\u201cI can hear this photo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Waterbeds were all the rage in the 1970s<\/a>, 1980s<\/a> and well into the 1990s<\/a>. The squishy, water-filled mattresses came in all forms: from heated to hardside to super waveless, they became a bedroom phenomenon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But like all trends, waterbeds have had a downfall in recent years. YouTuber and mattress reviewer Marten from Mattress Clarity<\/a> explains in a video on why waterbeds fell out of favor after enjoying such popularity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marten explains that the first technical waterbed came to be in 1833, but modern waterbeds as we know them came into existence in 1968 thanks to inventor Charles Hall<\/a>. By 1971, he had a patent for his waterbed design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBy 1987, waterbeds hit their peak. And they made up almost 22% of the mattress market. That\u2019s over one in five mattresses sold,\u201d Marten says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their rise soon came to a halt as people became frustrated with their faults\u2014mostly leaks, and then cleaning and heating upkeep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd the advent of new types of mattresses, namely memory foam, helped to push waterbeds out of the market,\u201d Marten adds. \u201cAnd they took a lot of maintenance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Waterbeds are still available for purchase today, but Martens explains that many people have opted for other mattresses due to better knowledge of proper spinal and sleep hygiene practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Reddit, however, Boomers and Gen Xers reminisced<\/a> about what it was like to have a waterbed back in the day. They shared the good, the bad\u2026and the ugly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think about those now and wonder how anyone thought it was a good idea to have a giant water balloon in your house that you aggressively move around on.\u201d \u2013 HockeyTMGS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey were sooooooo comfortable! Turn on that heater in the winter, kinda like getting a big warm hug! I loved mine when I was in high school.\u201d \u2013 Who_Wants_Tacos<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMany homeowners insurance policies had prohibitions against them or at least excluded damage from burst water mattresses. If they sprung a leak, the damage could be extensive. Nothing rots a home like water damage, especially the slow, insidious leaks.\u201d \u2013 Competitive_Boat106<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHad several back in the day. Regular bladder, baffled, waveless\u2026had \u2019em all. Once the water hit the right temp, and the heaters (always use two & remove the knobs when the right temp is achieved) are adjusted just right, they\u2019re wonderful. I\u2019d go back in a heartbeat! This \u2018swedish memory foam\u2019 Tempurpedic monstrosity sucks big time. So why don\u2019t I have one now? Cats\u2026that\u2019s all I\u2019m gonna say.\u201d \u2013 oldandjaded<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen you found that your new romantic interest had one, was a good day indeed.\u201d \u2013 Abernathy1234<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy dad got my sister and I each one for Christmas of 1985. Had the huge oak headboard area with a mirror and shelves, they were ugly as sin. Then the cat jumped on it. Not an awesome gift for a 14 year old boy and a 16 year old girl. My dad was losing it during that time, clearly.\u201d \u2013 EpponneeRay<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHad one in my late 20\u2019s the heated bladder was awesome til a snowstorm took the power out. Ever sleep on a very cold water bed? Woke up and could barely move the next day. Went up for sale the same day and never looked back.\u201d \u2013 bdr22002<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can hear this photo\u2026. .\u201d \u2013 NoMichFarmGirl<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe had several when I was growing up. I remember my father refilling them and adding some kind of conditioner to the water. Then he would have me roll back and forth on it to get the air bubbles out before putting the cap back on.\u201d \u2013 libbieonthelabel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n