Mattress Forum

My memory foam over poly-foam mattress I bought at least 18 years ago from BSleep is now worn out and my wife and I began a quest to find the perfect mattress for us. We loved the Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme and the similar iComfort Revolution mattresses and even bought one. But at that point we hadn't researched memory foam enough, and ended up canceling the order the next day, before delivery. In my many hours of research, I discovered that a pure latex mattress is the way to go. Besides the potential health issues of tempur material, after years of sleeping on it (OK- a clone) we grew tired of waiting for the foam to readjust whenever we turned at night, the heat, the smell, etc. Then we found out about Pure Latex Bliss and tried one of their beds, and like it very much ("Passion" which is the same as "Heavenly" according to PLB). Then I found that Latex International makes their latex, and in fact now owns the company. That lead to the direction of the DIY model, starting with a small Savvy Rest dealer 45 minutes from here.  Well, we were impressed with the versatility of that bed as well as the quality of the cover. We both seemed to like the F/M/S configuration, esp. with a 2" Talalay topper. But not the price. Then, I found Sleep EZ and talked several times to Sean there, who was most helpful. His prices are much better, and he can provide exactly the same latex. Then I found greenmattressfactory, who seems to offer 100% natural, with each core wrapped in organic cotton for about $100 less.  But in researching that company (who isn't a member of the BBB) I read some negative things about their history, appearing under different names, not paying suppiers, etc. I have no way of proving whether any of these accusations are true or not, and as helpful as this forum is, there is scant information about that company and/or any of its sister companies. They just bought Page Quilting in Johnstown, PA, and is no longer affiliated with another quilting company in Ohio. The company and it's sister companies are all based in an office in a small town in Maine. The person I spoke with there (at long last- they woudln't answer or return emails) told me that if I called the other company, I would still speak to him (!) The information he gave me about trying to find a BBB report didn't pan out- can't seem to find any of the related companies through the BBB. So, nice as it would have been to get the same latex for even less with a longer trial period, I'm afraid to go that route. Sleep EZ has been around since the 1930s and is family run, so I do trust them, esp. after reading so many glowing reports on this website. Would consider Flobed and Savvy Rest as well if they were cheaper, or even OMF if they used all latex.

Where I'm confused is by the mirriad of options available for a DIY- style bed. I'm really afraid to do this through Foambymail, because I don't believe they will be as understanding if I want to exchange a piece.  Yes, they are much cheaper, but if I made a lot of swaps, they soon would be just as expensive. Perhaps I don't yet trust my insticts to go with F/M/S (9 inches). I've read that it's also good to have 6" of firm topped with 2" of soft (which is kind of what I have on my bed now, although all old and non-latex). I have a Flex-a-Bed adjustable foundation, and just replaced the foam in it to bring it up to specs of a brand new one- $64 per side. The new foam is not as thick, but is a denser material. Sean told me not to waste my money on latex for that, since it is only really there to protect the mattress from the plywood, hinges, and bolts in the movable base. Well, the new foam is much firmer than the original foam, which was breaking down. Now my current bed feels much firmer. This adds to my confusion, as it seems that even that layer, 8 inches away, has an effect. So, I'm feeling a little like I'm entering "paralysis by analysis" in choosing my next bed. I love the idea of custom sides, but don't like what I've read here about feeling the gap between the pieces. Perhaps if my wife and I both want a 19 or 20 Talalay top layer and could go with a one-piece king, that would not be a problem; but I don't know. I like the idea of 100% natural latex, but have read things that strongly suggest LI's blended is better. I like in theory a Dunlop bottom layer, but have read here that a Talalay layer with the same number would provide just as good a support. I know that I'm not alone on this forum.... I just don't want to psych myself into constantly trying every possible combination in order to create the "perfect" sleep experience. For one thing, I'm afraid I'd wake up many times a night so that I could take notes on the feel and experience of each combination!  Why don't local mattress companies just carry a variety of latex products so that one can enter this market without the need to go nuts?! I feel like an quasi-expert on all aspects of the Latex industry, but don't feel I have enough information without experience to make the "right" choice of mattress.

Any suggestions are welcome...