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I just registered and I am posting this in gratitude to all of you who (unknowingly) helped us make a great mattress decision and to maybe help someone else. We were sleeping on a pillowtop mattress that we'd only had four years. Every morning I would eagerly jump out of bed to escape the aches in my back! We knew we'd made a mistake getting the pillowtop about one year into that mattress, but we had such a financial commitment to the thing that we suffered three more years. Stupid. Just purchased a Stearns & Foster Ultra Firm from the Estate Collection - they're called different things at different stores, as you all know. At Mattress Warehouse (Cincy) it's called Governor's Park, at Macy's it's Carried Away. Anyway, in both stores I laid on it a long time, and thought it perfect. At home, though, another story - too firm and bordered on uncomfortable, even though my husband and I both noticed our backs no longer hurt in the morning :). But we just yesterday added a 1" talalay latex topper (from foambymail) and it is exactly right - we both loved it last night. Mattress is still very firm, but just that 1" makes a huge difference. I waffled between ordering the 20 ild and the 32 ild (the only choices from foambymail) and ended up with the 20, figuring if the mattress was already too firm then the 32 might not help much. It was definitely the right decision. And I'm happy we got the firmer mattress in the first place - it's easy to add a topper, but can't remove softness (doing "surgery" would not have been for us!). Also, and just as an fyi, I was a little nervous ordering from foambymail after reading one or two spotty reviews on here, but my experience with them was near perfect. I had called them twice with information gathering, talking to two different people who were both very helpful. I ordered online on Monday and we received the topper on Wednesday, which was lightning fast, imo (Michigan to Ohio). Also, the foam I got looks perfect - off-white or a little cream colored, evenly colored, even holes, fit our king mattress exactly. Just our experience, but it was an A+ and their price was unbeatable. Anyway, thanks to all of you who've posted such great info here and I hope my post helps someone else.
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Thanks for posting your results. Sounds like you played it the right way. I laid on that S&F and it was very firm. Hopefully the mattress will retain it firmness over time. Not totally sure what kind and how much foam they put on it. If it gives out after a few years, don't be afraid to try surgery. Not that hard really, and nothing to lose if the foam loses its support. It seems like foambymail is moving up on the list of places to buy from. A number of people have been happy with their purchases recently, and their pricing certainly is very good. |
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Regarding the S&F mattress, they don't put much soft stuff on this particular model in the first place, so I'd be shocked if we ever had to do surgery on it. Also, we got the one with latex layer and NOT the layer of memory foam (which just makes us both extremely hot and sweaty). I will say, Stearns and Foster does make a lot of combinations of firmness/coils. We sprung for the higher end one in the hopes of it holding it's firmness a long time. It feels incredibly solid and quality. But to try them all out we had to go to several stores. No one carries all the models - there's probably just too many! This message was modified Jul 29, 2010 by mjtx2
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How was the overall size? FBM got some criticism here a while back, for short-cutting the toppers the way the cheap poly dept store ones are, so they were a few inches shorter and narrower than the mattress, but they tell me they are not doing this anymore. Was your topper really as big as your mattress? mjtx2 wrote: Also, and just as an fyi, I was a little nervous ordering from foambymail after reading one or two spotty reviews on here, but my experience with them was near perfect. I had called them twice with information gathering, talking to two different people who were both very helpful. I ordered online on Monday and we received the topper on Wednesday, which was lightning fast, imo (Michigan to Ohio). Also, the foam I got looks perfect - off-white or a little cream colored, evenly colored, even holes, fit our king mattress exactly. Just our experience, but it was an A+ and their price was unbeatable. Anyway, thanks to all of you who've posted such great info here and I hope my post helps someone else.
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thanks for the review, it has taken the nervousness out of ordering me one, but i don't know if 1 inch is ok for me, i called www.absolutecomfortonsale.com and he asked me how much i weight i said 200 and he said a 3 inch, is this just to get me to spend more, how about 2 inch anyone have any help for me.
Regarding the S&F mattress, they don't put much soft stuff on this particular model in the first place, so I'd be shocked if we ever had to do surgery on it. Also, we got the one with latex layer and NOT the layer of memory foam (which just makes us both extremely hot and sweaty). I will say, Stearns and Foster does make a lot of combinations of firmness/coils. We sprung for the higher end one in the hopes of it holding it's firmness a long time. It feels incredibly solid and quality. But to try them all out we had to go to several stores. No one carries all the models - there's probably just too many! This message was modified Jul 30, 2010 by tony
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The king topper from foambymail was, if anything a *tad* (tad as in 1/4" or less) larger than the bed. I was also worried about that but it was completely unfounded - the topper fit beautifully. As far as what thickness to order, I'm not sure you can go by weight - to me that seems odd. It's more a preference thing, isn't it? I'm 135 and my husband 170 and we both like the very firm mattress with the 1" 20 ild talalay latex on top, but that might not be enough for you or it might be just fine. I did think about this when I ordered the 1", because if it wasn't enough, all I had to do was add an additional 1" and I'd have the equivalent of a 2" topper. I think the 2" even prices out about the same as two-1". Anyway, we both sleep in almost all four positions, but usually sides or stomach, so the firmer (and less foam) is best for us. |
| ah excellent i will start with 1 inch then like you said its the same price if i need to buy another 1inch, |
| and the latex is the med.soft too mushy, when you lay on it it does not mash flatten , would the med.firm have give to it, or is it to firm? |
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Hmmm. I can only speak to foambymail's 20 ild (they label that "soft"). It is, indeed soft. You can pinch it down to 1/4 inch pretty easily - I just tested that out for you :) But the thing about the latex is that it supports you wherever it's not being pushed down by your body. As I said, I was nervous adding the 32 ild ("medium") to an already very firm mattress. I was trying to add a little cushion, which the 1" softer 20 ild exactly did. We've had three nights on it now and it's perfect - not too firm, but not anywhere near too soft, either. Our backs feel GREAT in the morning. You know what - you should call foambymail.com and ask them. Maybe they'd even send you a sample of each so you could feel it before you buy. If nothing else, they could more accurately advise you as to what the 32 ild is really like. This message was modified Jul 31, 2010 by mjtx2
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| mjtx2, I wish I had know years ago that 1" Talalay latex would provide me the cushion that I needed while still feeling the support below the topper since then I would have not had so many pressure points on all my too firm mattresses that I needed that firm so I would not have back pain. I am very happy with my FloBed latex bed now but without my 1" topper over the extra firm and super firm latex cores, I would have not been happy. This site has taught me a lot so I try to share with others what I have learned and what works for me. Thanks for sharing with the forum. I hope you and your wife continue to sleep well. |
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FBM is, in my experience, pretty niggardly with its samples - several other companies sent me nice 3"x3"x3" hunks of both soft talalay and medium dunlop, but FBM sent me just one little 1" square block of medium, explaining it was all they had at the time for samples. 1" just isn't enough to get a real feel for what it will be like. mjtx2 wrote: You know what - you should call foambymail.com and ask them. Maybe they'd even send you a sample of each so you could feel it before you buy. If nothing else, they could more accurately advise you as to what the 32 ild is really like. |
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ok iam going for it, i am ordering 1inch monday iam in northern va just outside of washington,dc so i guess it will take 4 days to get here Hmmm. I can only speak to foambymail's 20 ild (they label that "soft"). It is, indeed soft. You can pinch it down to 1/4 inch pretty easily - I just tested that out for you :) But the thing about the latex is that it supports you wherever it's not being pushed down by your body. As I said, I was nervous adding the 32 ild ("medium") to an already very firm mattress. I was trying to add a little cushion, which the 1" softer 20 ild exactly did. We've had three nights on it now and it's perfect - not too firm, but not anywhere near too soft, either. Our backs feel GREAT in the morning.
You know what - you should call foambymail.com and ask them. Maybe they'd even send you a sample of each so you could feel it before you buy. If nothing else, they could more accurately advise you as to what the 32 ild is really like. |
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Mjtx2: iam afaid to order from foambymail now after seeing this any problems with your latex looking all nasty like this reviewer on here that got some from foambymail http://www.whatsthebest-mattress.com/forum/foam-mail-latex-latex-international-latex-comparison/5314-0-1.html This message was modified Aug 1, 2010 by tony
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What are some reputable companies for latex toppers? I see foambymail being referenced in here a few times, but are there others that are well known? I just bought a plush/firm coil mattress and its pretty firm, so I'm considering a 1" latex topper just to give it a bit of initial cushion. |
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why do they say "latex foam" foam is foam, latex is latex, that has always confused the heck out of me
by the way, i bought a one inch foam topper on overstock, have it on my firm sided latex costco bed, and i think i have found my answer...paid under $100 for the foam too and it doesnt sleep hot and all others do, weird. |
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I think foam is a broad term that includes all kinds of spongy types of materials (see one definition below). So, latex is a foam, polyurethane can made into a foam, memory foam is a type of polyerethane foam. Foam: 4. Any of various light, porous, semirigid or spongy materials used for thermal insulation or shock absorption, as in packaging. |
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There are all sorts of foam rubbers and plastics, like latex, polyurethane, neoprene, all made by blowing bubbles in liquid polymer before it hardens . The bubbles are what makes it soft - without them latex or PU would be as hard as tire rubber. PU is by far the most common, so that's what we tend to think of when we hear just "foam", but they are all equally deserving of the name. Oh, your topper is almost certainly PU memory foam. Most people don't like it as much as latex, so it's sort of a shame to put it on top of a latex bed, but if it works, great.
randys wrote: why do they say "latex foam" foam is foam, latex is latex, that has always confused the heck out of me
by the way, i bought a one inch foam topper on overstock, have it on my firm sided latex costco bed, and i think i have found my answer...paid under $100 for the foam too and it doesnt sleep hot and all others do, weird. |
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randys wrote: why do they say "latex foam" foam is foam, latex is latex, that has always confused the heck out of me
by the way, i bought a one inch foam topper on overstock, have it on my firm sided latex costco bed, and i think i have found my answer...paid under $100 for the foam too and it doesnt sleep hot and all others do, weird. |
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hellbed wrote: FBM is, in my experience, pretty niggardly with its samples - |
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I also bought a 1" latex foam topper (yes. Latex is a type of foam) from FBM. It's was the 20ILD soft latex. And, it is great. It provided the cushy surface I wanted, while retaining the firm support of the TP mattress underneath. The quality was near-perfect. It was not short-sized. The holes were evenly spaced. No missing chunks or irregularities. The only imperfections were two small black scuffs. Now that the TP is broken in, I pulled the latex topper off, and will see how things go. I may decide to sell it. But, it is a Twin XL. So, it would only be good for college dorm beds, or half of an Eastern King. |
| will a little firmer latex topper like 32 ild still provide pressure relief for the shoulders and hips |
| Tony, I, too, was nervous ordering from foambymail for the same reason - I saw those exact pics online. I'm also a big overstock fan but it seemed like for latex toppers, overstock just wasn't consistent in what they were selling and customer service didn't know, either. That made me nervous, too. Anyway, in reading the *latest* reviews of foam by mail, it seemed people were having good luck, and that's why I went ahead and ordered from them RIGHT NOW, so I'd be likely to get the same good product. And I did - mine looked perfect and nothing at all like those pics. Just fyi. |
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And Gary, "niggardly" means to be miserly - see wiki on the controversies of using that word.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_about_the_word_%22niggardly%22 You're incorrect in your criticism, but you're also in very good company. It is indeed confusing. This message was modified Aug 4, 2010 by mjtx2
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Mary,
thanks for "enlightening" us about the proper definition for your chosen 'word', but why go out of your way to offend, as other equally descriptive word choices are available. Philip This message was modified Aug 4, 2010 by Philip
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Wow, Phillip. First of all, it wasn't MY word, it was someone else's, someone with arguably a much broader vocabulary than me (and, it appears, than you, too). I didn't remember exactly what niggardly meant, but I knew there had been controversy in the newspapers about it a few years ago, and that the person using it had been completely vindicated by not only the media but by black leaders in society, as well. It's NOT THE SAME WORD. The person using it here used it correctly and in perfect context to the point they were trying to make, which had zero to do with race and clearly had absolutely no thought of being offensive. Lighten up, Francis. |
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Mary, You know I was going to respond to your message, but just decided it was not worth it. My apologies for putting hellbed's words into your mouth. Philip |
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will a little firmer latex topper like 32 ild still provide pressure relief for the shoulders and hips |
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MJTX2 did your latex have any smell to it? This message was modified Aug 4, 2010 by tony
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mjtx2 wrote: And Gary, "niggardly" means to be miserly - see wiki on the controversies of using that word.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_about_the_word_%22niggardly%22 You're incorrect in your criticism, but you're also in very good company. It is indeed confusing. This message was modified Aug 4, 2010 by garypen
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garypen wrote:
Thanks for the explanation and the good point. This message was modified Aug 5, 2010 by mjtx2
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| ok i just ordered a 2" soft latex topper from foambymail, i hope i have as good luck as you did MJTX2 |
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I had excellent luck with a FBM 1" soft latex topper. I see no apparent reason why you won't have a similar experience with their 2". (Other than 2" is an awful lot of cushiness, probably too much for me.) This message was modified Aug 5, 2010 by garypen
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| UPDATE: got my 2 inch latex topper from foambymail nice and clean just like MJTX2 said their's was, i have slept on it for 3 nights now, first night i was feeling a half way better sleep, now the next 2 nights it feels like i have been beat up on it, i got the 20 ild but it has a kind of firm feel to it, and one know why iam feeling like this, i also got a frame with a middle rail to support the mattress better, could 2 inch be too much. |
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I ordered a 1" soft talalay king from FBM a week or so ago and a few hours later they called back to say they were all out, and would be for at least several weeks. Maybe they meant just in the king, but is raises the possiblity that they may have shipped you the wrong density. tony wrote: UPDATE: got my 2 inch latex topper from foambymail nice and clean just like MJTX2 said their's was, i have slept on it for 3 nights now, first night i was feeling a half way better sleep, now the next 2 nights it feels like i have been beat up on it, i got the 20 ild but it has a kind of firm feel to it, and one know why iam feeling like this, i also got a frame with a middle rail to support the mattress better, could 2 inch be too much. |
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ooops This message was modified Aug 22, 2010 by jimsocal
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tony wrote: UPDATE: got my 2 inch latex topper from foambymail nice and clean just like MJTX2 said their's was, i have slept on it for 3 nights now, first night i was feeling a half way better sleep, now the next 2 nights it feels like i have been beat up on it, i got the 20 ild but it has a kind of firm feel to it, and one know why iam feeling like this, i also got a frame with a middle rail to support the mattress better, could 2 inch be too much. Is that a 20ILD TALALAY? Or Dunlop? No way a 20ILD Talalay should feel firm. If it does, then I'd say you may have gotten the wrong ILD. Look around carefully for any marking on it that might indicate the ILD, and call them to see if it's possible they shipped you the wrong ILD. On the other hand, if it's Dunlop, a 20ILD might feel too firm to you. |
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jimsocal wrote:
Is that a 20ILD TALALAY? Or Dunlop? No way a 20ILD Talalay should feel firm. If it does, then I'd say you may have gotten the wrong ILD. Look around carefully for any marking on it that might indicate the ILD, and call them to see if it's possible they shipped you the wrong ILD. On the other hand, if it's Dunlop, a 20ILD might feel too firm to you. |
| no markings jim, what is the next move will 1 inch be more softer. |
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tony wrote: no markings jim, what is the next move will 1 inch be more softer. |
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tony wrote:
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