Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
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Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who has kindly contributed their input in my previous threads. I've learned quite a bit about mattresses and toppers, what to look for and what to avoid, and I'm certain that right now I'd be 100% happy with my mattress if only I'd heeded *all* of the sage advice I've been given (but sometimes you just have to forge ahead stubbornly and make your own mistakes, none of which I plan to ever repeat). The OMF mattress that felt absolutely perfect in the show room is now causing me grief, mainly in the form of lower back aches. To those of you enamored of the convenience of purchasing an innerspring mattress that feels great in the store, here's what I've learned: if you suffer from any back issues whatsoever, get the firmest model possible with the least amount of PU foam, then craft your own comfort layer using toppers. Or have your bed custom-made by a local mattress maker (this will be the method by which I acquire my next mattress, I hope). I don't care how fabulously comfortable, supportive, etc., that mattress seems during the "test drive", it is not going to feel the same after sleeping on it for several hours. So now I am planning to exchange my orthopedic ultra plush for either the ortho ultra firm or the ortho extra firm (I haven't tried the ultra firm yet, but both have only 1" of PU padding), and I will need toppers to make it comfy. At this point I'm torn between talalay blended toppers and memory foam, or possibly a combination of both. I need good lower back support, but I crave that "pillow top" feel, so I'm uncertain as to how to best approach this issue. I've had memory foam toppers in the past and loved them, so I thought I might do well with either 2" of Sensus foam, or a layer of "cushion firm" latex and 1" of either Sensus memory foam or 1" of soft latex. I'm a side sleeper, so I don't know if a 2" comfort layer will be enough, but I'm more than willing to start with that and go from there. So what do you think? 2" of Sensus, or a latex/Sensus combo, or a medium latex/soft latex combo? A combo I haven't thought of? I'm going for softness *and* support here, which I know is a tricky combination to pull off. Any advice welcome! |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
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Marshall wrote: from your previous posts im aware you probably wont belive me, but this is what i got to offer.<BR><BR>if you are suffering from lower back pain, a firm/extra firm mattress will make it worse. Well, I test drove the mattresses crafted with higher gauge coils and found none of them acceptable. The 14 gauge offset coils made the mattress too bouncy, and it didn't feel very...substantial. I preferred the solid feel of the 12.75 gauge, which is what I purchased, with thick layers of foam and cotton batting. Problem is, the PU foam does not conform to body contours, it bends around them and throws the spine out of whack -- and this wasn't evident until I'd slept on it for several hours. In my defense, this was my first mattress shopping excursion. I'm a newcomer to the great world of mattress frustration and am learning many crucial lessons in a hurry now that I've discovered this forum (!). Quote: for the top layers i would go with latex it tends to be a cooler surface than foam (if you are a hot person as i am) and reacts a bit quicker, not the same lagg as with memory foam. but everyone has there own prefrences. I've had memory foam toppers in the past and loved them (I'm a "cool" person who sleeps au naturel, so heat-retaining foam is not a problem for me), but I am leaning towards latex now for its hypoallergenic properties and durability. I made the newbie mistake of ordering a dunlop processed topper, not realizing that the closed cell structure meant it wouldn't conform to the body the way talalay does. So now I'm looking at blended talalay toppers. Quote: i would also strongly advice you go down the route that you suggest of going to a local mattress maker, but im sure people know my views on that from other threads. I don't know if such a place even exists in my area, but that's irrelevant now because OMF does not issue refunds, they allow a one-time exchange (for a fee). |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
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jankdc wrote: Thanks for updating, I was a little worried earlier. I'd go with the extra rather than ultra firm. I think if you get the mattress back to thier warehouse within 90 days that they will rebuild the mattress with your springs for very cheap. They do that here in Ohio. Worried about the PU foam layers? Me too! Geez, even before my mattress arrived at the store I was having panic attacks and nightmares (that I was trapped in mattress "sink holes"). It never occurred to me that the foam would cause problems right off the bat (because of its inability to conform to body contours, not because of sink holes, that is). I wish the OMF here in PA performed mattress reconstruction, but they've recently changed their policy. They have a "comfort exchange policy" that allows for a one-time exchange + 25% of the cost of the mattress you're upgrading to/exchanging your current mattress for. Fortunately, I won't need to replace the box springs since I'm staying within the orthopedic line (I probably would've kept them, regardless). I'm curious, why do you recommend the extra firm over the ultra firm? |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
| Sleeplikeabear.com has recommended a 2" 28 ILD topper + 1" 19 ILD topper (LI Talatech). They (Evelyn) suggest that this would create the plushy-yet-supportive comfort layer I'm seeking. Any thoughts? |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
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An update on the continuing mattress saga: I received blended talalay latex samples from sleeplikeabear.com in 32, 28, and 19 ILD. The 32 feels just like its "cushion firm" description, it is firm with plenty of give. The 28 feels very jello-y, it strikes a perfect balance between softness and firmness. The 19 feels like springy, rubbery memory foam, though it does not perform the same. While I preferred the feel of 2" of 32 ILD with 1" of 19 ILD on top, and this combination may very well be ideal for a person who likes latex and wants a plushy, supportive sleeping surface, I was disappointed by the latex's inability to conform even a little to the shape of my hand. If I gently pressed down on the latex, I only succeeded in compressing the entire square of latex. Also, the harder I pressed, the more tension was created, except for the 19 ILD sample, which felt springy but didn't really push back against my hand. So my verdict is that latex is not the right kind of foam for me. I am looking at Sensus memory foam toppers now. |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
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I am sorry that your not finding the right fit. The ultra firm feels like a board to me. They use an extra thick layer over the coils that dampen the coils. The extra firm has more give. Latex does not give indentations, some like sleeping on it others don't. As for the memory foam make sure that you air it out before using. Also, you might consider surgery on the mattress if all else fails. This message was modified Jul 1, 2009 by jankdc
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Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
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jankdc wrote: I am sorry that your not finding the right fit. The ultra firm feels like a board to me. They use an extra thick layer over the coils that dampen the coils. The extra firm has more give. Latex does not give indentations, some like sleeping on it others don't. As for the memory foam make sure that you air it out before using. Also, you might consider surgery on the mattress if all else fails. Well, I definitely want some give, so it sounds like the extra firm is the right one for me. I thought it odd that they charge more for the ultra firm, since the price generally increases in direct proportion to the cush factor, but maybe people who like sleeping on boards are willing to pay more...who knows. That means I save a few bucks, so I'm not complaining. Will do on the memory foam topper. I'm going to go ahead and order it in advance of exchanging the mattress so I'll have plenty of time to air it out. I really wish they'd figure out a way to prevent that stinky off-gassing. :-\ |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
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I had a difficult time with foam toppers because my issue was shoulder pain. With inches of memory foam, my shoulders were better, but my hips sunk so low back hurt. I had a latex mattress and hated it. I ended up with a polyfill mattress topper which is so far working for me. Kait |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
| Kait. Where did you buy the polyfill mattress topper? |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
| A quick answer to your question: you can go online at HSN.com and just type in fiberbeds. They have a 2 inch polyfil fiberbed that I purchased last month and I love it. Very high quality and so far it is holding its shape very well. It has a $50. They also have a 4 inch feather bed, but they are much harder and need to much attention. I have a very firm mattress, and the fiberbed makes a tremendous difference. I believe Kait is the one who suggested it to me a while back. Good luck. |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
| Whats the difference b/w a fiber bed and a cuddle bed? |