Way Off Topic - Mattresses

[JohnMiller3]

<font color=blue>...I think we'll both do a little experimenting and adjusting ... I'm hard of hearing, but I had to put my hand on it to tell if it was running...</font color=blue>

Hi Bird... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Just thinking when I get to retire some day like you... and realize how the "National Enquirer" puts "stories" together... /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[skent]

Gosh, the air pump on ours sounds like a shop vac when its running!

 

[pajoube]

Bird, the pump is used to adjust the comfort level on each side. Is this done fairly often or not? The noise level would not be that important if you only pump up a few times. Does the mattress lose any pressure over time?
PJ

 

[MikePA]

<font color=blue>Does the mattress lose any pressure over time?</font color=blue>

Sigh, now the mattress joins the dog and the cat as just another convenient excuse. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

PJ,
We've had ours a couple years now and never had them lose any air. I keep mine the same all the time but my wife likes to mess with hers depending on how her back feels.

 

[Bird]

PJ, we haven't had it long enough to know how often we might want (or need) to adjust it, but I guess Cowboydoc has already answered the question. I played with the adjustment a bit yesterday evening and found if everything else in the room is quiet, I can hear the air pump but barely.

 

[pajoube]

Bird,
When you have the two sides independent there is a foam liner that connects the two together. Is this uncomfortable or can you tell its even there?
PJ

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>Is this uncomfortable or can you tell its even there?</font color=blue>

No and yes./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif With equal and higher pressure settings, I think you'd barely know it was there, if at all. With lower pressure settings, you will notice it more, but it's not uncomfortable. I don't guess anything is perfect, but I have no doubt that we're going to keep it.

Cowboydoc mentioned a 25 year warranty and that may have been the case when he bought his, but now they advertise a "20 year limited warranty" and when I asked about the limits, the lady said limited to defects in material and workmanship; not damage by the customer. Well, I didn't know it, but you can find the actual warranty on their web site. It's a 2 year replacement warranty, and after that you would pay 20% plus a prorated amount of the "current" price.

 

[GaryM]

My wife and I have had a Select Comfort king pillow top for at least 5 years and love it. I'm sure you'll be happy with yours. Ours is old enought that it predates the "Select your sleep number" stuff.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Gary, We have the old corded switches also. No numbers on a remote to read.... I actually don't understand why a number would be needed. Seldom ever change the amount of air in the bed unless the grandkids mess with it. And our air pump also sounds like a shop vac but that also doesn't bother us. Lets us know when the grandkids are messing with it......

And so, BIRD, You like it so far?

 

[Bird]

Ours has the "digital" remotes with the lighted (or "lit"?) number displays, but we had a choice of a single wireless remote (have to periodically replace a battery just like a TV remote and you both share it) or two wired remotes with the digital display. We elected to go with the two remotes; each have our own on our own side of the bed and no batteries to worry about. And I think they talk about numbers from 0 to 100, but it actually moves up or down in 5 number increments, so they could have made it 1 to 20 and had the same thing./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif But, yes, we like it and are going to keep it; went ahead and paid for it and gave away our old mattress and box springs and my wife's bought more "deep pocket" fitted sheets since our old mattress wasn't as thick as this one. However, I didn't have to modify the bookcase headboard since the overall height is not that much different from the old stuff; new mattress is thicker, but their "foundation" is not as thick.

 

[frank_f15]

bird: kinda late to this thread, but we bought a select comfort matress about 5 years ago. split matress so the bride can have it her way and i can have it my way. we also have the digital remote . can't say enough about the matress. we love it. hope u enjoy yours.

 

[patrickg]

Bird, About 6-7 years ago my wife was complaining about waking up with a sore back. We were using a high qualilty extra firm mattress. We progressively added 1 then 2 then a 3rd egg crate foam pad on top. Sure helped but still not as good as we would like. I took her to a mattress store and had he lay on various mattresses. A sales person had her get on her side and showed me how straight her spine was which was an indication that the mattress supplied just the right flotation. I bought the mattress, we still use it, I love it, and she has not had a single back pain on getting up all these years. I paid $1000. The mattress is 100% latex foam and is thinner than a regular mattress and is like trying to move a 200 lb limp noodle without handles.

In 1997 I bought a new cabover camper with queen sized bed. Went to a mattress factory in San Diego that also sold factory direct to public. Asked about queen size in latex foam. They had 5 different densities of demo mattresses which they threw on a slab floor one at a time for me to try. I picked the one that seemed to match the "home unit" the best. They strongly suggested I bring the wife in for a trial prior to putting down a non-refundable deposit. I said I was sure here is the money, make the mattress. We put it in our camper and it works wonderfully, even when we lived in the camper for nearly 9 months prior to getting my mom's house ready for move in.

I'm sure there are lots of RIGHT mattresses but I have no incentive to look further. I'm happy and no more waking up with a sore back for my wife. I paid about 500 for the queen size at the factory. Too bad I didn't buy smart the first time but, oh well.

Regarding the two control air inflated mattress. A good friend had one. Nautilus, I believe. It has the "special foam" on top with a memory. He got the same results as we got with out latex but could have different firmness on each side. Luckily we don't need that.

Best of luck to you.

Patrick

 

[Bird]

Patrick, I did a little reading on the Internet about the latex mattresses, talked to the folks who make the S.A.M mattresses (self-adjusting mattress and I still don't really understand how their patented valves work), and got literature and videos from Select Comfort and Nautilus (Nautilus included a little sample of their special foam - don't remember what they called it, and I gave all their stuff to a neighbor yesterday). I didn't see a lot of difference in the Select Comfort and Nautilus except that Nautilus cost a little more and you can get it with two "pillow tops" (wool for winter warmth and I think silk for summer coolness) that can be unzipped, removed, and dry cleaned.

Glad you're happy with the latex and we're happy with the Select Comfort and that's all that matters./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[patrickg]

Bird, If the TV advertisements are any indication then my wife and I should be in the Guiness book of world records! They portray every couple as having extremely different needs and desires regarding firmness of mattress. Luckily we are both well served and pleased with the same mattress. Otherwise, we too would be looking for one like you searched out. Sometimes we catch a break.

Patrick

 

[pajoube]

Bird,
Now that you have had almost 4 months on that new mattress, what are your thoughts regarding quaility?
PJ

 

[Bird]

PJ, I'm inclined to think there are probably others just as good, like the Nautilus perhaps, but as far as I know so far, none better than this one. We're well pleased with it, if it just holds up over the long term. Incidentally, I did my shopping on the Internet and telephone and selected and ordered this Select Comfort mattress, delivered by UPS, but since we've moved back to town, I've already been in two different shopping malls with my wife which had Select Comfort stores. I asked the salesman in one of them whether they were franchise or company owned and he said they are all company owned.

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Bird,

Having slept on all three types of matress, I can honestly say, go with a conventional matress, bought through a reputable dealer.

There is a store a couple of hours North of here that used to buy commercial time and use it like 30 second infomercials. If these guys were telling me the truth (?) the big difference in the quality of construction between the different grades of matress is how the springs are held together inside. Apparently, they can be wired together, clamped together or tied together. Hand tied is supposedly the most expensive construction, but also the best for sleeping on, since the material the is used to tie the springs together will stretch and give a bit whereas wire or metal clamps will not. (This may have been an attempt to sell more expensive matresses). There are also a number of places selling "refurbs". (according to 60 minutes several years ago). Sometimes this process even involves removing the old covering before sewing a new one on. (Hence I mention "reputable" dealer).

It was also my understanding that all or almost all of the "S" brands (seeley, serta, etc), were owned by one company. Maybe some of the guys with plants in their towns could tell me if this is correct?

SHF

 

[Bird]

SHF, I think I've probably slept on just about all kinds in my lifetime, and until a few years ago, it really didn't make much difference to me; I could sleep just about anywhere./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif But now I think I'm better off with what we've got if it holds up and lasts as long as it's supposed to.

 

[MossRoad]

!!! I'll never give up my full wave water bed !!!

(I'll probably never grow up either)