Mattress Forum

Sorry for the delay in my update, I had some problems with my bed from IKEA, and finally got it assembled last night.

My impressions of the mattress?  Great! 

Immediate impression: As I said before, it shipped very quickly to me.  The package said to weigh 56 lbs, for a 6" firm latex full size mattress, I didn't bother to weigh it.  The box came torn, FBM could have picked a better box, but I'm sure UPS did a number on it.  It was, however,  wrapped very well in plastic shrink wrap inside the box. 

Out of the packaging:  I ordered the terry cloth cover for $20 more, great choice.  FBM even put the mattress into the terry cover for me, which I was not expecting although greatly appreciated.  The mattress came folded, more than rolled.  It was folded in half, top to bottom, and then side to side.  It unpackaged pretty easily, but I had a friend to help due to its size and "wet noodle" consistency.  The smell is that of latex, rubbery.  It isn't that strong, and I know it will dissipate with time, but it is not the vanilla smell people have reported with LI Latex.

On the bed:  When I first laid down I wasn't that impressed, it was much softer than I was expecting.  IMO, firm latex is not nearly the same as firm innerspring.  I put the sheets on (Modal Jersey sheets from JcPenney, which are to die for!), and gave it another try.  Much better now.

Final impression:  I love the springy feeling.  I hate going to hotels, and having a soft bed that feel stiff because I feel heavy and stuck in place.  Latex is bouncier, which is how my old (worn out) bed was.  I like the spring a lot.  Although the bed is softer than I was expecting, it is not a negative at all.  The mattress feels springy, supporting, and slightly soft, in a gentle way.  It is hard to describe exactly how it feels, but it feel nicer and more luxurious than anything I've been on before.  Also, the terry cover is made for up to 8", but the "looseness" of it being on a 6" mattress is not really noticeable.

I have a lighter down blanket that I put on the bed, and then laid on top of.  I did not like it, it took away from the latex feel.

Lastly, I think that 6" of latex over the slats is OK, but not the best.  If I am lying, I can't really feel the slats, although if I sit on the center beam I can feel it.  I think that 6" is the bare minimum, and OK if you are not a heavy person.  I have no desire at this point to make the bed any softer than it is, so I probably will not get an additional topper.  I also don't have the desire to turn a $380 mattress into a $760 mattress, by getting another 6" firm core.  If I decide that I need some extra cushioning, I will likely add 1" of 32ILD latex from FBM as a topper, and possibly another 1" if I still feel I need more, but after 1 night, I don't see this happening.

About me:  5'7, 140lbs, mostly a side but also a stomach sleeper.
The bed: Ikea Malm, with Sultan Lillaker adjustable flexible slat foundation, set to firm.  FYI, the fact that the slats have 5 adjustable ones is great.  I tried out one side of the bed firm and the other soft, a definite difference.
The setup:  Flex Slats, 6" of firm latex, Terry Cover, Jersey Modal sheets.

I would like to get some sort of mattress protector, hopefully a very thin cotton cover, as I don't want anymore than what is necessary to be between me and the bed.  If someone can recommend a thin and cheap pad/protector, I would appreciate it.  Preferably something at Target or JCP, so I can return it locally.

I will post another review in a couple weeks, after I've had a chance to sleep on it more.

I know someone else mentioned it might feel the same because they are so thin (1").  Why don't you fold them both in half, and try to feel a difference?

We slept on the 1" 20ILD latex over our gel bed last night, and it felt wonderful! The 1" is thin enough that it conforms to the gel, allowing it to do its job (buckling at the hip and shoulder area) and it was soft enough for great comfort. It was dense enough that I didn't feel the "sharpness" of the gel through it. That was the problem with the 12ILD PU I tried over it -- you could still feel the "edges" through it. And unlike the 2" FBM pink memo foam we tried, we weren't sinking in 5" at the hips. I think this may be it for us.

I do wonder if you have a 32ILD 1" instead of 20ILD, though.

I just received my FBM latex.  I am not sure how flawless latex should look, but mine had many imperfections (perhaps FBM resells 'seconds').  I doubt it will have any impact on the performance, time will tell.