apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm futon people. It's cotton batting (nice and firm) and I have a foam matress topper on it (nice and soft). I'd love to hear some comments from the ve foam users. Thicknesses, densities, etc. How doew it all work for you?

Re-posting my comments from late at night on Monday.

A few months ago (after having an a-ha moment and realizing that my breathing problems may have resulted from sleeping on foam, and then performing a tremendous amount of research on the way other latexes and foams off-gas), I purchased a natural latex mattress and a wool topper from the website organicselections.com. (On top of them I have a down pillowtop featherbed that's several years old.) They're incredibly comfortable, very healthy for people with chemical sensitivity, naturally antibacterial, and easy to move. I highly recommend them.

Hey AP, I used to be a futon person but I just got a sonno firm foam mattress. So far, I love it. It feels warm and soft on the surface. Still, the overall feel is firm yet yeilding.

Interesting. Since childhood I've had allergy problems with feather pillows and wool blankets or clothing. For years I've used a foam mattress (not sure what type) on a platform bed and either foam or fiberfill pillows. Never go a near woolblankets or clothing either.

Jimkk, I can't wear wool or have wool carpets, so I was a bit considered, but the wool topper is inside two covers. And oddly enough, I've never had an allergy problem with down or feathers.

Jimkk, I can't wear wool or have wool carpets, so I was a bit concerned, but the wool topper is inside two covers. And oddly enough, I've never had an allergy problem with down or feathers.

I have a 2 year old spring mattress, which I regularly rotate. I
agree with me, about a down feather bed I have one and with
a down comforter, it's most welcome on a cold winter night.

We love our visco foam mattress bought at Economy Foam on Houston NYC..it's atop our storage platform bed and it's a dream...great value, too! Only 700. for a queen short - they custom cut the length for us...5" of foam and 3" of visco....no smell, very firm and it doesnt move around...a total win!

BTW - we had our storage bed made by Big Apple Futon on E23rd NYC and it's gorgeous! Very well made, too.

to me re natural latex mattresses

How timely, your info! I was just about to trot off to Dixie Foam to buy a mattress, with, in the back of my mind, worries about oozing gases. So, "natural latex" is somehow different from the latex mattresses one can buy at foam retailers? I just wonder because at least in food labelling, "natural" doesn't mean much.

Would love to hear about your research, if you have a moment. Thanks.

I was very interested in this thread, because I have a regular spring mattress and my husband and I HAVE to buy another mattress in the next few months. He has a bad back, and needs a harder mattress, but I think our current mattress is too hard. I sleep on a doubled-over feather bed out of desperation, and it's still not giving enough. Has anyone tried the dial-a-bed, where you can adjust each side?

PS - Before anyone buys foam, please research the health hazards. Foam is treated with mega-fire retardants, which gets into your body faster than anything else seems to. Considering how much time we spend sleeping, that doesn't seem worth it, to me at least.

Isn't "natural" and "latex" a contradiction?

nope, natural latex comes from rubber trees.

We need a new mattress soon and I have been researching them on the web (to no avail -- seems the mattress industry is based on marketing, no standards to base any sort of comparison!)

I have been considering the room&board latex mattress, although we have always slept on regular spring mattress. Does anyone have any feedback, good or bad, on this mattress or latex mattresses in general. Also, how to determine if the latex is natural or not?

thanks!

I think ks missed amandas joke.

I have been researching latex mattresses for a while now and I thought I would pipe in. First, there is a difference between 'foam' and 'latex'. Latex can be natural or man-made. People are allergic to the man-made version. That said, mattresses come in 'all-natural' latex and a mixture of the two (natural latex does not have the durability of the synthetic). The smell is minimal (I have 5 large samples right beside me) and, as far as I know, latex is not treated with any chemicals, but you should check that if it's a real concern. The best latex is Talalay (the method to make the 'sheets'), not Dunlop or European. Latex beds last longer, are non-allergenic, and can be custom designed much more easily than most beds. Prices range from $600 or so to quite exorbitant, depending on what you are looking for. Before I get too carried away, if you want to know more, go here: http://www.whatsthebest-mattress.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=wtb-mattress
and read more than you ever wanted to know about latex mattresses. (And, no, I am not in any way affiliated, just found them to be a great resource.)

About 6 years ago, after sleeping miserably for YEARS (tossing 'n turning, waiting up with back pain every day, etc.), I stayed over a friend's house and slept on a Select Comfort "Sleep Number Bed." When I got home I ordered one! (http://www.selectcomfort.com/)
You don't need to listen to Lindsay Wagner: I can tell you: It's the best thing I've done for myself physically in years! It really DOES make a difference. When I go away on a "regular" bed, I really miss my own bed. And I like that I can change the firmness according to my mood, with the same conforming-to-my-body comfort, even when I make it soft as a marshmallow.

About 6 years ago, after sleeping miserably for YEARS (tossing 'n turning, waiting up with back pain every day, etc.), I stayed over a friend's house and slept on a Select Comfort "Sleep Number Bed." When I got home I ordered one! (http://www.selectcomfort.com/)
You don't need to listen to Lindsay Wagner: I can tell you: It's the best thing I've done for myself physically in years! It really DOES make a difference. When I go away on a "regular" bed, I really miss my own bed. And I like that I can change the firmness according to my mood, with the same conforming-to-my-body comfort, even when I make it soft as a marshmallow.

We got our daughter an Obasan natural rubber crib mattress (www.obasan.ca), and will probably get the same for ourselves sometime soon, although I really want either a Savoir mattress, or a Hastens. Not much chance getting my husband to shell out for one though...

I ordered a mattress online but I had slept on one before--in an intensive care unit. It is called the SAM mattress. A self adjusting air mattress topped with a memory foam layer. The mattress cover has hypoallergenic wool on one side for cold weather, and plain fabric on the other for hot weather. You use your regular bedding on it. No more backaches, and in my case, (since I use it in a hospital bed at home) no pressure points. It is like one of those number mattresses topped with a memory foam mattress except that it is automatic. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Just google SAM mattress.

I had been looking for a mattress for quite some time when my chiropractor asked me what kind of bed I was sleeping on. He had just purchased a bed from a specialized company call Chiromatic and was thrilled with the support and comfort. I contacted Chiromatic and found out they are designed by chiropractors and have been providing mattresses to the chiropractic community for over 30 years. I figured I would order one since they have a 100% moneyback policy.I understand why they have the policy, this is the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in. I reccomend it to all my extended family, the mattress is really that good!

We have a very soft "Do not Disturb" matress in our guestroom. We enjoy it very much, but we have had guest complain that it is to soft. Is there anything we can put on top of the mattress to make it harder?