Mattress Forum

This combination has given me the best, most comfortable sleep I've had since I injured my back one year ago and I now get up pain free! It's like a miracle. In fact the bed is now so comfortable I find it very hard to get out of it in the morning.

Is your mattress cover zippered?  If so, you could try and use a softer foam for a layer.  Just trying to help.

After researching night after sleepless night on the confusing mattress topper options, I will heed to and buy a collaboration of something from the advice given and pray for the best. Thanks a million for all your help!   ((BIG HUG))

HI, we are all here because we're in the 40% of Americans or... who can't sleep on their beds and rate them poorly.

Search my posts... shovel99... for comments on Latex toppers:  14 ILD x 1 inch, 20 ILD x 1inch & 2 inch.   Memory foam:  4 ILD ... pretty soft,  5 ILD, fairly firm.  Also:  1 inch and 2 inch slabs of polyurethane foam in "supersoft"  somewhere between  the 14 ILD and 20 ILD latex....  26 ILD PU, 36 Very Firm PU.

My posts give sources, though several are no longer available at overstock.com

I bought a 6 inch latex slab "mattress" from Foambymail.com and had the same experience as you:  disaster... too hard... rubbery and shakey feeling, etc.

If you don't have my problems: lower back problems and combination side sleeper which needs soft.. and back sleeper with back problems= very firm.  So I am in hell.

I weigh 165 lb at 6 feet, so for soft I need really soft.  Your weight dictates how firm your topper must be.

I am guessing that 1 inch of 20 ILd latex from foambymail.com $93 + 1 inch of 14 ILD Latex from sleeplikeabear.com (one of only one or 2 vendors who sell it... they will take it back if you don't damage it and will charge a $36 return fee.)  Start with the $93 piece from FBM.  You can fold in half to see if one or two inches work... then add another if that seems right.

Then try the 14 ILD.. it will be like $175.  But for me, only 14 ILD on top will work.

Some like mem foam and some don't.  You sink into memory foam, so back problem folks don't like it.  It is hot, no matter what they say, because it envelopes your body.  But some like it,k a lot. I bought a 2 inch ;piece of Sensus 5lb for may aging parents and you could not pry them away from it.

1 inch poly "supersoft" foam.... polyurethane (PU) from foamdistributing.com is cheap, and feels "kinda like" 20 ILD or maybe 18 ILD latex, just different.  But gives you the idea of the feel, and you can start cheap for like $40.  They also sell 1.5 inch convoluted egg crate PU which is kinda like 14 ILD.

You can go on and on.  I am back in the market for a real mattress with indvidually pocketed coils... to attempt to get the combo of  side and back sleep, and am looking at the new Sealy's 2011 model lineup.

Search Memory foam toppper.  Latex topper.

Go to the top of the  forum and read the "sticky"
about mattress surgery...  each of those posters describe latex toppers they used and where they got them, typically.

That will be the recommended admin link at the top.

Other comments:  tight mattresses and thick matt. pades take away the soft comfort of comfort layers.  I gave up using a matt pad altogether and use just 2 sheets. Some pads are better than others.  Search mattress  pads.

No one solution fits all.  Sleep side/back... more than one of you.... weight...  and personal preference all figure.

Good luck.

Paul

I will never buy a latex mattress again! Being a creature of habit, I've grown too accustomed to the feel of plopping down and easily rolling over in a Springy type of mattress.  As one reader in an earlier post, “the latex feel needs some getting adjusted to”.  I will never buy another, no matter how bad my allergies are. I’ll just buy a springy mattress and use an allergy zippered cover.  Being a rubenesque woman, this firm latex mattress did not help with the pressure points at all.  Instead, it felt like my bottom half from my hips down were going to break off –so I had lower back pain as well as shoulder pain too. 

I appreciate the idea of having a more custom made topper, but I was desperate that I ordered immediately in hopes of not wasting any more time or money.  So this is what I went with for all you stiff latex rubbery bed owners:

Besides the two mattress covers I had on previously, (1old one I kept because it was puffy and a hypoallergenic one) -----

One 3inch egg crate

One cuddle bed from Costco’s, thought it would have been puffier  when I first got it, but it’s sort of flat in the middle squares and puffier around the edges. Thus, sometimes it makes me feel like I’m being engulfed.

One order of wicking sheets from Designer Living (most economical) these are awesome, because latex was hot as Hades!!  

Now, no sore body, but I’m still tripping about how my firm latex bed just does not move as I do, one realizes when they are rolling over or moving around because it takes a serious conscience effort to do so - and no I’m not that big!    

Sorry about your bad experience with a latex bed, but it sounds like the store gave you some pretty bad advice when buying.  My SleepEZ 10000 all latex is pretty darn good on a box spring.  It was intolerable on the matching wood foundation which came with pine slats.  After 3 days on that foundation, my not so good right shoulder was beat up, really.

So, what kind of foundation is your mattress on?  Foundations can change the feel of just about any bed I think, some more than others.

As good as my SleepEZ is, my Tempurpedic Cloud seems to be one step better.  In my opinion, the TP does what they say it does - good support and super easy on the joints.  I've had it 3 weeks and 2 days so far.

In case you're wondering, I've got the TP in one room and SleepEZ in another, so, pretty spoiled there.