Just bought a new Flobeds
Sep 21, 2009 3:31 PM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542
I just purchased a new FloBeds. It is the 100% natural Talalay 4 layer mattresses. The top most layer being a soft egg crate 2" piece of Talalay.  

I purchased the following configuration. On the left side of the bed I have a median top layer, firm middle layer, and extra firm bottom layer. On the right side the top layer is firm, the second layer is extra firm, and the bottom layer is extra firm.

I felt that this should give me an opportunity to switch the layers around and come up with the configuration that will work the best for my 6' 2"  210 pound frame. It has been quite a wrestling match, reading all the different descriptions that various people like, when it comes to firmness layers. You also run into this with some of the websites. No two people seem to consider this the same way. So I'm just going to have to experiment.

This is one of the main reasons that I went with FloBeds. They have the most liberal exchange policy coupled with a generous return policy. They definitely get more money than some of the other sites. But when you're purchasing something this expensive from the Internet, and cannot lay on it, feel it, look at it, and even smell it, it's good to have a situation where you can make corrections at a nominal expense. Given the fact that FloBeds has an excellent reputation with the BBB, and Dave and Dewey Turner are excellent people to do business with, it just seemed to make good sense to me to consider the extra cost as an insurance policy.

One last point I would like to make. I just realize that I have been misspelling FloBeds name. I had been misspelling it "FlowBeds." Wrong!    It is spelled FloBeds.com. I hope I have not misdirected anyone.

It will probably take about a week to get this bed in my home, set up, and slept on. When I have had an opportunity to do this I will be sure to post back and let you know what my experiences are, as I know how confusing this kind of a purchase can be.

This message was modified Sep 22, 2009 by eagle2
Re: Just bought a new Flobeds
Reply #131 Dec 31, 2009 3:01 AM
Joined: Dec 29, 2009
Points: 57
P.S.  Forgot to say, I did go with the Natural Talalay.   I hope to not to have to do this too often so we went for what we hope is the best although I realize it may be subjective.
Re: Just bought a new Flobeds
Reply #132 Dec 31, 2009 5:10 PM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542
TJ12 wrote:
P.S.  Forgot to say, I did go with the Natural Talalay.   I hope to not to have to do this too often so we went for what we hope is the best although I realize it may be subjective.

I'm glad to hear that you made your decision. Based on my own personal experience I believe you will be satisfied with your choice.

Talalay has proven to be quite adequate for me. I am of the type, and it sounds from your description of yourself that you are to, that will never be completely satisfied because I never did get to sleep on Dunlop. But from my experiences so far, and from everything that I have read, I do not believe that I have made a wrong choice.

In the end, what is most important, is how well you sleep on your bed. As I have stated many times, for me at least, the gold standard is, "Do you look forward to going to bed, and do you hate to get out of the bed in the morning because you are so comfortable?" If you get up feeling refreshed and without any aches or pains due to the sleeping process, then you have a good bed.

Keep us posted about your experiences. I am assuming that you bought a VZone bed. I am curious how it will work out for you. It is reassuring to know that you can exchange it for a standard bed if you do not like it.
This message was modified Dec 31, 2009 by eagle2
Re: Just bought a new Flobeds
Reply #133 Jan 1, 2010 4:28 PM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542

Friday, January 01, 2010

 Installed the new firm piece of latex that I received from FloBeds today.

 I now have the left side of my bed configured this way. F/XF/XF  right side of my bed is still configured F/F/XF. We'll see how this sleeps.

 One thing that I have noticed is that with the medium piece on the left side of the bed, as a top 3 inch layer, that the bed had a propensity for this top 3 inch layer to hang up on the edge of the other piece of latex. This was caused by rolling back and forth from side to side of the bed. With one piece hanging up on the other piece it caused a ridge down the middle of the bed. I am curious to see if having two pieces, edge to edge of the same firmness, if the same characteristic will develop.

 I will keep you posted as to this ridge phenomenon, and how well this firmer configuration sleeps for me.

This message was modified Jan 1, 2010 by eagle2
Re: Just bought a new Flobeds
Reply #134 Jan 2, 2010 12:43 AM
Joined: Dec 31, 2009
Points: 35
For those viewing this thread to learn more about Flobeds, I wanted to echo Eagle and everyone else who has spoken so highly of the company and Dewey and David's customer service. I ordered and tried a 100% all natural talalay latex bed with the v-Zone, and while it was easily the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on, I ultimately had to return it because it didn't suit my back (I have major back problems). I really wanted to keep it, so held on to it until the very end of my trial period hoping my body would adjust. Flobeds credited me for the full amount I paid minus shipping and pillows, (pillows are nonrefundable) -- even credited the custom frame they built for me and the v-Zone which they made to my specs. As you can imagine, I felt really badly about this particularly since they had spent so much time with me at the front end during the ordering process. In any event, as Flobeds continues to expand its fan base and maintain its flawless BBB record, its in the company's best interest to continue this virtual cycle, even from a purely practical perspective. So for anyone considering ordering from them, the risks are minimal and I could not recommend them more highly. I ended up going back to an innerspring -- am on a Shifman firm cotton mattress with low-gauge offset coils, which is super supportive but not very comfortable!
Re: Just bought a new Flobeds
Reply #135 Jan 2, 2010 12:45 AM
Joined: Dec 31, 2009
Points: 35
Sorry, all -- I seem to be having the same issue as a prior post-er with paragraph formatting. I indented in my original post but not showing up on the final post.I know it's a pain to read!
Re: Just bought a new Flobeds
Reply #136 Jan 4, 2010 1:19 PM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542
One note should be recorded for those who are not used to this forum.

If you are interested in reading the entire thread you're going to have to go to the bottom of the thread and click on the "ALL" word to see all of the thread. In a particularly long thread like this one, the owners of the forum have decided, and rightly so, to limit what is viewable.


As a follow-up to my last post regarding the installation of the new firm layer I have this report.

At first this firm layer on top of two extra firm layers felt as you might expect, quite firm. But after I have lain upon it for several nights it has become more comfortable. So my configuration is now left side of bed, F/XF/XF  right-sided bid F/F/XF.

The more I sleep on natural latex the more I am convinced that one's body heat tends to soften the structure of the latex so that it tends to cradle you after you have slept on it for a while. Some of this can possibly be due to psychological factors of course. But after having slept on a natural latex mattress for over 90 days now it is definitely my considered opinion.

The ridge down the middle my bed, that I referred to in my last post, seems to have been eliminated, at least at this point in time. What was happening was the medium layer ( and as you may recall this is a very soft medium layer at 26.2 ILD) was riding up on the edge of the firm layer once I had rolled back and forth across the bed several times. Thus causing a uneven surface, and the ridge that I referred to. But so far having two firm layers on top seems to have cured the problem for now.
This message was modified Jan 9, 2010 by eagle2
Re: Just bought a new Flobeds
Reply #137 Jan 8, 2010 5:01 PM
Location: Northern VA, USA
Joined: Jan 8, 2010
Points: 2

Hi, 1st time poster, though I have lurked for a bit and all I read convinced me to buy a Flobeds bed.  We originally purchased a 9" memory foam from COSTCO and it was way too firm.  Prior to that we had a 3" memory foam topper on a 10 YO mattress which we really liked.  We were looking for something softer (I think) or at least more plush on top than the Costco bed.  The Flobed finally came yesterday and I slept on it last night.  (The wife is on the sofa due to recent foot surgery and can't yet navigate the steps up to the bedroom so it's giving me a few nights to tweak at least my side... The config I ended up with is Wife: soft/med/firm and Me: med/firm/x-firm.  Though I think my side is too soft.  I slept better on it than I did on the Costco bed we've been on for ~ 6 weeks, but my back was a bit sore this morning.  I'm wondering if I should take the firm from her side and try firm/firm/x-firm? Also wondering how Eagle likes the f/x/x.  I think the egg crate (convoluted) piece is giving me the nestling feeling I need and that I may need more firmness.  I'm 5'11" and 182 lbs.  Thanks for any suggestions in getting this dialed in (at least for me--will have to work on the wife's side next). 

Re: Just bought a new Flobeds
Reply #138 Jan 8, 2010 6:43 PM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542
Faherty: if you read this entire thread then you know that I like sleeping on a softer configuration to begin with, but during the night and towards morning I like sleeping on a firmer configuration. Therefore I start out on the side with F/F/XF and wind up in the morning on the F/XF/XF side.

Since you certainly have enough latex in different firmness you might reconfigure your bed to try this out. This whole business of what feels best for you is highly individualized,, as has been stated so many different time. Height and weight definitely play into the mix, but individuality, I am convinced, is the deciding factor. You will just have to try out the various firmness until you come up with something that is most comfortable for you.

Like most people I have tried softer surfaces. I even tried a S/M/XF configuration. This was way too soft for me and caused back pain. A M/XF/XF worked pretty well for me, but I believe if I had to have a configuration that was the same on both sides I would probably go with a F/F/XF. Keep in mind I am 6' 2" and 210 pounds. Almost everyone likes a softer surface initially. But once they totally relax, if this surface is to soft it will not give sufficient support to your spine and consequently you will wind up stiff and sore in the morning.

But since you bought a FlowBeds you have unlimited exchanges for 90 days. And FlowBeds will pay the freight bill to you and all you have to pay is the freight bill in shipping the layers back to FlowBeds. I always got my return UPS sticker from FlowBeds. I believe they get a better rate than anything I could negotiate. Which makes good sense to me since they do so much more business with UPS than I do.

Good luck, keep us posted.
This message was modified Jan 8, 2010 by eagle2
Re: Just bought a new Flobeds
Reply #139 Jan 9, 2010 9:56 AM
Location: Northern VA, USA
Joined: Jan 8, 2010
Points: 2
Thanks for the quick response.  I tried the f/f/x last night and liked it.  My wife tried my side this morning and thinks it will be satisfactory for her as well--her side is too soft at present.  I'm going to order the fillers to make her a f/f/x and another to try f/x/x for me.
Re: Just bought a new Flobeds
Reply #140 Jan 9, 2010 10:43 AM
Joined: Jan 9, 2010
Points: 6
I've been lurking quite a long time and I just wanted to say that the community on this thread and the overall site is outstanding!  I have gleaned so much information from reading through this thread that my head is spinning.  Since I am searching for my next mattress I am going to continue to engulf myself in all of this info and try to pick the right mattress for me.  I know I am going to start by researching Flobeds, based on this thread and the exceptional customer service they provide.  Right now I am sleeping on a 10 yr old serta innerspring that is awful and aggrevates my bad lower back daily so my search will have to be quick.  I am already leaning towards latex or memory foam - tempurpedic.

Thanks for a great forum and I look forward to participating in the future

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