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I'm glad I found your website. It has answered many of my questions and narrowed my search for a mattress.

I have a question concerning the Mattress manufacturers - local brands section. I live in Pittsburgh and I'm not sure what is considered an off brand but high quality. We have a local store (I believe the main branch is in Ohio) called The Original Mattress Factory. I've been back to their store twice and really think they offer a quality product for a good price but I would like to confirm if this would be the type of local manufacturer you mentioned. Do you know anything about them? www.originalmattress.com/

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide or if you can suggest other stores that may be within a two hour radius of Pittsburgh, PA 15220

Hi Mark,

The Original Mattress Factory is a more regional mattress manufacturer (in that they have factory direct outlets in several states rather than just a local area) but they are factory direct and yes I do think highly of them. IMO they produce high value mattresses of good quality.

Generally "off brand" is a name used by the larger national manufacturers and the stores that sell them as a "derogatory" catch all name for all smaller brands which would include OMF. It implies ... completely incorrectly ... that smaller manufacturers are somehow of lesser quality than the "big boys" and is just part of their marketing hype.

Another local manufacturer near Pittsburgh that may be worth considering is ... www.carlislesleep.com/our_stores.htm.

Good luck and feel free to post with any other questions you may have.

Phoenix

Hello, I've been mattress shopping & have been disappointed with what's available in my price range. I found the icomfort by Serta, but after reading the forum about it have decided against it. I would like to find something of good quality, but more affordably priced. Could you offer suggestions? I am 5'7", 125 lbs, my husband is 6'3", 225 lbs. Also, any local manufacturers in the St. Louis/St. Charles, MO area that you're aware of? Any advice or direction is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,

Erica

Hi Erica,

There is a local factory direct manufacturer near you which would be well worth a visit.

www.maplewoodcustombedding.com/AboutUs.htm

Other than this, local outlets that will show you the layer by layer construction of each mattress or where you can test a mattress that this information is available online are the best places to do your "lay on bed" testing.

In terms of information that can be very helpful ... I would start with this www.themattressunderground.com/mattresse...s-of-a-mattress.html and then the other "overviews". More specific details are in the separate pages in each section if you want more specific or more technical details. Once you have read this you will know more than most of the mattress salespeople out there. Many of the more recent threads also have a lot of information about the different materials and layerings that are suitable for different weights, weight distributions, and just as important ... different sleeping positions.

A good set of guidelines as far as things to watch out for is in reply #6 here www.themattressunderground.com/mattress-...ex-mattress.html#388

You appear to be fairly slim and your husband is much heavier so depending on the weight distribution and "shape" of each of you and your different sleeping positions ... it may be worth considering different layering combinations on each side of your mattress (all within the same height) so that each of you can customize your own side if necessary.

I am 6'5" and 195 and my other half is 5.7 and "about" 130 or so (as he takes a deep breath and prepares for the worst for revealing this ) but we have similar weight distribution and sleeping positions (primarily side sleepers) so we didn't need to customize each side in spite of our difference in weight and height).

Hope this helps and feel free to ask if you come across anything that needs clarification or you have more questions.

Phoenix

Phoenix-
I've been following all of the discussion on Latex and Memory Foam mattresses and am getting close to a decision to buy Latex. Besides The Original Mattress Factory (OMF) in the Orlando, FL area, are there any other local manufacturers that you can point me to? While I like the latex mattresses at the OMF and the people are very knowledgeable, I have read that you need about 7.5" to 8" latex core for proper support. The OMF specifications state that they use a 6" latex core and this makes me wonder whether it's enough. Any suggestions? OMF specs are:
The Latex models use a selection of the following materials depending on your comfort choice:
- All Latex models are padded equally on both sides of the mattress.
- 6” Talatech® Talalay Latex Foam Core - 30-34 ILD, 4.7lb/ft³ Density (Tolerance ±.25lb/ft³)
- Convoluted Talatech® Talalay Latex Foam Topper – 17-21 ILD, 3.25lb/ft³ Density (Tolerance ±.25lb/ft³)
- FR Fiber
- Quilted Panel Featuring a Premium Damask Fabric Cover
- Heavy Duty Cloth Handles

Thanks for your help!
Gene

Hi Gene,

Reply #2 here www.themattressunderground.com/mattress-...-factory-direct.html lists two independent manufacturers in the area.

OMF is a good manufacturer but unfortunately they only have 2 latex models and little way to customize them if they don't work for an individual. The basic is a 32 ILD latex core quilted with an inch of polyfoam on both sides and so would be rather firm for most people and sleeping positions. The supreme is 1.5" of 19 ILD convoluted latex with an inch of polyfoam quilting in the comfort layer over the same core which means it would be very soft in the comfort layer since the convoluted latex would be the rough equivalent of 14 ILD or even less.

I have talked with them on several occasions including this morning (to the factory) and I suggested that with the rapidly increasing interest in latex (one of the fastest growing segments of the industry) they would do well to increase their latex selection and hopefully remove the 1" of polyfoam that they have as this would give people looking for latex a way to have more choices in both the comfort layers and the support core.

Fox mattress orange city location IMO would be by far the best way to go out of the two near you since they would have a greater selection of latex choices so you could find the layering that was best for you and they are a factory direct manufacturer with great service and value. The short drive would be well worth it. They are also a member here so you would be eligible for a 5% discount if you let them know that you are a consumer member of this site.

The actual thickness of a latex core that is suitable for an individual would depend on weight and preferences. Latex cores are normally 5.5" - 6" thick depending on the type of latex and the manufacturer and in the vast majority of cases this would be fine. The thickness of the comfort layer on top of this would vary with the individual. This would usually be in the range of 1" - 3" depending on the sleeping position and weight distribution. This means that the total latex in a mattress that was suitable for the vast majority would be between 6.5" (5.5" core + 1" comfort layer) to 9" (6" core and 3" comfort layer). Two sided mattresses would add the thickness of the comfort layer to both sides (as in the OMF).

Some people who are very light could easily use a thinner core (and likely a thinner/softer comfort layer) while those who are very heavy may use some additional thickness an/or firmness in the support core and the comfort layers. A latex mattress that is on a tension adjustable slatted base which acts as part of the active support system can use an even thinner core. OMF usually displays their latex mattresses on an innerspring which I personally don't think is the best idea but it would also allow for a thinner support core.

Latex has a very high progressive compression rate (what is called support factor) and so can be successfully used in thinner support layers and thinner overall mattresses than other foams and types of mattresses.

Phoenix

Phoenix -

Thank you for replying to me about your talk with OMF regarding their latex mattresses. Also, I thank you for providing me with a local manufacturer in the Orlando area. I visited the Fox website and now will visit their showroom in Orange City.

Again, I really appreciate your help.

Gene

Hi Gene,

Good luck. I'd love to hear how it goes for you.

Phoenix

Is there a good way to search for local mattress manufacturers, or do you have a regional list? I do a google search and get all kinds of crazy hits. I'm in Central PA near Harrisburg.

This is a great site, btw! Thanks.

Hi Jenna,

I can sympathize with the difficulty of "wading through the maze" of online information. There are many so called factory direct outlets that are anything but factory direct and many of the "information" sites on the web are just sites that are designed to attract search results without any meaningful information so they can make some money with advertising.

There are only two local or regional factory direct manufacturer within 100 miles of you that I am aware of ...

www.verlo.com/customerservice/stores/PA West Chester 83 miles They are a regional manufacturer which makes a range of mattresses that are better value than the major manufacturers

www.lemoynesleeper.com/bedding.html They are (or were) also a regional manufacturer which had better value than most national brands however they have declared bankruptcy and will only be selling mattresses till Sunday. They are selling a combination of their own mattresses and others which they have contracted out to fill in the gaps in their line until they sell out. There is no warranty on their own mattresses as they will soon be out of business but the contracted out mattresses do have a warranty. This is one of those times that sale prices reflect a legitimate reason and if they have mattresses left that use higher quality materials such as latex (which is generally much more indicative of how long a mattress will last than a warranty), they may be worth a visit.

If the distance or bankruptcy is not suitable for your needs and preferences ... then the best choice would be to use local outlets that are open about the materials and layers in their mattresses (or where the construction is known) to test for the materials and the type of layering that works best for you and "duplicate" it through an online purchase that has better value than what is available locally.

If you let me know your budget range, weight and general body shape, and sleeping positions, along with any preferences you have as to the type of mattress you prefer ... I may be able to give a few more specific ideas or suggestions.

Phoenix

Phoenix, thanks so much for your response. I'll check out those two links. There is a Lemoyne sleeper very close by, so I may be able to get over there before Sunday.

We've had our current mattress (a king size Simmons Dreamwell "Ionesca" Plush) for about 8 years. We loved it because it was plush but still very supportive, and prior to about 6 month ago, we would not wake each other up with any tossing or turning, nor aches and pains.

I have been to two stores -- Sleepy's (which I found over-priced based upon what I thought was a good deal 8 years ago) and Mattress Warehouse (which is regional and sells Dreamwell, so we must've bought our previous mattress from one of their stores). Anyway, I was drawn to the iComfort line as well, primarily b/c I really liked the Simmons line of memory foam mattresses at Sleepy's, but the one that advertised 'sleeping cool' was over $4K (way out of our price range, even with the 'friends and family rate'). After reading a lot of customer reviews on the iComfort, perusing your site, and trying to find unbiased information on it via Consumer Reports, I'm back at square one. I say "I", but I guess I should include my husband in this.

So, primarily, we're looking for a king size bed that provides support and isolates motion, and can prevent overheating. We were prepared to invest around $3K, but now I'm wondering what is even considered "reasonable" anymore (I'm horrified by the reports of markup on beds and frustrated they have to rename the same bed depending on where you go!). I am 140lbs and 5'8, and my husband is 250 and 5'10. We both have intermittent back and neck issues, and can be restless & light sleepers (we have two young kids). I like the idea of a memory foam (or latex?) due to the longevity and claims of comfort and helping back issues, but don't like the feel of some of the tempurpedics where you really sink in. I was drawn to the claims of iComfort b/c my husband sleeps hot, and I liked the plush feel of it. I really don't care how pretty the bed is (I'm amazed how much effort is spent on the fabric design) since there will be sheets on it 99.9% of the time.

Lastly, if I can go on a tangent. The MOST comfortable bed I can remember sleeping in was a real feather mattress at a high-end hotel in Bath, England. That was one where I sunk into it and did not move the entire night--like sleeping on a cloud. Not at all a realistic or desired purchase now, but I had to mention that it was very unexpected experience.

Thanks again for all your help, and if anyone else has experience with memory foam vs. inner spring coils that they want to share, I'd really appreciate it.

Hi Jenna,

There really is no way to compare innersprings and memory foam since innersprings are always used as a support core and memory foam is always used as a comfort layer so there is no way to do an "apples to apples" comparison. Memory foam comfort layers can use innersprings, high quality polyfoam, or latex foam as a support core (all of them can work well depending on the feel and qualities that are desired) while innerspring cores can use any material in a comfort layer above them (all of which except low density/quality polyfoam can work well depending on the feel and qualities desired).

There are no mattresses that use memory foam in the support layers (because memory foam is a non supportive foam and is unusitable for use there). There is a type of innerspring called microcoils that can be used in a comfort layer however but they are very different from the innersprings used in the support layers of a mattress and they are usually used in combination with some type of foam.

At Sleepy's ... the only mattress that I would consider to have real quality and better value would be the Pure Latex Bliss line. It comes in several models and there are two toppers that can be added to any of them so there is a wide range of choices available to customize the pressure relief, support, and feel to individual needs. While they are certainly high quality ... mattresses that use the same materials and effective layering can be purchased for much less and since I have the "layer by layer" stats of these models ... I would use them as a blueprint for a mattress that was purchased elsewhere rather than actually purchasing it (even though I would consider it to be the best value there). Stay away from the Dr Breus mattresses there which they will typically will tell you is a "latex mattress" when it only has some latex mixed in with lower quality materials (just check the law tag to verify this). They will often "steer" people who are looking for latex in this direction.

I would certainly stay away from any major brand such as the Serta iComfort as there are better options available using these as a "blueprint" as well that have significantly better value and quality. The last few posts in this thread may help you here as well in terms of higher value memory foam mattresses.

$3000 should be the "top of the line" in a budget IMO and can purchase a mattress that would likely cost 50% to 100% more at a major retailer. Very high quality and value can be purchased for significantly less than this even in a Split King, especially if they are using lower cost materials such as memory foam (lower cost compared to latex).

In terms of breathability and durability ... latex will perform much better on both counts than memory foam. In terms of pressure relief ... lower ILD latex (such as used in the PLB mattresses and toppers) have similar pressure relieving qualities to memory foam (osme say a little better some say a little worse but it would depend on the construction) and is much more supportive although they do "feel" different. The layer thickness, type of material, and the ILD (softness) of the materials used in the comfort layers are a critical part of how suitable a mattress may be for an individual. ILD is not as important in choosing memory foam as all memory foams would be conidered "very soft" in actual use and have a low ILD (typically 15 or less). Motion isolation between latex and memory foam would also be similar as their "point elasticity" is very similar (which is part of why they both relieve pressure so well). The biggest difference between the feel of latex and memory foam is that memory foam is much more "dead" feeling and doesn't allow for easy movements in position while latex is more lively or buoyant and more towards an innerspring feel. Memory foam sleeps more "in" the mattress while latex sleeps more "on" the mattress.

While the mattress ticking/quilting and the materials used here can contribute a lot to the actual performance of a mattress, I certainly agree with you that the "look" of the ticking is far less important than how it actually contributes to the pressure relief and characteristics of the mattress.

Feather beds are great but they certainly need care and maintenance and will compress or break down over time ... and there's no doubt that you pay for quality here. While I haven't done nearly as much research into featherbeds as I have other materials ... there's some good resources and information here about them.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Thank you for all your help. We ended up getting an all natural latex core mattress from Lemoyne Sleeper right before they went out of business. Apparently, they have sent their specs to Englander for those specific beds, but I was assured it was a Lemoyne sleeper bed built to their specifications. I asked all sorts of questions about which process they used, whether it was pure latex or a blend or synthetic, etc., and I think I threw the salesperson off a bit (you did warn your readers that could happen). Because the mattress core is so firm with little in the way of a plush comfort layer (and limited selection due to the sale), I ended up purchasing a 3" talay latex topper elsewhere, but still paid way below what our initial maximum was. We are waiting on delivery on both, but am very eager for a restful and hopefully allergy free night's sleep.

Thanks again for all your help! I have been recommending your site to all my friends and family.

Hi Jenna,

Congratulations on your new mattress!

Thanks for sharing how things worked out for you. I'm glad we could help a bit and I appreciate your kind words

Phoenix