Hi Phillip,

Many thanks for your comment and sorry to hear your Vispring Bedstead Supreme is causing you discomfort. To be honest after 14 years it is done well. Most mattresses last around the 7-12 year mark depending on the quality and how often you turn it. If you can turn it that is. More on that further on!

Let's have a look at offering you some advice on the best alternative. Firstly we need to see whats inside the Vispring Bedstead Superb mattress. Here's the detail on what this mattress comprises of:

• 1000gsm bonded British fleece wool and cotton
• 1200gsm long-stranded horsehair, enclosed in a hair-proof cambric cover
• Overlaid with 1200gsm blended British fleece wool and cotton
• Total GSM: 3400gsm

This mattress is one of the most shallow that Vispring makes coming in at between 21cm and 24cm given the tufts.
It's a medium feel mattress in the comfort layers, not to be confused with the medium 1.4 spring unit it frequently uses. This medium 1.4 spring unit is suited for sleepers 9 stone to 16 stone. The comfort layers on top provide the ultimate comfort.

Why is my Vispring mattress now hard?

The issue with the hardness you're feeling is no doubt due to the rebound rate of the mattress fillings. The majority of these fibres are wool and cotton which have high loft but are extremely quick to compress. Vi spring counteract this by adding horse hair which can act as a secondary spring. However, over time it is likely the mattress has settled and both softer layers are now much thinner. Which can be expected over 14 years. You're now resting primarily on the spring unit rather than deep layers of forgiving fibres, again after 14 years this is expected.

That is why it is probably time for a change to a newer mattress, like any item of furniture everything has a shelf life.

Why are mattresses so deep?

All high end well made mattresses have been around 27-30cm for years. The model you've picked from vispring is a specifically low depth mattress, whereas most of their other ranges are 27-30cm deep. This is due to the high volumes of natural fibres that are contained within. This provides additional comfort layers. Providing more bang for your buck and reducing the issue of excess settlement as there's simply more to compress over time.

All of our mattresses range from 27-33cm deep. We don't make a thinner model as that compromises our high construction standards I'm afraid. We can however make our bases lower to accommodate this height which may be an option for you if you want to change your bedframe.

No Turn Mattresses Explained:
We do offer one 'one sided mattress' the Origins Pocket Latex. Which is a different feel and construction method to the matrtess you have now and not one I'd recommend for you straight off, as I think it may feel too firm.

Although we are usually not fans of one sided mattresses we have made one for a couple of reasons.

One is that a fully natural latex topped pocket sprung mattress can only be constructed as a one-sided mattress. If soft latex is placed on both sides the underside can get crushed and damaged by the heavy spring uni and then sleeper. For the price point of the Origins Pocket Latex, a one sided quilted mattress is the only way to achieve this mix of springs and latex at a competitive price point.

The second reason for us having one in our range is because some people really dislike tufted mattresses which all high end natural fibre mattresses use to hold the fillings in place. With a one sided mattress you can use a quilted top layer as the mattress isn't being turn over which would disturb non tufted fillings over time. However, you've already had a tufted mattress so I dont think this is a problem.

Avoiding a heavy turn mattress:

Our mattresses like Vispring, Hastens and Savoir are heavy. That's because we put a huge volume of fillings in them. The best way to avoid difficult turning is to look at a zip and link model available in kingsize and above. This means your only ever needing to turn the maximum size of a single mattress at one time, as there are two that zip together.

I can appreciate that you've already got a double bed frame but doubles can't be made as a zip and link given their small size. So the only way to deal with the weight and have a quality mattress is a zip and link I'm afraid.

You could just buy a mattress and never turn it. However, you would invalidate your guarantee as all two side mattresses need turning each month to even out settlement. It's obvious when people haven't turned it during inspections. However, rotating it can also help reduce settlement. It would be remiss if I didn't advise that all of our range must be turned each month to meet their guarantee periods.

Whats similar to the Vispring Bedstead Supreme Mattress?

Have a look Anne at our Artisan Bespoke 004 in the spring tension suitable for your bodyweights. It’s a hand made 100% natural fibre mattress that is two-sided.

It has a medium feel in the natural upholstery with a forgiving top layer. Great for pressure points and bad backs. The 1600 individual pocket springs allow restless sleepers to move quickly, freely and effortlessly. This is available in a king size zip and link making it a doddle to turn as although its 61kg total weight, this is split into two 30kg smaller mattresses. It is available in a double which weights 52kg.

Artisan Bespoke 004 Mattress
1: 1200GSM BLENDED BRITISH FLEECE WOOL AND COTTON
2: HAIRPROOF CAMBRIC COVER
3: 200GSM SOFT BAMBOO
4: 1200GSM PURE HORSETAIL
5: 1000GSM BONDED BRITISH FLEECE WOOL AND COTTON
6: 1600 CALICO ENCASED POCKET SPRINGS [ 49MM ] [1.28MM]
TOTAL: 3600GSM
DEPTH: 27-30CM
CHEMICAL FREE COVER

We hope that helps and gives you further mattress buying guidance. It may be best to give us a call to discuss further to make sure we’re meeting all your requirements and you can either order online or over the phone when you’re ready.
If you have any more mattress related questions please get back in touch on info@localhost or 0161 437 4419.

Sleep well
John & Ryan