No Flip Mattress: Benefits and Problems

November 20, 2012
In the Bedroom

Is Today’s No-flip Mattress Better than the Old Mattresses You Could Turn Over?

More importantly are they at least as good as or better than the now widely produced one-sided mattress found in virtually every local store? I think the answer generally speaking is yes, however there are issues with today’s modern two-sided beds. Unfortunately for consumers the modern day double sided mattresses are hard to find and worse yet have nearly identical building materials as their no flip counterpart.

Should You Seek Out a Two Sided Mattress?

I think the answer is yes again however these shoppers should proceed with much caution. Why? Things are not always as they seem. My sales experience has revealed to me that they want to believe that today’s two sided mattresses are no different from the mattresses they purchased 20 plus years ago. The fact is nothing could be further from the truth they are more similar to today’s one sided as apposed to the double sided beds of the past. This is because two sided beds are now constructed with almost identical building materials making them less durable.

How Long Will a Two-Sided Mattress Last?

22/365Frankly that depends on a few different things and most important of those being the quality of the building materials used, so compare and scrutinize the details and specifications. With that said generally speaking a person should be able to extend mattress life. How long? Realistically 1 maybe 2 years with a mattress you can turn over. While that does not sound like a lot, you can expect a lengthened comfort life that could be as long as 7 maybe even 8 years for people of average weight and size. Considering the average single sided mattresses only offers comfort lasting 5-6 years these days increasing mattress life up to 20% makes them an extra good value especially since one sided mattresses and double sided typically cost the same.

Body Impression Issues

Shopping tip: Stop comparing them to the beds of days gone by. This is nearly 2013 and companies are trying to increase profits and pull down construction costs. The reason: World usage of the 2 key building components steel and petroleum. As countries have become more industrialized and demand for steel has increased so has the cost of steel. Petroleum is the necessary element for making foam so one can only imagine the quandary for mattress manufacturers who try to keep cost and retail prices under control.

These days’ bed manufacturers minimize cost by using significantly less steel and less dense polyurethane foam. Less dense foam equals poorer quality foam. Low density foam is defined as foam with the weight of the foam per cubic foot.  Foam builders do this by introducing more air to the foam which can weaken it. Today’s one and two sided beds consist of a lot of cheap foam. Densities have been said to be as low as 1 lb. per cubic foot and sometimes less. To put that into perspective a sofa often uses 1.8, 2.2, or higher.

Is There an Alternative That Can Last 10+ Years and not Sag?

While I believe that two sided beds are still a great value but even over time they will sag. There are 3 better alternatives. The first is to purchase a heavy duty beefed up 1 sided mattress that include more steel and denser foam. The second is to consider a high quality latex rubber mattress and finally think about a high quality memory foam mattress. Some might say that these are 1 sided mattress and can’t last as long.

So why buy a 2 sided mattress? If you can’t afford the previously mentioned the fact is 2 sides still gives mattress owners the ability to turn, flip, turn again, and one last flip to complete the very best wear cycle and that promotes the most even surface wear overtime. Add in the fact that double sided beds really don’t cost more and maximize life that really does make them a good value for your money.