Looking for a latex foam mattress - any advice?
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I have an eye on this mattress found on Overstock.com http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/E.C.O.-8-Latex-Full-size-Mattress/3227640/product.html# That is a really decent price for a latex mattress, but it doesn't list the foam density (it only says "Rest peacefully on this high density foam mattress ") so I have no idea how soft or firm it is. Anyone have any thoughts or advice on this particular mattress, or latex mattresses in general? Thanks! |
Re: Looking for a latex foam mattress - any advice?
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The reason this mattress appears to be such a good deal is that it is not a 100% latex mattress. If you carefully look at the description of the mattress, it says it's made of latex AND high density foam. There is no telling how much latex is actually in the mattress, but at that price, I'm *guessing* very little - maybe an inch or two at most. If you read a bit through these forums, you will learn that you have to be very careful of PU foam. This is what all the major mattress manufacturers are using now, and you can read story after story about how people bought one, only to have it sag and crater within a few months. Some people on this forum have successfully built good foam beds, but only after researching foam materials and building their own through trial and error. You get what you pay for. Latex is an expensive product to manufacture. If you are looking for value, value and price are not always the same thing. If you're looking for a quality 100% latex mattress, skip this and start researching 100% latex mattresses. If you're looking for a cheap short term solution to a mattress need, this might do. |
Re: Looking for a latex foam mattress - any advice?
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Thanks for the response Kimberly. I guess my concern when picking out a mattress is durability and support. I want a mattress that will last, and I want one that offers good support. I have lower back pain/sciatica due to a low quality spring mattress that is about 10 years past due for replacement. I've heard that latex mattresses are extremely durable, but how do they compare with an inner spring cost for cost? I was also looking at an Ikea Sultan latex mattress like this one: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80110962 But they have a standard pocket spring with a 2 inch latex pillow top for less money. Do you REALLY need 7 inches of latex in order to benefit from it? Will the spring mattress be more durable in the long run as far as sagging goes? This message was modified Nov 29, 2009 by dvldog4c
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Re: Looking for a latex foam mattress - any advice?
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dvldog4c wrote: Thanks for the response Kimberly. I guess my concern when picking out a mattress is durability and support. I want a mattress that will last, and I want one that offers good support. I have lower back pain/sciatica due to a low quality spring mattress that is about 10 years past due for replacement. I've heard that latex mattresses are extremely durable, but how do they compare with an inner spring cost for cost? I was also looking at an Ikea Sultan latex mattress like this one: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80110962 But they have a standard pocket spring with a 2 inch latex pillow top for less money. Do you REALLY need 7 inches of latex in order to benefit from it? Will the spring mattress be more durable in the long run as far as sagging goes? Some of us have found that in fact we NEED a spring system under our latex. It all depends on the person. Some can sleep on pure latex or pure foam and others cannot. I could at one time, years ago, but cannot any more, it would seem. I would be wary of pocket springs unless they are very well made. There are some good ones out there but they're usually not the ones you run into. That's my 2centavos on that. Anytime a seller does not state the exact type of latex, ILD of latex included and how many inches, you have to be carefully skeptical. About the only thing you can do in a case like overstock.com or IKEA is try to call the company, get ahold of the buyer for that dept. and see if he can possibly tell you. Sometimes that is a frustrating experience but sometimes it can yield results. It's almost impossible to buy a well made innerspring bed these days. You almost have to have go to a "boutique" (small, usually family run) manufacturer to get a good mattress with good foams. And even then, if you start asking questions like "Is it HR (high resilency) foam? What ILD is it? Who makes the latex?" you often get the runaround or just ignorance. That's why most people, if they want a latex mattress, buy from one of the companies like flobeds or (I always forget the name of that other one, sorry), who offer either a latex exchange (changing to softer or firmer latex components for a small fee or free) and a sleep trial period where you can return it for only shipping charges if you don't like it. By the way, although the overstock.com "latex mattress" does not say what foams and how much and what ILD's are used, it still could be a good mattress. You'd have to ask those questions to make a determination, but unless it is a super price, I'd avoid it for reasons of not being able to exchange or return it. I bought an Englander bed just for the springs and took out the crappy foam, put in the quality latex and HR foam, and now I have an adjustable mattress on springs with good foam. Something you cannot buy very easily and certainly not for the price I have into it. |
Re: Looking for a latex foam mattress - any advice?
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If you are interested in researching a good quality, latex mattress, then start with these websites: Flobeds Sleepez Saavyrest sleeplikeabear I would also visit the website of Latex International, the US's major latex foam manufacturer, which is generally acknowledged to make the best quality of Talalay processed latex. I have a 100% latex bed and I like it a lot. It's quite a different feel from a traditional spring mattress. My bed is firm, but with enough give to eliminate pressure points. I also have terrible back issues. Before I bought my bed it was hard to sleep through the pain at night. Now I'm getting a great night's sleep, not *every* night is totally pain free, but most nights are and I'm not in the agony I once was. I don't know what size bed you're thinking of, but a good quality queen latex bed is going to run you in the neighborhood of $2k - $2200. From everything I've read, latex mattress have an exceptionally long lifespan of 15-20 years or more. From this perspective, although the price is high, the long term value is better than a cheaper mattress. There are some less expensive 100% latex alternatives out there, but the quality of the latex is unquestionably inferior. Some latex beds are sold like a traditional mattress, where you choose your firmness level and a sewn up mattress is sold to you. Some latex beds, like mine (from Flobeds) you custom design your firmness, they send you individual latex layers and a mattress cover, and you zip the latex inside the cover. I like this setup because if the firmness isn't right, you can return a layer and get a different firmness (exchange latex layers until the bed suits you). Also, if the mattress cover gets soiled/worn or rips, I can just get another cover. The latex itself I expect to last a few decades. Most of these companies have pretty good return/exchange policies. If you're thinking of getting a latex bed you have a little research to do to answer some basic questions, such as: 1) Do I want Dunlop or Talalay processed latex? (Different manufacturing methods for latex, which produce different feeling latex) 2) What firmness level do I need for my latex bed? There is a very wide range of firmnesses in latex manufacture, and what firmness you'll want will depend on your height, weight, and sleep style (e.g. stomach, side, or back sleeper). As a generalization, I'd say the taller/heavier you are, the firmer you'll want your mattress. All latex has some "give" that allows it to mold to your body shape. 3) Do I want 100% botanically grown latex (100% comes from the sap of the rubber tree) or 100% synthetic latex (chemically identical to 100% natural) or a blended latex? (typically 30% natural and 70% synthetic, said to more durable than 100% natural, but I'm not sure about that). 4) Do I want to go with a company that makes a sealed latex mattress, or do I want to customize individual layers of latex and put them in a zippered mattress cover for a more custom mattress? 5) How thick do I want my mattress? Generally they seem to range from 6" to 10-11". If you're heavier, you definitely will need the support of a thicker mattress (mine is 10"). If you're light, you could maybe get away with an 8" mattress. Once you start reading some websites you'll start to get a feel for what direction you want to go. The challenge is in being able to actually try a latex bed before buying one. Most of the 100% latex beds are sold by online companies, it's difficult to find a 100% latex mattress in a mattress showroom. Some mattress showrooms will have "latex" beds that are a combination lf latex and PU foam (all the major "S" brands have such combined mattresses) but none of them sell a 100% latex mattress. With quite a bit of searching online and in the yellow pages, I was able to find a few mattress stores that sold latex mattresses and go try them (land and sky and Sweda brands). I didn't buy those premade mattresses, I ended up going with Flobeds, where in consultation with the owners, I had custom firmness layers sent to me with a zippered cover. This is very easy to do and gave me the firmness I needed with the option to change. |
Re: Looking for a latex foam mattress - any advice?
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thanks, everyone. anyone try the costco/ 100 % latex fro Sleep Science? Please share your experience, kowledge. phyllis |