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Our TP Bellafina split king matts finally arrived. (Two twin XL's) They make a much better visual match with the TP Ergo foundation we were using than the Vera Wang matts we returned. And, they feel great so far. Granted, we only laid on them for about twenty minutes. But, we are pretty happy.
However, the proof is in the sleeping, as they say. So, I'll report back after our first full night, and then again at a few intervals. This message was modified Jun 8, 2010 by garypen
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DianeK wrote: garypen, refresh my memory on why you ditched the Vera Wang? We ordered a Split King, which is actually two Twin XL matts, side-by-side. That is because we also ordered an adjustable base, which only comes in split version for King and Cal King. Altho, even if it came in a single version, we'd opt for the split in order to have independent control of lift height. When the matts were delivered, I noticed that the tops were different, even though they were both supposedly the same model! Plus, the build quality seemed sub-par. So, I decided I didn't trust the Serta factory. And, the label gave the Latex content as 51%! Also, the rounded, cushy tops for a sort of mound, which doesn't work well as a Split King. So, we decided to go the TP route, and decided on the Bellafina after much trial in the store. (We also liked the Rhapsody and Deluxe. But, we found the BF to be a little less memory-foamy than the others, most likely due to the latex center layer.) Ironically, in the 3 weeks waiting for the TP's, which were special ordered, I was actually sleeping great on the Vera Wang! |
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pianoman wrote:
Congrats... sorry your first night was so rough. I think once the odors have subsided that you'll like the Bellafina. But that's totally a hunch. Look forward to more reports. And remember, it can take quite a long time for your body to adjust to a new sleep surface. Today, when I got home from work, I removed the covers, and discovered that they seemed to have a stronger odor than the inner matts themselves! So, I am washing them as I write this. I have a feeling that the odor will probably be 90% gone tonight. Also, I discovered that the mattress is much more responsive without the waterproof protector I had put on it. It was definitely interfering with the Tempurpedic-iness of the bed. So, I will not be using that anymore. I will have to find something more suited to the TP mattress. (It didn't adversely affect the Vera Wang's comfort, though.) Unfortunately, the return window at Amazon ended 5 days ago! I am most happy with the price, as the store manager did let me have the TP for the same price as the original VW, due to Serta's big screw-up. (The adjustable base was TP from the beginning.) He normally sells TP at a modest discount, which is practically unheard of. But, this was phenomenal. Huge. I am extremely happy with the price. Hopefully, I will be just as happy with the comfort and sleep quality. This message was modified Jun 9, 2010 by garypen
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When I was shopping mattresses and at a traditional mattress store, I was told by a salesperson who, for a change, actually seemed to know something about mattresses, that only the top of the line VW mattress was 100% latex. All the others were a mix of latex with a considerable amount of PU foam. On the subject of the Bellafina, I have read that placing one of those dryer sheets between the cover and the memory foam for a few days really helps to get rid of the off gassing odor. |
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KimberlyH wrote: On the subject of the Bellafina, I have read that placing one of those dryer sheets between the cover and the memory foam for a few days really helps to get rid of the off gassing odor. The good news is that removing the linens during the day for two days, plus washing the cover, got rid of the odor, or at least 90% of it. I would have had a good night's sleep last night - I was really digging that bed for the first time - if it weren't for a squirrel or some small animal getting into the roof above the bedroom, and scratching around all night. It killed most of my night. Of course, I have a big job interview today! |
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One Week Update: I'm still not 100% comfortable on this mattress. I'm still experimenting a bit. I've tried a few different pillows, as well as a 6-year-old or so 2" Novaform topper from Costco that I had been using on my spring matt. I have no idea what it's density is/was. The basic problems are: -I get pretty serious shoulder pain after a while when sleeping on my side. (This happened to a lesser extent on my spring matt, and almost not at all on the 50% latex VW matt.) -I get low-back pain when sleeping on my stomach. (This happened a bit worse on the old spring matt, but not at all on the VW.) -I get slight upper back pain when sleeping on my back. (Never got upper back pain from any mattress before.) I have found some workarounds. A contour neck pillow helps. I have found that my wife's TP King Medium neck pillow works well for me for back sleeping. But, it is too low for side sleeping (4"), and I get the shoulder pain mentioned above, although my head and neck feel great on it. I have an old Novaform neck pillow from Costco, which appears to be a good height to prevent the shoulder pain - hurray - but doesn't feel as nice as the MF in the TP. So, I think I will buy a Queen Large TP neck pillow. (I also got a TP Symphony free with the bed. That's 5". But, I don't care for the way it feels, in general. I don't know if it's a different foam than their neck pillows, or if it's just because of its different shape. I suppose I can try and sell it, or just save it for guests.) I just ordered a 1" soft latex topper from FBM, as the VW matt had 1" of latex quilted into the comfort top, which I found very comfortable. I'm thinking the topper may simulate that same cushy feel. I also ordered a 1" "super soft" poly topper, as well, just in case. It was only $16 more. The shipping would've cost $13, because the latex topper by itself didn't qualify for free shipping. So, I got the PU for only $3. If it helps, great. If not, I'll hang onto it for guests or something. If I can't get this matt right for me after a few more weeks, I may have to think about just swapping my half of the bed for the spongier Deluxe. How long do these TP's take to break-in, anyway??? (BTW, my wife loves it. No problem at all. I guess when one weighs 100lbs, and comes from a society where they sleep on the floor, the firmer the better!)
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| In my experience, lower back pain while lying on your stomach is almost always a sign of a too soft mattress. Your torso, being the heaviest part, sinks in too much putting a hyperextension arch in your lower back. Try slipping your hands under your hips when you are on your stomach. If your back feels better with your hands as support, then you know the mattress is too soft. I'm suspicious the VW gave you better support. |
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DianeK wrote: In my experience, lower back pain while lying on your stomach is almost always a sign of a too soft mattress. Your torso, being the heaviest part, sinks in too much putting a hyperextension arch in your lower back. Try slipping your hands under your hips when you are on your stomach. If your back feels better with your hands as support, then you know the mattress is too soft. I'm suspicious the VW gave you better support. It's quite possible that even though the top layer was softer, I may not have sunk in as much with the latex of the VW as with the TP's memory foam. It certainly seems like I am sinking in deeper with the TP, even though it feels harder than the VW. I felt the VW was much cushier, but I also didn't feel like I sunk into it as deeply. Kinda weird. |
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garypen wrote: It's quite possible that even though the top layer was softer, I may not have sunk in as much with the latex of the VW as with the TP's memory foam. It certainly seems like I am sinking in deeper with the TP, even though it feels harder than the VW. I felt the VW was much cushier, but I also didn't feel like I sunk into it as deeply. Kinda weird. Interesting. I know my initial reaction after two night's on my DIY latex mattress is that it feels soft. Yet it seems supportive, too. And that is hard to explain or put into words exactly! |
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pianoman wrote:
Interesting. I know my initial reaction after two night's on my DIY latex mattress is that it feels soft. Yet it seems supportive, too. And that is hard to explain or put into words exactly! I'm going to try and duplicate that somewhat by adding the 1" soft latex topper to the TP to approximate the feeling of the 1" of latex quilted into the VW's comfort top. (BTW, Volkswagen doesn't make mattresses, in case anybody was wondering. I've been using VW to abbreviate Vera Wang.) |
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BTW, Pianoman, how long after you placed your order with FBM did they ship it? I ordered the 1" latex topper on Sunday, and they still haven't shipped it as of Wednesday. You'd think it wouldn't take that long to pull 39" of latex from the roll, cut it, and put it in a box. |