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.
| 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? |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
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Zzzzzzzspleaze wrote: 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. ...... Thanks for posting that. I thought about asking for samples from SleepLikeABear; maybe I still will. When I tried out a couple of latex mattresses in the stores (the Prana mattresses at City Mattress, and a latex mattress at Genesee Mattress), they felt great. But that's for a few minutes, and it's hard to guess what just a topper will feel like. (I didn't want to spend the big bucks to get a full latex mattress, and I wasn't up to trying the Flobeds/SleepEz/FBM DIY mattress-building at this point.) Last night was my 2nd night on my new mattress -- an extra firm, flippable innerspring mattress (660 Lura-flex coils, 14.5 gauge, with extra layers of the Novabond fiber mats that go directly over the coils). According to the notes I scribbled in the store, there's 3/4" of 1.5 (density?) foam, flat. Genesee Mattress, where I bought this, is owned by Jamestown Mattress, in Jamestown, NY, so all the mattresses they sell are made by Jamestown. I was glad to find that Jamestown still makes the old-fashioned double-sided innerspring mattresses, along with a few other types. I was afraid I was going to have to drive to Pittsburgh (5 hours away) or Cleveland (4.5 hours away) to try out the OMF mattresses before ordering. (Wonder what the delivery charge would have been.) Zzzzzzspleaze, I understand how you wound up with that plush mattress. I almost bought something similar at Genesee Mattress, even though I went in there resolving to get a minimally padded one. The cushier ones just feel sooooooo nice when you try them out for a few minutes at the store; they are *very* tempting. (My 18-year-old mattress was so shot, I could feel the coils beneath me.) But I was really afraid of having the cushier mattress compress too soon, so I managed to stick with my original plan. I'm glad you will be able to exchange your mattress for a less-padded one. But back to toppers: First night on my new mattress, I tried it with just a fairly cushy mattress pad (no toppers). My back and hips felt fine, but my shoulders felt a little crunched. Last night I added an old polyfill fiber-bed -- I think that's what it is, but it's about an inch thick, so I'm not sure if that makes it a really thin fiber-bed or a really thick mattress pad. (Laura Ashley brand, bought a few years ago on sale at Kohl's, I think. Fairly cheap. Looks like the polyfill got a little bunched up in the wash, within in each quilted square.) I put my cushy mattress pad on top of that. That setup was more comfortable for my shoulders. Hips seemed fine this morning; but there's a little bit of low back pain. I'll keep testing this setup for a while, though; I don't want to judge by just one night, especially since I stayed in bed till almost 9 this morning. (Saturday, and ooooh, ahhhh, no more coils digging into me!) I had emailed SleepLikeABear before my new mattress arrived, and asked what latex topper they might recommend for an extra-firm innerspring mattress and a side sleeper who's about 5'6", 120 pounds. The reply was "Based on the information you have provided us, we would like to recommend our 2" 19 ILD latex topper." But based on what I've read here in the forum (and because of prices), I'd be more inclined to try a 1" topper, before going to 2", if I need to go that route. (I'm not interested in memory foam; if I need a topper, I'll probably stick with latex or a fiber-bed.) (And with all this typing, I think I have not added a single helpful thing to your thread! D'oh!) I will be very interested to find out what you end up with. Thanks for the info you have posted. -Catherine PS: Last337, I think that Cuddle Bed is a brand of fiber-bed. |
Re: Need advice on how to best craft a comfort layer using toppers.
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Marybeth, glad the fiberbed topper is working for you. Sounds similar to mine. I am sleeping quite well these days...the foam inside my bed MUST be HD, took 8 months to get softer! The fiberbed topper is just the ticket for my shoulder area. That and a nice down pillow to adjust to my perfect neck position and I'm good to go. I sometimes wake up in the am and haven't moved an inch all night. YAY for feeling good! Kait |