a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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So I still haven't made up my mind on what I want to do. But I am leaning towards trying to find a so-called 'good' firm coil mattress with minimal padding and purchasing separate toppers. I have gone through most all the threads, several more than once. I see some talk here and there about doing this, but there don't seem to be a lot of recommendations on what makes for a 'good' coil spring and who makes it. Can I have some advice on that topic? Second, I feel very insecure about the 2-3" topper recommendation. Even at my healthy, non-obese female weight I feel concerned about that 2-3" is not enough padding. It seems like a body would just sink through that amount and feel whatever is underneath. I'm a side sleeper and right now, more than the body depressions we've got going on in our current mattress, the hardness is what is killing me, especially in my hips. My hip bones protrude and so I really need some cush there. Maybe some assurance? Does anyone find they need to go thicker? thanks, i appreciate your putting up with my journey for comfort. |
Re: a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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If you have a minimally padded mattress and you used 2-3" of toppers, believe me, that will be plenty of padding. The mattress you buy doesn't need to be a block of cement. I think what people are trying to steer you away from is the type with pillowtops or super-plush. But, you can get a firm or even plush-firm mattress with a good coil system and still add a topper and it should be just fine. Myself, I don't like too deep of a topper. It causes my lower back to sink in too much causing pain. I don't like the feel of "squishy". One thing you might try to give it a really nice feel is a medium-soft latex topper (1-2 inches) and something I have called a CuddleBed Ultimate from Costco.com. It's a wonderful fiber bed type topper with an expandable fitted skirt. I put this over the latex or even just the mattress and it's VERY cozy and feels good on my side and my back. I highly recommend it. ********************************************** LPAD wrote: Second, I feel very insecure about the 2-3" topper recommendation. Even at my healthy, non-obese female weight I feel concerned about that 2-3" is not enough padding. It seems like a body would just sink through that amount and feel whatever is underneath. I'm a side sleeper and right now, more than the body depressions we've got going on in our current mattress, the hardness is what is killing me, especially in my hips. My hip bones protrude and so I really need some cush there. Maybe some assurance? Does anyone find they need to go thicker?<BR><BR>thanks, i appreciate your putting up with my journey for comfort. This message was modified Feb 29, 2008 by BeddyBye
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Re: a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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Hi LPAD. I have what I believe is a "good" coil mattress such as you are describing, a Shifman Rembrandt. It's filled with nothing other than tons of cotton and a very thin layer of latex on each side then tufted through. As a result it is very firm; in fact when I first got it, it was uncomfortable to sleep on without an additional comfort layer. But that was my plan anyway, and I soon got both a thick wool topper and a 2" med/soft latex topper which I use interchangeably. Had the mattress almost two years now and it looks more or less like it did the day I bought it, although it's softened up a bit. Still want a topper though! As for toppers, I couldn't imagine going with more than 3" of anything; part of the reason for getting that firm mattress was to "feel" it below the comfort layer, that's what feels good and works for my back. If you really don't want to feel any hardness have you considered a full-on latex mattress? I had one and despite much effort could not achieve the firmness I needed (also, I can personally vouch for FloBeds willingness to please and no-hassle return policy). Otherwise, another coil mattress you might look at is McRoskey; they are also comprised mostly of cotton but offer different firmness levels. There were many posts about both Shifman and McRoskey on the old forum if you search. There are lots of smaller, independent mattress makers scattered around the country too that may have similar offerings, and probably for a lot less $$$. May be worth it to see if there are any in your area to check out. Lastly, if you do decide to try a firm coil mattress there's no rule that you have to stop at 3" of topper. Pile 'em on till it feels good! :-) Good luck! |
Re: a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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That depends on the coil. The LuraFlex is around 14-14+ BUT there are lot of smaller coils in the system. And they are meant to be conforming as well as supportive. The old Bonnel is one of the firmest coils when you get into the 12-13 range. BUT, they aren't always as durable in the long run. I've heard that other coils will last longer. mccldwll wrote: 14 3/4 g very wimpy. This message was modified Mar 1, 2008 by BeddyBye
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Re: a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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I'd feel more insecure about getting the right mattress and less about the toppers. Once you have the correct foundation--the mattress itself--that provides the correct level of support for your body you can always tweak the toppers to get the comfort level right. Sometimes this is a matter of mixing several different materials. You sound a lot like me in that I had an extra firm mattress that was killing my hips. I kept adding toppers over the year starting with a fiber pad--thicker than a mattress pad but not as thick as a fiber bed. Then I added an eggcrate foam topper. Then another one. Eventually that still wasn't enough and I got a 2" 4lb memory foam topper. That was about 4" of foam over the fiber pad which had compressed and flattened out over the years. At first it felt heavenly. No hip pain! I could sleep all night and wake up in the same position. Amazing! But after a few days my lower back started to hurt and I suspected there was just too much foam on the bed undermining the firm support of the innersprings. I removed just one of the eggcrates and that was perfect. 3" of mixed foam over the fiber pad was my ideal comfort level. The amount of toppers you are going to need depends on the mattress you end up with and at what point you hit your comfort level. I like to use toppers in 1" increments since it makes it easier to fine tune the comfort level. Sometimes 2" or more of a single type of foam is just too much. 1" can actually make a big difference in how your body reacts to it all. You can always add more, but you can't do anything about it if you get a 3" topper that proves to be too much. |
Re: a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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LPAD wrote: So I still haven't made up my mind on what I want to do. But I am leaning towards trying to find a so-called 'good' firm coil mattress with minimal padding and purchasing separate toppers. I have gone through most all the threads, several more than once. I see some talk here and there about doing this, but there don't seem to be a lot of recommendations on what makes for a 'good' coil spring and who makes it. Can I have some advice on that topic? Second, I feel very insecure about the 2-3" topper recommendation. Even at my healthy, non-obese female weight I feel concerned about that 2-3" is not enough padding. It seems like a body would just sink through that amount and feel whatever is underneath. I'm a side sleeper and right now, more than the body depressions we've got going on in our current mattress, the hardness is what is killing me, especially in my hips. My hip bones protrude and so I really need some cush there. Maybe some assurance? Does anyone find they need to go thicker? thanks, i appreciate your putting up with my journey for comfort.
For example, I have 1" of super hard foam above my springs, then 1" of firm foam, then 1" of medium foam... THEN 2-3 inches of soft foam or other padding for comfort. So all together I am using about 5-6" of foam above my springs. If you don't use springs then you will need a 4-6" base of good quality firm foam as a base instead of springs. |
Re: a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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Exactly! And, I even have less than that. My husband is 6' 1" and over 200 lbs. and he has no problems with sinking in or feeling the coils. Over my LuraFlex coils I only have a total of 3 inches of foam and the fiberfil quilted cover. My husband even has about a half inch less. And, we have no issues with it not being able to support our bodies or sinking in too far. I tried putting a few inches of topper and it was TOO soft. Last night I tried the Dream Coil which is about an inch or so of PU foam and I like the way that one feels. But even without it, our bed feels just fine with 3 inches of latex and foam over the coils. ************************************************* jimsocal wrote: Please understand that the "no more than 2-3 inches" rule is for SOFT topper material, not for overall foam. </p><p>For example, I have 1" of super hard foam above my springs, then 1" of firm foam, then 1" of medium foam... THEN 2-3 inches of soft foam or other padding for comfort.</p><p>So all together I am using about 5-6" of foam above my springs. </p><p>If you don't use springs then you will need a 4-6" base of good quality firm foam as a base instead of springs. This message was modified Mar 3, 2008 by BeddyBye
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Re: a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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thanks everyone. No, we don't have originalmattress near us. I looked at the Leggett Platt page however it would have been nice had I found a place where it shows what products use their springs. I'm sorry to say I still don't exactly know what defines a 'good' coil spring mattress as far as specifications go. Am I to understand that none of the big S companies offer such a thing (if you buy one with minimal padding)? I can't afford a Shifman or other handmade mattress. The only thing I think I understand is to stay away from the Simmons pocket coil system. Our old S/F mattress still feels uber-firm to me, just sags, which I would think is mostly because of the padding failure but who knows. I was hoping to find a brand that is readily available. If anyone has more input on this I'd still appreciate it. I still haven't made my mind up which way I'm going to go. |
Re: a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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I would say that almost all mattresses are made with Leggett & Platt coil systems, as well as other components. Sure, there are some like McRoskey who manufacture their own. But, most companies use those made by L&P. And, they also make the pocketed coils for Simmons. The mattress companies won't necessarily show the name Leggett & Platt. You can always ask the mattress salesperson (IF they even know!) Here is something I found online: "Leggett & Platt makes innersprings for nearly all of the mattress companies, so essentially it is the same coil system in all of them. Leggett & Platt is a diversified manufacturer that conceives, designs and produces a broad variety of engineered components and products for customers worldwide. While Leggett & Platt may not be a familiar name to you, chances are you sleep on a bed made with Leggett components - box spring, innerspring, fiber comfort layers; relax in a recliner that has an L&P motion mechanism powering it; shop in stores that have products displayed on shelving made by L&P; barbeque on a grill that's made up of Leggett cast aluminum - in short, Leggett products are all around you." Types of coils There are four different types of mattress coils: Bonnell coils are the oldest and most common. First adapted from buggy seat springs of the 19th century, they are still prevalent in less expensive mattresses. Bonnell coils are hourglass-shaped, and the ends of the wire are knotted or wrapped around the top and bottom circular portion of the coil and self-tied. Marshall coils, also called "pocketed coils," are each wrapped in a fabric encasement and usually are tempered, or in the case of the Simmons Beautyrest carbon magnesium is added. Some manufacturers pre-compress these coils, which makes the mattress firmer and allows for motion separation between the sides of the bed. Offset coils are designed to hinge, thus conforming to body shape. They are very sturdy, stable innersprings that provide great support. (Open offset is called LuraFlex) Continuous coils, or Mira-coils, work by a hinging effect, similar to that of offset coils. In a basic sense a continuous coil is simply that, one continuous coil in and up and down fashion forming one row (usually from head to toe) of what appear to be individual coils. The advantages of how firm a support the continuous coil provides it is somewhat tempered with the 'noise' associated from a typical mira coil unit. (Serta uses these) LPAD wrote: thanks everyone.<BR><BR>No, we don't have originalmattress near us. I looked at the Leggett Platt page however it would have been nice had I found a place where it shows what products use their springs. I'm sorry to say I still don't exactly know what defines a 'good' coil spring mattress as far as specifications go. Am I to understand that none of the big S companies offer such a thing (if you buy one with minimal padding)? I can't afford a Shifman or other handmade mattress. The only thing I think I understand is to stay away from the Simmons pocket coil system.<BR><BR>Our old S/F mattress still feels uber-firm to me, just sags, which I would think is mostly because of the padding failure but who knows.<BR><BR>I was hoping to find a brand that is readily available. If anyone has more input on this I'd still appreciate it. I still haven't made my mind up which way I'm going to go. |
Re: a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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I was in this same quandry when I had to return my latex mattress and buy an innerspring. Basically they are all crap and once I came to that conclusion I decided to buy the one that felt the most comfortable and just concern myself with getting a well constructed innerspring unit so I would have something durable to reconstruct the mattress on when the time came in about three or four years. No two stores sell the same mattress under the same name, so it's impossible to recommend anything by name. You just have to shop somewhere with a good reputation, tell the salesperson what you want and let them direct you to it. I bought a Spring Air--not because I believe it's better than another brand's comparable mattress. Mainly because I slept on one for 20 years and the innerspring unit held up very well. And I have to say, they may use the same crappy foam as everyone else, but all things being equal, they do know how to finish a mattress very nicely. Too bad I'm going to have to cut it open in a couple of years, but in the meantime, it sure is pretty. |
Re: a couple more questions- what is a good coil spring mattress, and assurance regarding topper depth
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Sigh. Isn't it a shame that these mattress companies know how to appeal to our desire for something "pretty", at least from the outside. I've noticed that most of the Big S companies use a jersey-like fabric now more than the shinier traditional jacquard brocade that I've been used to. It just doesn't seem as "rich looking". So, here I am standing and looking at a mattress with this new-fanged softer ticking thinking "Noooooo, this just doesn't look like "quality" to me. And, yet inside it could be built VERY well. (if it weren't from a Big S company, that is:) And, the one with the fancy jacquard ticking across the room might look better to me...and yet inside it could be JUNK! Sigh. I guess they're right about not judging a book by its cover. cloud9 wrote: I was in this same quandry when I had to return my latex mattress and buy an innerspring. Basically they are all crap and once I came to that conclusion I decided to buy the one that felt the most comfortable and just concern myself with getting a well constructed innerspring unit so I would have something durable to reconstruct the mattress on when the time came in about three or four years.</p><p>No two stores sell the same mattress under the same name, so it's impossible to recommend anything by name. You just have to shop somewhere with a good reputation, tell the salesperson what you want and let them direct you to it. I bought a Spring Air--not because I believe it's better than another brand's comparable mattress. Mainly because I slept on one for 20 years and the innerspring unit held up very well. And I have to say, they may use the same crappy foam as everyone else, but all things being equal, they do know how to finish a mattress very nicely. Too bad I'm going to have to cut it open in a couple of years, but in the meantime, it sure is pretty. |