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Since I'm considering replacing my mattress with a latex one, I did price comparisons between a few different companies who sell IL Talalay Latex, which I thought I'd share for those of you who are interested. Comparison Prices for a Queen size mattress configuration, 100% natural IL Talalay Latex, approx. 8": SleepEZ 10000 model, consists of 3 layers (your ILD preference) x 2.8" each, for a total thickness of 8.4". Cover: Includes a Cotton Damask zipper Cover Quilted to lambs wool. Shipping: Free delivery via FedEx Return policy: 90 day layer switch out policy on latex mattresses. Return any one of the layers in your mattress in exchange for a layer of different firmness. We pay shipping of new layer to you, and you pay shipping back. Shipping is approximately $30 depending on location. Cost: $1645 Flobeds Posture Select model. Consists of a 2" convoluted topper, and 2 x 2-3/4" layers for a total thickness of 8-1/2". Cover: Includes a cotton damask wool backed cover. Shipping: If we don't ship when indicated, we pay the freight. Shipping from CA to NY $99. Return policy: If you are not 100% satisfied with the firmness you select, we will help you re-select. Or we will give your money back. Either way you will only pay the freight. Cost: $1799 + shipping Sleeplikeabear Configure your own from their selection of toppers from 14 - 36 ILD, additional $15 for 40 & 44 ILD. 2 x 3" = $882 + 1 x 2" + $314, total thickness 8". Cover: Not included. Shipping: Free, via UPS Ground. Return policy: Typically a 30 day guarantee, depending on item purchased. You may receive a refund of your purchase less the total of what we paid for shipping and a reasonable fee for processing or handling your order. If you paid for shipping, you may receive a refund of your purchase less only the processing or handling fee. Must request RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization), include original invoice, and in most cases repack items in original shipping cartons. Return shipping is paid by the customer. Cost: $1196 RockyMountainMattress Offers only Medium Plush (16-18 ILD, 2" $210, 3" $295) and Medium Firm (32 ILD, 2" $230, 3" 320) toppers. Configured with 2 x 3" Medium Firm and 1 x 2" Medium Plush, total thickness 8". Cover: Not included. Shipping: Toppers shipped free. Return policy: 30-night trial on all mattresses, return policy on toppers not stated. Cancellation policy: Orders that are cancelled within 24 of being placed are not subject to a cancellation fee. Orders cancelled after that time are subject to a fee - see website for specifics. Cost: $850 FOAMSWEETFOAM Natural Plus Special. Three layers of full 3" (9" total). Choose from 4 firmness levels of your choice. Cover: Cotton, bamboo, and wool quilted cover. Shipping: Free. Return policy: Within 30 days of the invoice date, you may exchange one latex layer of the mattress - one time. We will pay for the freight charges of the exchanged layer. The customer is responsible for packaging and paying for freight charges of the returned item back to Foam Sweet Foam. Within 60 days of the invoice date, you may return the purchase. There is an 18% return fee for any returned item. The customer is responsible for packaging and shipping charges. Cost: $1599 Arizona Premium Mattress Co. Queen 6" 100% All Natural Talalay Latex Core. Your choice of firmness, #22 super soft, #28 soft, #36 medium and #42 firm; 2" topper #22 ILD $229 Cover: Not included. Shipping: FedEx Ground - $129 from AZ to NY. Return policy: Core - 30 day satisfaction guarantee less all shipping costs; Topper - not returnable. Cost: Core - $995, current sale price: $795; Topper $229 = $1149 + shipping. This message was modified Feb 17, 2010 by narnia
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narnia wrote: Leo3, Sleeplikeabear has Latex International’s Talatech Talalay latex toppers: http://www.sleeplikeabear.com/talatech_toppers The 3" toppers are $441 each for Queen size. Are these blended? If so that's a lot to charge! PS -Thanks, I know how to create hyperlink, but it's just not working for me. I tried with Firefox and IE, and I just can't get it to work! If you know how to hyperlink it should work LOL. I used Firefox. Cut & paste the URL. As Jim said in another post, you have to click post, THEN go back in and edit and enter the URL again. It just is a strange system here. Have you looked at Foamsource for natural latex. All latex prices have gone way up over the year. This message was modified Feb 18, 2010 by Leo3
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Thanks Leo3, I just checked prices on Foamsource and they're very expensive. A 2" Queen 100% Natural Latex topper is $349 and 3" is $529 (w/free cover). And thanks for the tip on hyperlinks, I'll play around with that when I have time.  |
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Have you looked at sleepwarehouse? 28-30ILD natural latex $349. Some places do not say where the latex comes from, which is suspect to me. Some websites do not list Latex International as the supplier; the websites that do list LI as supplier are Sleeplikeabear, Flobeds, Foamsweetfoam, Sleepeze, Foamsource, there may be more out there. Which leads me to believe that may be the reason for the higher cost. Note: this is only speculation and is strictly my own personal opinion. Not subject to ridicule, LOL. We consumers have to question if the supplier is not mentioned in the website. They should be proud of the supplier. Then I have no experience on other latex manufacturers quality. So as I said this is my opinion only. I just wonder why some latex is higher cost than another. Maybe there are different grades of latex. Since my O-stock is a lower grader (as is FBM) as in flaws that can explain low costs. I have no experience with any of them but O-stock latex. Which some of my layers are excellent quality, but alas no idea of the ILD, except for the one that was labeled 24LD from LI, which is why I like LI, it was good quality; but too soft for my hip. Which brings me to why I am rambling, I can only sleep 2-3 hours at a time, I wake up in pain from side sleeping on my hips. But my back has been in horrible pain because of moving latex layers off and putting them in the closet, and bending over. I am tired and need some relief. I just changed the layers in the bed two days in a row, since I was in such pain. I would do that again today except I am so tired I can't. This message was modified Feb 19, 2010 by Leo3
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Sleepwarehouse sells Dunlop Latex. I'm not sure it's true because I have no experience with it, but I've read that Talalay is better quality and will last longer. Oddly RM doesn't state who manufacturers their latex, but as I mentioned in my other thread, my topper from RM has "Latex International" stamped on the side. I agree websites should give this information to their customers, but you know Leo3, some consumers don't take the time to educate themselves and do their homework, so they don't know the difference or even care! What kind of flaws does your O-stock have? Even vendors who sell IL say that slight flaws and flaking might be noticeable. As for the difference in cost, if vendors selling a specific brand/size/ILD, like a LI latex 2" #24ILD topper, then aren't they all selling exactly the same product? I would think so, and then the higher cost is just a larger mark-up. But I guess there's latex made elsewhere, like in China, that would generally be less expensive. JC Penney has very nice 100% natural latex pillows on sale for $35, and they're made in China. Maybe their latex doesn't hold up as well, but it looks like it would be comfortable. I feel for you, sometimes I sleep only 2-3 hours at a time but that's because I have cats. I'm sure it's a lot worse when you're waking up due to pain! Have you tried a convoluted topper? It's supposed to relieve pressure, so maybe that would help you. What kind of mattress pad do you have on top of everything? |
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narnia wrote: Sleepwarehouse sells Dunlop Latex. I'm not sure it's true because I have no experience with it, but I've read that Talalay is better quality and will last longer. Oddly RM doesn't state who manufacturers their latex, but as I mentioned in my other thread, my topper from RM has "Latex International" stamped on the side. I agree websites should give this information to their customers, but you know Leo3, some consumers don't take the time to educate themselves and do their homework, so they don't know the difference or even care! What kind of flaws does your O-stock have? Even vendors who sell IL say that slight flaws and flaking might be noticeable. As for the difference in cost, if vendors selling a specific brand/size/ILD, like a LI latex 2" #24ILD topper, then aren't they all selling exactly the same product? I would think so, and then the higher cost is just a larger mark-up. But I guess there's latex made elsewhere, like in China, that would generally be less expensive. JC Penney has very nice 100% natural latex pillows on sale for $35, and they're made in China. Maybe their latex doesn't hold up as well, but it looks like it would be comfortable. I feel for you, sometimes I sleep only 2-3 hours at a time but that's because I have cats. I'm sure it's a lot worse when you're waking up due to pain! Have you tried a convoluted topper? It's supposed to relieve pressure, so maybe that would help you. What kind of mattress pad do you have on top of everything? When I bought a latex pillow from JC Penney's a year or so ago it was made in USA by Latex International. That is too bad they have made in China there now. I won't buy made in China if I can avoid it. I bought another latex pillow at Sears again made in US by LI. Great quality. As for why they have higher prices than others maybe they don't take returns? I don't know, but I want to make sure they don't take returns because I don't want a used latex layer. Some people it doesn't bother, but it does bother me. So I want to find that out for sure. I know (reading their website) that Sleeplikeabear doesn't resell latex layers. I need to find out about the others too. Do you know? You asked about mattress pads; I tried every brand, type and style you can name. Hated them all, all to stiff, and tight and made my hips hurt worse. I use a plush blanket over the latex, it stays in place believe it or not. It is no warmer than sleeping on a mattress pad that has polyester fiberfill. It is cooler than sleeping on memory foam, I can't take that heat. I wish I could find something else besides the blanket, I would like to find a terry cloth stretch cover that has elastic, not the zipper kind. Never have found that though. I then use jersey sheets, which are not good quality and pill after a few washes. But it stretches with the latex. It seems with all these changes I would be pain free, but nope it isn't to be yet. I need some latex layers that are soft and yet support so I don't hit the hard mattress underneath. Funny when I first lay on the side it is so comfortable, then 2-3 hours pain city. I just don't get it. I am not sure if different ILD will help or not. I don't have a bottomless amount of cash to spend on this. Wish I did. I bought 4-5 layers (twin size so I wouldn't have seams for queen and could have more variety) of latex from O-stock and I do have a variety of firmness. Actually it goes from soft, to too firm. Actually it probably was foolish of me to think this would work, but my budget does dictate my actions. Though some would say I wasted money. Guess I would have to agree and disagree. It has made my back comfortable when sleeping, but I want to sleep on my sides! I guess I should try to build a latex bed, but I can't throw out my flippable mattress. Also I think perhaps it won't improve any with more layers. I had almost 5 1/2" of latex on the mattress at one time, and it didn't make it better. Actually it made the hips less painful, but the back not so much. The springs are still good, and I see no body indentations, it is just a rock! My husband thinks it is just me, but I tell him about this forum that there are lots of people like me here! Some people can sleep on rocks, I am one of the unfortunate ones that can't.  This message was modified Feb 19, 2010 by Leo3
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I try to buy Made in the USA too, but unfortunately that's getting more and more difficult. But that's a topic for a different forum... As for returns, RM has a 30 day trial period for beds, but I'm not sure that toppers are covered by that policy. Frankly I can't imagine rolling up a Queen topper and sending it back, it seems like too much of a hassle. I would just give it to my son or my mom, or put it on my guest bed if they didn't want it. But I would NEVER want recycled latex, ugh, and at these prices it had better not be! I think you'd be able to tell if your latex was recycled, mine looks pristine. I like my 100% cotton pad, but I wanted a zippered cover to stuff all the layers into, so it looked like a traditional mattress and everything stayed in place. I guess a pile of latex doesn't slip much though. When did sleeping become so complicated? Not sure what the difference would be between surgery and just layering foam on top like you're doing now, but If the springs are still good in your bed, would you consider doing surgery? |
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I think the reason people do surgery on their mattresses is they can see lumps or they want to get rid of the PU on top. Since my husband doesn't want me to do that, and I really don't want to either. It looks brand new. But from day one he could sleep on (remember he can sleep on a rock) and I couldn't. Some might think layering over bad foam not to be good, but honestly what does it hurt? It is like a foundation to me, it is as hard as one. Is your cotton pad all cotton filled? I took a recommendation from someone here (shall remain nameless) on the cuddlebed from Costco. Many people like it, I hated it. If the mattress pad is stiff I wouldn't use it on your latex layers, it will change the feel of the latex. I do like the way the latex feels initially when I lay on it, just wish it would last longer than 2-3 hours. I can sleep 4 hours on my back whoopie! I don't know why it is so complicated to get comfortable to sleep. I wish I was a bird and could sleep on a perch LOL! This message was modified Feb 19, 2010 by Leo3
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My pad is cotton filled, cotton top with a poly bottom, and stretchy sides that expands to fit about any mattress. I bought it a while back from LL Bean, in fact they have a similar pad on sale now, and it's not stiff at all. The Cuddlebed looks so comfy, I'm surprised it's stiff. Maybe washing and drying it in a dryer it would soften it up? Yeah I envy my cats, they can sleep anywhere in any position, and I've never heard them complain about a stiff back or neck. We should all be that lucky! |
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narnia wrote: My pad is cotton filled, cotton top with a poly bottom, and stretchy sides that expands to fit about any mattress. I bought it a while back from LL Bean, in fact they have a similar pad on sale now, and it's not stiff at all. The Cuddlebed looks so comfy, I'm surprised it's stiff. Maybe washing and drying it in a dryer it would soften it up? Yeah I envy my cats, they can sleep anywhere in any position, and I've never heard them complain about a stiff back or neck. We should all be that lucky! I just remembered you have a mattress that you are going to throw out, why don't you cut the top off and put the latex layers on that like Sandman and Jim did? You don't have anything to lose, just make sure you protect the latex from the springs with whatever they used on the original mattress. I would if I was throwing the mattress out anyway. Aren't you curious on the foam inside? Just a thought. You haven't ordered all your latex layers yet; instead of another firm latex use the springs. |
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Leo3 wrote: I just remembered you have a mattress that you are going to throw out, why don't you cut the top off and put the latex layers on that like Sandman and Jim did? You don't have anything to lose, just make sure you protect the latex from the springs with whatever they used on the original mattress. I would if I was throwing the mattress out anyway. Aren't you curious on the foam inside? Just a thought. You haven't ordered all your latex layers yet; instead of another firm latex use the springs. What Leo said!  |