Beds For Backs

12 Comments

• 

  Jin
  

  23.Jan.10 | 7:24 pm

  It was a great mattress topper while it lasted. However, in less than five years of ownership I noticed the topper lost a considerable amount of firmness. It became too soft to sleep on except for the edges and I found myself waking up less refreshed. It’s like trying to sleep on a ‘V’ shaped mattress.

  I contacted the manufacturer, Foamex, twice via email but they never responded. Finally I called and was told they won’t service the mattress; redirecting me back to the seller who has since gone out of business. I have no experience with this seller, however I would suggest anyone considering purchasing a Sensus brand viscoelastic mattress or topper be aware that you will likely have problems before the ten-year warranty has expired. Plus, even if you find a seller who doesn’t turn a warranty claim into a hassle, you will find they are rather expensive to repackage and ship. I will not purchase another Sensus or Reflex brand product.
• 

  Ulrich
  

  24.Jan.10 | 7:24 pm

  Sensus is a Foamex product. (I’d done quite a bit of research and (through some prying phone conversations with Foamex) found out that they once supplied Tempurpedic.) They are THE memory-foam authority. (Let that sink in for a minute.) If Tempurpedic chose this company to make their products, it must be top-quality.

  I own this particular topper and I can say it is everything you want a memory-foam product to be; resilient, durable, firm, supportive, responsive and COMFORTABLE! I promise, you won’t be disappointed with it.

  I’ve also “done the math” and figured out the actual density. My Sensus topper has a density of 5.3 pounds per cubic foot; the exact density of the Tempurpedic topper. So there’s no skimping on density, here. I reiterate, the up-front price is tiny compared to the long-term value. Expect at least 5 years of flawless performance from this dense foam. You may even get ~10 years out of it, depending on use.

  Some generic info about memory foam:

  There’s a few things you MUST consider, it’s long but I think you will find this helpful.

  #1 Density. Density refers to the weight of the foam given a certain volume. It is measured in pounds per cubic foot or lb/ft3. As a rule, the higher the density, the firmer and more resilient (durable) the foam. There are exceptions to this rule, but that’s for later. Generally speaking, a density of less than 3lb/ft3 is extremely soft, very low resiliency; it’s bottom of the barrel stuff and should be bought as a super light-duty item (for your toy poodle’s bed.) Foam with a density between 3lb/ft3 and 3.9lb/ft3 is marginal; expect it to be very soft and to wear out after a scant year of regular use. Densities of 4lb/ft3 – 5.3lb/ft3, you’re into the better range; expect this foam to be soft to medium firmness and to last for 2 years of regular use (at the high end of the range, up to 5 years). Memory foam with a rating of over 5.3lb/ft3 is where the quality products are found; these products can best be described as medium-firm to firm and should last 5 years or more (you pay for what you get.) There’s even an 8lb/ft3 foam on the market!(Good for the supportive middle layers of mattresses.) Some important notes: If you are a back-sleeper, I suggest a minimum of 5lb/ft3 memory foam; this will prevent sagging. Side-sleepers can get away with a softer density (4lb/ft3 is about the lowest I suggest for anybody.)
  The firmness of memory foam varies greatly with temperature; a foam that is firm at 65 degrees can be squishy at 85; also, there are differences in manufacturing procedures that can produce very different firmnesses in different products of the same density. If you want to delve further, you’ll have to go looking for yourself; the details are far too complicated for this post. lol

  #2 Thickness. After you’ve chosen the density that suits you, consider the thickness. I’ll keep this short; if you sleep on your back, go for about 2″ and if you sleep on your side, go for 3″ or 4″. Don’t get something too thick, you’ll just get a hammock effect. (Higher density foams will be more supportive at any given thickness, so if there’s a choice between thick and light or thin and dense, go with the latter.)

  #3 The Underlying Structure. If your old mattress is uncomfortable, putting a topper on it will not improve the situation by much. Memory foam is made so that it takes the shape of whatever is underneath it. If you need a new mattress, buy one. Expensive band-aids are just that…band-aids. Here’s a BIG hint: Use a 6″ thick slab of traditional polyurethane foam as the base for your topper; this will be a smooth, firm base. Remember this is NOT memory foam, it’s a dense version of what’s in your sofa cushions. Using a density of over 2.5lb/ft3 is vital for a base layer. If you need a new mattress get this as your base. Here, I can’t mention a particular website, but there are manufacturers that make this stuff: (you know how to Google it)

  * Lux High Quality Foam
  * DENSITY: 2.8lb/ft3
  * COMPRESSION: 50 LBS
  * FIRM
  * EXTREMELY RESILIENT

  #4 Cost. Many make the mistake of confusing the price of a particular item with its cost. Considering that very high-density (5.5lb/ft3 and up) polyurethane memory foam (all memory foam is made from polyurethane but not all polyurethane foam is memory foam) can easily last twenty times as long or longer than a low density foam, I don’t need to explain how the “expensive” high-density products are anything but.

  #5 The Break-In Period. Memory foam products will be their firmest when brand-new. After a break-in period of a few weeks, the foam softens significantly. So, when you first lie down on new memory foam, if it feels soft, you’re in trouble; for after the break-in period, it will be much too soft. A memory foam product should be almost uncomfortably firm right out the box; give it time; after a few weeks, it gradually soften to the perfect firmness. If it’s soft right out the package, SEND IT BACK!

  I hope this was informative and please rate this review as helpful so it may see the light of day!
• 

  Basmajian
  

  25.Jan.10 | 7:24 pm

  I was really skeptical about this memory foam stuff, but the day I got it I wanted to try it out. So I laid down and watched some t.v. the last thing I remembered was thinking to myself “the memory pillow isn’t….” I woke up a few hours later after a very good nap.
• 

  Jonas
  

  26.Jan.10 | 7:24 pm

  If you’re looking for a foam pillow with that distinctive wave contour, this one is pretty darn good. Keep in mind, though, that this isn’t a Tempur-Pedic or other such name brand, so it’s not something you’ll be pressing your hand to and seeing a handprint, as the above image suggests. It’s about a third of the price of the name brand, which is nice. The foam does mold to your head and the contour offers great support for me. The foam is comfortable despite a bit of an odd packaged smell that (purportedly) will fade over time. I’ve had mine for a week and I’m enjoying it.
• 

  Leeming
  

  27.Jan.10 | 7:24 pm

  This pillow is not as good as others I have slept on. I wish I would have just gone to a store and picked one out. To me it just seems like a different type of foam, the shape is nice , but it doesn’t do a very good job of molding around my body as other memory foam pillows have that I have tried. Please go and hand pick a pillow out at a store.
• 

  Reep
  

  28.Jan.10 | 7:24 pm

  Memory foam is quite a wonderful invention. I truly believe it is the softest surface I have ever slept on in my life! I discovered it personally in Memphis, Tennessee at a Days Inn – liked it so much, we came home and purchased one for ourselves. It’s fantastic.
• 

  Eggleton
  

  29.Jan.10 | 7:24 pm

  I like it fine..but I wish it was just a little less firm. I sleep well with it and as they say, it contours to your head as it warms up. All in all I’m not sorry I bought it but if you like a soft pillow..pass on this.
  UPDATE. I’ve had this over six months now and I’m still not used to it.. It’s just not at all soft. I can’t redomend it unless you like a really firm pillow.
• 

  Archer
  

  30.Jan.10 | 7:24 pm

  I still have the King sized Beautyrest matress and boxsprings my parents gave my wife and me for our wedding present in 1987. We need to replace it now and that is why I am nosing around the mattress sites. We thought about some of the new type beds (ie. Temperpedic and Sleep number) but have several friends that started out loving the temperpedic and within a year said their back pain was back. When we went to a sleep number store to try out their mattress, the demonstration on how to “find your perfect number” tore my back up so bad ,I almost couldnt walk out of the store. We also have considered less expensive mattresses. While the Beautyrest is expensive, you get what you pay for. If the next one lasts as well as the last (20 years), the price works out to be a bargin over the long run. We will replace our mattress with another Beautyrest, I am sure.
• 

  Lovell
  

  31.Jan.10 | 7:24 pm

  I bought this mattress several months ago and the springs are already shot. I sleep in a deep valley every night. What a waste of money.
• 

  Niederman
  

  1.Feb.10 | 7:24 pm

  We purchased two Simmons Beauty Rest Pillowtop mattresses that were pieces of junkyard scrap in LESS THAN THREE years. The furniture chain store where we purchased both mattresses discontinued selling Simmons. Go figure.

  Simmons sewed the law label in between the pillowtop and the mattress which made it impossible to even see the model number. You need the model number to find out what your warranty is.

  The previous writer is correct. The beds sag into hammocks, but unless that sag is six inches, the pillowtop disguises it when measuring. It seems to be a proactive, clever design for Simmons warranty claims, but not for the consumer.

  And what a pain to put on sheets designed to fit a pillowtop! Just adding the mattress pad/cover (requirement in the warranty) made it a royal battle every week to make those beds.

  DO NOT BUY.

  We have now purchased air bladder with memory foam beds which are marvelous.
• 

  Curry
  

  2.Feb.10 | 7:24 pm

  I would absolutely never buy a Simmons Beautyrest World Class Pillow Top bed again. My husband and I both sleep together in the middle of the bed, and then move to the sides later in the night. As a result, the bed has a big depression in the middle, and when we move to lay on our respective sides, we lie slanted towards the middle of the bed. My husband already has developed back problems as a result of this bed in the past year and a half. We have had the bed for under 2yrs and because the bed depression is less than 1.5″, Simmons denies any problems with the bed. Unfortunately for us, their method of measuring bed depression will never show actual bed depression on a pillow top bed, as the plush will always give enough of a fluffy rise to hide the underlying mattress issues. Beware the Plush/ Pillow Top beds!
• 

  Downes
  

  3.Feb.10 | 7:24 pm

  I bought the top of the line Simmons Pillow Top. Great for the first three months, then one side began to sink. I called the store at th six month level and discovered that Simmons almost never honors the warranty on technicalities.
  A spot on the mattress, the sunk down side (without weight) is less than 2″, etc. etc.etc.

  So far $2,100.00 down the drain on a King sized matched set. I would advise against this brand. SOme web sites say it is poor quality springs. I don’t know. I just wanted the best. It seems I didn’t get it.

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