TOPIC:

Hello! I've read the guidelines and now I have a better understanding of what I'm looking for. Like a lot of people I did an engine search for "best mattress" and came up with Saatva and Loom and Leaf. I never placed my order because I could not decide between the 2 and could not decide on firmness. I decided to go to Macys to get a "feel" of what I liked and then using it as a base for ordering. (A different mattress review site said to get the feel of a Saatva sample the Beauty Rest Black). After reading your information those 2 mattresses are not even close to being the same. What it did make me realize though is I think I do prefer a hybrid.
So here's where my tired self can use your help. I will admit I loved the feel of the BRB luxury firm (with and without the pillow top). I live in zip code 10307 and I'm wondering if you know of somewhere I can get a similar mattress to that one but of course better made.

Thank you!

Hi SoVeryTired,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! and I'm glad you found us before it was "too late"

Like a lot of people I did an engine search for "best mattress" and came up with Saatva and Loom and Leaf. I never placed my order because I could not decide between the 2 and could not decide on firmness. I decided to go to Macys to get a "feel" of what I liked and then using it as a base for ordering. (A different mattress review site said to get the feel of a Saatva sample the Beauty Rest Black).

If you've read the tutorial then you probably already know that a google search on "best mattress" will only tell you about a company's marketing and SEO skills and won't tell you anything about a mattress because there is no such thing as "the best mattress" ... there is only a mattress that is "best for you".

While other people's comments about the knowledge and service of a particular business can certainly be very helpful ... I would always keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and I would be cautious about about using other people's experiences or reviews on a mattress (either positive or negative) or review sites in general (especially some of the newer so called "professional review sites" which are mostly just "revenue sites" ... see post #11 here ) as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you and in many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because most consumers have little knowledge about mattresses and mattress materials or how to assess the quality or durability of the materials in a mattress and any mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words ... reviews in general certainly won't tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or "value" of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here ).

You can see some comments about the Loom & Leaf along with many of the other "simplified choice" online mattresses in post #2 here in the simplified choice mattress topic and the first post in the same topic would probably be worth reading as well. There are also some more detailed comments in post #5 here . A forum search on Loom Leaf (you can just click the link) will also bring up more comments and feedback about it as well.

After reading your information those 2 mattresses are not even close to being the same.

You're certainly right about that!

What it did make me realize though is I think I do prefer a hybrid.

Assuming that the materials in a mattress you are considering are durable enough for your body type and meet the quality/durability guidelines here relative to your weight range ... the choice between different types and combinations of materials and components or different types of mattresses are more of a preference and a budget choice than a "better/worse" choice (see this article ).

I would keep in mind that there are thousands of different "hybrid" mattresses and that some of them may be a good "match" for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) and some may be completely unsuitable for you to sleep on so I certainly wouldn't focus on just one mattress category based on your experience on a single mattress that isn't a particularly good example of a "hybrid" mattress anyway.

So here's where my tired self can use your help. I will admit I loved the feel of the BRB luxury firm (with and without the pillow top). I live in zip code 10307 and I'm wondering if you know of somewhere I can get a similar mattress to that one but of course better made.

There is more information in post #9 here about the different ways that one mattress can "match" or "approximate" another one. Every layer and component in a mattress (including the cover and any quilting materials) will affect the feel and performance of every other layer and component and the mattress "as a whole" so unless you are able to find another mattress that uses exactly the same type of materials, components, cover, layer thicknesses, layer firmnesses, and overall design (which would be very unlikely) then there really isn't a way to match one mattress to another one in terms of "comfort", firmness, and PPP based on the specifications of the mattresses (even assuming that you can find out all the specifications you would need for both mattresses you are comparing in the first place).

Mattress manufacturers generally try to differentiate their mattress from the mattresses made by other manufacturers and don't normally try to "match" another mattress that is made by a different manufacturer so unless a manufacturer specifically says in their description of a mattress that one of their mattresses in the same general category is specifically designed to "match" or "approximate" another one in terms of firmness or "feel" and PPP and/or they are very familiar with both mattresses and can provide reliable guidance about how they compare based on the "averages" of a larger group of people that have compared them (different people may have very different opinions about how two mattresses compare) ... the only reliable way to know for certain how two mattresses would compare for you in terms of how they "feel" or in terms of firmness or PPP would be based on your own careful testing or actual sleeping experience on both of them.

When you can't test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help "talk you through" the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and "feel" of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best "match" for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the "averages" of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about "matching" their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

The better options and possibilities I'm aware of in the Staten Island area (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here ) are listed in the New York City list in post #2 here and the Monroe Township/Newark, NJ list in post #7 here (they have a fair bit of overlap).

I don't keep a record of the individual mattresses or their specs that the retailers and manufacturers in the hundreds of forum lists throughout the forum carry on their floor or have available online (it would be a bigger job than anyone could keep up with in a constantly changing market) but checking their websites and making some preliminary phone calls to the retailers/manufacturers that are on the local lists is always a good idea before you decide on which retailers or manufacturers you wish to deal with anyway. This will tell you which of them carry mattresses that would meet your specific criteria, are transparent about the materials in their mattresses, and that carry the type of mattresses that you are interested in that are also in the budget range you are comfortable with. Once you have checked their websites and/or talked with the ones that interest you then you will be in a much better position to decide on the ones that you are most interested in considering or visiting based on the results of your preliminary research and conversations.

Phoenix

As most others have said, mattress shopping should not be this difficult. I'm very appreciative of your knowledge.
I have checked out your list of places to visit and I'll be starting my search.

It's funny I had a Select Comfort (BEFORE it became sleep number) and we loved it. When I got divorced in 2008 I put the mattress in the attic. At that point we had it for approximately 12 years. I'm kinda sorry I did that because it was ruined (although by now I would've need a new one). It saddens me that companies produce a product that really is great but as its popularity grows they ruin it.

Anyway, thank you for your help.

On edit: I am taking a ride out to Sholvin Mattress today. After calling them and speaking with them, I am totally intrigued about their product.

Hi SoVeryTired,

On edit: I am taking a ride out to Shovlin Mattress today. After calling them and speaking with them, I am totally intrigued about their product.

I'm looking forward to your comments and feedback after your visit.

Phoenix

First and foremost they are extremely nice, not pushy, and want to make sure you know how they make their mattresses.
I liked 2 models: the flippable hybrid pillow top and the latex (of course who wouldn't
!). The one issue I had with the beds that were not latex was they didn't seem to come in different comfort levels. Although I THINK he said they did (I asked a few times but still unsure about the answer.)
I'm thinking the latex Nirvana is for me.

Hi SoVeryTired,

Thanks for the update ... I appreciate it.

The one issue I had with the beds that were not latex was they didn't seem to come in different comfort levels. Although I THINK he said they did (I asked a few times but still unsure about the answer.)

Their non latex mattresses do have different comfort levels and they can also custom build a mattress as well but they would be the most reliable source of information about the specifics.

I'm thinking the latex Nirvana is for me.

The Nirvana certainly uses high quality materials and there are no lower quality materials or weak links that would compromise the durability or useful life of the mattress. A forum search on Shovlin Nirvana (you can just click the link) will also bring up more comments and feedback about it as well.

I'm looking forward to finding out what you end up choosing once you decide to pull the trigger.

Phoenix

Phoenix,
I have a question (hopefully not too ignorant)

I've heard memory foam reacts to the heat in the room but does latex also? This could deter me from the Nirvana.

Hi SoVeryTired,

No ... latex isn't temperature sensitive. There is more about some of the differences between them in post #2 here .

Phoenix

Thanks again. Just read it. I swear I know more about mattresses then I ever thought I would

Pillows: any info on Bedgear?

Hi SoVeryTired,

Pillows: any info on Bedgear?

I don't have any personal experience with them but hopefully some of the members here that have one will see your post and share their comments about any of the Bedgear pillows they own.

Pillows are an even more personal choice where individual preferences and "feel" play an even bigger role than with a mattress but there is more information in the pillow topic here and the posts it links to that may be helpful as well.

Phoenix