TOPIC:

I am considering the following mattresses, in order of greatest to least consideration:

1. GoRest G5 Plus Interchangeable
2. Nature's Embrace Hevean 10 with tencel cover
3. MFC Presto with tencel cover

#1 pros/cons:

• the cover - it is a stretch organic cotton and is also washable if needed - we do use a mattress protector, but nice to have this option if only to get rid of dust
• I can get the bottom base layer in medium firmness which I think I might need due to me being a lightweight, side sleeper (125#, 5'4") and my husband also being lightweight (150#, 5'11"). He can sleep in any direction and is okay sleeping on any mattress I am happy with as he's currently on a Thermorest camping pad while I sleep on one of the kids latex mattresses
• is customizing 3 layers enough? or should I be looking at more layers to be able to swap around more?
• swapping a layer is going to cost me at least $300 to get a new layer shipped and ship the "wrong" layer back and hope that I am swapping the correct "wrong" layer
• 25 year warranty BUT to maintain this warranty, "To ensure top performance individual mattress layers must be flipped and rotated every three months." This just doesn't sound super enjoyable doing this this often for 3 layers with a king size mattress. The 3 latex mattresses we have in the house now say not to flip (they have wool in their covers so you'd lose that if you flipped and the covers aren't removable to flip just the latex inside) and they still have warranty without flipping?

#2 pros/cons:

• 5 layers - lots of choice, could hopefully choose enough layers to be able to swap around it and get it right without needing to swap a layer?
• the tencel cover looks wimpy and thin and I didn't want to go with a thicker cover with wool
• more daunting choosing 5 layers to try and hope that what I choose is right
• swapping a layer is likely the same cost as above

#3 pros/cons:

• 4 layers - again, lots to swap around to hopefully get the right feel
• the tencel cover has same issues as above as I believe this is made by Nature's Embrace, again don't want the thicker one with wool
• no choice in my layers so what I get is what I get
• I don't need free pillows - which while I know they say free, I am paying for them in the cost of the mattress and less than a year ago we bought 8 new latex pillow for the family

I thought I had decided on the Swiss dream Bed (mattress only), but their sizing is wonky. While I understand that "standard mattress sizing" isn't actually standard, every king mattress we've looked at in the last few years has been 76" x 80". Theirs is 78" x 80" and due to our platform frame which I bought only a year ago so am not looking to replace, they would need to customize the wood portion of their frame but the latex portion would overhang as it's a pain to cut off just an inch on each of the sides of the split king. So I'd have some overhang, which maybe wouldn't be noticeable...but if it bugs me, the whole thing is now customized so there is no return/exchange available. So I gave up the dream of the Swiss dream bed.

I briefly considered the Essentia Stratami but this is even more overpriced than other organic latex mattresses and it's only 8" for a higher cost and doesn't offer me any configuration if I need to adjust it. I did really like the idea of the shape of their latex top layer though, wish there were more mattresses that offered this sort of option. This mattress was returnable which is a nice option to have, but it's a fee to return and the mattress already costs more than the other options listed for a shorter mattress, so in the end, the ability to return didn't end up being a huge selling feature for me.

I am very hesitant right now as last year we tried a "greenwashed" option (the Haven) and while the company was cooperative and we were able to return the mattress in the end, it was a really long, drawn out process that involved 2 mattresses and costly chiro treatments to get myself out of the pain created from the mattress. Thus, I'd like to try and get this one "right". Yes I have read all the main posts and articles on this site as I've been on this site for several years already. Not even sure what my questions really are at this point, I'm overwhelmed and don't want to deal with exchanging layers or not liking what we purchase. So if anyone has other suggestions based on what you've read from me or just want to commiserate in the exhausting search, I am all ears.

Hi CeruleanBlue.

Good to hear from you again.

You are quite right that mattress shopping can bring along “hidden” expenses as you’ve had with your returned Heaven mattress…time investment (before and after), pains, sleep disturbances …to say the least. But I am glad you were able to return it and that you now have a list of 3 good finalists. You are in the fortunate position to choose between “good and good” and with some good guidance from the retailer/manufacturer, you can find the best fit for you and your husband.

is customizing 3 layers enough? or should I be looking at more layers to be able to swap around more?

#1 pros/cons: With its level of customization for all 3 layers this should be enough to find a good fit layer arrangement. The top 2 layers can be selected in various ILDs SuperSoft latex is 15ILD, Soft/Plush is 22 ILD, for Medium is 32 ILD so there is enough range for any testing and swapping.
From your mattress selection I assume that you want at least 3 layers, of 10” thickness minimum.. just FYI … many latex mattresses have 7” to 9” thicknesses with only 2 layers which should be sufficient to provide adequate support/comfort for lightweight sleepers.

swapping a layer is going to cost me at least $300 to get a new layer shipped and ship the "wrong" layer back and hope that I am swapping the correct "wrong" layer

The best way to avoid this is to have a detailed conversation with them about your BMI, sleep positions, and other mattress needs and preferences. Latex is a premium material with consistent behavior and there should be no need to become a latex layering expert when there are already a number of them at the ready, willing to help! They have a support team ready to help if fine-tuning is needed.

25-year warranty BUT to maintain this warranty, "To ensure top performance individual mattress layers must be flipped and rotated every three months." This just doesn't sound super enjoyable doing this this often for 3 layers with a king size mattress.

This is an important factor as far as your Personal Preferences and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn't turn out as well as you hoped for). Something like this can be a “make it or break it” issue for many people. That said, I wouldn't base your decision on the warranty offered. Warranties are not a reliable indicator of the useful life of a mattress as most of them have exclusions designed to protect the manufacturer from honoring them or exclude "normal" body impressions and don't cover the loss of comfort and support that comes from foam softening. Granted that latex can in certain cases last for at least a decade. Beware of any salesperson who attempts to sell you a mattress based on its warranty and bear in mind that some of the highest quality and longest lasting mattresses in the world only have a 10-year warranty. In other words, base your durability estimates on what you know about the materials in a mattress, not on manufacturer warranties.

#2 pros/cons: Having multiple (five!) latex layers definitely gives you enough room to swap, test, experiment, etc. The goal is really to find a fit that's going to most closely match your needs from the get-go. You already have some experience of what does not work for you so you don't have to shop in the dark! The best way to reduce shipping/exchange costs would be a detailed conversation with the retailer/manufacturer based on your experience and your sleep stats, needs, etc.

And for the #3 MFC Presto...

4 layers - again, lots to swap around to hopefully get the right feel

Presto was designed with the idea of layer switching to accommodate up to 9 firmness options to suit different needs and preferences. It is likely that you'll achieve the right feel from the beginning, with their expert guidance! MFC is not only a Trusted Member of our site which means that I think very highly of their products but Mario (the company owner) is also an expert member of our site with a great deal of knowledge and experience to help you discuss best-fit configuration. As far as the stretchy cover goes... you can always find an encasement or mattress protector that is more to your liking later. The most important thing at this stage is that you get good support/comfort. Sop I’d place the cover a little lower down your list of must-have.

Again, I know that mattress shopping can cause some information overload and "analysis paralysis." All your 3 finalists are good durable beds so you can’t really go wrong. I’d gather a bit more data from the discussion with their support teams.

While I can't choose the mattress for you, I do recommend that, in addition to detailed conversations with the three options above, that you also revisit the article that talks about the needs of different sleeping positions

Hopefully, I've been able to eliminate some of your anxiety and help you move forward. I'll be interested to learn of your eventual decisions.

Phoenix