Oh, campus-checklist and dorm-décor ads, you are so funny! Especially when you show pimped-out dorm rooms with enough space for a big bed, a comfy chair and — oh, help! — a sofa next to a toaster-oven. Let’s see you wedge those things into a room that allots an average of 96 square feet per student. That includes the provided beds, desks, closets and in-room microwave/refrigerator units. Now, we know — especially those of us who’ve escorted a newly minted high school graduate off to her very own 96 square feet — that those advertisers are targeting us, the parents, more than the newbie freshmen. How else to explain the annoying prevalence of college registries? “I do think the ads target parents, in terms of making parents think these are the things they need to get to make their students comfortable,” says Sara Rotunno, assistant director for residential life at Colorado College. “Students don’t actually use a lot of that stuff.” That’s partly because either there’s no room, or the items aren’t allowed.
Most on-campus housing forbids electrical cooking and heating appliances, which are considered a fire hazard. “I think a lot of students bring things that they don’t realize aren’t allowed,” Rotunno said. She ran down a list of extraneous or forbidden items: “Candles. Dishes, all their CDs and video games, basic cookware. We provide (many of these things) at our front desk, along with board games they can check out and cleaning equipment, like mops and vacuums. A lot of student bring in too much stuff, and that stuff gets sent home with the parents.” What do students really need? Here’s one thing: Linens — in that exasperating extra-long twin size that fits no other bed you’ll ever own. And a blanket or comforter and pillow. Maybe a foam topper for the mattress. But not a bed-bug mattress cover. Bed-bug barrier mattress covers are one example of something that’s a triumph of marketing over necessity, says Jacob Marsh, owner of Bite Back Bed Bug Removal in Aurora.
“As a preventive measure, a bed-bug barrier isn’t going to do anything,” Marsh said. “If bed bugs are already there, usually inside the box springs, then a mattress cover keeps them inside the mattress if you leave it on for two years, because they’ll die in there. But if you’re not already having problems, a cover won’t stop anything. The best thing to do is hope it doesn’t happen, and live your normal life.” Like mattress covers, hanging shelves get a heavy marketing push, but University of Colorado senior Phuong-Anh Cai found them useless. “I always look at those college checklist ads, but a lot of that stuff makes me roll my eyes,” she said. “The hanging shelves aren’t durable. You can’t stack shorts or pants on them because they’re only cardboard. I just used regular plastic hangers. When I was a freshman, I wound up sending a lot of my clothes back home because I overestimated how much I’d actually need. I brought a clip-on light, but the bed frame was too thick for it.”
Other advertised must-haves that Cai says are don’t-needs: • Printer (available in libraries) • A tool kit (residence halls have common tools, including screwdrivers, wrenches and hammers. Major repairs are handled by campus maintenance staff.) • Kitchenware apart from a couple of cups, bowls and utensils What extras did serve her well? A bookcase that also served as a TV stand. A suitcase that fit under the bed, storing seasonal clothing and other things. A laptop, “a must in your college career,” she said. “It’s the one thing I can’t lose in my life.” Which brings up something that’s missing on most of those College Checklists: Renter’s insurance. If a student can’t pay the monthly fee ($7 and up), often that coverage can be tacked — sorry, Mom and Dad — onto a parent’s insurance policy. According to a study by Integrated Cycle Systems, maker of the Bad Bones lock, a four-year college student has a 53 percent chance of losing a bicycle to a thief.
There’s also an excellent chance that other personal property will be stolen from a dorm room. Our daughter will be a college sophomore this year. Despite a sturdy U-lock and an expensive cable lock, her bicycle was stolen twice in her freshman year. There’s also an excellent chance that other personal property — laptop, smartphone, cash, jewelry, credit cards — will be stolen from a dorm room. “Renter’s insurance is so cheap for what it provides,” Rotunno says. “When I was renting, I paid $7 a month, and my deductible was either $250 or $500. It’s a really good idea for students.” Campus checklist: what students really need Forget about matchy-matchy bed linens, electrical appliances, supplemental furniture and a 10-piece cookset. Your college student’s basic needs are much simpler. Instead, buy renters insurance.How can Purple be firm and soft at the same time? Purple’s Smart-Comfort Grid System™ is designed so that each individual cell wall of Hyper-Elastic Polymer™ has a specific pressure/weight threshold.
When that threshold is breached, the wall releases, distributing the weight and pressure to surrounding cells. This means that high-pressure areas like your hips and shoulders sink in while the broader, low pressure areas like your back get fully supported. Even when the cell walls release, they don’t collapse and lose support; they will maintain the exact right amount of support needed for that part of your body so you don’t bottom out. How much weight is the Purple designed to support? The Purple® Bed should easily support 600lbs total or 300lbs weight per person per side. If you’re worried about accommodating someone significantly heavier than that but still want the power of Purple, please be assured that all users, regardless of weight, should find comfort benefits with the Purple® Bed. Please be advised that, while with the use of significantly heavier users will not void the warranty, it may cause the bed to soften more quickly than with an average-weighted user and therefore may eventually alter the Purple™ Bed’s comfort providing abilities.
Will you be adding more sizes to your mattress options? As we grow we are only producing the four most popular sizes of mattress Twin XL, Queen, King and California King. This certainly doesn’t mean we won’t add sizes, but we apologize if we don’t have the sizes you’re looking for right now. To be notified if we ever do add more sizes, fill out this Google Form and we’ll be sure to let you know if your desired size becomes available! What does the Purple 30-Night Challenge work? If you’re not convinced that Purple® Mattress is right for you after 30 or so nights, head over to your guest room, take your sweetie on a romantic getaway, or simply spend a night or two where you can sleep on a different mattress and compare it to your Purple. You may just realize how awesome Purple really is! Don’t worry, you still have your full 100 nights to decide. Is the Purple® Mattress cover washable? For the mattress cover, we recommend using a stretchy mattress protector and spot-cleaning with upholstery when it does get dirty.
**The cover does zip off, but we recommend not putting it through your washing machine unless absolutely necessary. If you do, use a completely cold cycle and hang or lay flat to dry only (there is a LOT of spandex in it, so if you put it in the washer/dryer, it will shrink and that could potentially interfere with the benefits of Purple™). Why do I need stretchy sheets for my Purple® mattress? The stretchier your sheets and mattress protector, the more you’ll be able to enjoy the full benefits of Purple. Too tight and/or non-stretchy fabrics can act as a barrier between you and the Purple so you don’t get as much pressure release as you could. Also, don't forget to check out our amazing sheets that will work perfectly on your mattress! What is the quality of the foam? We use a premium high-density density foams, which include: 3.25” – 1.8 lb/ft³ medium-soft comfort layer 4.00” – 2.0 lb/ft2³ medium-firm support layer All of our foam is certified by CertiPUR-US®
CertiPUR-US® approved foams are: Made without ozone depleters Made without PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (“Tris”) flame retardants Made without mercury, lead and other heavy metals Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)All of which is, of course, topped with and protected by 2″ of Purple™ — so it’ll last even longer than your average high-density foam. Will you be selling a Purple® Topper? We may add the option of a Purple® Mattress topper in the future, but we don’t have any sort of timeline. But if you want to to be notified if/when a Purple® Topper is available, fill out this quick form and you’ll be among the first to know! Does the Purple® Bed need a boxspring? Of course we recommend our platform base! However, the Purple just needs a sturdy surface to sit on, whether that’s a platform, slats (3″ apart or less), box foundation, an adjustable bed frame, or even the floor — it all works just fine.
Make sure your mattress won’t be on a sagging frame or foundation and you’re good to go! What type of flame retardant is in the mattress? We use a fabric knit barrier that meets all of the industry standards for your safety without filling your mattress with toxic chemicals. Does it emit off-gassing? There may be a faint “new mattress” smell right when it comes out of the packaging, which the few who have noticed it have described as nutty and sweet. If it is noticeable, it will fade within a few days and is not toxic (most toxic off-gassing that is associated with mattresses comes from memory foam, which we do not use). To find out more about the certification for the foam we use, visit CertiPUR-US® Why did you choose the cover you did? We specially designed a patent-pending, high-quality, white-on-white cover that has never been seen in the industry. It’s super stretchy so you get the best experience with Purple possible, and will look great in your room, even while you’re washing the sheets!
What are the dimensions of the Purple™ Beds? California King: 71.5" x 83.5" x 9.5" King: 75.5” x 79.5” x 9.5” Queen: 59.5” x 79.5” x 9.5” Twin Extra Long: 37.5” x 79.5” x 9.5” How much does the Purple® Bed weigh? The following are approximate weights — just remember Weight is Quality!! Twin Extra Long – 70 lbs Queen – 110 lbs King – 140 lbs California King – 140 lbs How does the Purple® Mattress Ship? The Royal Purple® Seat cushions will ship in boxes, just as one might expect. But we’ve invested in a super nifty mattress roller that allows us to ship Purple® Beds and Tops directly to your door in a vinyl tube with handy little handles to help you carry it. The mattress packaging dimensions are approximately as follows: California King King – 72″ Long x 15.5″ Diameter Weighing appx 141 lbs King – 76″ Long x 15.5″ Diameter Queen – 60″ Long x 15.5″ Diameter
Weighing appx 111 lbs Twin Extra Long – 38″ Long x 15.5″ Diameter Weighing appx 76 lbs If Purple® Mattress is so great, how can you sell it for so little? When we say we skipped the middle-man, we mean we skipped like….4 of them. The inventors (which means we don’t have to pay royalties) The manufacturers (Which means we don’t have to pay someone else to do it) The Wholesalers (the most commonly referred to middle-man) The Retailers (The stores and the sales people) If we had gone a more traditional route, Purple would be a $3000-$5000 mattress, and let’s face it, most people can’t afford that. We are so confident about this technology and how much value it will add to your life, that we are assuming all of the risk so that we can offer it to you at a much more affordable price. Do I have to rotate my Purple® mattress? We don’t have an official policy. Not required, but recommended every 6 months or so.
The Purple® Mattress also shouldn’t be flipped or you could lose its benefits! You can rotate the mattress, although it’s not necessary! How do I unpack my Purple® mattress? There will be a great little Purple slicer – that looks suspiciously like a letter opener – included in the package. Use that to cut down the length of the plastic tube, (Yes, it will cut between the teeth of the zipper and through the fabric and plastic) and unroll the mattress from the several layers of purple fabric holding it together. Your bed will be ready to sleep on right away. How firm is the Purple® mattress? Most of our customers rate our mattress a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, but it really just is personal preference! Is the Purple® mattress vegan? There are no animal products used to produce The Purple® Mattress. Can you feel your partner moving next to you on Purple? The Purple® Mattress has very limited motion transfer! You won’t feel your partner stir, those cute little ones climbing into the sheets, or those little paws finding the most comfortable position.