Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I spent a lot of time reading reviews on these, and ended up buying this one, despite it having no reviews. First, let me say that I think if you have a medical condition (back problems, etc.) and are very particular about the softness/firmness/feel of your mattress, you should NOT be purchasing a mattress pad online! Go to a store where you can try it out and lay on it first. It seemed like most of the negative reviews for mattress pads on Amazon were from people that should have done just that. That being said, if you're like me and just enjoy a wonderful, comfy, cozy bed that you don't want to get out of, you will probably be very happy with this. It took about a week and a half to arrive, and I'd been sleeping on my really uncomfortable old mattress, so I was anxious to get it set up. I put it on the porch to air our and decompress from afternoon until bedtime. It did have a noticeable over, but it wasn't overwhelming. I put it on at bedtime, even though it wasn't fully decompressed, and put my mattress cover/pad over it. There was a smell if I stuck my head close, but with the blankets over me and my head on the pillow, I didn't smell anything while I was sleeping .In the morning I took the sheets off and put a fan on it all day while I was at work, and the smell is fading quickly. The mattress is thick, and feels like it's good quality. It is "real" memory foam, when you push in it leaves an imprint that slowly rises back up. I don't think it's too soft or too firm-- it's supportive, yet you sink into it. In hindsight, I probably would've been just as happy with the 2" pad, and it's cheaper, but this is definitely comfortable. My last Queen-sized mattress pad was several inches smaller than my mattress, which left an annoying gap on the sides and bottom. This one is the right size for my queen bed, maybe an inch or so off, but barely noticeable. I'm not sure why it's described as "ventilated." It doesn't have the ventilation holes like in the picture for the 2" one. It just looks like regular memory foam. I'll try to remember to update this review after awhile to see how it's holding up!