Time to Update the Bed

[linda]

Yep, I have still been sleeping on my waterbed (last of the left-over hippies). We have bought several new matresses over the last few years, but replacing the bed or buying a regular matress that would fit the waterbed frame was expensive. The companies know they have you over a barrel.

We took the jump yesterday. When I was in COSTCO a couple of days ago, they had the memory foam matresses at real prices. What would cost about $2500 or more (plus shipping) from Tempra-pedic, COSTCO had for under $600. The queen-sized version (12 inches thick) fit our queen-sized waterbed frame. We have about 3 extra inches in length on the frame. That isn't an issue, the frame would be very easy to shorten. However, I am finding out that the little bit of extra length makes it easy to put on that bottom sheet.

So tonight is the big test. I sure hope that changing the bed will finally get rid of the last of my back problems. Water beds are great for one person, but the hammocking that occurs with the second person is just a killer.
Linda

[Mary Ann]

Oh kewl, new furniture! By now you've had a night's sleep on it, so you have to let us know how it went!

I just love deals like that! Congratulations! ;D

[Kit]

Oh cool! I want a full report.
I have a memory foam pillow and it's great!

My sister has been thinking about getting a foam mattress.
I've been thingking about one of the 3" matress toppers for my bed. My mattress is only a couple years old.
We're going to Costco tomorrow. Maybe they'll have them up here, and I can talk BF into one. ;D

[KarenN]

I've got a Select Comfort air bed, and I LOFF it, but if I didn't have that, I'd seriously look at those foam ones - Do let us know what you think!

[Chrisnstar]

Oh Linda, I'm so jealous! I'm hoping to be able to spring for a memory foam topper for our mattress to help us a bit...

so how was your sleep? Inquiring minds want to know!

chris

[Mary Ann]

She's not checked in.

Maybe she's still asleep! ;D

[denise]

Sort of like generic brand vs. name brand. One of the guys that I work with has recently started buying Temperpedic stock for clients. He thinks it will be a steady eddy vs. a high flyer. He has done a lot of reading on the company and products. There is a real reason that Temperpedic costs what it does when it comes to long term use vs. memory foam with customer satisfaction.

I bought my DH a Temperedic pillow for Christmas and he loves it. He has always complained about his pillow and now he fights everyone to get his pillow back. I will break down and buy myself one after I have bought my Hi-Tie for my trailer and the 1,000 other things on my list that have higher priority.

We almost bought one of the Sealy beds Costco had a coupon on last week. My hips had been bothering me quite a bit when I would get up in the morning. I flipped the mattress and it has been better so I am going to wait until next year to get a new mattress since we just bought a couch and loveseat and the oldest really needs a new bed/mattress. I love Costco, the store and the stock!

[linda]

Yes! I'm still asleep!!!!! My back feels wonderful!

I have just had the best night's sleep since I don't know when. I woke up once in the early morning for a few minutes. I noticed how my right hip felt so much more free. My husband can actually move over close to me without my becoming extremely uncomfortable (hammock affect). The bed stays level. I am not sure that you can put the glass of champagne on one side of the bed and jump up and down without it spilling, like you see in some of the commercials, but what one person does really does not affect the other.

It says that it takes up to 72 hours or more for the 3 inches of memory foam on the top of the 9 inches of regular (high density) foam to expand to full height. That may well be true. A lot of ours had not expanded after 24 hours. We had a memory foam topper from COSTCO already, so we just put that on top. That means that we will have 6 inches of memory foam.

The foam mattress (memory foam is bonded on top of 9 inches of regular foam) is mashed up and sealed in two air-tight plastic bags, one inside the other. The mattress is compressed into a box about 3 feet by 2 feet and about 4 feet high. The cardboard box has wheels on the bottom and a suitcase handle on top, making it easy to handle and to get into your car. I am sure that this compression really cuts the transportation and storage costs from the factory to your home. I would guess it probably weighs 80 pounds or maybe a little more. It is heavier than a bag of feed--and more awkward.

It is really strange when you sit on one of these for the first time (I have slept on Tempra-pedic mattresses at hotels). There initially doesn't seem to be any give. I guess that maybe in some ways it is like sitting on a horse that is in good shape. There doesn't seem to be any give, it seems hard, but at the same time, you know that it isn't really hard, as such. It is strangely comfortable.

There is no problem rolling over or moving. You don't sink down like you were making snow angel or anything.

Anyway, I am pleased--very pleased. For us it was a very cost-effective. Everything that we looked at was going to run at least $1500 because it either had to fit the waterbed frame or else new frame and mattress.

The COSTCO mattress topper is a great buy as well. It made our waterbed much more comfortable. It might be all you would need to improve a regular bed. I personally find the memory foam pillows to be too high (we have 2), but that could be personal preferance, or just that ours are higher/more rigid than some of the others. When I go to hotels, I usually find their pillows to be too high too--so this could easily be a personal thing.

So, I am very, very happy! Even though it took a huge chunk of the day yesterday to drain that mattress and strip the frame of the liner, fix one drawer, and all that kind of stuff, it was worth it. I am sure that each day I am going to feel better for a while.

And, you know, it is kind of nice still having my waterbed frame with the drawers underneath. I was sort of attached to that piece of furniture.
Linda

[tlcbouv]

gosh and I just bought a water bed last fall. but it is the kind with tubes so it doesn't hammock and I can make each side of the bed different firmness. It is also a soft side so normal sheets fit it and it is easy to get in and out of. The hounds love it!!

[linda]

I loved my waterbed--and so did the dogs and the cats. The tubes sound interesting. I think they are really on to something with the waterbeds--they just have some issues to solve. Perhaps the tubes will turn out to be the key. I especially loved the heated bed in the winter. I think that for one person, it would be hard to find a more comfortable bed.

Softsided.... What about the liner in case of leaks? I have been using regular sheets on my waterbed mattress for years. Admittedly, it wasn't much fun getting that bottom sheet on, but the bottom sheets with the deep pockets did fit.

Remember that you need to replace the mattress every few years. The material stretches and so it becomes less firm. You can just put in more water--remembering that there should be some sort of relationship between all that water and the liner that will catch any spills. Short of someone attacking a waterbed with a knife, I would never expect to see a major failure. Leaks have always been little--like when a cat chases the airbubbles.....

At least you know that years down the road, if you decide to get rid of the water mattress for some reason, that there is a reasonably-priced alternative.
Linda

[KarenN]

About waterbed leaks... funny story from YEARS ago....

My DH and I had a waterbed way back when in the late 70's when people still used diaper pins. Some friends of ours had a baby and went into our room during a party to change the little one - where do you normally stick the diaper pin? Why into the bed, of course. He feels a warm wetness and was afraid the baby had wet our bed... NOT - he was soooooo embarrassed.

[Mary Ann]

Uh-oh! How embarrassing!!! What in the world did you do, Karen?

I've never had a waterbed. I get motion sick easily, and just the thought makes me sort of green.

[tlcbouv]

softside is lined in plastic. its about an eight inch high two inch thick soft outline with a bottom. goes right on top of box springs, has 1.5 in foam on top of tubes and a padded mattris top on that. Look just like a regular bed. makes like one too (except can't change bed skirt or move it once it is set up I can even store stuff under it) very little rolling motion and great support. NO HEATER

[Hasha]

Linda you are making me want to try the foam bed! We don't have a Costco here, but there is a Sams club 100 miles away that might get them in some day. I have a terrible time sleeping and heaven help me if I change any thing! If I move the bed, I won't sleep for a week. Even new sheets can make me not sleep for several days. Yes.... I am weird! ;D
I got a tubed water bed like tlcbouv after our old fasioned water bed sprang a few to many leaks! Nothing like waking up feeling like you wet the bed in the morning! You see, it always seems to only get wet were your butt hits the matress!
Oh and tlcbouv, I fixed the skirt problem by cutting the middle out of the skirt leaving about a foot of material, then I just tuck it in around the bed and I'm done! Not that I have more than one bed skirt any way. ;D

[Marci]

We had a water bed over 20 years ago loved it until I had my back injury.
But I do remember sewing something while sitting on it and yes, where do you put the needle? I did that 3 or more times before I remembered. Sigh. And thank god you fix it with stuff for bicycle tires.
We had it until we let my hubbys sister use it when we were gone with her kids and they jumped up and down on it-can we say we came back to a very wet mess? We threw it out and went back to normal beds.
We bought a mattress topper last year and it really is a back saver. But our old mattress now has these low spots-OK they conform to the shape of my body and his but its really hard when hubby try's to get in mine too. LOL