Memory foam mattress topper revisited

This original post from 2014

For three nights in the last year, I was comfortable in bed. Those happened to be the nights we stayed at a B&B in Ashland on our summer road trip. I believe the bed was basically two cheap twins pushed together (probably firm?) with a memory foam topper. The specific description (unfortunately not too specific) from the B&B was:

B&B said: The Manor [cottage] is two twins with a memory foam mattress on top. We purchased the foam from Cost Co. Good luck with your bedding purchase.

Look, I got three comfortable nights' sleep in the last year; damn straight I bugged the B&B for bed details... Before asking them, I actually almost figured it was a down thing of some kind. Felt quite soft, and kind of cool to the touch at first. We have a funny (but very, very nice) bed frame which takes a 14" mattress and no box spring. So, in order of decreasing importance, I think: + Any specific recommendations for memory foam mattress toppers? I'm guessing about 3", but not really sure... Wish I had time to go to Ashland and dissect the bed. + Any recommendations for mattresses (I tend to want softer, but I've gone too far with the current one, and I suspect that with the memory foam topper, firmer will be just fine. My girlfriend would also prefer a firmer mattress) + Any other thoughts?

A 2" memory foam topper made a huge difference to an average mattress. Bought from Overstock. Try the topper first before throwing money at a new mattress set.

YMMV

In reply to fasted58:

The problem with the current mattress is that it's very soft. It provides no support, so you end up spending all night banana-shaped, and your spine says "berkeley you". Also, your hips mutter similarly.

It was nominally a high-quality mattress, bought on closeout from the same local fine furniture place which made the frame. At the time I thought a mattress couldn't be too soft, because I was moderately happy with my pillow-top Serta or Sealey or whatever it was, but every time we stayed in a hotel I felt like I was on a sheet of plywood and got no sleep at all... Turns out I was wrong; there is a "too soft", and now it's developing divots to boot.

there has been some great mattress talk here on the forum...

my wife and I had been given a king size about 5 years or so ago... it was an interspring S company matress, we're both big people... when it got uncomfortable and flipping didn't do anything we started by ditching the cheap metal frame that was sagging into the middle a bit... then we dumped the box springs and put the mattress on the floor... that bought us another year of mediocre sleep...

we bought a mid/firm ikea latex mattress in the fall... based on the night sleep I get out of it I'd buy another every year if thats what it took... i'm building a platform frame for it now (sanding/staining/sanding some more/poly/ sanding some more all takes time lol) it was a week before we noticed that we no longer woke each up while going to bed/getting up...

also I found the right pillow made a HUGE difference... while looking/testing mattresses we stopped in at Ikea, i noticed how much I liked the pillow... we didn't plan to buy anything that day but i HAD to have that pillow... I took down the model number and found the pillows... I about died when I saw that it was a $60 pillow... but bought it anyway... even on the old bed the pillow helped my night sleep a lot, it's some memory foam side sleeper pillow or something like that... add the good mattress and i've never slept better :)... now if only I didn't frequently have serious insomnia issues doh... but once I do fall asleep it's heaven :)

this thread was very helpful http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/beds-mattresses-more-specifically/50427/page1/

+1 on a pillow making a mattress much better. Replaced our old pillows with some I thought felt nice, and the hopelessly uncomfortable mattress that had us arising in the morning like creaky geriatrics magically transformed itself into a perfectly adequate sleeping surface.

Thanks for the input!

We've changed pillows at least once during this mattress to no real change, though I think we're going to get at least one memory foam pillow of hopefully the same type as whatever topper we go with to make sure my girlfriend's chronic coughing that was the reason we promptly got rid of the last one several years ago was really unrelated. (It seems reasonably clear; she's still figuring out the cough with another doc...)

I don't like the toppers but I am enjoying a memory foam mattress that I purchased at SAMs club

I was at Costco the other day and they carry these NOVA FOAM memory foam mattress toppers. Is this what you are looking for?

I frickin love my ikea pillows. much comfort. so sleep. wow. I sleep on my side so I prefer 2 pillows. I use one regular cheap one and 1 thick, firm, memory foam-ish type one from ikea on top. I even just bothered to check the tag it is the "Gosa Hassel" pillow

Also I do not own a memory foam topper but several years back whilst staying at the rents for a couple months between places of residence, I was crashing on a guest bed that had one. The mattress underneath it was complete crap, but man just with that 2-3 inch memory foam top I really had a hard time wanting to get out of bed every day.

In reply to donalson:

This one?

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40133461/

Or one of these?

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=Pillows&category=products&range_subcategory=20533

Woody wrote: In reply to donalson: This one? http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40133461/ Or one of these? http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=Pillows&category=products&range_subcategory=20533

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60125281/ that is the one I got... I also use a cheap pillow under it... but I'm plump size... it took me a few nights to figure out how to use it most comfortable... I like it.

I sleep on a hard as a rock mattress.. I always get a good nights sleep

I bought a memory foam pillow last week. Its amazing. I'll probably be picking up a memory foam topper in the near future. All because of this forum

latex... latex... latex... love my latex Ikea mattress :)

Ideal mattress topper = Naked wife

I've got this. It's frakking incredible.

http://www.jcpenney.com/for-the-home/sale/bed-bath/isotonic-iso-cool%25e2%2584%25a2-3-memory-foam-mattress-topper/prod.jump?ppId=1841509

donalson wrote: latex... latex... latex... love my latex Ikea mattress :)

Donaldson, which one? They've got two latex, and then a few foams. I'd be curious which one in particular you have and love.

Memory Foam Mattresses

foxtrapper wrote:

donalson wrote: latex... latex... latex... love my latex Ikea mattress :)

Donaldson, which one? They've got two latex, and then a few foams. I'd be curious which one in particular you have and love.

it looks like they no longer have the model I picked up... but if you goto the thread I posted there is some good info... also Tunna55 mentioned he ended up getting a custom mattress from a guy in amazon at a good price... my step mom was having some serious issues with their year old $1000+ mattress to the point she was sleeping on an air mattress (she has back issues), dad and her went to a mattress shop up in Dothan AL (they live in Panama city, FL) and she found a mattress she liked (dad could sleep on the floor and be happy... he just doesn't care) they had to have it ordered custom for their size... but she's happy (and in turn he's happy) and they have a month or so to exchange it if they find its to soft or firm.

my biggest take away from shopping for a mattress is... ignore the sleezy salesman as much as possible, lay on as many beds as possible WITH a good pillow, in the position(s) you typically sleep in and lay for more then just 5 min if you think its even a consideration (I knew the moment I got in a few that it wasn't the one)... and lastly sticker price on them is a joke... one shop I went into listed the mattress at $1200 with just a mention of price I was down to $800 or so and by the time I was walking out the door he "could do $650"

Matters salesmen are equal to if not worse than car salesmen. Getting the dealer cost on a car is not that hard these days. Ever try getting a dealer cost on a mattress? I have never tried and I am not sure where to look.

I had a 3" foam topper on my old king, and when I got a new mattress I threw the topper on the floor of the den to get it out of my way. I planned to toss it, but having the floor covered in 3" of foam and a sheet provide irresistible to the cats, dogs and kids. Long story short, we have had a King topper on the floor for a few years now.

We just roll it up and vacuum and put it back down. Change the sheets weekly and replace it when it wears out. Many many sleepovers and movie nights have happened down there. I have come down several mornings to find a gaggle of teenage girls sleeping on the couches and floor. (one is usually my daughter)

Toppers get pricey-may want to just go new. I needed a new queen-sized mattress to replace a hand-me-down full-sized one in my guest room, and got THIS at Amazon.com. New gel mattress, comes rolled up in a box and expands once you lay it on the foundation (I bought the cheap metal rack thing instead of a pricey box spring), and less than $300 out the door for a mattress that guests have actually, spontaneously, raved about. I'll do the same when my (shamefully overpriced mattress-store mattress) bed needs replacement.

Margie

We just bought one of these last week:

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/therapedic-reg-luxury-quilted-deluxe-3-inch-memory-foam-bed-topper-in-beige/121630?categoryId=13115

It's a 3" cooling memory foam topper. So far so good. We used one of the 67,000 20% off coupons they sent us to get a chunk off the price. Only gripe I have is that it may change position if you toss and turn during the night. Our mattress blows, and this made it all better until we get a new one. I was having severe back and neck pain from the old mattress by itself, and that has gone away completely with the topper.

My mattress at home in PA has a built-in memory foam topper. It's very nice. It was not cheap.

For camping in my minivan, I build a plywood platform and the "mattress" is a queen size 4" memory foam topper, cut and half and stacked. It is surprisingly comfortable.

Here in NH, I'm sleeping on a futon with a 4" memory foam topper from Walmart (or maybe Target). Right now I'm experiencing the "banana-back" syndrome mentioned previously so I'm in the market for a new mattress ASAP, although my plan is to swap over my existing topper.