Hi Graham,

Thanks for getting in touch about the Sealy Nostromo 1400 mattress and what may be a better alternative for your sleeping needs.

The reason you may have found the Sealy Nostromo mattress really firm is that its one of Sealys Posturepedic mattresses. Which are on the firm side, only really suitable for people who like a punishingly firm nights sleep or those over 17 stone in body weight.

Let's have a quick look at what else is inside the Sealy Posturepedic mattress to see why it may not have been suitable:

• 1400 Pocket springs (no tension or gauge given - more on why that's super important in a bit)
• Pillowtop (again more on why thats a problem)
• Innergetic latex (not natural as its often wrongly listed as - no density or blend given)
• One-sided (again a drawback more on that!)

Pocket Springs Explained:

The pocket springs don't have any gauge or tension, which is vital when choosing a new mattress. Pocket springs are made with weight tolerances in mind which is why you always should choose the tension based on your weight. More often than not retailers mistakenly list the 'comfort' of the mattress as the spring tension which is wrong. Comfort comes from the upholstery fillings, not the spring unit.

Pillowtops & One-Sided Mattresses Explained:

Pillowtop mattresses are probably the worst invention to come to mattresses in the past 20 years. They aim to give the feeling of a lovely deep topper which is great. However, they are then adhered, usually glued, onto the top of the mattress. As this mattress can not be turned over, or the pillowtop would be irreparably crushed as it contains softer fibres, when the pillowtop compresses and starts to sag its game over. This s because you can't turn the mattress to help even out this wear. Avoid at all costs.

Innergetic latex explained:

A number of customers ask what blend Innergetic latex is. In fact, no one within the industry seems to be able to say either. This makes us dubious as all latex should display its blend whether 'synthetic' which we believe innergetic latex is or natural. There have been ‘whispers’ it’s a blend of natural and ‘high quality’ synthetic latex but we can’t confirm this. At this price point of £1300 for a kingsize mattress probably not.

We know that natural latex is the premium product with the highest value, so it would follow that any natural latex would market itself as ‘natural’.  We don’t know what blend Innergetic latex is but would hazard a guess it is not 100% natural. We do know it is on the firmer side which is why this mattress may have felt too firm for your wife.

You're right to avoid memory foam which is both synthetic and really heat retentive. You can read more on why its not the best of mattress fibres here.

What are the alternatives to the Sealy mattress?:

We really would need to know your bodyweight to give you a truly tailored John Ryan mattress recommendation but if you're wanting something that is forgiving whilst offering a medium feel then have a look at our Origins Pocket 1500 mattress first.

Based on your requirements we would advise you choose the Origins Pocket 1500 in the Medium tension if under 16 stone and above 8 stone.

It’s progressive enough to accommodate a front or side sleeper. It will allow more of a soft sink in the very top layer than the Sealy mattress before medium support lower down the upholstery layers. It’s also two-sided so can be turned and rotated each month to extend the lifespan compared to one sided models.


Origins Pocket 1500 Mattress
1: 300GSM WOOL
2: 750GSM VERY SOFT POLYESTER
3: 500GSM POLYESTER PAD
4: ONE INCH FOAM INSULATOR LAYER
5: 1500 SPUN BOND POCKET SPRINGS
TOTAL: 1550GSM
DEPTH 30-33CM

As this is a 2 sided mattress we recommend you turn it each month to help even out natural settlement and get the very longest lifespan out of this hand made mattress. You can read our mattress care guide here to help.

If your budget can stretch then why not take a look at our Natural Fibre Artisan Tailored Pocket 2000, a true leap forward compared to the entry level mattresses. It features a dual twin layer pocket spring system and then 85% of natural breathable fibres, again two sided but slightly more lively in the responsivity compared to the Origins Pocket 1500.

Artisan Tailored Pocket 2000

1: 1200GSM BLENDED BRITISH FLEECE WOOL AND COTTON

2: HAIRPROOF CAMBRIC COVER

3: 1250GSM POLY COTTON

4:1500GSM PURE 100% MOHAIR

5: 2000 DOUBLE TIER SPUN BOND POCKET SPRINGS (SOFT/MED OR FIRM)

TOTAL: 3950GSM

CHEMICAL FREE COVER

We hope that helps and gives you further mattress buying guidance Graham. If you have any more mattress related questions please get back in touch on info@localhost or 0161 437 4419.

Sleep well
John & Ryan