can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
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I know these mattresses are kind of all over the place. Initially I discarded the idea of a foam mattress such as temperpedic or comforpedic but we are revisiting the idea. The analysis I received put as at the #2 for the bodysystem style of the Kingsdown. This is about 2700 for a King size. The Beautyrest also seemed comfortable and offered the least expensive option but I am concerned about the pillow top factor (deterioration). Moving onto the comforpedic which I was attracted to over the temperpedic because I am concerned about getting hot in the summer time. Those mattresses I found the most difficult to evaluate as a sleeper. Sure it felt good while I was laying on it. How will that translate into 8 hours every night? I also had a really tough time figuring out which one would be suitable for me.....going by the 'get what you pay for' the top of the line Comforpedic was 4000, out of our price range and possibly not even necessary for us. So I was hoping if I tell you a bit about our body types if you could direct me towards which level of the comforpedic we should need, if we decide that route. Husband and I are both 5'10" and I am in the 135-140range and he is around 165. Since my pregnancy (baby is now 9mo) I have aquired lower back pain and I have been unable to return to stomach sleeping in that time. DH also has lower back pain but his is sciatic, mine I don't think is related to sciatic since I don't have any of the leg pain associated with the lower back pain. We have made the mistake in the past of an overly firm mattress (S&F) that is now overly sagging and way past the point of uncomfortable. I want to keep close to 2500, this should afford us a nice supportive mattress I would think. I am not interested in doing mail order build my own foam mattress. Do you have input as to what specifically we should be looking for as far as layers in the comforpedic brand, or input on the mysterious kingsdown body system? Is it a mistake to go with a traditional inner spring type of mattress? |
Re: can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
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I can't give you an answer because I - like many of us here on this forum - have given up on most of the innerspring mattress manufacturers. They put horrible cheap foam in them which breaks down very quickly and you end up with a mattress that hurts your back in a relatively short time. See the thread on dissecting the sealy for some links to what they put inside mattresses these days. There are probably some good innerspring manufacturers out there, but you'll have to look for them. the "Big S" mattresses are mostly junk, imho. Whatever you do won't buy a pillowtop mattress. Get a mattress with the best quality springs and as little and as high quality padding on top of the springs as you can get. Then go out and buy a couple latex and tempurpedic toppers *no more than 3/4" to 1" each) and try that on top of your own mattress. In other words start with a super firm mattress even if you don't like a super firm mattress, then put your own high quality toppers on top. This is becasue the mattress manufacturers do what I am suggesting you do for yourself - the difference being that they build it into the mattress so once it wears out there is little you can do aside from cutting open the mattress; and because they put cheap crappy non-supportive foam inside which will break down fast and hurt your back. Hope this helps. |
Re: can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
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I second the above opinion. Get something with decent springs (you really don't have to spend thousands) and build your own topper. Then if it wears out or your body changes so that you want something either firmer or softer, you can just get a new topper. The foam used in pillowtops is cheap crap (even in supposedly "high end" mattresses), and once it breaks down, you are stuck. Mattress warranties are completely useless as they require a VISIBLE indent of 2 inches before they will even consider your case. If you are still sleeping on the thing by then, you will be crippled. And if you have any stains, scuffs, or dirt marks at all, it voids the warranty. With toppers you can tweak them until you get it just right. A lot of mattresses feel good when you lay on them for 15 minutes, but after eight hours it's a whole different story. Whatever you do, make sure you can get a comfort exchange or, better still, your money back if you wake up in the morning loathing the thing. |
Re: can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
| thanks. When you all suggest something with good springs, do you mean to avoid the "Big S" brands? What are some brands you would recommend? Why is Kingsdown a mistake specifically? I searched for toppers on this board but there are just too many posts to go through. Where to start with good brands of toppers? Why are the build-your-own foam beds so much better than the temperpedic or comforpedic? |
Re: can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
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LPAD wrote: I searched for toppers on this board but there are just too many posts to go through. Others may not agree that their time is less valuable than your own . . don't be so lazy! |
Re: can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
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"Others may not agree that their time is less valuable than your own . . don't be so lazy!" Absolutely. If you can't be bothered to take the time to do your own research now (based on the posts/information on this forum) and then draw your own conclusions, just go buy a Kingsdown, S-Brand, or "Whatever-pedic". Then come back in a year or two when you're out $$$, and your mattress has failed to work out, and do the research then. |
Re: can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
| that is so lovely of you. Nice to know this is a board full of members who enjoy sharing their knowledge with others. |
Re: can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
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in the time it took you to write a less than helpful post you could have typed 2-3 brands of toppers that I could have then done a more detailed search on (happily I might add to do my own research). I was just asking for a good starting point. Thanks again. sager66 wrote: Others may not agree that their time is less valuable than your own . . don't be so lazy! |
Re: can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
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"Nice to know this is a board full of members who enjoy sharing their knowledge with others." If you actually took the time to read posts from this forum, you would realize that is a very true statement (and not a facetious one).. |
Re: can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
| i have spent more time perusing this board than you give me credit for. And yes, I can definitely identify some members who seem more than willing to share their knowlege. I do think it's a shame that as a new member I was received with a kind of negative attitude. Instead of perceiving me as an overwhelmed prospective buyer looking for some solid direction, you perceived me a lazy consumer unwilling to do any research. A poor, and unkind, assumption to make. |
Re: can someone help me narrow my mattress choices? Kingsdown, Comforpedic, or Simmons Beautyrest
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LPAD wrote: thanks. When you all suggest something with good springs, do you mean to avoid the "Big S" brands? What are some brands you would recommend? Why is Kingsdown a mistake specifically? I searched for toppers on this board but there are just too many posts to go through. Where to start with good brands of toppers? Why are the build-your-own foam beds so much better than the temperpedic or comforpedic? You don't necessarily have to avoid the S brands to get good springs, it's just that they may not have the best ones. You will have to do some research to find out who has good springs. Even the Big S springs are probably okay, but by looking closely at the various manufacturers' stats you can see the coil thickness and count and judge by that. DON'T get Simmons - the springs are fragile-ly tied and they tend to come to ruination easily. As to toppers, look at the Brylane thread here. Stick with topppers of 1" or so, that way they won't cause your back to sag and you can always buy 2 x 1" ones to TRY 2" and see if you like it then take one off if it's too much. Some like latex toppers, some like memory foam toppers and you can also just try PU or polyurethane toppers but they wont' last very long. Latex lasts 15-25 years generally. It doesn't matter where you buy the toppers, really, what matters is what they are made out of, as per above. Brylane has a great deal on a latex topper that some say is very soft. Memory foam can be found on many sites. I'd get the 5lb type or 4lb but not the 3lb. You can mix memory foam and latex but don't go over 2" of toppers - even that might be too much. Sometimes you can get 3/4" memory foam toppers. The reason I say "get good springs" is that when the bed no longer feels good, you can use an exacto knife to open up the top on 3 sides, pull out the crappy foam they put in there and replace it with good foam - HR foam or latex and/or memory foam. Never use more than 2" of memory foam - if that. It does not provide support. I don't care what Tempurpedic says. |