Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Jun 13, 2010 10:26 PM
Joined: Jun 13, 2010
Points: 9
Hi everyone, I am new to the forum. My husband and I are about to buy the third mattress of our 10-year marriage :-) I have been doing a little "light reading" on this forum beforehand and I thought I would share our experience so far. I will also report back after we purchase and test-drive.

I had spinal fusion surgery for scoliosis when I was 13, and have had back issues (shoulder, neck, and low back/hip areas) off and on ever since. I see an excellent chiropractor about every month or so (Gonstead school) to manage flareups. I cannot sleep on any kind of air mattress or sofa without feeling wrecked - I'm better off on a padded floor. My husband doesn't have back trouble and can sleep pretty much on anything. I weigh about 105 lbs and he weighs about 170.

Ten years ago we bought a Sealy Posturepedic Camillo Plush. It was among the last crop of SCo flippable mattresses and we have really liked it. After traveling we're always happy to be back home on our own bed. It's not as if it ELIMINATES my back and neck troubles... but they're far worse on other mattresses. Plus, it's a double and we just bought a new queen-sized bed.

About six months ago, we went to a local company that makes double-sided mattresses (Original Mattress Company) and got a new double mattress. I felt like I should err on the side of hard rather than too soft. It wound up being too hard for me to get used to, even with a 2" cheap-o memory foam topper to try to soften it, it was the princess and the pea. Rather than return it, we gave it to our five-year-old daughter.

We are strongly considering the Tempur-pedic Cloud series, or similar. I don't like the feel of the other Tempur-pedics I tried, and our "mental" $$ limit is $1800 anyway.

I went to mattress stores twice this weekend and kept going back and forth between Cloud and Cloud Supreme. I liked both... I think the Cloud may be a little TOO hard for my husband to be comfortable. It's $1800 locally with free delivery. The Supreme is $2400 locally with free delivery.

On Costco.com I found the Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam. Comparing its basic description, it SEEMS to be similar to the makeup of the Cloud Supreme. $1399 with base.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11307563&whse=BC&Ne=5000127+4000000&eCat=BC|93&N=4018920%204294899766&Mo=10&No=3&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=

Ara:

3" of 5 lb. Visco Foam - then 3 5/8" 5 lb. Visco Foam

Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme:

2" of 4.1" Tempur-ES Foam - then 2" 5.3 lb Tempur-ES Foam

So I'm wondering... are these comparable?

(The other route is to go with the "devil I know" and get another Sealy Posturepedic Plush, or a Simmons Beautyrest Cushion Firm. But he and I both feel it's the perfect time to see if memory foam/Tempur-pedic is a better choice.)

The Cloud (regular) seems like it might be similar to Costco's Sleep Science 10" .... although the Sleep Science doesn't say what density their visco foam is here. Hmmm.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11472257&whse=BC&Ne=5000127%204000000&eCat=BC|93&N=4018920%204294899766&Mo=10&No=6&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=

Re: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Reply #13 Jun 23, 2010 12:22 PM
Joined: May 12, 2010
Points: 241
This is weird. Cloud is firm - first time heard this!
Re: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Reply #14 Jun 23, 2010 12:49 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 404
Correction - it was the Cloud Supreme I rejected because it was too soft.  I did not try the Cloud Not-Supreme.
Re: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Reply #15 Jun 23, 2010 2:58 PM
Joined: Jun 13, 2010
Points: 9
Yes - this is the regular Cloud ... not the Supreme which is billed as a "Pillowtop" model.

If we know that it will soften up or that we are likely to adjust to it over a matter of days or weeks, we will stick with it, but it is just a little disheartening to not LOVE your new mattress right away, especially when we could have gotten a cheaper one and maybe been happier ... ?

I think we signed something at the mattress store that said we would give it the old college try for 30+ days or something before giving it back... I'll have to check it out. In the meantime, I think we'll try throwing a 2" memory foam topper on it and see what happens.

Re: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Reply #16 Jul 1, 2010 5:42 PM
Joined: Jul 1, 2010
Points: 1
I just purchased the regular Cloud and have spent two nights on it so far. I really hope it breaks in soon because both mornings I have had a very sore back. I'm going to try jumping around on it a lot more to break it in. The demo in the store definitely felt softer.

My old mattress was a cheap Serta spring that I had for 5 years. Was starting to sag a little and get uncomfortable. The biggest selling point of the Cloud was no motion transfer. I could get in bed and not wake up my wife. We also have friends who recently bought a TP Advantage and love it.

The hardest part of this is trying to figure out what's better for me: firm, soft or in the middle. It's impossible to know for sure when testing them out in store for 10 minutes each. I'm 5'10" 130lbs and my wife is 5'6" 105lbs so I'm wondering if we're just not quite heavy enough to sink into the Cloud. The Cloud Supreme felt nice but we decided it was a little soft (again, hard to be sure after only 10-15 minutes) but now I'm reconsidering.

I also bought a TP Side Pillow since I sleep on my side and it felt nice in the store. Much firmer than a regular pillow and I think that firmness along with a poor sleep posture and weak back may be contributing to the back pain. Maybe I'm actually sleeping properly on the Cloud but my posture is so bad that the readjustment is uncomfortable.

I'm trusting all the reviews I've read about TP: wait a few days for your body to get used to memory foam, wait for it to break in, and all will be nice. I hope so. We have to wait at least 30 days before returning/exchanging.

Re: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Reply #17 Jul 2, 2010 4:53 PM
Joined: Jul 2, 2010
Points: 1
I bought the cloud supreme about 45 days ago and I must admit the first week was rough. I woke up with not only my back being sore but my neck and shoulders as well. I was told there would be an adjustment period where your body has to get used to the new mattress and its VERY TRUE. 45 +days in this mattress is a dream, I'm sleeping the whole night and feeling great in the morning.  
Re: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Reply #18 Jul 2, 2010 7:47 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 404
You are both very lightweight.  Will you be able to exchange it for the Cloud Supreme at the end of the period?
Re: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Reply #19 Sep 27, 2010 9:20 PM
Joined: Jun 13, 2010
Points: 9
gaddygirl wrote:

OK, so we're back home, and have spent three nights on the new mattress. The name "Cloud" is a misnomer - to me, it feels more like sleeping on Play-Doh. I have been waking up a little stiff; but on the plus side, my vertebrae don't need to "pop" in the morning as with other mattresses. Also, I don't toss and turn as much. But I do not LOVE my new queen mattress... in fact I am having thoughts of sneaking back into the guest bedroom and cheating with the Sealy Posturepedic double mattress that we do both love.

The problem I'm having right now is that my husband seems to really hate the new bed but is too nice to come out and say it. This morning he reported that his lower back (small of his back) hurt. This man NEVER has back trouble, so that concerns me. He has mentioned several times that the bed "seems kind of hard" and "I guess I'll get used to it after twenty years."

Unless something happens in the next 10 days and we both adapt, I gotta try something different.

If we return the mattress, we will get zapped with about a $200 restocking fee, plus buying the pillows (expensive but I'll do it!) and waterproof mattress cover (which is fine with me but again, expensive, maybe $50+) We paid $1800 so I will guess we will have about $1400 in store credit. That would buy another Sealy Posturepedic Plush (the aforementioned "devil we know") that is very comfortable to us.

The first thing I am willing to try is putting a thin layer of something softer on top. Don't know what... and don't know if that would completely negate any positive effects of having a Tempur-pedic. I guess I will check out Sleeplikeabear. I know a lot of people put latex toppers on, but I'm not sure what the best "softening" layer would be to try on a Tempur-pedic. Memory foam from Overstock or Costco?


And now for my second update, three months after purchase. My husband and I are still not liking the feel of the Tempur-Pedic Cloud (not Cloud Supreme). Now I am almost 2 months pregnant and starting to have trouble getting comfortable. I've slept a few times on our old Sealy Posturepedic plush and wish it was a queen so we could swap it for ours. It's just too hard for us.

Our choices:

1. Try some kind of softer topper. What to try on a Tempur-pedic that will give it a bit more bounce and softness? I have no idea.

2. Sell it and buy a Sealy Posturepedic. What works best - Craigslist or eBay local? We are in Charlotte, NC if anyone wants to make us an offer.

Store won't take it back because it's past their 60-day window.

Re: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Reply #20 Sep 27, 2010 10:16 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 404
They won't bend the rule even if you offer to take another model?
Re: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Reply #21 Sep 28, 2010 10:50 AM
Location: NYC
Joined: Sep 23, 2010
Points: 15
Before you get rid of this mattress, why not try to do a soft latex topper rather than get rid of the mattress all together?  You can search through the threads here and find many options to have something softer and more springy.  I think that if you tried to get the tempurpedic topper, then you might have more of the same situation that you have now.  Maybe Latex is the right feel you're looking for. 
Re: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Supreme vs. Costco Ara 13" Pillow Top Visco Foam
Reply #22 Sep 29, 2010 10:12 AM
Joined: Jun 13, 2010
Points: 9
DianeK wrote:

They won't bend the rule even if you offer to take another model?


They might bend the rule. I am going to call them today and find out. I just want to be sure they don't send the set to a landfill - not sure what they do with returns.

I am definitely open to trying a latex topper - I'm just leery of messing THAT choice up, too. :-)

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