10 Things to Consider Before Buying a New Mattress 100 reasons to love the parks (and a few things we'd improve) The 700-fill down in the NEMO Concerto sleeping bag is so plush, we’ve considered using this sack as our comforter. On warmer nights, the built-in sheet provides snuggly coverage. No need to sacrifice comfort for weight on a car-camping trip, particularly when a good night’s sleep is on the line. L.L.Bean’s Deluxe Swedish folding cot is as cushy as it gets, with a three-inch foam mattress and wood slats that won’t sag in the middle. CamelBak paired an ergonomic lid with vacuum-sealed double-wall stainless steel for its Forge Vacuum travel mug to keep coffee hot during the hours it takes to get everyone up, dressed, fed, and on the trail. The rugged cotton-polyester body of Fjällräven’s Rucksack No. 21 Medium tolerates serious work in the woods. With a 20-liter capacity, it’s roomy enough for sandwiches, water, and extra layers. REI replaced spindly camp-chair legs with sturdy bamboo skids for its Evrgrn Campfire rocker.
It’s ideal for kicking back after a big day on the Cadillac South Ridge Trail. With a generous 83 square feet of floor space, Big Agnes’s Chimney Creek 6 MtnGlo tent easily fits a family of six. Integrated LEDs offer soft illumination for bedtime stories or late-night hands of Texas Hold ’Em. The three bulbs in Eddie Bauer’s LED Tube lantern provide increasing levels of brightness: one is good for early risers who don’t want to disturb the neighbors, two help you find the loo, and the 60 lumens provided by all three are more than enough for after-dark dish duty. The nearly indestructible fork, knife, and spoon in Outpost Titanium’s Three-Piece Cutlery set will stand up to a lifetime of scraping the last morsels from the plate. And its Three-Piece Portable Pan set will have water boiling in no time. The two burners on the Coleman National Parks Edition FyreKnight stove each produce a whopping 12,000 BTUs, so you can have both pancakes and bacon piping hot and ready to go before the kids are out of the tent.
Pendleton’s Acadia National Park pet bed is handsome enough for your living room. And the zip-off fleece liner can be tossed in the wash after a weekend sitting fireside. Car Camping, Gear, NPS, Acadia National Park From Outside Magazine, May 20162017 Mattress Buying Guide: Find The Best Mattress OnlineThis guide has everything you need to know about buying your perfect mattress online.So if you've been struggling to select a new bed and want to learn the secrets to finding the right bed at the right price, you're in the right place.ContentsChapter 1: Learning the LandscapeChapter 2: Filtering Out the NonsenseChapter 3: Decision TimeChapter 4: Getting the BedChapter 1Learning the LandscapeThe mattress industry is being disrupted.Past: For the last 150 years, mattresses were bought in retail stores with huge markups.Now: Over the past 3 years, there have been over 100 new low-cost online mattress brands join the playing field.What This Means: Now is the best time to buy a new mattress.
There is massive competition and venture funding, which means lower prices and better products.But with all this choice, it's hard to figure out where to start...Traditional mattress manufacturers don't think about you as their primary customer. Their true customers are the mattress stores that sell their products. Through margin-setting and sales bonuses, mattress stores have more incentive to sell their beds.The Leesa bed starts at a price of $450 after a Slumber Search coupon. Even the lowest priced models of the biggest brands are ~3X more money.What Materials are Right for Me?Memory foam has been around since 1966 and was famously developed by NASA before being acquired by a private company. Now, it is in Tempur-pedic beds and many disrupter brands.Pros:- Spine alignment is excellent- Great for side sleepers and medium weight sleepers- Quite affordable if you know where to lookCons:- Foam can be too hot- Low grade foam is the worst (sags quickly, lets off chemical odor)- Heavy folks that like softer beds can cause quick sagging on even the best bedsLatex foam is very similar to memory foam, but where memory foam is made synthetically
, latex is made exclusively from the processed sap of the rubber tree, which makes it completely natural. Also, it is quite popular for those with non-latex allergies because it is non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and eco-friendly.Pros:- Spine alignment is excellent- Great for side sleepers and medium weight sleepers- Good for allergies & chemically sensitive folksCons:- Latex can be very hot with less breathing- Oftentimes more expensive- Less variation in softnessInnerspring mattresses used to be all the rage during the last century, but times are changing. Classic coil spring systems were used to support mattresses for decades. While they offered durability, their top layers were comfortable with a variety of soft materials from cotton, wool, and foam.Pros:- General longevity- Wide variety of products- Bed is naturally coolingCons:- Coils can inflame pressure points- Low quality beds sag and can't be rotated- Generally higher pricedA hybrid bed has both memory foam (and/or latex) and pocket coils.
Pocket coils are a recent technology advancement in the inner spring category. Rather than traditional innersprings that are connected to one another through wire, these pocket springs are entirely separate. This means they are less likely to dig into you while they give the bed greater support and cooling than a bed made with latex or memory foam alone.Pros:- Best all around- Greater support and comfort- Naturally cool- No movementCons:- Price is higher than others- Lower quality beds sagChapter 2Filtering Out The NonsenseNow that we know the basics of what's available, it's time to find the perfect bed!To make sure we stay focused through all the hullabaloo, I've put together an easy step by step guide that will keep you on track to finding that perfect bed.Step 1: Use reviews as a compassStep 2: Spot lies & scamsStep 3: Get the most valueStep 1: Use Reviews as a CompassThis is luckily where Slumber Search has already done most of the work in finding and aggregating the reviews and scores (check out our top rated beds), but there are plenty of other sites and experts that provide reviews too.
Find the reviews and start learning about the different brands.Above Sheet: Now compile a list of a few that you are interested in and your takeaways. Above is part of the real spreadsheet that I used on my search.Step 2: Spot Lies & ScamsStep 3: Get the Most ValueChapter 3Decision TimeYou've done it! You've reviewed the mattresses, and are almost ready to make a decision!But maybe you have two or three that you are considering. They all look good and you don't know what to go with.Don't get trapped by indecision.Read on and take the leap...Here Are My FavoritesDisclaimer: Slumber Search is supported by readers. Some links on Slumber Search are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something, Slumber Search may make a small amount of money. It's Going to Be Okay, I PromiseHave the courage to follow your heart and intuition.If you've followed the guide, you've found a great mattress for yourself and your loved ones. What is the worst thing that can happen?Well, coming from someone who has bought a bed that I absolutely hated, there are some big reasons why you are going to be okay even on the rare chance that does happen.
The best brands have 100 day (or more) trials and if you hate the bed, someone will pick it up, recycle it, and you will get your money back. If you're in this position, read on as there are still some lingering tips for you!Chapter 4Getting the BedThe bed is packaged, shipped, and on its way.Finally, a better night sleep is in reach.But before you can enjoy better slumber, you need to set up your new bed and dispose of your old mattress.These tips will help you glide through the transition...Receiving Your Bed & Setting it UpKnock, knock, its your new bed. The day has finally arrived.But, first let's set some expectations. Beds are heavy and I highly recommend that you get help from a friend, family member, or loved one when you are setting up your bed. To prepare for the transition, take your old bed and place it against the wall or in a different room.Do not dispose of your old bed yet! You're going to want it if you have to return your new mattress.Once you get the new bed box, carry it to your bedroom, prepare your box spring or platform, and start unwrapping your mattress.
Place the mattress on your boxspring or platform and wait an hour until lying on it so it has time to fluff up.Important Things to Note- Bed boxes are roughly 45in x 18in x 18in- Weight can range from 50lbs - 125lbs (mattresses with metal components are heavier)- Delivery drivers may only deliver it to the front door- Delivery folks will generally not help with set up- The contents in the box are generally wrapped tightly in plastic- Once unwrapped, the mattress will take some time to take its fluffed shape (usually in an hour)- Generally, there is a 'new car smell' with memory foam mattresses. If you are overwhelmed by it or sensitive to it, don't sleep on it yet and air it out in a separate room if possible.Disposing of Your Old MattressThe top way to get rid of your old mattress is to recycle it.There is a great site called Bye Bye Mattress, which locates all of the mattress recycling facilities in your area. I highly recommend doing a bit of research on this site before you ask your friend with a truck to haul your old mattress away.