for awhile learning about latex beds, toppers, pillows, etc. I recently realized that a number of my health problems could be traced back to my older, yellowing memory foam topper. I took it off the bed trying to figure out if it was causing my indoor allergies, and it turns out it was causing both my husband and I problems - including aching joints, stuffy nose, night sweats for him; and chronic sinusitis, joint pain and a lot of respiratory congestion for me. I was surprised to learn it was the memory foam becuase we'd had it for a few years. But these problems did develop and worsen gradually (we figured we were just getting 'older,') and the topper was yellowing, crumbling and looking increasingly decrepit these days. So my husband figured it was probably releasing more chemicals as it broke down - probably adding to the worsening of symptoms. I'm not a chemist, but *something* was definitely wrong since everything cleared up when took the thing off! Anyway, while my congestion & joint pain has been drastically reduced, I'm no longer comfortable on the bed without a topper. My shoulder does not sink in enough. As a make-shift solution I've folded up an older polyfill comforter and I'm limping along with that... But I need a longer term "patch" till we can go all out and replace the bed (probably with latex - after learning so much here). I was thinking of getting the 2" latex topper from Overstock.com, but while searching tonight, I ran across these "Oodles" products. (Actually they appear to use the infinity symbol ( I've tried and LOVED shredded latex pillows for the loft and conforming nature. Apparently Oodles makes pillows AND toppers using latex pellets they call 'springs,' and some kind of natural corn fiber. I was curious if anyone had tried them. I hadn't seen any mention of them, and in fact when I searched - nothing came up. I wonder if they might be more resilient than other fiber-filled toppers/pillows since it contains latex? Anyway - Costco has the pillows for around $30.00. And I found a 2" topper online (Sportsmanguide.com ?!?) for around $107 for a King size. It's obviously more expensive than a Cuddlebed, but about $75 less than, say, an ECO topper at Overstock. If anyone has experience with this, I'd love to hear. SK |
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SKeeter wrote: .....I recently realized that a number of my health problems could be traced back to my older, yellowing memory foam topper......... And just when I'd almost decided to go ahead and try the Sensus topper.... Hrmph. (But maybe the Sensus is better made and will last longer than your memory foam topper?) My reasoning was that if I want to try another layer of Talatech in a few months, SleepLikeaBear will mostly likely still be around. But if I want to try the 1" Sensus topper from Overstock in a few months, it might be gone. And I woke up this morning with both hands asleep, so that makes me more inclined to try an additional layer of topper now. Not sure how much any topper is going to help with the hands, though -- I've been up for a couple hours, and they're still falling asleep. Happens intermittently, but fairly often -- while typing, holding the phone, holding a book, etc. -- I don't have great circulation in my hands or feet (they're typically cold from about October to June), and the problem gets exacerbated by overuse (periods of working a lot on the computer, and/or gripping heavy tools or rocks/bricks/lumber). I'm very interested in that Oodles topper you mentioned, SKeeter. I'd prefer one inch to two inches, but I'm wondering if that topper manages to combine the springiness and support of latex and the conforming-to-your-shape nature of memory foam. That'd be neat. -Catherine This message was modified Sep 22, 2009 by Catherine
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Catherine - I have the same problem with my hands tingling thru the day since I removed my topper. It is really annoying! I have broad shoulders and wide hips (hourglass). So finding bed configurations that are supportive enough, yet allow my shoulders and hips to sink in enough is a challenge. I started an Oodles thread and saw you answered that one too. I'll report back - after trying both the pillow and topper. Crossing fingers. :) Re the Sensus topper... My old memory foam was Novaform from Costco. Several folks have commented since they learned that that it was a nasty version of memory foam. I assume that means some may not be nasty like that but I'm not willing to try it again. If you aren't sensitive to the chemicals or outgassing (most folks don't seem to be), it might be great for you. I know the memory foam worked for me as a cushion. I was fairly comfortable. But I just had all those other health issue crop up from the allergy. It might work - but you definitely would want a good, long return policy since the kinds of symptoms you can get from a chemical reaction might not at first be obviously connected to the mattress. I know it took me YEARS to connect the dots... Ugh. But my hands didn't tingle... heh heh! So it worked as a cushion. I just hope that I won't have to trade comfort or health on my next topper. I'm optomistic. :) SK This message was modified Sep 23, 2009 by SKeeter
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SKeeter wrote: My old memory foam was Novaform from Costco. Several folks have commented since they learned that that it was a nasty version of memory foam. I assume that means some may not be nasty like that but I'm not willing to try it again. If you aren't sensitive to the chemicals or outgassing (most folks don't seem to be), it [the Sensus] might be great for you. Thanks for the info, SKeeter. I don't think I'm especially sensitive to the off-gassing, but I'd like to avoid it if I can get comfy with toppers made of something other than memory foam. I won't rule it out entirely yet, but I'll hold off until I see what the OOdles topper is like. If that one doesn't work for me, then I'll be back to dithering & choosing between adding a layer of memory foam or adding another layer of solid latex. We'll see. I think I'm glad I went with the 24 ILD from SleepLikeaBear instead of the 19 ILD that Evelyn initially recommended (we talked for quite a while, and she changed her recommendation to the 24). I think 28 ILD might have been even better -- 'cause if I fold the 24 ILD topper over and lie on that, on my side, my shoulders still come close to bottoming out -- but these numbers can get a little abstract. It all gets kinda abstract, really, if you don't have good-size samples of all the different foams and ILDs to try out. And most of us don't. From everything I'd read on this forum, I was sure I'd prefer Dunlop to Talalay. And maybe it would be fine -- it's probably not fair to judge based on the small samples I received from SleepWarehouse.com (one was 6"x6"; the other was 7"x8"). But from what little I could tell by tucking those samples under my shoulder -- while lying on the floor and then on my mattress, on my side -- they didn't feel good. I could understand why one person here described the Dunlop as feeling "like a bag of wet cement." And then I tucked my Talalay pillow under my shoulders, and that felt good. (No idea what the ILD of that is.) The solid Talalay pillow is too squishy to sleep on -- comes up around my head too much -- but the nights I tried it, I seemed to breathe better (even though I have good anti-allergen covers from National Allergy on the regular pillows), so I might try a different latex pillow at some point. Either firmer latex or shredded latex. But that squishy pillow sure felt nice under my shoulder. So that sent me to Sleep Like a Bear, for the Talatech topper. I'm rambling now; sorry. Guess I'll get more coffee and get myself to work. -Catherine |
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Catherine - I hear ya! It's like a maze in a jungle trying to navigate all the options - especially when you need to make choices without actually laying on (or better yet SLEEPING ON) the finished product. I think the good news is that there are SO many more choices today than there were (or than I was aware of) 10 years ago. I think we'll figure it out. :) Have a lovely day. |