Following on from various posts regarding bed comfort and toppers, it is incredible that there is no standard softness grading...but I do understand all your comments regarding fillings, spring strength etc and I guess what we are looking for is a softer feeling sumptuous bed, with some lower level support without being firm. We are having huge problems with Vi-Spring beds appearing comfortable in the showroom and in first use but overnight being really deep down firm and extremely uncomfortable, giving aching joints and back!

We have found them to be the most uncomfortable mattresses and they have been a hugely expensive mistake and we now need a recommended alternative. It started with the purchase of "The Herald" medium tension some 5 years ago in a holiday home, this proved to be rock hard, improved a little with a John Lewis goose down topper. Anyway we gave up on that last autumn and bought a replacement mattress a Shetland in soft and medium (I am just under 15 stone and my wife a little over 8 stone). Although an improvement (wouldn't be difficult) again it is still impossible to sleep on your side in comfort, we still use the John Lewis topper.(Note; Google "Rgio5.com Vi-Spring" to see similar test results to our experience). Our main problem is that in our main home we had a Fishpools Pocket Sprung medium made by Relyon which had been brilliant but was 10 years old and the base was creaking and needed changing. I opted to upgrade to what I thought was the Rolls Royce of beds in Vi-Spring and again it has been a disaster. After trying all the models at various showrooms I went for a King Size Shetland Superb Medium. Exactly the same problems as the old Herald. Felt great in the showroom but really hard and uncomfortable in use. We complained to Vi-Spring (customer service polite, cold and unhelpful), and after 4 months the MD of the retailer came to try it and agreed that it was very firm and offered to exchange it. We went to the showroom and tried the range and ordered a Tiara in Medium, which he personally recommended and we felt was very comfortable in the showroom. Basically exactly the same problem. Feels fine at first but has a real deep down firmness. In desperation we added what we thought was the best topper, a Jensen Tempsmart. This seemed at first a significant improvement but still feels comfortable at first, but during the night presumably when we turn over, we cannot get comfortable and wake up with aching joints. Basically, it is impossible to sleep comfortably on your side, reasonably OK on your back but not at all sumptuous. On our experience, we are sure Vi-Spring are well built beds for the long term but really only are for people who want a VERY firm bed and sleep on their back. Just to complete the picture the Fishpools Relyon bed we were really pleased with was purchased in 2001 and was a "Royal Connaught" made by Relyon, we have now found out from Relyon that the equivalent today is their "Royal Bath" and we tried that this week in Medium. Seems to feel much more comfortable than the current Vi-Spring Tiara Superb with Jensen Topper. Depending on John's suggestions we are currently thinking of going for the Relyon Royal Bath on our Vi-Spring base which is their Sovereign divan. As I said before it is absolutely impossible for us to sleep on our sides on the Tiara Superb, there is no give at the shoulders or hips, and we really have had enough of it. Help please, what bed would you recommend as this one is being consigned to the spare room!

We have now tried it for over 4 months and enough is enough!

A very expensive mistake, a total of £10,000 for the two beds (ie. one with replacement mattress) as they are today!

Thanks for your help!

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