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Hi mgblues,

I've been unable to obtain more specific information on the Aireloom mattress.

This isn't surprising to me because Aireloom isn't normally transparent about the materials they use in their mattresses (which is one of the reasons I would tend to avoid them).

In fact, when I called the store today, I was advised that Tempur Pedic had authorized a small discount off their mattresses and are also throwing in the plain box springs. The set of the Queen Tempur Pedic Contour Elite mattress and flat box spring would cost approximately $2159.00 . Knowing how Tempur Pedic does business, however, I am skeptical that discounts are being allowed. Do you know anything about any current programs that they may (or may not) be offering on their mattresses?

I don't know whether they are offering any current promotions (one way or the other) but I don't see any on their site. You could always check with Tempurpedic to confirm whether this is accurate.

I also spent quite some time looking for a local mattress manufacturer and/or dealer in the general vicinity and struck out repeatedly. At least 2 of the sites indicated that they were no longer in the business.

If you could let me know which ones they are then I can remove them from any of the forum lists they are listed in if they are no longer in business.

During my search of your posts, however, I ran across a reference to Restonic as a reputable mattress manufacturer. One of our local furniture stores (Wolf's) sells Restonic mattresses. I visited their store and found 3 that felt very nice. The models that I liked are (in no particular order), the York Extra Firm {tempa gel memory foam, heavy duty individual coil, foam encasement, MM patented center support & a 15 year warranty}, the Doria {latex, memory foam, individual coil, foam encasement, MM patented center support and 15 year warranty} and the Harrisburg Eurotop {Premium Talalay Latex 34 ILD, MM patented center support, 884 Heavy Duty Individually Wrapped Coils that are tempered steel, gel quilting foams in the comfort layer, high density foam in support layers}.

Restonic is a licensee group that includes many different privately owned factories that will often name and build their mattresses differently in each area of the country that they service. I would consider them as a "possibility" because the odds are higher that you will be able to find out the information you need to make an informed choice than with other larger manufacturers but this will also depend on which factory builds the mattresses and the store you are dealing with. I would consider them on a "mattress by mattress" basis depending on whether you can find out the information you need and based on the most important parts of the "value" of a mattress purchase in post #13 here .

The salesperson I was working with could not locate specific current spec sheets on the mattresses as some of them are new products and the Restonic rep has not yet brought the new spec sheets to the department. Do you have any thoughts on the models I found at the store?

Unfortunately ... without the information listed here it's not possible for me to make any meaningful comments about the quality of the materials in the mattress.

I would be very cautious about "brand shopping" (see post #5 here ) because outside of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences), a mattress is only as good as its construction and the quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label.

I just sent a request to Restonic for the specs for each of the 3 mattresses. Will update if and when I receive a response. If you happen to have the info, then you won't need it.

This would normally be the "job" or responsibility of any good retailer who may have better access to the specs of the mattresses they sell through their manufacturer's rep than a consumer who is trying to deal directly with a wholesale manufacturer ... assuming of course that they are willing to make the phone calls to find out (which some aren't). It can be frustrating for a consumer to try and find out this information on their own from a company that isn't set up to deal directly with consumer inquiries.

Unfortunately I don't know the specs for any of the mattresses you mentioned but I hope you are able to find them out for the benefit of others that may be considering the same mattresses in the future.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

I have not received a reply from Restonic yet. Will update if and when I hear from them.

I just spoke to rep at Mattress Warehouse who advised me that the gentleman claiming there was a communication regarding a sale on Tempur Pedic was most likely mistaken based upon fact that he was relatively new to the company. We discussed the Aireloom in a bit more detail and he gave me a little more info than what I posted previously.

He indicated that the coils are made from high carbon steel and are the highest gauge available. He also indicated that the foams are tested (OEKO-TEX appears to be the one testing company that they use, the other is Certi-Pur), and there is approximately 2 inches of memory foam under quilting that forms the top surface. Under that is at least 1.5 inches of latex (Talalay if memory serves), Their polyfoam is a bio-blend that is mostly soy-based.

Does this information help or do you need more detail? I am still waiting to hear from Restonic and am not rushing to make a decision as I do not feel that I have all of the details that I would like. The salesperson is very knowledgeable and indicated that I was looking at the correct issues (Thank You for that... all of my knowledge comes courtesy of your assistance), and that his experience has been that almost all company reps will only provide a certain amount of detail, claiming that they are prohibited from giving up proprietary secrets while in the field. It certainly confirms what you told me in terms of expectations.

If I haven't made it clear previously, I really appreciate all of your assistance during this very difficult task of choosing an appropriate mattress.

Mark

Hi mgblues,

He indicated that the coils are made from high carbon steel and are the highest gauge available. He also indicated that the foams are tested (OEKO-TEX appears to be the one testing company that they use, the other is Certi-Pur), and there is approximately 2 inches of memory foam under quilting that forms the top surface. Under that is at least 1.5 inches of latex (Talalay if memory serves), Their polyfoam is a bio-blend that is mostly soy-based.

Does this information help or do you need more detail?

Unfortunately the information they provided is very incomplete and I would need all the information listed in this article to be able to help you identify any weak links or make any meaningful comments about any mattress.

The salesperson is very knowledgeable and indicated that I was looking at the correct issues (Thank You for that... all of my knowledge comes courtesy of your assistance), and that his experience has been that almost all company reps will only provide a certain amount of detail, claiming that they are prohibited from giving up proprietary secrets while in the field. It certainly confirms what you told me in terms of expectations.

There are many manufacturers that claim that the information you would need to make an informed choice is somehow "proprietary" but I certainly wouldn't agree. You can read a little more about "so called" proprietary materials and using this as a justification for not disclosing what I would consider to be essential information here and here and here .

If I haven't made it clear previously, I really appreciate all of your assistance during this very difficult task of choosing an appropriate mattress.

Thanks for the kind comments ... I appreciate them

Phoenix

While I wait for responses regarding the Restonic mattresses I tried at a local place, I decided to try out the Tempur Pedic Contour Elite again to make sure that I still thought highly of the feel of the mattress. The local company that offered me a deal is still willing to do so, cutting the cost of the new product by approximately $900. At a price less than $2100, I think it is a pretty solid value, especially with 48 months of interest free financing and no penalties for early payoff. However, I am still concerned about purchasing a brand based on everything I have learned by reading information on this site. What do you think about the Contour Elite?

Are there any comparable mattresses (by any of the manufacturers who belong to the site or who may be close to Harrisburg Pennsylvania) that you would recommend?

While I was trying the Contour Elite to make sure I liked the more firm memory foam, I noticed a Laura Ashley model that appeared to be a hybrid that had quilting atop memory foam, high quality latex and individually wrapped high quality coils as support. Have you heard anything about the Laura Ashley line of mattresses that are just being delivered to retailers? The salesman at the store indicated that the mattresses were just delivered recently and appear to be well made, while delivering a lot more bang for the buck when compared to the much higher priced Tempur Pedic mattresses at his store. I haven't pursued it any further because I just happened to see the mattresses while walking out and got a little info from the salesman. However, if there is any positive feedback that you are aware of concerning their manufacture, I will attempt to secure information as set forth in your earlier advice and other posts.

Finally, I was looking through the member manufacturer websites and am a little overwhelmed at the daunting task of selecting a retailer who could best serve my needs here in Harrisburg. I know that anyone who sells nationally is an option but which ones have you found to be most reasonable to deal with in terms of any exchanges or returns and matching a customer to the mattress that would best serve them? I was very impressed with My Green Mattress, but am slightly concerned that I would be over-budget with no financing options available for online orders.

Still waiting for other information to be delivered so I thought it would be productive to use this time to explore the member manufacturers on your site.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Mark

It just occurred to me that I may not have mentioned some of the factors that may affect any recommendations you may have for my search. I am 50 years old and had knee surgery in December. I also have arthritis in various places (woo-hoo... getting older isn't for wimps). I have shrunk to a height of about 5 ft 8.5 inches and currently weigh just over 220 lbs. Once I get active, I have a goal of getting under 200 lbs but am not shopping based on that goal.

After a couple more hours, I found that Pure Crafted Beds, Fox and Sleep EZ are intriguing members of the site (along with My Green Mattress. Any thoughts about which would be best in light of all of the above?

Hi mgblues,

I decided to try out the Tempur Pedic Contour Elite again to make sure that I still thought highly of the feel of the mattress. The local company that offered me a deal is still willing to do so, cutting the cost of the new product by approximately $900. At a price less than $2100, I think it is a pretty solid value, especially with 48 months of interest free financing and no penalties for early payoff. However, I am still concerned about purchasing a brand based on everything I have learned by reading information on this site. What do you think about the Contour Elite?

There is more about the most important parts of the value of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses.

I can't speak to whether the Contour Elite is a good match for you in terms of PPP (only your own personal testing or experience can tell you this) but I can speak to the quality of the materials inside it. While Tempurpedic isn't transparent and no longer discloses the quality/density of the materials in their mattresses, you can see the "probable" specs in post #2 here (although the density of the base layer may be as low as 1.5 lb density based on some information I have received). If these specs are correct then it uses high quality materials and there would be no weak links in the mattress.

The value of a mattress purchase is always relative to how a mattress you are considering compares to all your other finalists or other mattresses that are available to you based on ..

1. Testing for PPP (which is the most important part of the value of a mattress purchase)
2. Checking for the quality and durability of the materials to make sure there are no weak links in the mattress
3. Comparing your finalists for "value" based on all the other parts of your personal value equation that are important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your mattress doesn't work out as well as you hoped).

Are there any comparable mattresses (by any of the manufacturers who belong to the site or who may be close to Harrisburg Pennsylvania) that you would recommend?

There is more about the different ways that one mattress can "match" or approximate another one in post #9 here . I don't recommend specific mattresses or manufacturers because there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved to choose a mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or "theory at a distance" (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here ) but the mattress shopping tutorial includes a link to a list of the better online retailers/manufacturers I'm aware of that sell memory foam mattresses online and many of them either sell mattresses that are designed to be a close approximation of the Tempurpedic mattresses in terms of their comfort/support and specify which mattress they are close to in the description. If they don't make specific comparisons in their descriptions then some of them may also be familiar enough with the Tempurpedic mattresses to be able to give you good guidance about which of their mattresses are closest to a particular Tempurpedic mattress when you talk with them on the phone.

I don't know of any local choices that specifically compare themselves to any of the Tempurpedic mattresses so you would need to test them in person to find out which of them feel similar to you and of course make sure you check the quality of the materials inside them as well because you can't "feel" the quality of the materials in a mattress and lower quality materials can feel the same as higher quality materials in a showroom or when the mattress is relatively new ... they just don't maintain their comfort, support, and feel for nearly as long.

Finally, I was looking through the member manufacturer websites and am a little overwhelmed at the daunting task of selecting a retailer who could best serve my needs here in Harrisburg. I know that anyone who sells nationally is an option but which ones have you found to be most reasonable to deal with in terms of any exchanges or returns and matching a customer to the mattress that would best serve them? I was very impressed with My Green Mattress, but am slightly concerned that I would be over-budget with no financing options available for online orders.

As you know I think very highly of My Green Mattress/Quality Sleep and they are a member of this site which means that I believe that they compete well with the best in the country in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency. Their mattresses are also very different from Tempurpedic and use different materials so none of them would "match" the Tempurpedic mattresses (although they may be a better match for you in terms of PPP which is always more important that how well one mattress matches another one).

While I don't make specific recommendations for either a mattress or a manufacturer/retailer (again because there are too many unknowns, variables and personal preferences involved) ... there is more about the different ways to choose a mattress (either locally or online) that can help you identify and minimize the risks involved with each of them in post #2 here .

It just occurred to me that I may not have mentioned some of the factors that may affect any recommendations you may have for my search. I am 50 years old and had knee surgery in December. I also have arthritis in various places (woo-hoo... getting older isn't for wimps). I have shrunk to a height of about 5 ft 8.5 inches and currently weigh just over 220 lbs. Once I get active, I have a goal of getting under 200 lbs but am not shopping based on that goal.

Since I don't make specific recommendations about which mattress to choose ... only "how" to choose ... your particular specs or circumstances wouldn't make any significant difference because the steps for "how" to make the choice that is best for each particular person would be the same for anyone ... even though they will lead to different final choices.

Phoenix

One of the most attractive options I found today is the TruEssence by Pure Crafted Beds along with their foundation. How do you like that mattress? I just spoke to one of the owners at Pure Crafted Beds and she was very sweet and extremely knowledgeable. I am strongly considering ordering the TruEssence after she reassured me regarding all of the issues that I am concerned with on the mattress.

Hi mgblues,

One of the most attractive options I found today is the TruEssence by Pure Crafted Beds along with their foundation. How do you like that mattress? I just spoke to one of the owners at Pure Crafted Beds and she was very sweet and extremely knowledgeable. I am strongly considering ordering the TruEssence after she reassured me regarding all of the issues that I am concerned with on the mattress.

I don't have any personal experience sleeping on the mattress and I can't speak to how it will feel for you in terms of PPP (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here ) but Pure Crafted Beds was a member of this site which means that I think very highly of them and I believe they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, and service. They use very high quality materials in their mattresses and there are no lower quality materials or weak links in their design. They provide good guidance about which of their mattresses would be most suitable for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) and they also have a good return policy which can lower the risk of an online purchase so if you sleep on the mattress and it doesn't seem to be as suitable a "match" for you as you hoped for then you you are only risking $99 to return it. They would certainly be well worth serious consideration IMO.

Phoenix