Hi Primetime,
You asked ā¦ but Iām not sure you will like the answer 
Unfortunately there is no way to know (yet) about some of the specifics about the quality of the Optimum because Sealy doesnāt provide much of the information about the quality of the foams that are in it. Like with furniture when you are comparing similar pieces that use particle board covered with veneer, MDF or other higher quality materials also covered with veneer, or real wood ā¦ lower quality products can have the same function and look as higher quality products but are not as durable and wonāt keep their performance or look for nearly as long.
In general ā¦ the major brands use lower quality and value materials in their mattresses in every budget range and use marketing methods that are more about stories and advertising than they are about providing the type of information that consumers need to make more meaningful comparisons and better value choices.
In almost all cases ā¦ factory direct local manufacturers or local sleep shops that carry more local, regional, or independent brands will sell mattresses that use better quality materials and will last much longer than anything comparable made by the larger manufacturers. While low quality and high quality materials may have a similar āfeelā and in some cases similar performance in the highly managed environment of a typical chain store or mass market outlet ā¦ the lower quality materials that replicate the feel and performance of higher quality mattresses will not last nearly as long. Warranties (which are mostly a marketing tool) donāt cover the loss of comfort and support which is the main reason that a mattress needs to be replaced because these materials are designed so that any permanent impressions wonāt go beyond the warranty exclusion regardless of the amount of softening. Mass market outlets also donāt generally have the skill or knowledge to help people make their best long term choices and depend on marketing āstoriesā and āfake salesā and many other techniques to sell their mattresses while telling people very little about the real quality of the materials in their mattresses.
So unfortunately you have purchased a āunknownā quality mattress which would take some digging to find out the real quality of some of the main materials in it. One thing that is known for certain is the name on the label on the mattress and this is one of the biggest reasons people buy them. This name (and other major brands) is a license to sell products that have lower quality and value hiding behind marketing stories, advertising copy, and sales techniques.
The main product of the larger manufacturers is not so much mattresses but āprofit marginā and this āproductā is sold to their main customers which are chain stores and mass market outlets that depend on this to feed the many mouths of a much longer supply chain and infrastructure. They are mostly āresponsibleā to shareholders and investment groups that demand a return on their investment and their research is mostly centered on ways that they can fabricate or design cheaper lower quality materials to feel and perform like higher quality materials ā¦ at least in a showroom. Local manufacturers or better sleep shops that are privately or family owned are responsible to their customers and reputation for long term quality and value and spend little on advertising. Their reputation over generations sells their mattresses for those fortunate enough to know about them.
As a case in point you can look at the Optimum line itself.
The basic Destiny model includes ā¦
Quilt - Top of Mattress contains outlast: Outlast is one of many cooling technologies that are used in mattress covers and some type of cooling cover is part of most memory foam mattresses. Nothing particularly unique here.
2" OptiCool Gel Memory Foam Featuring Outlast Technology: This is a 3.7 lb gel memory foam which is on the lower end of the memory foam quality/durability range (NOTE: Jordans here lists this as a 2.5 lb memory foam which would make it worse yet). It is infused with outlast microcapsules which is one of many cooling technologies used in memory foams. Nothing particularly special here except that the density of the gel foam is low and it has particulates added to it.
Comfort - Padding Layers
1" OptiSense Memory Foam: which is a 4 lb density regular memory foam or āmid qualityā.
Correct Back Support System
6" Sealy OptiCore: This contains 2" of 1.5 lb 20 ILD polyfoam over 4" of 1.5 lb 32 ILD polyfoam which is lower quality/density foam for this budget range (although some other higher budget mattresses also use it in some of their mattresses including Tempurpedic).
1.5 lb foam is usually the quality of support foam that is used in lower budget mattresses and isnāt really a desirable density for a mid budget mattress much less a higher budget mattress (thanks to Jordans for the specs of the cores used in the Optimum lineup here).
So the lowest level Optimum Destiny is a very basic 6" base + 3" memory foam mattress with 3" of memory foam made up of 2" Opticool and 1" of 4 lb Optisense" memory foam with some gel cooling technology in the top layer of memory foam, a cover with some cooling technology, and a base layer that uses inferior density foam that should only be used in much lower quality mattresses. This base model is already overpriced IMO ā¦ especially for a mattress where the quality and durability of the memory foam materials need to be taken on faith alone and is produced by a company which makes low value mattresses throughout their lineup.
If you look here you see will what happens as the models go āup the lineā from the already overpriced Destiny base model.
All the models are similar in basic construction (memory foam over a polyfoam base) except that the Optisense memory foam used in each model up is an inch thicker. The Vibrant may also use a higher density memory foam in the mix to create a different feel and performance. Once you reach the middle of the lineup ā¦ the basic support core is replaced with a different multi density support core which is higher quality and made up as follows ā¦
Sealy multidensity Opticore Plus: Top Layer - 2.5" Convoluted Foam 2.2 LB 32 ILD, Middle Layer-5/8" Foam 1.5 LB 32 ILD, Bottom Layer-3" Convoluted Foam 2.2 LB 32 ILD, 3" Full perimeter foam edge 68 ILD. This fabricated core creates a different feel and also adds a firmer foam on the edges for edge support.
So the basic differences are that each model up adds another inch (1") in total of OptiSense memory foam layers under the 2" of 3.7 lb Opticool gel memory foam and from the middle of the lineup (The inspiration) the basic polyfoam core is replaced with the multi density Opticore.
The extra inch of memory foam carries some hefty price jumps as you move up from the entry level Destiny (1" of OptiSense $1074 queen size).
Destiny + $400 = Radiance which has 2" of the 4 lb OptiSense memory foam
Radiance + $300 = Inspiration which has 3" of the 4 lb OptiSense layering plus the multi density Opticore.
Inspiration + $500 = Vibrant which has 4" of the 4 lb OptiSense layering with the possibility that part of this 4" uses a higher density/quality memory foam to give it greater firmness (no retailer has been able to confirm the density in this model)
Vibrant + $500 = Elation which has 5" of the OptiSense layering and is the softest model of the lineup.
The only other differences are the slight variations in the design of the cover.
While there is a difference in cost between lower density memory foam and higher density memory foam and between a higher quality/density core and a lower quality one ā¦ the entry level model is already overpriced and it is very unlikely that between $300 - $500 an inch extra can be justified no matter what the differences are for each model but particularly for an extra inch where the differences are unknown. Basically from the base model to the top model you are paying $1700 for 4" more memory foam of a possible different mix of unknown densities, a better support core in the top 3 models, and a slight difference in cover design. The numbers speak for themselves.
All of these are overpriced although the middle of the line where the higher quality base is added may represent the best value of a low value lineup. This value of course is only relative to the rest of the lineup ā¦ not to other similar mattresses ā¦ and would only make a difference if this particular mattress āfitā the needs and preferences of a particular person in terms of pressure relief and alignment.
As more of the āunknownsā come to light ā¦ I will add to the specs here but already this is just another in a long line of major brand mattresses that are either unknown or lower quality and poor value mattresses that are nicely packaged in marketing stories used to justify higher profit margins and prices.
This is exactly why I generally recommend to avoid all major brands. You will find the same type of āvalueā in all of them as they work hard to increase profit margins by selling stories rather than quality materials.
Phoenix
