Our goal is to provide you with clear, unbiased bed knowledge that can actually
be used to pick out a new mattress. We hope this guide helps you.
[Small Note: Visco-elastic memory foam ("visco"
for short) is different than regular foam. Rubber and latex
are the same thing.]
The "best" mattress is a matter of individual
preference. Choosing the right bed doesn't happen overnight, so please
take your time. The mattress
that gives you the "Wow" or
"Ahh" factor is usually a wise choice.
Most mattresses made today have a bottom layer (support) and a top layer (comfort). Comfort puts you to
sleep and support keeps you asleep.
These days, all mattresses have a firm support
system. They are generally made with either metal coil springs, rubber, or foam.
Most mattresses are made with metal coil springs. Coil count, shape, and thickness varies.
They can be bouncy. Foam gives firm support with no bounce. Rubber
provides firm yet gentle support plus instant
conformability. If you normally sleep on a mattress made with
springs, rubber and foam systems will feel
different at first. Foam will last
longer than springs and rubber will last the longest.
Comfort materials consist of foam, visco, and rubber. Foam is the most
widely used because it
keeps prices down and does a decent job of relieving pressure, but it will
eventually lose it's
new look and feel. Rubber
provides excellent pressure relief and retains it's original shape and feel. Rubber and foam are
temperature-neutral. Visco is a heat-activated foam that absorbs
all movement and relieves nearly all pressure. Visco will also retain it's original shape and feel.
New mattresses and new shoes have something in common: Just as
new shoes will wrinkle when you wear them, a new mattress
will eventually show some evidence of being slept in (referred to as a
"body impression"). Not to fret as this is normal and expected. If the
impression becomes extreme (the standard is one-&-a-half inches), your
warranty
will kick in.
