| OK, I'm calling on all you experts! Like most people considering the big switch to a latex mattress I've done tons of reading and research but still am not sure what we need. After reading through this forum (twice) I almost feel like maybe I'd like Dunlop better than Talalay, but I don't see a whole lot of discussion about Dunlop. I like a very firm mattress with very little "give". But, as a side sleeper I know I need some amount of softness on top. I hate conventional pillowtops. My weight is around 140 and my husbands around 240. I have back issues - low back pain, degenerative disk problems, lots of trigger points, yada, yada..... I have seen a couple of people say there's a big difference in the feel of Dunlop and they prefer it. So, is anybody still buying Dunlop or should I assume most of these posts are all Talalay. And does Dunlop only come in all natural or is there some blended? Tnanks for any help you can give me! |
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Lynn Thanks for the informative post. There is so much info out on the web its really hard to know who or what you can trust. But I did want to note one thing about the SleepEZ post. He is clearly comparing natural Dunlop to synthetic Talalay (he says "The major benefit of the Talalay process is in the softer firmness. The combination of natural more elastic latex with synthetic latex..." I am not sure if/how this changes if you compare to natural Talalay. Also, this FAQ still says "We use only Talalay latex for all our mattresses and mattress toppers." Since thats not true anymore, I think its safe to say that this FAQ is at least a bit stale, so some of their opinions might have changed. Also, I wanted to point out at least one source that seems clearly pro-Dunlop, because most of the ones you pointed to seemed to be either neutral or pro-Talalay. This is from the Habitat Furnishing blog, June 19, 2007. I have no idea if this site can be trusted (although I did note that they do sell both types of latex, so that seems like a good sign). The reason I picked this quote is that he hits on a lot of points that, if true, would impact my upcoming decision... "When I compare our Dunlop mattresses side by side with a Talalay bed, to me it so obvious, the main observation being that you tend to sink more in the Talalay material, vs. the Dunlop Natural material, which keeps you suspended if you will, on top of the mattress. Side sleepers especially seem to respond better to the Dunlop method since when you apply a lot of weight to the latex in a limited area (imagine side sleeping being like a knife on edge, vs. a belly or back sleeper, where the weight is more evenly distributed), the pressure point reduction and weight distributing qualities of the latex being clearly superior. You don’t bottom out on it, and you can easily turn from side to side effortlessly. This is important when you consider that a common complaint of memory foam users, and a few Talalay process mattress owners I have spoken with, say that the sinking effects of this materials cause you to feel like your stuck in a rut, and you can actually wake up as your body fights to wrestle its way out of the sinkhole in your bed." I don't mean to seem argumentative or anything, I suspect the differences aren't really that great. I just wish this was all a little clearer so I could decide already (I am SICK of my stupid Tempurpedic mattress)... Steve This message was modified May 26, 2008 by st3v3k4hn
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Steve, No argument from me. I just wanted to share about both processing methods so you and others can know facts. My Talalay latex mattress never bottoms out since I only used ILD that were very firm and super firm with only a thin cushion topper over it. I have a feeling if I had a Talalay latex topper over firm Dunlap latex cores, it would feel very similar but I like the fact that Talalay Latex is supposed to be more uniform throughout the cores. Even my friend who is very heavy feels my bed is suportive and comfortable and he sleeps on a very firm conventional bed at home with no pillow top. I am just feeling you are basing your opinions on what others say and not what you know so you really need to maybe ask for a sample of the Dunalp Latex in a 44 ILD versus the Talalay Latex in a 44 ILD and do the same with a 36 ILD and a 32 ILD and then just make a decision since I am sure either process latex you get will be wonderful compared with a hot chemical memory foam bed (sorry for those not allergic that love these beds since I know of people that adore memory foam but I am allergic to it). Also make sure you get split cores for more combinations. This message was modified May 26, 2008 by Lynn2006
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Well I am largely basing my decision on Sean at SleepEZ. He seems process-neutral but definitely recommends the Dunlop for us heavier folk. I don't think samples are super helpful - I had a sample of memory foam before I ordered my Tempurpedic, a lot of good that did me. I think what I am going to do is order a dunlop topper from SleepEz (split soft / medium) and use that on top of my Tempurpedic for a while. Assuming I like it I will upgrade to the SleepEz 10000 model (it turns out this is actually CHEAPER than buying the bed outright). If I don't like it, I am stuck with it - no returns - but I could probably use it somewhere anyway. I will post my experiences here if / when I do this... Thanks again... |
| Since it sounds like your Temperpedic bed is fairly new and you are not allergic to it but do not like the heat it generates, buying a latex topper may be a good way to try out latex. That is what I did before committing to my latex bed. I bought an Overstock Latex 1" topper and slept on the floor with it for a few months and loved the feel. |
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st3v3k4hn wrote: "When I compare our Dunlop mattresses side by side with a Talalay bed, to me it so obvious, the main observation being that you tend to sink more in the Talalay material, vs. the Dunlop Natural material, which keeps you suspended if you will, on top of the mattress. Side sleepers especially seem to respond better to the Dunlop method since when you apply a lot of weight to the latex in a limited area (imagine side sleeping being like a knife on edge, vs. a belly or back sleeper, where the weight is more evenly distributed), the pressure point reduction and weight distributing qualities of the latex being clearly superior. You don’t bottom out on it, and you can easily turn from side to side effortlessly. This is important when you consider that a common complaint of memory foam users, and a few Talalay process mattress owners I have spoken with, say that the sinking effects of this materials cause you to feel like your stuck in a rut, and you can actually wake up as your body fights to wrestle its way out of the sinkhole in your bed."
That being said, I'm not really sure how a latex topper is going to work over a Tempurpedic mattress. If the visco stays cold you might end up with a very firm feeling bed. If it warms up you may end up in a sink hole since the latex will conform to whatever surface is beneath it and that would really give you a backache. If you do go for it, be sure to report back and let us know how it works out.
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That is a good question.... I question I have pondered on sleepless painful nights. I too have a memory foam bed (Sealy) and feel your pain (the one who also has this bed), have you tried flipping the mattress over and then try different toppers? That is where I am, but my story doesn't have a happy ending yet. I tried many things, but I have not tried the Dunlop because it weights much more and would cost more to ship (my thoughts anyway). Also I can't find any of it locally to look at, and it costs more doesn't it? Cloud 9, Where can you buy just 1" of Dunlop? I have 2 layers of the Natura topper under a mattress cover, and under my featherbed, and I still have hip pain after so many hours (like Cloud9 mentions). So I thought the Dunlopillo layers would help, but apparently either the mattress cover makes it harder, or you do bottom out. I wish us all good luck in finding a solution. |
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cloud9 wrote: ...That being said, I'm not really sure how a latex topper is going to work over a Tempurpedic mattress. If the visco stays cold you might end up with a very firm feeling bed. If it warms up you may end up in a sink hole since the latex will conform to whatever surface is beneath it and that would really give you a backache...
I also tried flipping the tempurpedic so the memory foam side was down. Theoretically the Tempur mattress is 3" memory foam over 5" firm polyu foam. With just the wool topper on the polyu side it was even firmer than the memory foam side. I will probably try both sides again as soon as I get my topper, and yes I will let you all know how I like it. But I suspect I will upgrade to the full SleepEz bed pretty quickly. I just wanted to test the Dunlop, and the soft / medium firmnesses, before I completed the order (like I said earlier, I don't think small samples help much but these 2 full size samples should tell me alot and help me determine the optimal firmnesses to order). By the way I did order the dunlop topper (1/2 soft, 1/2 medium) from SleepEz today, so I should hopefully have it soon... Steve |
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st3v3k4hn wrote: Well, I am currently sleeping on my Tempurpedic with a 1.5" wool topper. This greatly reduces the memory foam aspect of the bed, so I don't sink in as much and I don't feel too warm. But it is too firm, especially when I first get into bed and its still cold. I also tried flipping the tempurpedic so the memory foam side was down. Theoretically the Tempur mattress is 3" memory foam over 5" firm polyu foam. With just the wool topper on the polyu side it was even firmer than the memory foam side. I will probably try both sides again as soon as I get my topper, and yes I will let you all know how I like it. But I suspect I will upgrade to the full SleepEz bed pretty quickly. I just wanted to test the Dunlop, and the soft / medium firmnesses, before I completed the order (like I said earlier, I don't think small samples help much but these 2 full size samples should tell me alot and help me determine the optimal firmnesses to order). By the way I did order the dunlop topper (1/2 soft, 1/2 medium) from SleepEz today, so I should hopefully have it soon... Steve I tried to put toppers on the memory foam side and had the same experience, it is too firm. How long did you have the Tempur mattress before it went bad for you? i had mine probably 6 months before it started giving me pain. What thickness of toppers are you getting? Do they charge more for shipping? I hope it works out for you : ) I think think the poly foam under the memory foam is not useable for sleeping on! But maybe with the Dunlop it will be. I am so frustrated with this horrible bed too! I have wasted so much money on bad beds and toppers. I don't have anymore $ to waste. |
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Thanks for that interesting comparison, Steve. I think you're on to something. I have a couple inches of firm and medium firm Talalay latex in my zippered coil mattress and it wasn't until I put the Dream Coil Omalon topper on that I really felt more "suspended", as you described it. The Omalon is guaranteed for life---never to flatten. So, now I have the best of both worlds---latex and a firmer top (maybe a sensation similar to the way Dunlop process feels. st3v3k4hn wrote: Lynn<p>Thanks for the informative post. There is so much info out on the web its really hard to know who or what you can trust. </p><p>But I did want to note one thing about the SleepEZ post. He is clearly comparing <em>natural</em> Dunlop to <em>synthetic</em> Talalay (he says "The major benefit of the Talalay process is in the softer firmness. The combination of natural more elastic latex with synthetic latex..." I am not sure if/how this changes if you compare to natural Talalay. Also, this FAQ still says "We use only Talalay latex for all our mattresses and mattress toppers." Since thats not true anymore, I think its safe to say that this FAQ is at least a bit stale, so some of their opinions might have changed.</p><p>Also, I wanted to point out at least one source that seems clearly pro-Dunlop, because most of the ones you pointed to seemed to be either neutral or pro-Talalay. This is from the Habitat Furnishing blog, June 19, 2007. I have no idea if this site can be trusted (although I did note that they do sell both types of latex, so that seems like a good sign). The reason I picked this quote is that he hits on a lot of points that, if true, would impact my upcoming decision...</p><p>"When I compare our Dunlop mattresses side by side with a Talalay bed, to me it so obvious, the main observation being that you tend to sink more in the Talalay material, vs. the Dunlop Natural material, which keeps you suspended if you will, on top of the mattress. Side sleepers especially seem to respond better to the Dunlop method since when you apply a lot of weight to the latex in a limited area (imagine side sleeping being like a knife on edge, vs. a belly or back sleeper, where the weight is more evenly distributed), the pressure point reduction and weight distributing qualities of the latex being clearly superior. You don’t bottom out on it, and you can easily turn from side to side effortlessly. This is important when you consider that a common complaint of memory foam users, and a few Talalay process mattress owners I have spoken with, say that the sinking effects of this materials cause you to feel like your stuck in a rut, and you can actually wake up as your body fights to wrestle its way out of the sinkhole in your bed."</p><p>I don't mean to seem argumentative or anything, I suspect the differences aren't really that great. I just wish this was all a little clearer so I could decide already (I am SICK of my stupid Tempurpedic mattress)...</p><p>Steve |
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BeddyBye wrote: Thanks for that interesting comparison, Steve. I think you're on to something. I have a couple inches of firm and medium firm Talalay latex in my zippered coil mattress and it wasn't until I put the Dream Coil Omalon topper on that I really felt more "suspended", as you described it. The Omalon is guaranteed for life---never to flatten. So, now I have the best of both worlds---latex and a firmer top (maybe a sensation similar to the way Dunlop process feels. You all know I'm not a big fan of Talalay, but I couldn't pass up that Brylane Natura topper. I wasn't crazy about it all by itself, but when I slipped it under the 1" visco topper from Overstock I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the feeling. The Talalay made the combination a bit firmer and more resilient than the visco alone, while the visco eliminated the jiggly, pushy character of the Talalay and provided just the right amount of soft, cradling cushiness. And since the Overstock foam is so low density (for visco) it's not at all temperature sensitive so it sleeps very cool. (I guess there's something to be said for really cheap memory foam!) In fact I thought the combination of the two approximated the feeling of my old. much loved Dunlop latex mattress. |