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I have been reading numerous posts, and look forward to the opinions of any of you that have one. I am considering a new purchase of a Latex Mattress, and since there is no local dealer in Chattanooga that has the expertise to discuss these matters intelligently.I have read an old entry dated 2010 by Phoenix and am just trying to clarify a few points, and to see if there have been any changes in the past three years. First, I am looking at a budget of $3000 plus or minus. It would not hurt my feelings to come in below, but if someone can talk me into it, I will consider the benefits. Second, based on what I have been reading in this forum, Astrabeds, Plushbeds, OMI, Flobeds and Dremata are among the most popular with OMI being strong but much more expensive. Is there a consensus that these offer good represenations of Latex mattresses? Natural is another brand, but seems to be questionably reliable. Does anyone have someone different that you believe I really should be looking at? I looked at Astrabeds (aka Simply Rest) on the BBB web site, and they are given an F rating and scathing reviews. When I contacted Astrabeds, they indicated that they are INDEED a different company from Simply Rest and have been unable to get Better Business Bureau to correct their entry. Can anyone confirm that Astrabeds is a reliable online retailer? Next, I weigh 210 and sleep on my side, my wife is 115 and sleeps on her back, She is handicapped with Rheumatoid arthritis, and need support of hips, back, knees and shoulders, but had avoided the memory foam because she also has trouble moving, so doesn't like the consttraints of being "cocooned" in very soft foam. Astrabeds suggested their Harmony bed with layers of 36, 32 and 28 ILD bottom to top but from what I have read, this sounds fairly stiff to me. I am inclined to go a "4 layer" bed just so I can get more different foam types (from 19-36) and be able to swap more to get just the right feel. Flobeds promotes different layers on each have of the bed, which precludes being able to rotate the mattress, which I assume would help in the avoidance of body impressions. I am definitely looking for all natural, but not necessarily "certified" because of the offgas issue. I guess what I need is for someone to convince me that any of the above vendors are not acceptable, and as one previous post indicated, it is just to stop analyzing to death and just pull the trigger This message was modified Sep 27, 2013 by charnlar
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I thank you for your speedy response. I liked the flobed offerings at least from the website, and am kind of leaning toward either them, or Dremata aka green mattress co. I always have to hold my breath when someone says "best value" because many times this equates to "not very good, but is cheap enough to make it a good value" :-) But I have "chatted" on line with them, and they seem very knowledgeable. Dremata encases each layer of foam in a cotton protector, which they claim keeps the foam safe from rips and oils when moving layers around. others will say is adds to the "slipping" potential, so I am not sure that this is a real selling point for me. Apparently FloBed puts there 5 zone layer on the bottom. It was always my assumption that even with a latex mattress, one needs to rotate it periodically to minimize body imprints. if you "customize' the two halves, this will eliminate that as a functional possibility in that rotating it would place a different profile on my wife than we had designed. Have you had your mattress long enough to feel confident that the mattress does not form the normal indentations that every other mattress I have owned experiences? I assume you don't rotate your mattress, and apparently don't find a need to do so. And the two inch waffle layer does not make it too soft for you? do you personally have a Soft Medium Firm or medium firm extra firm? |
| I have had my Flobed about 14 months. The latex layers do not develop indentations, but the wool top cover does. You can flatten out the wool top layer by unzipping it and rolling it up when you change the sheets. The top waffle layer does not seem too soft for me. Flobeds uses denser latex foam than the big S brands, so the foam doesn't seem to wear out. One of the biggest reasons I bought the bed was because of Latex's reputation for holding up through the years. The V-zone adjustability is a definite plus because I can put a soft layer under my shoulders to help with the extra pressure there. I found the V-zone to be very sensitive and it took me quite a bit of effort to get it dialed in. The ability to make both halves of the bed different is a bnefit. The waffle top layer prevents the seam in the middle from being obtrusive. Flobeds was very good to deal with so I heartily recommend them if you are looking for a Latex bed. |
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There are five layers in the Flobed I use. The first is a set of German springs that is eight inches thick. The second is the V-Zone which is medium everywhere except the shoulders and head which is soft. The next layer is four inches of soft latex. There is the two inch waffle layer and then the horsehair. The mattress covering is wool and I put wool fleece on top of that. This is a very soft bed yet it keeps my back fairly well aligned for side sleeping. I cannot tolerate the bed being any firmer because the pressure on my skin keeps me rolling around at night. I currently weigh 196 lbs. My wife's weight is a national secret.hidden in the nuclear fallout bunkers in the Colorado mountains. She is a stomach sleeper and prefers a firmer bed. She uses a four inch layer of firm and the V-zone on top which is medium except for her shoulder area which is soft. |
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Again, thanks for the further input. One might form the opinion that the wool layer, since it flattens, is something to be avoided, but from what I understand, it performs a "wicking" function which allows the sleeper to remain cooler and dryer. I went and looked at what I believe is the bed you have (Luxury Performance Organic). I had been focusing on pure Latex, but the one you have seems to be a good hybrid mix of various layers. I was REALLY surprised to see the horsehair. We had a friend who had a PURE horsehair mattress, and it was like sleeping on a concrete slab. Since this is only a layer, my assumption is that the stiffness of the horsehair is modified by the various layers of latex. What function does the horsehair provide that either a high ILD layer of latex or a layer of wool doesn't? It is an interesting mix that FloBed offers both Vegan (uses no wool) and horsehair (use of animal products) You mention 8" of German springs. was this your own box spring instead of the slatted foundation? I may have overlooked it, but did not see anything in the performance line that included springs. In addition, the 8" of springs plus all the other layers, if indeed this is a hybrid bed adds up to 17-18" thick? I have currently a set of king size box springs, but had assumed I needed to replace them with a slatted foundation, but maybe this is not the case. |
| I don't think Flobeds advertises their sprihg option. It replaces two layers of latex foam, I liked the bed much better after we replaced the foam layers with springs. It is still a biit of a mystery why. The horse hair is to help control the temperature. I thought this was a marketing gimmick, but the difference between having the horse hair and not having it is significant. The horse hair does stiffen the bed a little bit. |
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There are several reputable vendors in the list you are considering, and even more on this forum, but don't be fooled by Astrabeds "INDEED" not being the same as Simply Rest (and Amerisleep too, for that matter), unless they're under new management, but I doubt it. I guess they could "technically" say that they aren't the same as Simply Rest because they are a separate branch, but they all DO fall under the same umbrella - One Mall Group (just go to OneMallGroup(dot)com and verify for yourself), and they all use similar marketing tactics from what I've observed. I recall when I was looking for a mattress that Astrabeds had a C+ rating with the BBB, and now isn't even listed on there - my gut says that BBB decided to consolidate their listing. I trust the BBB more than I would a company not wanting to be associated with a brand that gets multiple complaints. It's too easy if one of your branches/brands gets a bit of heat to say that you aren't them, and if the other one starts getting the heat, the same thing. By the way, I did end up purchasing from one of the brands on your list, but I don't want to be promoting anything specific here, just trying to help you steer clear of a headache from my own due diligence. It seems you've been doing your own due diligence as well, so not too worried about the outcome. You'll find a fine mattress, I'm sure.
Amos S. This message was modified Oct 8, 2013 by AmosII
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Amos, I thank you for your input. When I talked to Astrabeds, there was no mention as to "new management" rather the "BBB is just wrong". I share your skepticism and appreciate your additional information. Whereas I understand the forum rules about not promoting a particular business, I guess the real function of the forum is to "alert" each other when something is just plain wrong! My due diligence has really gotten me to a "short list" and figure that I probably can't go terribly wrong with any of them, taking into consideration return policies, warranties and the company's willing to work with you.
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