Mattress buying help needed

[Martyj]

For the first time in my life, Im shopping for a mattress. The one I've been using was a wedding gift. It's 17 years old. Considering it hosted about 10 years of an active sex life, plus serviced two growing kids who used it as a trampoline, the ol' cot help up well. But now that I'm developing mid-life lower back problems, I need it replaced.

Once I started researching on the internet and at mattress stores, everything I'm hearing is that you should replace both the mattress AND the box spring. This surprised me: I was hoping to contain cost by keeping the old box spring and just purchasing a new mattress. So here's the question: Is the "requirement" to get a new box spring for real....or just a industry hook to get the consumer to spend more money?

I'm curious to hear from anyone who has any sort of experience with buying a mattress, but especially from anyone who is still using a box spring that's more than 2 decades old.

Thanks

[Ren Butler]

I too have been experiencing back pain on an old mattress and box spring.

So I just went to the Select Comfort store and tried out a Sleep Number bed. Supposedly it's the only bed clinically proven to relieve back pain. The bed was indeed comfortable, and I bought the cheapest one: about $1000 including the foundation, legs, and mattress, with a 20-year warranty and no need to rotate.

It will be shipped to me this week. There is also a 30-day in home trial.

[Media Boy]

Just remember not to tear off the tags or you're all going to jail!!!!

[WestMcLarenF1]

Like Ren said......We bought a Select Comfort about a year and a half ago, and we'd never go back.

[Plectraholica]

Glenn Beck listeners?

Did yo uuse the name "Glenn"?

[Indyknut]

The box spring is what supported that mattress through all those years of trampoline jumping not, to mention all the bumpin and grindin that went on.

Yes, you need to replace the box spring.

[lutesk]

It will be shipped to me this week. There is also a 30-day in home trial.

Hey Ren, will you update us after you've tried it out for a while?

[Ren Butler]

Hey Ren, will you update us after you've tried it out for a while?

Sure! In fact, why doesn't everyone just come over and try it out!

Actually, this is the first bed I've ever purchased. I didn't even think about a headboard. Will any queen headboard presumably be connectable to my queen SN bed?

[comfortably numb]

Sure! In fact, why doesn't everyone just come over and try it out!

Actually, this is the first bed I've ever purchased. I didn't even think about a headboard. Will any queen headboard presumably be connectable to my queen SN bed?

Brokenmattress Mountain?????

[WestMcLarenF1]

Sure! In fact, why doesn't everyone just come over and try it out!

Actually, this is the first bed I've ever purchased. I didn't even think about a headboard. Will any queen headboard presumably be connectable to my queen SN bed?

It did for ours.

[Ren Butler]

Brokenmattress Mountain?????

One at a time, perv!

[JSR]

So I just went to the Select Comfort store and tried out a Sleep Number bed.

That bed comes with a 30 or 60 day money back guarantee and I have never seen one go back. People love them.

[Doctorindy]

One thing we heard while buying is that when they say it's a "No Flip Matress" (i.e., one that you don't have to flip/rotate from time to time, making it sound like it's "easier" to own), it's just a cheap way of saying "Can't flip matress" because it's only a one-way piece, and doesn't give you the ability to flip/rotate and equal out the wearing.

[Whosyer-Sparkplug]

the only help I can offer you is to suggest that you go with setting #65... I've found it to be a dream.


Papa Bear's 70 was way too firm and baby Bear's 60 was way too soft but Momma Bear's 65 was just right.

[jetdoc]

So here's the question: Is the "requirement" to get a new box spring for real....or just a industry hook to get the consumer to spend more money?

I'm curious to hear from anyone who has any sort of experience with buying a mattress, but especially from anyone who is still using a box spring that's more than 2 decades old.

Thanks

Marty, YES you should replace the "Box Springs" as well. About 5 yrs. ago the wife and I went out and spent about $1700 on a Serta/Pillow Top mattress and box springs. We did everything they tell you to do. Rotate it every 6 weeks or so etc... Now I've had 4 Back Surgeries and was just dam used to waking up with "Back Pain". This thing had a 10 yr Warranty and all the bells & whistles for a mattress & Box Springs, yet when we looked at it, the dam thing still SUNK where we slept. (in which that's part of the 10 yr. warranty)

Well, the wife and I FINALLY got us enough money to where we could at LEAST ATTEMPT to find something better. We called and got the DVD and the brochure from them. The wife and I ACTUALLY sat down and watched it. The first opportunity we got, we headed to the "Select Comfort" store. We tried ALL of them (In King Size) We ended up purchasing the 5000 model WITH a "High $$$" Mattress pad as well. They delivered it, set it up and showed us how to use it. I thought to myself......yeah....the test will be "NO Back Pain" in the morning. Secondly, I USED to rollover in my sleep ALL NIGHT! The first night I got in the bed, set it to where I THOUGHT it felt comfortable but the next morning woke up with BAD Back, Neck and Arm pain. So I moved the # down the next night. Now remember I said that I was a "Roller" with my other mattress. The next night came, I laid in bed on my back (in which I couldn't do before due to my back) The next morning I awoke to my wife laughing out loud. She was laughing at me because I hadn't moved ONE INCH from the way I laid down the night before. Not ONE!!! I got out of the bed EXPECTING the normal back pain and it wasn't there!!!

Yes, I know I sound like a commercial for the "Sleep Number" bed, but I'm not.....I'm a TESTIMONIAL!!! I won't get rid of that thing for ANYTHING!! You can take my wife, you can take my house but as long as I get to keep the bed AND my dogs, I'm happy!!!! No seriously dude and anyone else out there Mattress shopping. They ARE EXPENSIVE!!! We paid somewhere around $2500 for ours, but to be able to wake up without ANY back pain anymore and to GET a "Full nights Sleep", that's CHEAP for me! Now we paid ours off right there, but they WILL "Finance" it for you as well. Trust me, it's WORTH it!!

We also looked at those "Tempurpedic" beds and although they felt nice, they couldn't TOUCH the "sleep #" bed.

PS: If you can get your Dr. to give you a prescription for a new bed, Insurance WON'T pay for it, but you can take it off on your taxes!!!!!

[ventman]

Wedding gift 17 years ago? But ten years of active sex life?

Or was it Seven years old when you got it as a wedding gift?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Roadrage]

Glenn Beck listeners?

Did yo uuse the name "Glenn"?

Paul Harvey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Good DAY!

[lutesk]

Woa jetdoc, you sound just like me now. When I moved back to Indiana 3 years ago I went for the high buck Serta, etc., and my back is still killing me most mornings when I wake up, and through most of the day. It did before I got the bedding as well. I sleep in about 3 hour increments, toss and turn all night.

You may have just "sold" a sleep number to me. Thanks.

[Whosyer-Sparkplug]

Wedding gift 17 years ago? But ten years of active sex life?

Or was it Seven years old when you got it as a wedding gift?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

10 out of 17... sounds great compared to most experiences.

[rrrr]

I always liked the matress industry's claim that you shouldn't give away or accept an old matress. Bad for your back and all that.

LOL.......

Don't suppose they're trying to sell more product, dooya?

[Martyj]

Marty, YES you should replace the "Box Springs" as well. About 5 yrs. ago the wife and I went out and spent about $1700 on a Serta/Pillow Top mattress and box springs. We did everything they tell you to do. Rotate it every 6 weeks or so etc... Now I've had 4 Back Surgeries and was just dam used to waking up with "Back Pain". This thing had a 10 yr Warranty and all the bells & whistles for a mattress & Box Springs, yet when we looked at it, the dam thing still SUNK where we slept. (in which that's part of the 10 yr. warranty)

Well, the wife and I FINALLY got us enough money to where we could at LEAST ATTEMPT to find something better. We called and got the DVD and the brochure from them. The wife and I ACTUALLY sat down and watched it. The first opportunity we got, we headed to the "Select Comfort" store. We tried ALL of them (In King Size) We ended up purchasing the 5000 model WITH a "High $$$" Mattress pad as well. They delivered it, set it up and showed us how to use it. I thought to myself......yeah....the test will be "NO Back Pain" in the morning. Secondly, I USED to rollover in my sleep ALL NIGHT! The first night I got in the bed, set it to where I THOUGHT it felt comfortable but the next morning woke up with BAD Back, Neck and Arm pain. So I moved the # down the next night. Now remember I said that I was a "Roller" with my other mattress. The next night came, I laid in bed on my back (in which I couldn't do before due to my back) The next morning I awoke to my wife laughing out loud. She was laughing at me because I hadn't moved ONE INCH from the way I laid down the night before. Not ONE!!! I got out of the bed EXPECTING the normal back pain and it wasn't there!!!

Yes, I know I sound like a commercial for the "Sleep Number" bed, but I'm not.....I'm a TESTIMONIAL!!! I won't get rid of that thing for ANYTHING!! You can take my wife, you can take my house but as long as I get to keep the bed AND my dogs, I'm happy!!!! No seriously dude and anyone else out there Mattress shopping. They ARE EXPENSIVE!!! We paid somewhere around $2500 for ours, but to be able to wake up without ANY back pain anymore and to GET a "Full nights Sleep", that's CHEAP for me! Now we paid ours off right there, but they WILL "Finance" it for you as well. Trust me, it's WORTH it!!

We also looked at those "Tempurpedic" beds and although they felt nice, they couldn't TOUCH the "sleep #" bed.

PS: If you can get your Dr. to give you a prescription for a new bed, Insurance WON'T pay for it, but you can take it off on your taxes!!!!!

Thanks to everyone for helping with my initial question yesterday. Especially to you, Jetdoc. I was thinking of ways to save money...but you got me re-evaluating that approach. One shouldn't put a price on feeling good. And we can both agree that nothing colors your day in darker hues than going through your waking hours with back pain.

[Martyj]

Wedding gift 17 years ago? But ten years of active sex life?

Yep. The first decade the ol' cot saw lots of action.

The past 7 years....er..well, not so much....

[Davydd]

We bought the Select Comfort Sleep Number bed about a year ago. It's great. For the first month I tried just about every number randomly and could not find a good fit. Then I set it at 95 and kept dialing it down each night until I woke up and felt good. That technique landed me at 70.

[Media Boy]

In communist China, the people are all assigned their sleep numbers by the government. We should all be thankful for our freedom.

[skypigeon]

In communist China, the people are all assigned their sleep numbers by the government. We should all be thankful for our freedom.

"Here is honorable People's Sleep Number Bed for you, comrade."

"Oh, honorable comrade, I am not worthy of such largesse."

"All the people are worthy of such largesse, honorable comrade. Try it out. Rest your humble worker's body upon it. Go ahead!"

"Ahhhh... aaahh! AAAAHHH! AAAAAAAAAAHHH! Pulph me uph, honhorrible comrude! I'm suffocating!"

"Impossible! The People have determined your Sleep Number in their infallible wisdom! You cannot be suffocating!"

"Whad's the numbah?"

"Five!"

"Bud I whey 120 kilos!"

"Ah! So, honorable comrade, you ADMIT being a glutton at the expense of the people! Hence your just and righteous fate!"

"MMMMMUUUUMMMMPPPPPPHHHH!"

"Thought you could eat like a bourgeousie pig and get away with it, honorable comrade? Flop like a sow as we roll you out in public!"

"URRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!"*

* Of course, the makers of Sleep Number beds have no presence in Communist China. Millions of budding capitalists are grateful.

[HopHead]

Any of you Sleep Number buyers check out the Comfortaire beds when you were shopping for a new bed? They are the same concept, have been around longer than Sleep Number and actually appear to give you more bed for the money (probably because they don't have millions wrapped up into marketing). My wife and I tried one in a HOM Furniture showroom and liked it and are actually leaning towards it over the Sleep Number but I am always looking for more opinions.

[Davydd]

Comfortaire looks very convincing. They have 100 different settings. Select Comfort only has about 20 in increments of five, 50, 55, 60, etc. Best to try them out, inspect them, and if Comfortaire appears to be the ticket and is cheaper, go for it.

[Ren Butler]

I just assembled my Sleep Number 3000 bed last night and gave it a whirl.

So far, so very good.

I only got six hours of sleep due to an early meeting, and I've never felt this well rested and uncranky in the morning.

Of course, my mentally slow cat found it funny to press the buttons at 5 a.m.

[Scott]

If you have chronic back pain, even better than the Sleep Number bed is a latex mattress. It is made of a solid piece of latex that will actually mold to your body as you sleep, but return to the original shape as soon as you get out of bed. They are supposed to last 25+ years and be the best thing for anyone that has trouble with their back, my doctor suggested it a few years ago and it is unlike any bed that I have ever felt before. Downsides are cost and they are very heavy, so it is not something that you would want to move around a lot.

[Slim]

Of course, my mentally slow cat found it funny to press the buttons at 5 a.m.

Good Kitty