The Best Mattress Ever

As a mattress store owner it may seem weird but I can’t tell you what the best mattress ever made is. But what I can do is tell you a story. Buckle up.

When you join the Army, your first night of basic training is a rude awakening—literally. For me, it was downright miserable. I was a college kid looking for a change and apparently, a plane ticket, and a buzz cut were just what the doctor ordered.

That first night on an Army bunk felt like sleeping on a sheet of plywood with a thin layer of regret. But give it ten weeks, and you can get used to just about anything, even a mattress that feels like it was stolen from a medieval torture chamber. By then, I was almost comfortable. Almost.

And then came our FTX, Field Training Exercise. Picture this: my battle buddy and I in the rain, setting up a pup tent that was about as waterproof as a coffee filter. We dug a trench around it, desperately trying to redirect the water away from our temporary home. Still, by nightfall, we were soaked, shivering, and curled up like two soggy burritos under our woobies, Army-issued blankets that are somehow magical but only when dry.

It was freezing. It was wet. It was miserable. Easily the worst night of sleep I’ve ever had. But you know what they say, good news comes in the morning. That morning, I couldn’t wait to slap on my rucksack and start moving. Anything was better than lying in that swampy (misery) Missouri.

After a week of field hell, we finally trudged back to the barracks. My barracks bunk was shared with a guy from Buffalo who snored like a freight train, but I didn’t care. That night, that stiff, lumpy Army bunk mattress felt like the Ritz-Carlton. It was warm. It was dry. It was perfect. It was THE BEST MATTRESS ever.

The point is, the best mattress ever made is all about perspective. For me, it was that Army bunk. For someone else, it might be a prison cot or the worn-out couch at a buddy’s house. What matters isn’t what it’s made of, it’s what it represents.

These days, I’m just grateful to have a good mattress and the chance to help others find theirs. Because whether it’s plush, firm, or Army-issue plywood, there’s nothing like the feeling of finally getting a good night’s sleep.