Mattress Forum

However, both source their high quality latex from the same place, and aside from different mattress covers (Flobeds is better) and the fact that Flobeds includes an extra layer, they are very similar.  We have a Flobeds mattress AND a Sleepez mattress in our home, both are great.

This will take you a little longer of course but it will help dispel the confusion and "overload" and lead you to better choices in the end.

Phoenix

1. A company that offers a 100% natural latex mattress.  Both Flobeds and Sleepez do.

2. Here is the difference in the mattress covers:  Sleepez is a woven cover (you can specify organic cotton if you want) and the top is quilted with wool.  It seems sturdy.  Flobeds is an organic knit cotton cover quilted with wool at least on the top and sides - I'd have to check the bottom of mine to see if it has quilted wool on the bottom too.  The wool is an excellent feature - it will help keep you warm in winter and cool in summer.  There are no synthetic fire retardents in these covers.

3. Another difference between Flobeds and Sleepez is that the Flobeds mattress comes with a 2" convoluted latex topper in addition to the main 3 layers of latex.  For some people this might be a plus, for others it might not matter.

4.  The Sleepez mattress components come all wrapped together in one giant, extremely heavy box.  A little inconvenient to unwrap and set up, IMO, expecially if the bedroom is upstairs, but this is a minor quibble.  The Flobeds mattress components come in several boxes, with each component individually wrapped.  This makes it easier to carry the individual components to the bedroom and set them up.  Also, if you find you need to return a layer, you will find that you have heavy plastic bags for each mattress component.  For ease of unpacking and setup, Flobeds wins.  However, in the interest of fairness, I should mention that Sleepez has free shipping, and Flobeds does not.  This makes Flobeds a little more expensive.  Return shipping of a layer, should you need to do this, is not very expensive - around $20-$25.

3. Both Flobeds and Sleepez can help you with the choice of latex firmness for each layer.  That's why it's so important to phone them.  They both have years of experience counseling buyers of every body type and size.  They'll know the questions to ask you and will recommend something that is likely to be very close to what you need.  Like I said, when I phoned Flobeds, I thought I wanted a soft cushy mattress.  They were adamant about selling me a mattress that I thought sounded unbelieveably firm.  They were right, and I was wrong.  They saved me from making a decision that would have been wrong for me.

4. And if it isn't right - say you feel your mattress is too firm or too soft, the great thing is that you can package up a layer (this sounds complicated and a hassle, but the way they handle it, it is not) and get a different layer, softer or firmer, or whatever you need.

Trust me, the ability to exchange one or more layers, and a 90 day full refund guarantee is ultimately going to give you the peace of mind you need when making an investment in a mattress you want to last for 15 years or more.  It may sound like more of a hassle than just buying a premade mattress, but I've been on this forum long enough and read enough stories from people who just bought a mattress they thought was comfortable in a showroom, got it home, were miserable, and found out they had limited exchange/return options.

If your objective is a durable, comfortable, high quality mattress without artificial components, go with a company that offers you: 100% natural latex mattress, 100% natural mattress cover, the ability to unzip your mattress cover and exchange layers of latex, unlimited layer exchanges during a 90 day trial period, and a 100% return guarantee for the first 90 days.

Most important in my mind is the ability to unzip the mattress and remove/exchange latex layers - that is the only way you'll be able to get a mattress that is exactly what you want.

Phoenix said there are other companies out there who offer great products, and this is pretty much true, though I'm doubtful there are many that offer the same customer service, ability to customize, and have the same generous exchange and return policies as Flobeds and Sleepez.  Just pick 2 or 3, phone them all and discuss your needs with them, and go with your gut.  It's actually pretty nerve-wracking to order a $2k mattress you've never seen or laid on over the internet, but for many of us it was the best decision we've ever made.  My husband, who was furious with me over the shenanegans I went through buying a new mattress, just loves our Flobed and gushes about it all the time.

http://www.sleepez.com/

http://www.flobeds.com/

http://www.savvyrest.com/

http://www.mattresses.net/

http://www.cozypure.com/

http://www.purerest.com/

http://www.mygreenmattress.com/

http://www.baybed.com/

http://www.foamsweetfoam.com/

http://www.naturalbedco.com/

http://www.customsleepdesign.com/

http://thenaturalsleepstore.com/  (Their web has been down for about half an hour as of this posting so I called them and they know about it and are working on it)

There are many more outlets which all offer these same basic services of pre purchase customization, post buy layer exchange, advice and help, a good reputation/rating, good quality natural latex, and great value but this dozen are among the better ones. I would personally buy product from any one of these. Every one of these offers something the other's don't in terms of options, service, material, construction, or price (none of these are clones of another). Even here you will see quite a wide range of prices for very similar materials and construction. There is an even bigger list of more "traditional" custom manufacturers who will make and ship you a whole mattress to your exact specifications but of course without the more simple layer exchanges that are offered by all of these they involve more risk regardless of their value so I haven't listed any of these.

Phoenix

PS: I removed one link to an outlet that I hadn't talked to. They claimed to be a factory direct for Jamestown mattress however when I phoned Jamestown mattress itself, they said that they were no longer in business. I asked Jamestown (whose website was also down ... seems to be my day for that) if they would supply a "make your own" product with 3 x3" layers of latex and a zippered wool/cotton cover and a layer exchange if needed, and what would it cost, the girl I talked to said she thought so but that I would be better to talk to the owner who would be back on monday to get the pricing and any other details I needed. If the pricing, options, service, and any other research seems reasonable, I will include them back in this list except the link will be directly to them instead of a factory direct outlet. Jamestown mattress itself seems to have been in business for a long time and has several outlets http://www.manta.com/c/mm2ckc3/jamestown-mattress-co-inc

If you had to choose between the Flobed and the SleepEz, which would you choose and why?

Thanks-

Banaltra

Please be alerted to the single biggest scam regarding latex matts:  false claims of "100% Talalay" or "All Natural" or "Solid Latex" and so on.  One of the ways you can research a company that claims to use 100% Talalay Latex is to go to the only source for natural latex foam in the United States:  Latex International.  As of 2010, LI is the only manufacturer in the US that processes true natural latex rubber foam, period.  Here's their main page:

http://www.latexfoam.com/

Here's a page from their site which offers some of the name brands, including a few online retailers:

http://www.latexfoam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=74

Please note that this is not a comprehensive listing of makers/vendors, so if you find a vendor that you're interested in, you may wish to contact LI and verify that the product/s you're researching do, in fact, incorporate Talalay latex.  Beware of latex products manufactured anywhere other than in the U.S. or Ireland (KayMed).  Sorry to sound snobby about it, but if it's not made in the US or the UK, the quality control is pathetic, coarse fillers are often used, density and compression values vary throughout a given section of foam, etc.

It's a case of you-get-what-you-pay-for when it comes to real latex foams.  Wish 10 inches of Talalay were cheaper...  (Sigh)

Thanks for letting me participate here - good forum!

- Denise in Alachua, FL

Using LI's website to determine the quality of a mattress or the accuracy of a "natural latex" claim is only a small part of research that would be required and by itself would mean little since so many very good 100% natural latex mattresses don't use them.

Your generalization about quality control outside of US/UK manufacturing is also not accurate. While it is certainly valid to question some of the sources of latex, there are manufacturers outside of these 2 countries that have quality control as least as good as anything manufactured there.

Phoenix

I understood Dunlopillo closed their doors about a year ago.  Unless someone else bought them out.  Latex Green is one Dunlop manufacturer that is good, made in Sri Lanka if I am not mistaken.  I have some latex from them seems good to me.

I think the poster meant made in China perhaps.  But I agree about the Talalay from LI being excellent quality, I have those toppers too.  I am not aware of another Talalay manufacturer other than them.   Sleepeze website listes the manufacturers they use.  I think it may be outdated last time I looked at it.
 

I'm a total newbie - didn't know that other posts mirrored mine.  Sorry for the redundancy.  

And agreed re: Dunlop method of foam manufacturing.  I'm a fan of Talalay because I love the feel and believe its compression resistance and recovery attributes to be greater.  That being said, however...

My folks have an ancient Dunlop-made king-sized matt, bought in Miami in the late 1960s (!!!) - and it's still being used.  As far as I can tell, there isn't the slightest sign of wear to the matt itself other than slight yellowing (though the cover has been replaced twice).  That's a looonnng time for a mattress to keep its original bounce and flatness - and my dad is a huge, muscular guy who wears things out really fast.  (He goes through a recliner every couple of years, LOL.)  It's a testament to good ol' Dunlop latex that this mattress is hanging in there.

I (like so many others) have been heavily BS'd by dozens of salespeople.  They flat-out lie, glorify their products beyond possibility, and contradict each other endlessly.  Storefront bedding retail is such a rude racket.  So when I found a way to (at very least) narrow down the origin of the primary component (latex), I got happy about it.  That there is only one US source for latex foam is a bummer, because there's not much room for price competition. 

But hey, if the bed lasts 20+ years, it's worth the initial sticker shock, right?

Wishing you all a great night's sleep -

D

They were placed in administration but have continued to supply latex and sell mattresses. Foamex and many others have also declared backruptcy but continued on unil they emerged. Even the "S" brands have not been immune. Seems to be a fairly common tactic in the mattress industry.

http://www.dunlopilloworld.com/en/home.htm

Radium which is based in Holland also produces most of the Talalay used in Europe although they manufacture a blended talalay http://www.radiumfoam.nl/en/home.ecp

They are pretty much in the same position in Europe as LI is in North America.

There are also apparently chinese manufacturers of Talalay that up till recently only produced pillows but are now producing cores. I have seen Chinese Talalay cores on some of the import sites.

Phoenix