Mattress Forum

IMO if you are just trying latex for the first time, a finished mattress is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.  If it isn't right, there are no options for ajusting the mattress other than doing an "exchange" (and how many of those are you allowed, anyway) and you may not have a money back guarantee.

I think your wife is ignoring the key benefits of the mattress kits. 

FIRST, that you will have the flexibility to configure each side of the bed to your own preferences, and to exchange individual components if you don't get it right the first time.  The ability to return individual layers and exchange them for firmer or softer is what is going to enable you to configure a mattress that ideally suits both of your needs.

I initially ordered my mattress too soft, and was able to order a firmer layer, and when that came, I packed up the layer I wanted to return and sent it back.  I can't even imagine how inconvenient this would have been if I'd had to return the whole friggin' mattress and either exchange it for a new one or have them open it and replace a layer and sew it back up again.

And once they do that, HOW MANY "comfort exchanges" would they allow you?  Not very many is my guess.

SECOND, what if you find the latex mattress isn't the best solution for you after all?  I'm not so sure what the return policy is with the companies that sell finished mattresses, but I think they are more along the lines of "one exchange" than "return for full refund."  With Flobeds, I had 90 days to make AS MANY LAYER EXCHANGES AS I NEEDED TO MAKE THE MATTRESS RIGHT, and, if, at the end of that 90 days, I decided I didn't like the mattress, I could RETURN IT FOR A FULL REFUND (less my return shipping cost). (Flobeds isn't the only mattress kit company with these liberal policies, they just happen to be the company I bought my mattress from.)

Why anyone would choose not to purchase with that kind of flexibility is beyond me.  There is another person on this forum, I think his name is Mark, who recently went the route you are leaning towards, and bought a finished mattress.  I have seen him say many times since that on this forum that he wished he'd gone the other route instead as he would have had many more choices open to him.

I believe the Sam's Club mattress return policy, though, is very generous, I checked into it when I was researching a second mattress for my daughter.  If you have to try the finished mattress route, this would be a safe starting point.  The latex is Dunlop, though, and the question is whether you prefer the feel of Talalay or Dunlop.

You make excellent points and I am convinced the kit is the way to go... my wife will come around I believe.

Her apprehension towards a kit "stacker" mattress is actually my fault. You see, a couple of years ago when our hand-me-down Simmons became unusable I got the idea (from the internet) to fashion my own "cheaperpedic"  DIY mattress and did so using layers of HD36, LUX, and memory foam. 

Though it has always slept hot, it was ok for a while and has degraded to an unbearable level in the last year, so chalk one up in the "fail" column for my DIY attempt.

She understandably has kind of a "oh no... not another piece together mattress" attitude. 

Flobeds keeps getting mentioned and they look to have an excellent product. Unfortunately the Posture Select (8.5") is the only model in their lineup that fits our immediate budget (even when on sale) in king size and they told me they only recommend the v-zone or deluxe for folks over 200lbs... I'm usually around 212 - 220.

So I guess that leaves me with a SleepEZ 10,000 or 13,000.

1)  The Sleepez cover is not nearly as nice as the Flobeds cover.  Flobeds = soft knit cotton quilted to wool on all sides of the mattress.  Sleepez = woven cotton with wool quilted to only the top.  It's servicable and looks like a mattress cover, it's just not as luxurious as the Flobeds cover.

2)  Sleepez = 3 layers (well 3 layers on each side).  Flobeds = 3 layers (on each side) plus a 2" soft convoluted topper.  When my daughter got her Sleepez mattress they recommended a standard soft/medium/firm configuration.  It works for her, but IMO 3" of soft is much too soft for most people.  It definitely would not have worked for me.  I like the Flobeds model better, where you have your three core layers and the soft topper for some cusioning.  For all intents and purposes, the Sleepez is really two layers plus a topper.

3) Flobeds charges for delivery, and Sleepez does not.  This makes a price difference.

4) Flobeds posts the return and exchange policy on their website as this:  unlimited layer exchanges, and full refund (less shipping) within 90 days if not satisfied.  Sleepez, last time they looked, posts a return/exchange policy that allows ONE exchange, full refund (less shipping) within 90 days.  People have called Sleepez and they have verbally said that more than one exchange is allowed.  Just get them to put that in writing to you in an email before you buy.

5) You should know that the Flobeds is easier to set up than the Sleepez.  This is because Flobeds individually wraps each latex layer, which makes it easy to carry each compressed layer up to your bedroom, unwrap it, and place it on the bed.  These layers are heavy, at 20-30 lbs each.  With Sleepez the entire bed comes wrapped together, making it extremely heavy, and when you cut the plastic, whooosh, it all expands, and now you have to carry an expanded latex layer to your bedroom.  This is not a dealbreaker, you just need to be aware that the packaging method makes the Sleepez much more awkward than the Flobed.  With the Flobed, you are also able to keep the bags the layers are packed in, so if you need to make an exchange, they are easy to put in the bag, compress, and mail back.

I  kept all my bags, because if we ever move, I will be able to wrap and pack each of the six layers and the topper individually, making the mattress that much easier to move.  With the Sleepez, I guess you'd have to find some giant bags, or put the mattress in a mattress cover and move it as one unit.

If you need to exchange a layer, this is easy, because Flobeds will mail you the label, you just pack the layer, slap the label on, and drop it off at a UPS store.  I'm not sure how easy Sleepez makes it, because I didn't do any layer exchanges with the Sleepez bed my daughter has.

Good luck in your hunt for the perfect mattress!

My Flobed is three layers of 36 ILD latex (+ the topper).  My husband, who weighs ~ 180lbs, has two layers of 36 ILD and one layer of 32 ILD.

Also, an important point to be aware of is that Sleepez and Flobeds seem to define "soft," "medium," and "firm" differently.  Be sure to look on both websites and note the ILD ranges for the s-m-f designations.  What is firm on Flobeds' website is medium on Sleepez, for example (or it might be the other way around).

One more anecdote I will share.  My first latex bed purchase was actually a premade latex mattress from a local mattress store.  I didn't realize what firmness I needed, I was told the floor model was 32 ILD, it was comfortable, and I ordered it.  When the mattress came, I was bottoming out.  I called them and the mattress they sent was only 28 ILD - waaay too soft for my heavy body.  This company offered 30 days of "comfort exchanges," and they wanted to take it back and put a firmer layer inside.  However, how was I to know whether the next try would be firm enough?  Maybe yes, maybe no.  It was going to take them a week to pick the mattress up, change it, and send it back to me.  With only a 30 day comfort exchange policy, I would at most have been able to do a few exchanges, and it might never have been right . .  .and then $2k wasted, flushed down the toilet.  I got them to agree to take the mattress back, turned around and called Flobeds, and have had nothing but exceptional service and a mattress that is exactly the right firmness for my needs.

Like I said before, I never did an exchange with Sleepez, but you are correct, I don't think I've heard any complaints about their customer service either.

Could somebody please post pictures of the Flo beds and/or SleepEZ cotton/wool covers?  Also, can you describe how much filling seems to be in them?

The reason I ask is that I've had an opportunity to try out several makes and models of finished latex mattresses (many of them side by side), and the one that felt best was the Royal Pedic with its wonderful, thick quilted cotton/wool cover with a large weave pattern.  It may seem like a small detail in the grand scheme of things but none of the other talalay mattresses felt as luxurious despite some otherwise-similar firmness levels. 

The Royal Pedic seemed nice overall but is very expensive with no comfort guarantees etc, so I'm wondering if any of the stacker brands come with quilted covers that can compare as I think this is an important point for us.