Mattress Forum

Thanks so much for the links, I looked at those and also went to Flobeds.com where you said you got yours, may I ask which one you have and does it help alot on the pressure points??

Ginger

 This is a memory foam mattress for people 300-400 lbs. They also have one for people 250-300 lbs.

http://www.allmemoryfoam.com/ultra400.html

It is $1244 for queen including mattress protector and pillow.

http://www.flobeds.com/latex/index.htm

FYI, I weigh >250, side sleeper, and before I bought the latex mattress I had terrible hip and back pain, with numbness and tingling too.  It was impossible to get a good night's sleep, I'd be tossing and turning and waking up in pain all night long, dragged out and exhausted during the day.

Now, I sleep pain free all night and sleep better than I have in years.   I do have the occasional twinge, but nothing remotely close to the pain I was in before.  The bed is a dream to lie and sleep on.  it's tough to get out of bed in the morning

My configuration is currently F (32 ILD) over XF (36 ILD) over XF (36 ILD) and there is a 2" soft topper over the entire mattress.  Originally I had XF/XF/XF, but after some months I decided that was just a little too firm, and so I switched a layer with my husband, so he now has the XF/XF/XF and I have F/XF/XF.

This configuration provides plenty of support and just enough softness for pressure point relief.

The benefit of Flobeds over the Costco or Sam's Club mattress is that the mattress has three layers of latex (plus the topper).  Each latex layer can be custom ordered for the firmness you want, and if it isn't right, it's super easy to exchange layers for softer/firmer - whatever you need.  And you have 90 days to do all your switching, or return the whole thing if it isn't for you (in this respect, Flobeds equals Temperpedic).

With the Costco and Sam's Club, the price is lower but it only comes in one firmness configuration - you get what you get, though you can return it if it isn't right.  I've decided to get the Sam's Club one for my daughter, though I haven't pulled the trigger yet.  She isn't old and achy and doesn't need all the options I needed.

Whatever you do get, I would recommend getting a nice organic cotton and wool cover for the mattress.  The cotton will be soft, the wool will have anti-mite and bed bug properties, it will help keep you warm in winter and cool in summer.

according to the product description its 2" of "latex" over an 8" foam core.......

I saw Ashley Furniture here in Texas has Talalay Memory Foam beds, I haven't called to find out the prices yet, they have the Aruba, Curacao and St. Tropez. Looks like the St. Tropez has 12" of foam, not sure what that all means but I will look more into it. I may need to save up the money for a while longer  and get the best grade I can. I kind of got confused about changing out foam to get a better feel but I'm sure someone could help me with this.

Thanks all!

Ginger

I would personally prefer a bed where I can customize each layer, and each side.  SleepEZ, Flo, whatever.  And one that I know exactly what type of latex is used.  Knowing that I can get that level of customization and and detailed information means that I just wouldn't considering shopping for anything less.  If that wasn't available to me, then I would consider a retail bed like that as long as I found it be to really comfortable.

Latex is foam, but it's not PU foam (made from petrochemicals), nor is it memory foam, which retains an impression when you press your hand (or body) into it.

Latex foam is made from the rubber tree and it's quite a different animal altogether.

I would steer away from this Ashley bed,because basically, they are jumping on the latex bandwagon and putting a few inches of latex on top of a cheap foam bottom.  If you buy it, you'll be sorry.

I really think your choices are:

1) A HIGH quality Tempurpedic mattress (meaning Rhapsody model or higher) (not a wanna-be Tempurpedic memory foam mattress from a different manufacturer)

2) A HIGH quality latex mattress, made of 100% LATEX.  Be wary of major manufacturers, such as one of the major S brand manufacturers, or a large furniture company such as Ashley.  They do not carry the same quality 100% latex beds that the independents do.  Instead they put a little latex on top of a cheap foam base, which will not last.

Latex mattresses are a small, but growing segment of the mattress industry in the US.  It is difficult to find a real, 100% latex mattress in a showroom to try one out.  I scoured my area before I found 2-3 places to try one out, and even then, I had to order online to get the best quality mattress.

The best latex mattresses are 100% latex, and the very best ones have a zippered mattress cover so that individual latex layers can be exchanged to suit your own needs and comfort level.

The latex mattress companies that get the most press on this forum are FLOBEDS and SLEEPEZ:

http://www.flobeds.com/

Flobeds has a 90 day trial period during which you can exchange layers or, if it just doesn't work out, return the whole thing.

http://www.sleepezbeds.com/

Sleepez has a trial period (I forget how long - 60 or 90 days) and you can do layer exchanges, but returns are subject to a restocking fee (last time I looked)

although some like SaavyRest:

http://www.savvyrest.com/

Not sure that returns are allowed at all on Savvy Rest.

You should look at these three companies to start, and also do a little research on the differences between Dunlop and Talalay latex.  They are both latex, but the manufacturing methods are different.  Some people prefer Dunlop latex, which (let me generalize here) tends to be denser and firmer - some people who like A LOT of support prefer these.  Others prefer Talalay latex, which is less dense, and "springier."  I'm personally in the Talalay latex camp and that's what my latex mattress is.

The latex beds from Costco and Sam's Club, which I linked earlier, are Dunlop latex mattresses.  The Costco one is less expensive, but the latex is made in China, and the cover is not nearly as good as the cover on the Sam's Club mattress:

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=457139&pCatg=6805

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11503486&search=latex%20mattress&Mo=22&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=4001713&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=latex%20mattress&Ntt=latex%20mattress&No=6&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&s=1&topnav=&Nty=1&s=1

As far as I know, no one on this forum has purchased the Sam's Club mattress yet, but several have purchased the Costco mattress and been very pleased.  The queen latex bed from Costco is $1000, plus you'd need to buy a foundation, either from Costco or your local mattress store, for another few hundred dollars.

I started thinking about that after I looked more at it, I did find the specs, 1" Poly Foam on top, 3" 14 IDL, 2" 19 IDL and a 6" HD Polyurethanene foam bottom. and that doesn't sound like it would be much better like you said. <sigh> I liked the one you have at flobeds.

I'm going to keep researching and thanks again, you guys are really a big help.

Ginger

Eric