TOPIC:

I recently received my new latex over coils mattress and I have to say it's much less pressure relieving then I expected. I feel very little pressure relief when on my side, not just against my hips but also against my torso. One thing I noticed is the mattress seems very poorly constructed with the side stitching all over the place, loose threads and it not even having a consistent shape all around. Additionally I think the latex might be getting compressed as this mattress is supposed to be 11-11.5 inches tall (8" pocket coil, 3" of latex and then a wool top layer) but it's coming out to 10 inches on the sides due to it being sewn in super tight. This mattress is dunlop latex and I remember you saying somewhere that dunlop can feel softer on initial compression but then gets firmer much faster after further compression. Is it possible this construction issue could be making the mattress feel firmer and less pressure relieving? I understand the mattress is only a few days old and will keep sleeping on it but I am already a bit disappointed as it feels nothing like any other latex over coil mattress I have laid on in a store all of which had zippered covers where the latex layers (either talalay or dunlop) were not as tightly compressed.

Sorry to hear that your initial impressions are less than favorable. Would you be so kind as to share the company you purchased it from so we can all benefit from your experience? Hopefully it will improve with some break-in time while you're still within your return window.

I disagree that sharing the vendor will benefit others on this forum at this time as I only just received the mattress recently. I don't want to raise an alarm or potentially throw a vendor under the bus over something that may ultimately become a non-issue however I did want to raise my concerns with Phoenix to help potentially explain how this mattress feels nothing like what I expected, especially after all of the research and trials of similar mattresses at local shops.

Hi landale1,

Thanks for the update on your new mattress. I’ll try to provide some insight to your comments.

I recently received my new latex over coils mattress and I have to say it's much less pressure relieving then I expected. I feel very little pressure relief when on my side, not just against my hips but also against my torso

If you were basing your expectations on items you had sampled in showroom, these expectations may be unrealistic, as you’d need to make sure that every layer in the mattress you tested was the same as what you ordered online. So this would be the same innerspring unit (gauge of steel, zoning, profile, number of revolutions, method of joining, edge system), the same latex comfort layer (thickness, Dunlop or Talalay, same blend, same manufacturer, same ILD/density) and the same covering (material used, quilted to FR or wool, FR sock being used or not, cover is zippered on or sewn as part of a finished mattress). A change in any of these items as compared to what you currently have at home will provide a different overall comfort, in addition to the fact that your mattress is new and will undoubtedly have some “false firmness” that it will lose in the first few months.

One thing I noticed is the mattress seems very poorly constructed with the side stitching all over the place, loose threads and it not even having a consistent shape all around.

I can’t speak to what “side stitching all over the place” might be, but as your mattress is a finished product with what I’m guessing would be side panels joined to a top panel, inconsistencies are somewhat normal; as this is done by a tape edge machine by hand. It does happen that when the tape edge is applied that some of the loose strings of fabric from where the border panel was cut can stick out from under the tape edge, but this would be mostly a cosmetic issue. And if your item arrived compressed, it is possible that the mattress encasement became slightly askew if it is not affixed in any area to your interior componentry. I know these are all general statements, as I don’t have your mattress directly in front of me, but I hope that explains some of the things that you may be seeing.

Additionally I think the latex might be getting compressed as this mattress is supposed to be 11-11.5 inches tall (8" pocket coil, 3" of latex and then a wool top layer) but it's coming out to 10 inches on the sides due to it being sewn in super tight.

It would be common for your mattress to be slightly thinner and compressed a bit along the edges where the side panel and top panel are joined, if this is a “traditional” tape edge style of construction.

This mattress is dunlop latex and I remember you saying somewhere that dunlop can feel softer on initial compression but then gets firmer much faster after further compression. Is it possible this construction issue could be making the mattress feel firmer and less pressure relieving?

This would be a comment comparing similar ILDs of Talalay and Dunlop latex and how they respond/feel relative to each other. Both types of latex can be quite pressure relieving, and the preference between one or the other tends to be personal. The plushness of the latex (ILD) would be the most important thing, and if you picked a latex that was firmer it is possible that, Talalay or Dunlop, this level of plushness could be too firm for you. At similar ILDs, Talalay will tend to feel softer than Dunlop. Also, realize that the latex is an overall part of your sleep system and it works together with the covering and the innerspring unit of your mattress.

I understand the mattress is only a few days old and will keep sleeping on it but I am already a bit disappointed as it feels nothing like any other latex over coil mattress I have laid on in a store all of which had zippered covers where the latex layers (either talalay or dunlop) were not as tightly compressed.

I commented a bit earlier in this reply about making comparisons between products. As you’ve only had the mattress for a few days, I would give it at least a few weeks to see how it “breaks-in” and how you adjust to the mattress as well. Hopefully as a bit of time goes on the comfort you chose will work well for you. If not, hopefully you had the foresight to choose a company that does have a good exchange/return policy if things do unfortunately turn out not as you expected.

Phoenix

I apologize and can certainly respect your position out of consideration for the seller. Hopefully it will improve for you in time. All the best to you in your quest, and thanks for sharing your experience here.

Hi Phoenix,

Thanks for the response and I will start by agreeing that I am very aware I am in the early stages with this mattress and know the feel will change over the coming weeks. I also understand there is no such thing as an apples to apples comparison when comparing mattresses but I tried no less than 6 latex over coil mattresses all using 3" layers of either "soft" dunlop or talalay. While there was an obvious difference in feel between the talalay and dunlop models, the differences between those of similar latex type was much closer. I knew this wouldn't yield the exact same feel as another mattress but given it also featured a soft density dunlop latex layer I was alarmed that this mattress almost in no way resembles the feel of anything I tried. I will keep sleeping on it and see how it breaks in though before I make any rash decisions.

In regards to the build quality one entire side of the mattress is noticeably convex compared to the other side which is pretty much a straight line from top to bottom. It also looks like during stitching on the convex side they weren't able to hold a straight line and it veers so close to the edge that its almost sticking out the side hence my comment on the loose threads, this is also likely why the middle part of this side of the mattress bulges out. This may be completely aesthetic and have little to no bearing on the feel of the mattress but I still find it disappointing on such an expensive purchase.

Hi landale1,

I tried no less than 6 latex over coil mattresses all using 3" layers of either "soft" dunlop or talalay. While there was an obvious difference in feel between the talalay and dunlop models, the differences between those of similar latex type was much closer. I knew this wouldn't yield the exact same feel as another mattress but given it also featured a soft density dunlop latex layer I was alarmed that this mattress almost in no way resembles the feel of anything I tried. I will keep sleeping on it and see how it breaks in though before I make any rash decisions.

Variations that most people would consider to be small can dramatically impact overall comfort, per the reasons I mentioned previously. “Word designations” (like soft) are also not standardized, there are many variations in pocketed spring units, and also the amount (and type) of wool quilted to the cover (and the fact that the cover is “tighter” around the mattress) can all provide a firmer overall feel. Also, your mattress at home would have a mattress pad and a fitted sheet on it, which will also produce a slightly firmer feel than in a showroom. It may be still that the item you ordered will not be to your comfort preference once it "breaks-in", but these are some of the reasons why comparisons can sometimes be difficult to make from brand to brand.

In regards to the build quality one entire side of the mattress is noticeably convex compared to the other side which is pretty much a straight line from top to bottom. It also looks like during stitching on the convex side they weren't able to hold a straight line and it veers so close to the edge that its almost sticking out the side hence my comment on the loose threads, this is also likely why the middle part of this side of the mattress bulges out.

I can’t comment more beyond my general statements from my first reply without seeing the item, but if you think that the assembly of the unit may be negatively impacting the performance of the mattress I would phone the company and email them a few photos and get their opinion on what you are observing. It may be that there is indeed a defect in how your mattress was put together, which unfortunately sometimes happens with hand-built items.

Phoenix