Hi All,
I developed a shoulder issue within the past year or so and began looking for a new mattress. I’m a side sleeper and just can’t/won’t transition to being an exclusive back sleeper so it’s obviously important to have some good pressure relief for my shoulder… tricky situation and not sure exactly what the issue is yet with the shoulder, but switching back/forth during the night and laying on my side, at an angle seems to help.
Anyway, I started out by looking at the Tempflow foam hybrid models due to the density/quality of the memory foams while still maintaining some level of “bounce”. However, I still had some concerns about switching to memory foam and have been sleeping on latex and/or “hybrid” foams for years now (most recently Energex comfort layers).
I ended up contacting Tempflow with some questions about the density/qualities of all the foams used and overall mattress constructions. This is what led me to speak with Dr. Rick… after speaking with one of his staff, he ended up contacting me directly.
Rick is clearly hands-on with his business and really wants to help people sleep better and feel healthier. He was very patient and detail-oriented in dealing with me which I really appreciated. I’ve found that too many people these days are dismissive or even frustrated by questions about various specs and details.
We ended up arriving at an all-foam model from his new Back Science line, which I don’t even think has been officially or widely launched yet. Essentially, the design uses a foam spring core (FSC) with a zoned transition layer and hybrid foams in the upper layers. The top two comfort layers can be swapped out while the transition and core/FSC support layers are adhered.
In speaking of details, for anyone reading this I should also mention that all the foams and materials used are the “healthiest” possible for a mattress that’s not “all natural” or “organic”… i.e. Rick’s mattresses have Greenguard Gold, Oeko-Tex, certifications, etc., down to the adhesives If organic/all-natural is your thing, there are plenty of options out there (he carries some of those as well).
Rick felt the hybrid foams in the comfort layers would offer great pressure relief while being more lively than the memory foams used in the Tempflow models, in addition to having the FSC. The design also focuses on midsection support for proper alignment, as the brand name might imply.
During the days we were working through what might work best for me, I ended up visiting a more local business here on the east coast that I’ve been to in the past but didn’t end up purchasing a mattress from (Rick is based out of CA). Long story short, I ended up going with an HR foam/latex hybrid (all-foam) at a very reasonable price (as mentioned repeatedly on TMU, everyone has their own personal value equation). They substituted a polyfoam transition layer with more latex at no extra charge and the design also has some high quality quilting foam, which I thought may help with pressure relief as well.
The mattress turned out firmer than I expected, mainly with more initial firmness in the upper layers than the one they had in the showroom. The “pushback” of the latex comes through much more than I thought it would with having the quilting foam on top. I’m doing OK with it for now but will probably contact them again to explore options.
Dr. Rick’s options offer good value but felt I couldn’t pass up the local offer at the time, especially since I had spoken with them in the past and with the customization at no extra charge. In hindsight, I could have taken some more time before committing and making a final decision but water under the bridge, and I was very intrigued by the design in addition to being impressed by the mattress in the showroom.
At the end of the day, I had two solid options, both with good intentions. It’s unfortunate the mattress I ended up with didn’t turn quite turn out as hoped, so I’ll have to see where things go from here. Again in hindsight, I probably would have been “safer” with Dr. Rick’s design given my circumstances, especially since the comfort layers are interchangeable and exchangeable.
Hopefully certain aspects of my situation may help shed some light on things to consider for those reading and searching for a mattress. I also just wanted to relay what a positive experience I had with Rick despite not going with the Back Science at this time. He’s great to deal with and will do everything possible to work with you and ensure you end up comfortable. There’s still a good chance I’ll be contacting him in the not-too-distant future, depending on what happens with my situation here.
Manimal