Memory Foam Buyer's Guide
An introduction to the world of
memory foam...
Page 5
Excessive Heat
In the past, memory foam has been
criticized for being too “hot” to sleep on. By its nature, memory foam
dissipates heat very slowly. In fact, that is an important
characteristic of memory foam, as this heat retention is one of the
reasons memory foam can conform so perfectly to the body. It can be
uncomfortable though, especially in hot climates, if the manufacturer
does nothing to help alleviate that heat.
- To avoid excessive
heat buildup, choose a mattress with some sort of ventilation system.
Sleep Aid has a particularly good system that consists of a series of
air channels cut into the surface of the foam. These channels allow
air to circulate throughout the surface, keeping the user cool.
Mattress Covers:
What Are They Hiding?
Some memory foam companies sell their
memory foam mattresses and toppers with a mattress cover or sleeve.
These covers will only reduce the effectiveness of memory foam by
reducing body contact, and these covers may really serve another
purpose; covering low quality foam.
- As was discussed
earlier, low quality foam tends to flake and crumble. Mattress covers
do a good job of covering up that breakdown, as well as reducing
abrasion in order to keep low quality foam from breaking down too
rapidly.
- Mattress covers can
help to cover up unpleasant smells associated with manufacturing. Even
high-quality foams can smell funny for couple of days, but any
mattress pad with a sleeve may be covering up for more permanent
odors.
Freshness
Counts
Under normal use, memory foam
can last upwards of a decade. If memory foam is not treated properly,
however, it can break down fairly rapidly. Because memory foam is so
bulky, it has to be shrink wrapped for shipment, and this
compresses the tiny cells that give memory foam its rebound. For about
60 days, that compression poses no long term risk to the product. It
simply regains its original shape after being unwrapped.
However, some manufacturers and retail
outlets allow their stock to remain shrink wrapped for many months or
even years before it reaches the consumer. After this length of time,
memory foam can lose up to sixty percent of its loft and become hard and
unyielding. This process is called "compression set," and it is
especially common of "big box" stores that buy huge quantities of memory
foam, and ship products to multiple warehouses for storage and eventual
sale.
If you do buy from a retail outlet, make
sure to find out when the foam was packed. If the retailer can't give
you this information, do not buy their products. The best bet is always
to buy products that are shipped directly from the manufacturer, whether
through an authorized direct online dealer, or through the manufacturer
directly. Some brands like Sleep Aid even "custom cut" their foam in
small batches, and never shrink wrap for more than thirty days.
Conclusion and Resources
Memory foam is changing lives every day. The
process of buying memory foam, and making sure that you select the right
product for your needs, can be somewhat confusing, but the rewards far
outweigh the inconvenience. Hopefully this guide will give you some
basic knowledge, and make the task of navigating the memory foam market
a little less of a chore.
