# What the hell is this mattress called, and where can I buy one? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 27, 2006, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313 "2006-09-27T03:39:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313/1 "2006-09-27T03:39:21Z")
A few years back, I stayed at a hotel in Prague, and had the best sleep of my life. The mattress was on a type of platform bed (with a hard surface underneath the mattress). The mattress itself was about 4 inches think and very firm. My current bed is about 7 years old, and is starting to give me muscle pain every day. I want one of these wonderful super-firm mattresses. What the hell are they called, and where can I buy one in the US (preferably online, so I don’t have to drive somewhere to buy it)? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313/2 "2006-09-27T03:45:49Z")
Was it like a futon? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313/3 "2006-09-27T03:46:53Z")
Only insofar as it was thin. It was much firmer than any futon mattress I’ve ever slept on. ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313/4 "2006-09-27T03:55:50Z")
I don’t know where to buy one, but it sounds exactly like the bunks aboard Navy ships in the 70’s and 80’s. 4" thick high density polyurethane (I think) atop a slab of aluminum (the top of your locker, btw). They were remarkably comfortable despite the thinness and lack of springs or other supports. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313/5 "2006-09-27T07:53:59Z")
Foam rubber? I’ve never understood the obsession people have with springs in matresses. I sleep on a 4" rubber mattress over plywood, and my back is great; back when I lived in NYC, I just put one on the floor - beds are overrated. One of the reasons I dread sleeping in hotels is the awful springy mattresses, which trigger my insomnia in the evening and my back pains in the morning. Once or twice I’ve even slept on the carpet instead. ---
**Author:** ![Smitten\_Swine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@Smitten\_Swine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitten_Swine)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313/6 "2006-09-27T08:45:54Z")
Could it have been memory foam? ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313/7 "2006-09-27T09:23:09Z")
[QUOTE=CynicalGabe] It was much firmer than any futon mattress I’ve ever slept on. [/QUOTE] It must have been a slab of granite then…that’s the only thing firmer than a damned futon. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313/8 "2006-09-27T14:30:51Z")
It could have been a Tempurpedic or one of their copycats. Though the full mattress is thicker than 4 inches, I think they sell thinner ones. Alos, though they soften a bit with warm weather or body heat, they are extremely firm when cold. ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313/9 "2006-09-28T00:59:19Z")
[QUOTE=CynicalGabe] A few years back, I stayed at a hotel in Prague, and had the best sleep of my life. The mattress was on a type of platform bed (with a hard surface underneath the mattress). The mattress itself was about 4 inches think and very firm. My current bed is about 7 years old, and is starting to give me muscle pain every day. I want one of these wonderful super-firm mattresses. What the hell are they called, and where can I buy one in the US (preferably online, so I don’t have to drive somewhere to buy it)? [/QUOTE] I would try IKEA. That’s where I bought something that sounds like what you describe. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this-mattress-called-and-where-can-i-buy-one/374313/10 "2006-09-28T14:25:54Z")
I will check IKEA. Thanks. Per the other responses: It definitely was not any sort of foam, at least not to a casual observer who didn’t really feel like cutting it apart, just poking and prodding a bit.