1/21/2009

You Don't Hear Much About Waterbeds Anymore...

At least I don't.

Seems like when I was growing up you couldn't go five feet without someone trying to sell you a waterbed. Retailers were abundant. Hell, I had one when I was in high school. I liked it. You could adjust the heat which was nice. Mine wasn't super-wavy either, so sea-sickness wasn't a problem.

Maybe it's just because I live in a more rural area now. Do any of you have a waterbed? Do you sense that waterbeds are a dying breed or is the industry alive and well?

39 comments:

The Imaginary Reviewer said...

I have never had a waterbed, but one does feature prominently in my favourite Peanuts plotline. Snoopy is being a guard dog for Peppermint Pattie and gets stuck on a waterbed while thieves come in and steal everything.

Seriously, he spends about a week's worth of comics bouncing around on that thing.

Joe said...

I have not known anyone with a water bed in over 15 years, and I don't think I've seen one for sale anywhere in almost that long.

Red said...

My parents and I both had waterbeds when I was I kid, but I, too, have not seen one in years. It's a mystery.

SkylersDad said...

I used to have one and loved it! I think they went the way of lava lamps.

Mnmom said...

Also, remember if you said you had a waterbed, everyone snickered like you just admitted you owned piles of porn and edible undies?

Scope said...

I had one until about 10 years ago, and loved the therma quality in the winter.

I totally blame that Bionic Bitch and her blow up doll mattress for the decline. And those bastard Swedes and their Tempre material. Don't even get me started on those ABBA loving ASSA-holes.

Moderator said...

I think it has something to do with swingers.

Cap'n Ergo "XL+II" Jinglebollocks said...

I likes th' way yew thunk. Lava lamps are coming back into style, so maybe H2Obeds will too?? I think it might have something to do w/all th' hippy chilluns growing up and getting bad backs-- ever tried to get out of a full-wave bed with lower back pain??

Jennifer and Sandi said...

They suck to move! I moved my waterbed from Apt to Apt when I was younger. IF I MOVE A WATERBED ONE MORE TIME I'll just cry!! Sob...LOUDLY!!!

I haven't seen one in ages!

If you need help moving one, I'm busy next weekend. And the next and the next.

Happy Wednesday!
- Jennifer

Cheer34 said...

G man and I had one...loved it until the heater blew....

. said...

The latex mattrass are the last fashion...here in europe if you don't have one ..you have no matrass...
(actually I have one and it is really comfy, the only problem is that on summer time it's a bit hotter to sleep on it..)

Anonymous said...

It took us about 4 hours to drain the damn thing out the second story window when were were moving. I was "too cool" when I was 14. The envy of all my non-water bed friends.

anne altman said...

the waterbed stuff is hysterical. my aunt and uncle had a huge one that took up the entire room in their small cabin on the lake. the cabin was sold years ago --with the bed--and i saw it with my own eyes last summer.

can you even have sex on a waterbed with all the sloshing about? is that how they had 6 kids?

gross

Scope said...

Have you not heard the phrase about dingy size vs. ocean motion?

Cora said...

You're right. As a kid EVERYONE talked about waterbeds ALL THE TIME. My friend's parents had one and we used to sneak into their room and jump on it. (baaaaddddd kids). But I don't know anyone with a waterbed anymore. Kinda a tad too retro, maybe? People moved on I suppose.

Scope said...

But I do have a lava lamp.

bubbles said...

I had a waterbed at home with my parents when I was about 18 or so (circa 1978 or 79). Loved it. Then the big water sacks were not the cool thing in the waterbed world and were considered juvenile, so as a couple we got a "soft sided" model, which had a matress type frame around the water sack. Nice cause you can tie your shoes on the edge and normal sheets worked. Had that until 1996 when it sprang a leak. Replaced by the aforementioned latex matress, and now that I have my very, very own bed... another, brand new latex.

TMI? Sorry.

I have a friend that has waterbeds in every room in her house. All the kids and the parents. When I visit it takes me down memory lane.

Greta said...

Yeah. I think now it's like waterbeds disguised at real mattresses, but the springs are actually flexible water filled tubes or something.

I saw one at Sam's once.

Gwen said...

UGH! Both my ex-husband and the other serious man in my life loved waterbeds and still sleep on them. I hate them, find them tacky as all hell and have declared them to be a relationship deal breaker. I will never sleep on another again. EVER.

dguzman said...

They're definitely not being pushed anymore. Seems like everyone had/wanted one in the 70s and 80s; then it was a regular mattress with a space hollowed out where a water-filled bag would go (remember those?); and now it's all Memory-Foam and Sleep-Number beds. Water is definitely OUT.

Anonymous said...

I think the sleep number bed is the "IN" bed these days.

#1

Leilani Schuck Weatherington said...

We got rid of the water bed mattress about 20 years ago, but we still have the base on which our regular mattress sits.

Candy's daily Dandy said...

Not a big fan. I think the waterbed of today is the tempurpedic.

Dale said...

My sister swore by hers until it broke and flooded her house.

Morgan the Muse said...

I have not seen one in years.

Leonesse said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Leonesse said...

My parents had a gel bed. It was like walking around on thick jello. No one ever knew what I was talking about, but I saw it on an episode of Designing Women once, so they do exist. Or did, anyway.

It was awesome, actually.

~E said...

water beds make me dizzy and puke. which is the opposit effect of what you want in a bed. also, ive always been too terrified of accidentally poking a hole into in in my sleep and then drowning in the "mattress".

vikkitikkitavi said...

My brother had a waterbed. He also had black light posters and a van with shag carpeting and a mural painted on the side.

Leonesse said...

viki... I think I saw your brother get busted the other day. Does he, by chance, drive through Arizona?

Unknown said...

it's funny...when I tell people I own www.waterbedandfuton.com, some people say that they are surprised that waterbeds are still around, while others will go into long, in-depth stories about how much they just love their water bed. They really have come a long way; many, like our hybrid pillow tops, don't even look like the old traditional style of waterbed. Feel free to browse our on-line catalogue for the best selection at: http://waterbedandfuton.com
Thanks,
Mike

Mythy said...

I've had one for almost 30 years and have only replaced the 'bladder' once, plus one new heater. I still look forward to sleepy time every night...warm and cozy!

balers said...

Vinyl can be easily cleaned, and even washed with water. That means, the bed can be totally free from dust mites and other parasites that exist on traditional beds.

copper fittings said...

Sleeping on waterbeds provides many benefits. The warmth from the waterbed heater has a soothing effect, and the vinyl waterbed bag is easy to clean and has fewer dust mites than standard mattresses, which decreases allergic reactions.

Anonymous said...

We just went back to a waterbed this week! Got a 90% waveless mattress and bought a really nice bed off Craig's list that's doesn't scream the 80's. My husband and I had one fromm1986-1995 and have spent thousands of dollars on top of the line reg beds and hated everyone. We refused to pay 4000 on a tempurpedic. So we went back to the one thing that never failed us. I feel if they updated the beds more would go back to them.

Johnny Boy said...

Waterbeds were great. If the woman is giving you the old "not tonight, I don't feel like it" routine, you just push down on her forehead and the pussy comes right up to you.

Unknown said...

jenny September 20, 2015 at 7:37 pm

I loooooooove my waterbed!!! I got it onlive,http://www.mywaterbedshop.com. California king March of 2015. I had one for 10 yrs when i was a teenager (I’m 39 now). I LOOOOOOOVE my bed. Are you KIDDING ME? I can’t sleep on a regular bed. I have a shoulder impingment and a bad back. Before we got this, i was sleeping on the couch. And my back was tued up in knots. Now is soooooo wonderfull. It’s a white vinyl full wave. Dude, i could CARE LESS about decor, it’s ALLLLLLL ABOUT COMFORT. And the price? Listen. The ENTIRE BED was $579.00. I mean, pedestal, rails, liner, heater, mattress, fill kit. But we had to buy the decking at the home depot. 10 bux. And is soooooooo wonderful to have a heated bed! No more ice cold beds for us! Last winter we got in bed froze our baneenees off. not this winter!! Buuut, yes. We DID have to put 2 jacks under out floor. But now, everything is PERFECT! and no, we got all this 100% online. As Knoxville, tn has NOOOO waterbed stores, or parts. My husband is from Guatemala and he put it together noooo problem! I think people are COMPLETELY CRAZY not to have waterbeds. My back feels sooooooo GOOOOD! I have the most waterbeddy waterbed. It’s 7 feet long and 6 feet wide. Ih, and i just use regular sheets. No muss, no fuss. And WHO CARES if they don’t look perfect. Functionality is what it’s all about!! You can’t even get a box springs and mattress for $579.00. HA!!!

Anonymous said...

I had a friend, went by the name of Waterbed Bob; had a store on Long Island, N.Y.

Reward if found - helped me through a rough patch in the 1970s.

Thanks.

mgb

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