Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper?

[trueblue101]

Hello All,


My new (non-refundable) mattress is too firm for me and I was wondering if anyone uses a featherbed and/or foam topper and can give me some feedback. Is one considered better than other? What are the disadvantages to each? Also, brand suggestions would be great as well.


Thanks!

 

[PintoBean]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

do you have a costco membership? you can order a topper and return it to the warehouse if you don't like it.

 

[TC1987]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

talalay latex foam topper, start with 1" - 2" and layer more if you need it is what the people who make their own mattresses recommend. Memory foam sleeps hot. Talalay latex apparently doesn't, but it is pricy. I read all this stuff at whatsthebest-mattress.com forum back when I was looking for a new mattress.

Lots of discussion on there about building your own mattress. People cut the toppers off their mattresses, or removed the foam layer(s) and reused the spring. And then stacked layers of latex foam and whatnot to get the mattress to feel the way they wanted. Bought a mattress case or cover that encases the whole thing.

I wanted a 2-sided ultra firm mattress. But before I could being myself to part with the money for it, I found a clearanced ultra firm single side mattress for only $125 b/c it was rock hard and nobody wanted it. I put it on top of a split box foundation, and that made it really hard. I used a 2" memory foam topper on it, covered by a quilted cotton mattress pad. 2" of memory foam was enough padding for me. But it does sleep hot in summer but the extra warmth is nice in winter. I bought the mattress to use temporarily and I'll get what I really want later, after I quit moving around.

 

[trueblue101]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

do you have a costco membership? you can order a topper and return it to the warehouse if you don't like it.

That is a great idea! Do you have one from there as well?

 

[trueblue101]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

talalay latex foam topper, start with 1" - 2" and layer more if you need it is what the people who make their own mattresses recommend. Memory foam sleeps hot. Talalay latex apparently doesn't, but it is pricy. I read all this stuff at whatsthebest-mattress.com forum back when I was looking for a new mattress.

Lots of discussion on there about building your own mattress. People cut the toppers off their mattresses, or removed the foam layer(s) and reused the spring. And then stacked layers of latex foam and whatnot to get the mattress to feel the way they wanted. Bought a mattress case or cover that encases the whole thing.

WOW, people actually constructed their own mattress, that is dedication! Thanks for suggesting that website, off to google it now!

 

[manderz]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

Hubby and I used to have a feather mattress topper, and it was awful!! The feathers poked out all the time and would stab us and bury themselves into the mattress itself. This was a moderately priced one from a department store, not sure if that had any effect on the quality issue.

 

[TC1987]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

Yes, they have all kinds of recipes. Some of those people have fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis and had to create something tolerable to sleep on.

 

[VapidLapid]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

I have a high end feather and I hate it. I have bloody scratches all over all the time and I hate the thing. Plus it rends itself of feathers at a disturbing rate. Not that I worry about it losing its fluff, but I resent having to clean up after it. neighbors have foam topper and love it

 

[rainydaze]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

I just went through the same consideration! I went with a 2" memory foam topper for my firm Tempurpedic (sp). After four years of tossing and turning on it, and waking up with worsening soreness and cricks, I realized I needed to do something about it. So far, so good, I have been sleeping much better ever since. I don't find I am any hotter at night either.

I recall reading some reviews that talked about having to fluff featherbed toppers daily, weekly at least. Having a feather down couch that constantly needs fluffing and drives me crazy, I realized that was probably accurate and not for me.

 

[PintoBean]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

We tried a gel topper from costco in an attempt to salvage a crappy mattress that already had a fluffy mattress pad and an egg crate pad on. We were desperately layering it on. Lol...In the end, I got a new mattress and got rid of all the padding lol.

The gel didnt sleep hot. At 4" it was a bit too much topping for my back lol. It did stink when I first unboxed it. I laid it out on the dining room tableto air out for 48 hours.

 

[TC1987]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

I'm not going to write a dissertation, but that mattress forum that I linked has discussed how various spring types (Bonnell, coil pocket, etc.) work for various sleep positions. And tight top / Eurotop / pillowtop and how just changing that can affect the feel. There are different spring wire gauges recommended for a certain body weight and up, etc. Side sleepers vs. back or stomach, light body weight vs. over 200#, etc. all affect what to buy. I think it pays to study all the internals and then try things in stores and /or determine what you had in the past and whether or not it worked for you is important to do. $600-$700 is the price point (or was in 2010) that bedding sellers target for mass market. Frankly, there is a lot of bullsh*t in marketing of bedding. I stick with the traditional 2sided innerspring mattresses. The only reason I have that single-sided thing is that is was ultra firm and only $125 brand and I got the almost-new split box foundation free on Craigslist b/c the owner changed to a platform bed and didn't need it.

 

[Niel]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

Ive never had a feather topper but I would still advise against it. I had a down comforter of a nice quality and it, like others said, had feathers sticking out, popping out and getting everywhere, and eventually loosing fluff. Plus I think my husband was allergic, so thats another thing to consider.

Hasten is just about the most high end mattress manufacturer i know of and they use horse hair. I dont know if any place makes horse hair toppers but i might look into that?

 

[ksinger]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

talalay latex foam topper, start with 1" - 2" and layer more if you need it is what the people who make their own mattresses recommend. Memory foam sleeps hot. Talalay latex apparently doesn't, but it is pricy. I read all this stuff at whatsthebest-mattress.com forum back when I was looking for a new mattress.

Lots of discussion on there about building your own mattress. People cut the toppers off their mattresses, or removed the foam layer(s) and reused the spring. And then stacked layers of latex foam and whatnot to get the mattress to feel the way they wanted. Bought a mattress case or cover that encases the whole thing.

WOW, people actually constructed their own mattress, that is dedication! Thanks for suggesting that website, off to google it now!

For the best talalay, try this site:

flobeds.com

I don't know if they have latex toppers (I think they do) but I can't recommend their beds enough.

 

[iLander]

Re: Mattress Too Firm: Featherbed vs. Memory/Gel Foam Topper

It was funny, last week, I ordered this thing on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Lumex-7-4000EC-Convoluted-Mattress-76x78x4/dp/B001KY9SJO/ref=sr_1_12?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1411822633&sr=1-12

and the next day I saw your thread!

We've tried all kinds of things over the years and this is what we found: memory foam made us hot, feather beds bunched and flattened, most latex toppers were too thin to do any good. We have bought them all, and used them all.

We got this blue thing yesterday, and slept on it last night. It is soooooo deep and fluffy, that if you want to sink into a marshmallow cloud, this is the thing for you. It looks oddly flat in the amazon pics, but it added 4-5 inches of uber soft to our bed. Plus height. Our bed now comes up to my bellybutton and I have to jump up onto it. We bought it because DH has neck issues and he said this was better, he finally slept without little twinges of pain. It is very much like sleeping on a giant pillow, and I usually use 2 pillows, but with this, I used 1.

If you don't want a deep, sink-into bed, this is not for you. It comes as two twins in the king size, so I am considering turning my side over (points down) and trying that. It is a little too smushy for me. But I'll admit, I didn't feel uncomfortable and I did sleep well. It was a little warm, but not hot like memory foam.

So, hope that helps!