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I am getting ready to replace our Stearns & Foster innerspring, which did well enough (especially after we added a memory foam topper) but at age ten resembles two bread loaf pans... After far more research and confusion than I expected, I've settled on a latex mattress. Research, research, research and reading forums like this one have answered most of my questions, but I would appreciate some feedback on a few remaining points. I have settled on a 10000 model (10 inch, three 3-inch layer) from SleepEZ. I know that they can answer many questions and help me choose the right density foam, but I'd like to get as much advance info as I can. I presently weigh about 270 and am aiming for 245 by summer and eventually somewhere under 230 - doable and necessary as I've hit the age where I can't afford to carry my former training weight plus *ahem* some pot roast dividends. What foam densities should I look at for my side? Will I sink right through a Soft top layer (22-24 ILD)? What densities should I look at for the middle and bottom - am I likely to be happier with Med-Firm-XFirm rather than Soft-Med-Firm? If we get a Soft top layer, does it compress too much if I swap it down, say Med-Firm-Soft? Ditto all questions for my wife's side - she weighs about 165. I do plan to get 100% natural talalay; the arguments in favor of it outweigh the cost issues for me. I am confused, though, because SleepEZ only offers Soft and Medium slabs of this material on their component page - so is their pricey "100% natural talalay" still that if you order Firm and XFirm slabs? Finally, I am leaning strongly towards an adjustable Euro-slat foundation. I know that a solid slat foundation is just fine for many folks and might possibly meet all my needs... but if I'm going to spend this much on a bed that promises great durability, that last stage of adjustability might matter over the next 10-12 years. From what I've read, most people use a thinner (7-8 inch) mattress with a euro-slat foundation, but with my weight I think the 3-slab 10-incher is a better choice... so how will it interact with the adjustable foundation? Should I go up a step in firmness, maybe Soft-Firm-Xfirm, to compensate for the give of the foundation? Many questions, I know - TIA for thoughtful answers. |
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I always do excessive homework on major purchases... and find it frustrating that the more information you can find on, say, fridges and ovens, the more diffuse and useless the aggregate becomes. But we were talking about mattresses... I'm 6 foot, my wife is 5'9". She's a back and side sleeper, I'm a back and side sleeper with occasional forays into stomach surfing. If I can find comfort on my back, I rarely turn to my side. We bought the current S&F when we were still young enough to tolerate a firm mattress, and about four years later the MF topper really added comfort. We're both at an age where sleep is getting harder and comfort more demanding, hence our move to reconfigurable latex and an adjustable foundation - I want to be able to pull new comfort out of the bed even when I change over the next ten years. I agree that SleepEZ is unlikely to palm off other material under the 100% natural talalay label, but it's strange that their component list, otherwise so complete, leaves off the denser natural talalay slabs. Then again, their site looks like it's been remodeled and extended in iterations, not all of which are completely in step with each other. |
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In my own foray into buying a mattress, I learned a great deal from internet research but it had little context until I had lain on some mattresses with known quantities (specs) that i could compare in "feel" to what I was reading in my research. I truly believe that without this ... using the local outlets as research labs ... I would probably have "guessed" wrong and had to do a layer exchange ... or worse (my mattress didn't have that option and I would have had to return the whole thing). I would also have been happy if a local outlet had offered similar value to what I found in my research and bought from them... but it didn't happen that way :) So ... in the hopes you have tried out a few latex mattresses and have a rough idea of the layering you would be happy with ... I would suggest the following ... In your case ... because a particular ILD feels softer to someone who is heavier ... I would probably suggest X firm on the bottom and either firm or X firm in the middle. The layer on top is more about pressure issues and the kind of "feel" you personally like. My tendency would be to go a little softer ... ie medium ... since a medium to you will feel similar to what a soft would feel like to someone who weighed a little less. How I chose the middle layer would depend on my personal experience with laying on a mattress with a softer 3" layer over a firmer base. If you "go through" the top layer to any real extent, especially on your side, and are sensitive to any pressure issues when you do, the difference or transition between medium and X firm may be uncomfortable for you in which case I would tend towards the firm. In you're wifes case, it is a little hard to predict without knowing the kind of feel she likes. Because most women like a softer feel I would probably go with soft for the top layer. Below this I would choose either firm X firm, or medium X firm depending on how she feels after laying on a few mattresses. I also believe that the adjustable slatted base is a really good idea and when I bought my mattress that is probably the way I would have gone if my other half hadn''t wanted an adjustable bed with massage as much as she did. I especially like the ones that have a softer shoulder section similar to this http://www.roewa.com/en/bedsystems/legra/slatted_frames/legra_slatted_frames.shtml. There are also options here that have both adjustable slats and are adjustable by raising up the head and foot sections like a more traditional adjustable bed. These "suggestions" are really shots in the dark without knowing a little about your personal experiences in laying on different mattresses but they do take into account that you both are probably used to and like a softer top layer as evidenced by the memory foam. If you need any suggestions as to which mattresses may be worth trying in any outlets near you so you can fine tune what would work before ordering just let me know. Phoenix This message was modified Dec 1, 2010 by Phoenix
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Took the plunge and ordered the bed today from Sleep EZ! Their recommendation, BTW, was for Soft-Medium-Firm on my wife's side and Medium-Firm-XFirm on mine. This is for a Cal King 10000 (10 inch) model, all in natural talalay with the organic cotton/wool cover. I will be ordering the adjustable euro-slat foundation through Amazon next week and can't wait to put the two together... By the way, Sleep EZ confirmed that their all-natural talalay bed is indeed that - they don't bother to list the firmer slabs on the component page since few people buy the firm pieces for bed adjustment. This message was modified Dec 2, 2010 by Gunner
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Way to go ! I see that Shawn gave you his "standard" recommendations which should in your case be pretty close :) Let us know how you like it when it arrives. I know that once I had ordered my mattress that time couldn't pass fast enough. Congratulations. Phoenix This message was modified Dec 2, 2010 by Phoenix
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Actually, my recommendations came from an email exchange with Jeremy Mathis. Maybe those come from a standard list or someone else's input... They are close to what I would have selected using only my own keen and insightful intellect We'll see. To quote Inigo Montoya, "I hate waiting." |
- my only gap in understanding is the relative values of the densities, and I probably would have gone a step softer. I'll take their educated guess as to suitable values for a starter; those six slabs should shuffle to a comfortable setup for both of us. Worst case, I will have to swap one of them. The adjustable foundation will give some additional choices, too, and I think all that is as fussy as I will need to get to find comfort.|
I didn't mean it as a slight in any way ... but it's been mentioned in the forum (humorously) that Shawn would pretty much always recommend soft medium firm or occasionally with higher weight, medium firm xfirm. I think the idea was that this gave more choices in playing around with layers. This as often as not is the "safest" configuration and a layer exchange is easy anyway but it may not always be the "best". I think in your case it was certainly appropriate. Phoenix |