I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Jan 10, 2010 4:14 PM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
I know I could do a search. I know I've done so before. Right now I am just soooo not in the mood to go back and look for and read latex info.

I want to buy 1" or 2" of Dunlop latex (because I've slept on Talalay and never Dunlop; want to try the Dunlop). Can someone remind me who has it cheapest? I know I investigated this 4-5 months ago but I have completely forgotten.

I took all memory foam out of my mattress last night and slept better than I have in weeks. Still woke up with a sore back, but much better. The only other time I tried it without the memory foam was when I used 2 x 1" of my soft latex and I think that was too much soft foam for me. Now I'm back to 1" of soft latex without the memory foam and it's better, but I do guess that my HR foam has crapped out, so time to replace it with latex.

What ILD do you recommend for my bottom layer(s) over my springs? When my bed was working for me, I only had 1" of HR foam over the springs so I am guessing that should do it with the latex as well. I think the ILD I used was about 32, so with Dunlop I might want to go with 28? or would that be too soft? (as I recall, Dunlop is naturally firmer than Talalay so you use a lower ILD, no?) Also, I'm not sure - maybe I can find this in my receipt somewhere - the HR foam might have been as high as 36ILD. I had 3 ILD's one firm, one medium and one very firm, and I used the medium sometimes and the firm sometimes, but don't recall the exact ILD's.
This message was modified Jan 10, 2010 by jimsocal
Re: I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Reply #4 Jan 10, 2010 10:00 PM
Joined: Oct 15, 2009
Points: 966
Sleepez seems to have the best selection in 1 -1.5" dunlop that I have seen.  Maybe if you call they will cut you some slack on the shipping cost.   You have to look on the mattress components section of their website:

http://www.sleepez.com/mattresscomponents.htm

Re: I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Reply #5 Jan 10, 2010 10:55 PM
Joined: Aug 21, 2009
Points: 486
LAZY!!! 
Re: I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Reply #6 Jan 11, 2010 1:18 AM
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 850
ILD ratings between Talalay or Dunlop should be comparable regardless of the process.  atleast as far as firmness level is concerned.  so a 22 ILD will be the same "firmness" in Talalay or Dunlop.  Its just that you wont see a lot of 14 ILD Dunlop latex or a lot of 50 ILD Talalay.  The only issue is that realistically there is no way they actually know 100% sure that every single piece of 22 ILD rubber they have is actually 22 ILD there will be some variance from one piece to another. 
Re: I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Reply #7 Jan 11, 2010 2:27 AM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542
I have posted on this before. There is a difference between ILD and density. ILD is a measure of surface tension. Density is a measure of how much material is actually in the latex. ILD is measured by taking several readings at 25% of the depth of the piece of latex being tested. Density is measured by taking a reading at 65% of the material being tested, and dividing that by the 25% reading.

It is my understanding that Dunlop is a denser material than Talalay. This is why it feels so different. I have been told by those who claim to know such things, that you need to have a piece of Talalay that is at least one ILD rating higher than the Dunlop to have an equivalent support factor in the piece of latex.

Never having slept on Dunlop all I can do is relate the information I have.
Re: I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Reply #8 Jan 11, 2010 3:20 AM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
sandman wrote:
Sleepez seems to have the best selection in 1 -1.5" dunlop that I have seen.  Maybe if you call they will cut you some slack on the shipping cost.   You have to look on the mattress components section of their website:

http://www.sleepez.com/mattresscomponents.htm


Sandman, you're right, they do seem to have the best selection on the net. Weird. They didn't even come up in the searches I did. Actually, their prices seem to be cheap enough to warrant the $49 shipping, but I still hate to pay that much for shipping. I'll give them a call and explain that 1" of latex should not cost as much to ship as 3" of latex! (and that if I like it, I'll probably buy more... my wife will probably want one soon enough, too, especially if it works for me).
By the way, what is the deal with the ad on the left of their page that says Free Shipping within the U.S.? but then it says across the page that shipping is $49? Maybe I can get them on that, too... misleading advertising...

It seems to me that 30-32ILD Dunlop would probably make a good 1" bottom layer under my 1" of softer latex, no? (over my springs). I think if you get too much foam, you lose the advantage of the springs... or so it seems...?

Anyone think I should go with 38-40 ILD in the Dunlop? I'm just guessing that would be like  slab of hard rubber! ;-D
This message was modified Jan 11, 2010 by jimsocal
Re: I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Reply #9 Jan 11, 2010 10:21 AM
Joined: Oct 15, 2009
Points: 966
I think the free shipping is only if you buy a whole mattress.   Hopefully they will give you a break on 1".  

When I talked to them once, I got the impression that they did not stock all of the different thicknesses, so they may have to special order for you.   Not sure how long that would take.  I guess you will have to call to asses the total situation.

Re: I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Reply #10 Jan 11, 2010 12:13 PM
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 850
eagle2 wrote:
I have posted on this before. There is a difference between ILD and density. ILD is a measure of surface tension. Density is a measure of how much material is actually in the latex. ILD is measured by taking several readings at 25% of the depth of the piece of latex being tested. Density is measured by taking a reading at 65% of the material being tested, and dividing that by the 25% reading.

It is my understanding that Dunlop is a denser material than Talalay. This is why it feels so different. I have been told by those who claim to know such things, that you need to have a piece of Talalay that is at least one ILD rating higher than the Dunlop to have an equivalent support factor in the piece of latex.

Never having slept on Dunlop all I can do is relate the information I have.

Density is simply a measure of lbs per cubic foot, which is very difficult to measure with latex because of the holes in the product, it is a complex 3D shape in comparison to say a block of memory foam.  Realistically, I don't know how accurate what you have been told in the past is with regards to Talalay needing to be one ILD point higher than Dunlop to have a roughly equal firmness rating.....could be true, however an ILD difference of 1 is something that a human being simply could not feel in a blind comfort test, and again not every single piece of foam will actually have its ILD rating tested, so a 1 or 2 point variation is somewhat normal.  if you are buying a 22 ILD piece of latex it could be as low as 20 or as high as 24 ILD.

There are honestly way too many variables involved with latex to say 100% of the time that Dunlop is denser than Talalay, generally yes, but as with most things there are exceptions to the rule.  There are also different sub species to the rubber tree that can produce different qualities of latex, some seeds produce a more elastic rubber which for the same density rating as other latex would read higher on the ILD scale because it is more resilient.  So this way of measuring density would seem inaccurate because you cannot use the ILD rating as a factor in measuring density. 

Anyway I am getting way off topic, I will end my rant lol.
Re: I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Reply #11 Jan 11, 2010 12:50 PM
Location: Yosemite area
Joined: Sep 10, 2008
Points: 249
Poor Jim, this mattress tweaking is so tiresome(pun intended!).  Sometimes I have a hard time just remembering that a sore mid-lower back is from too soft foam(memory foam is an especially soft foam no matter what), hip and shoulder aches come from too firm foam, and neck ache comes from pillow issues.  Once we get to where we want to be, our brains let go of most of this info and we just want to stop futzing with the whole thing, LOL!!!
I think you are on the exact right track.  HR foam can give up, latex is probably the best bet.  I have not gotten any latex for my bed yet...still doing well with the bed as it came plus a polyfill topper.  Just try not to overthink it...simpler can be better...
Kait
Re: I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Reply #12 Jan 11, 2010 2:08 PM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
sandman wrote:
I think the free shipping is only if you buy a whole mattress.   Hopefully they will give you a break on 1".  

When I talked to them once, I got the impression that they did not stock all of the different thicknesses, so they may have to special order for you.   Not sure how long that would take.  I guess you will have to call to asses the total situation.


Thank you.
I did find a 1" Talalay place with free shipping, so I may have to go with Talalay; or I may buy 1" of each.
http://www.sleeplikeabear.com/talatech_toppers
Anyone know how to make links work as live clickable links, here?
I'm going to start another thread to ask for opinions as to ILD's I should buy if I buy one of each.
This message was modified Jan 11, 2010 by jimsocal
Re: I am just plain lazy today ;-D - I need some info from latex buyers/users
Reply #13 Jan 11, 2010 2:11 PM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
budgy wrote:
Density is simply a measure of lbs per cubic foot, which is very difficult to measure with latex because of the holes in the product, it is a complex 3D shape in comparison to say a block of memory foam.  Realistically, I don't know how accurate what you have been told in the past is with regards to Talalay needing to be one ILD point higher than Dunlop to have a roughly equal firmness rating.....could be true, however an ILD difference of 1 is something that a human being simply could not feel in a blind comfort test, and again not every single piece of foam will actually have its ILD rating tested, so a 1 or 2 point variation is somewhat normal.  if you are buying a 22 ILD piece of latex it could be as low as 20 or as high as 24 ILD.

There are honestly way too many variables involved with latex to say 100% of the time that Dunlop is denser than Talalay, generally yes, but as with most things there are exceptions to the rule.  There are also different sub species to the rubber tree that can produce different qualities of latex, some seeds produce a more elastic rubber which for the same density rating as other latex would read higher on the ILD scale because it is more resilient.  So this way of measuring density would seem inaccurate because you cannot use the ILD rating as a factor in measuring density. 

Anyway I am getting way off topic, I will end my rant lol.

budgy, you sound very knowledgeable about latex. Did you or do you work in the business?
Thanks for that info re Dunlop vs. Talalay.
This message was modified Jan 11, 2010 by jimsocal

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