Latex Mattress Q's
Jun 5, 2011 10:46 PM
Joined: Jun 5, 2011
Points: 8
Hi, I'm new around here! Sorry for the long post..

I'm currently using a 10-15(not sure exactly, I've used it for 7) year old innerspring mattress, and it has started to sag a bit in the middle. Also, it's rather...noisey.

I'm thinking about getting a latex mattress, but I'm not sure what to buy. My budget is about $1,000 for a queen sized, preferably all latex. My initial thought was the ikea sultan erfjord, but I'm not sure about it's quality (seeing how it's from ikea). I also haven't been able to find much in the way of reviews by people who have owned it for a long period of time.

I also checked out various mattress stores, but either I'm not sure if I'm getting a good mattress (yeah, sleepys, give me a 50% discount on everything...) or it was way out of my price range (2,000-5,000 for a queen)

I'm not opposed to a DIY solution from FBM or other company, but I'm not sure what all I'd need. I'd guess I'd need to grab a core and a topper of some sort, which from FBM would run me about $900, but I'm not really in the market for major customization, I don't need different softness on different sides, or anything complex. Just a little on the firm side thank you.

I'm also not opposed to an online mattress if it's in the price range and has a 'money-back' return policy (instead of just an 'exchange' one). I was thinking something from http://latexmattressshop.com/ would work, since they have a 60 day refund policy, I'm not sure a warranty after the first month really matters (since they're mostly pro-rated or won't cover the problem anyway)

In non-latex mattresses, I've tried out the keetsa cloud mattress in their store, and it was fairly comfortable, but I couldn't seem to find any long-term reviews on how it holds up (and since it's memory foam I have my doubts). I tend to be a little warmer than average sleeping, which is another negative to memory foam (for me). Lots of people on yelp seem to love keetsa, however.

Any suggestions/help would be welcome.

Re: Latex Mattress Q's
Reply #4 Jun 6, 2011 11:44 PM
Joined: Jun 5, 2011
Points: 8
The only reason I was thinking that I'd want the medium is that I tested a 'firm' mattress in a sleepy's store that was more like a rock than a mattress. Seriously, I felt that if I fell/collapsed onto the mattress it'd knock the wind out of me. I don't really want *that* experience.

It was supposedly 2" 20 ILD dunlop top with 6" 40ILD base. That said, it was 40 ILD base foam, not latex, so that may have skewed things.

 

I'd think a cot is more comfortable than a typical RV mattress, heh.

Re: Latex Mattress Q's
Reply #5 Jun 7, 2011 12:55 AM
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Joined: May 13, 2011
Points: 170
That's why you put the layers of soft talalay on top.  Then when you plop down on the mattress you get the soft top and then the thud from the support underneath.  The softness of the top makes a difference.  I'm mostly a side sleeper and when I tried a 3 x 3" mattress, the Firm/Firm/Soft was WAY more comfortable than the Firm/Firm/Medium.  You need a bit of give for the shoulder, elbow and hips to sink into.  But that still is a personal preference for each individual.
Re: Latex Mattress Q's
Reply #6 Jun 7, 2011 1:19 AM
Joined: Jun 5, 2011
Points: 8
Does the number of layers make a real difference, or just the total height? I assume # of layers means you can exhange it as things wear out, but is there a noticeable difference between 3x3" layers and 1x6" 1x3"?

 

Anyway, my new plan is to do 6" firm core, 2" soft top for evaluation, and if I decide that it's too hard/soft I'll get a 2" medium top to put under/over the soft one.

 

In a related question: Any suggestions on platform bed frames? Something that isn't going to creak/fall apart (I've read ikea frames have a horrible time with the slats falling out) but still stays in the $300-500 price range? (a little higher is fine, since I'm spending less on the mattress than I had budgeted)

Re: Latex Mattress Q's
Reply #7 Jun 7, 2011 2:04 AM
Joined: May 22, 2011
Points: 4
The Bliss from the latexmattressshop would make a nice base, seeing as it's dunlop. Definitely go for the soft option though. I bought the Allure with the medium option and I felt it was too firm. I've since added toppers to suit to taste. I don't feel their soft option would be too soft and I understand that's their default and most popular choice. You should probably call to find out what the ild's of the different options are, though the numbers won't correspond to the numbers you typically see on this forum for talalay. 
Re: Latex Mattress Q's
Reply #8 Jun 7, 2011 2:36 AM
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Joined: May 13, 2011
Points: 170
soliq wrote:

Does the number of layers make a real difference, or just the total height? I assume # of layers means you can exhange it as things wear out, but is there a noticeable difference between 3x3" layers and 1x6" 1x3"?


I don't think the number of layers matters all that much.  My point was that you want the firm base and soft top.  I've seen a number of online configurations of 6"+2" and most of them are dunlop core and talalay top.

Re: Latex Mattress Q's
Reply #9 Jun 7, 2011 9:40 AM
Joined: Jun 5, 2011
Points: 8
Ah, ok, thanks.

To add another question: Is there somewhere other than FBM to buy relatively cheap cores? I noticed FBM only offers Talalay and doesn't really tell you where it comes from.

Re: Latex Mattress Q's
Reply #10 Jun 7, 2011 6:42 PM
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Joined: May 13, 2011
Points: 170
Sleep EZ (www.sleepez.com/catalog for individual piece of foam) and Arizona Premium Mattress Company sell 6" Dunlop cores.  Sleep EZ may be willing to put together a complete custom mattress for you.
This message was modified Jun 7, 2011 by sleepswithcats
Re: Latex Mattress Q's
Reply #11 Jun 7, 2011 7:01 PM
Joined: Jun 5, 2011
Points: 8
Is the quality difference between sleepez and FBM really big?

 

Sleepez is ~$400-500 more, but they offer dunlop core instead of all talalay. I guess they also offer 100% natural latex (if that makes a big difference?)

Re: Latex Mattress Q's
Reply #12 Jun 7, 2011 8:48 PM
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Joined: May 13, 2011
Points: 170
My personal experience test driving latex was that I tried Savvy Rest Firm Firm Medium in both Talalay and Dunlop and I couldn't tell any difference.  Don't quote me here, but I think the same ILD for Talalay and Dunlop do not feel the same, with Talalay feeling softer.  Either you can search for the data or possibly someone like Phoenix or Budgy will know what the corresponding ILDs are in Talalay and Dunlop for the different firm, soft, etc.

Talalay is usually more expensive.  I don't know the source of FBM latex.  Perhaps someone with experience with FBM knows.  Or you could call and ask where they get their latex.

Re: Latex Mattress Q's
Reply #13 Jun 7, 2011 9:01 PM
Joined: May 29, 2011
Points: 35
soliq wrote:

In a related question: Any suggestions on platform bed frames? Something that isn't going to creak/fall apart (I've read ikea frames have a horrible time with the slats falling out) but still stays in the $300-500 price range? (a little higher is fine, since I'm spending less on the mattress than I had budgeted)

 

Take a look at the Nomad, with a headboard it's called the Charleston, it seems simple but sturdy. I would add a 4 x 8 sheet of pegboard to make it perfectly smooth but still allow air to circulate.  The Home Depot or similar can rip it the long way when you buy it. There are matching nightstands and under bed storage drawers if you want to accessorize. 

The firm/medium question is 100% subjective, if you could try both products side by side at FBM under a 2" soft topper you could probably decide fairly quickly what you like and not have to buy that extra 2" layer. From what I've read elsewhere on this forum FBM claims people would have a tough time telling the two apart; might be worth giving them a call.

Talalay latex is arguably higher quality than Dunlop process latex, probably indistinguishable in the base layer with the caveat it may "feel" approximately 5-10 ILD firmer than the Talalay product.  Unfortunately, the APM 6" Dunlop core is $70-$80 more than the 6" FBM Talalay core.