Flo Beds Convoluted Latex Topper Work for Pressure Point Relief?
Feb 27, 2010 7:50 AM
Location: NC
Joined: Feb 21, 2008
Points: 72
I have layered together a latex mattress (firm dunlop core, 3 layers of 1" latex, the last two being 24 and 22 Talalay ILD. But...my husband and I both toss and turn with pressure point pain in the hips starting half way through the night although everything else about the mattress is comfortable. We're considering ordering a Flo-beds convoluted latex topper to see if it provides enough cushion so we don't wake up sore, which they said they would sell separately. Hate to spend the money and go to the trouble of sending it back if it really won't change things for us. Has anyone who has used it noticed a difference? Any before and after stories? All comments welcome...Thanks.
This message was modified Feb 27, 2010 by Sabra
Re: Flo Beds Convoluted Latex Topper Work for Pressure Point Relief?
Reply #2 Feb 28, 2010 10:19 PM
Joined: Dec 29, 2009
Points: 57
Sabra,

I agree with eagle2.  My hips were bothering me on the softer (medium) top I first had from Flobeds until I firmed up the entire bed as well as put an XF base layer under everything.  Sorry, don't recall the ILD of the XF but eagle2 provided the other data. Hope this confirmation of eagle2's assessment  helps.

TJ

Re: Flo Beds Convoluted Latex Topper Work for Pressure Point Relief?
Reply #3 Mar 1, 2010 12:04 AM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542
Here from the Flobeds web site is there info on ILD's. If it is done correctly you should receive an ILD in the middle range. I.E. medium should be about 28 ILD. Like I said previously I received one that was 26.2 ILD, that was labeled medium. A rather soft medium!

Remember this, "It is also called IFD, or Indention Force Deflection. So don't get confused if you see this designation. They both mean the same thing!

Standard Hardness Specifications for Mattress Cores
Hardness Range (ILD= Indentation Load Deflection)
Soft 19-22 (natural=20-24) ILD
Medium 26-30 ILD
Firm 30-34 ILD
Extra Firm 34-38 ILD
Super Firm 42-46 ILD (blended only)
This message was modified Mar 1, 2010 by eagle2
Re: Flo Beds Convoluted Latex Topper Work for Pressure Point Relief?
Reply #4 Mar 1, 2010 12:24 AM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
I also agree. Sounds like too much soft latex.
Maybe instead of ordering a topper just try taking off one or two layers of the Talalay.
Re: Flo Beds Convoluted Latex Topper Work for Pressure Point Relief?
Reply #5 Mar 1, 2010 12:52 AM
Joined: Oct 15, 2009
Points: 966
Sabra wrote:
I have layered together a latex mattress (firm dunlop core, 3 layers of 1" latex, the last two being 24 and 22 Talalay ILD. But...my husband and I both toss and turn with pressure point pain in the hips starting half way through the night although everything else about the mattress is comfortable. We're considering ordering a Flo-beds convoluted latex topper to see if it provides enough cushion so we don't wake up sore, which they said they would sell separately. Hate to spend the money and go to the trouble of sending it back if it really won't change things for us. Has anyone who has used it noticed a difference? Any before and after stories? All comments welcome...Thanks.



I am not sure I agree with the others on this.  I think the 2" you have on top can be okay, if everything else is pretty firm.  What is the other 1"?   How thick and how firm is the dunlop core?  What is the foundation?  I personally have found that 2" of 24 talalay over a fairly firm base is not too soft, and can actually feel slightly too firm on my hips.

By hip pressure, I assume you mean it feels to "hard" on the hips?   Do you have any back pain?  Overall does the mattress seem soft and you feel like you sink in a lot?  Or does it seem fairly firm?  Some people do find latex can be slightly hard after you lay on it for a while and it compresses.  Others are not bothered by this at all.

Anyway, the others have recommended an easy test.  Take off 1 of the top 2 inches and see if it gets better or worse. 

Re: Flo Beds Convoluted Latex Topper Work for Pressure Point Relief?
Reply #6 Mar 1, 2010 1:19 AM
Joined: Aug 17, 2009
Points: 542
Sandman and I usually agree, but with this statement I disagree. Sandman said: "Some people do find latex can be slightly hard after you lay on it for a while and it compresses.  Others are not bothered by this at all."

I have found laying on latex, at least all natural latex, to feel exactly the opposite of what Sandman refers to as, "slightly hard after you lay on it for while and it compresses."

This has not been my experience. A blended latex mattress might feel this way but I cannot comment on blended as my experience with blended has been quite limited, but my all natural Talalay latex mattress actually softens slightly as it warms from my body temperature. We are all built differently, and respond differently to latex. So my observation may not conform to others experience at all.

But I have giving this topic quite a bit of thought regarding natural Talalay latex and this softening business, and it makes pretty good sense to me that heat will cause the latex to soften slightly. Talalay latex is quite resilient and will handle this softening and firming up characteristic innumerable times without experiencing any permanent compression. This in my opinion is the principal benefit of natural Talalay latex. My time with natural latex is quite limited, approximately 6 months now, but I have yet to hear of any permanent sagging or compression of natural Talalay latex over time from other people who have reported on this forum.
This message was modified Mar 1, 2010 by eagle2
Re: Flo Beds Convoluted Latex Topper Work for Pressure Point Relief?
Reply #7 Mar 1, 2010 1:49 AM
Joined: Oct 15, 2009
Points: 966
It is possible that the blended and natural will be different.  I did notice the hip pressure more when I was using the blended latex flobed (especially when I first got it).  The latex I am using it now is suppose to be 100% natural (all though I am not 100% sure that it is),  and it is less noticeable.  

The 100% natural is suppose to be  more "resiliant", so not sure if that would be the difference.

Although, I don't actally think the latex gets any firmer after laying on it, just that in its compressed state it is fairly firm and that can create a sense of pressure over time.  I at least experience that feeling a bit (not so much to really bother me at this point), but as I said it does not bother most people.  

Dunlop may be even more noticeable in this, and part of what Jimsocal calls the pushing back effect? 

My experience also is that memory foam is better at relieving the pressure points, but it just does not provide enough support for most people. 

As we have all said, try it with one less inch of the soft latex on top and see if it gets better or worse.

One thing we have all learned is that everyone is different, so you will have to experiment for yourself to really figure it out.

This message was modified Mar 1, 2010 by sandman
Re: Flo Beds Convoluted Latex Topper Work for Pressure Point Relief?
Reply #8 Mar 1, 2010 2:20 AM
Joined: Dec 29, 2009
Points: 57
sandman wrote:
I am not sure I agree with the others on this.  I think the 2" you have on top can be okay, if everything else is pretty firm.  What is the other 1"?   How thick and how firm is the dunlop core?  What is the foundation?  I personally have found that 2" of 24 talalay over a fairly firm base is not too soft, and can actually feel slightly too firm on my hips.

By hip pressure, I assume you mean it feels to "hard" on the hips?   Do you have any back pain?  Overall does the mattress seem soft and you feel like you sink in a lot?  Or does it seem fairly firm?  Some people do find latex can be slightly hard after you lay on it for a while and it compresses.  Others are not bothered by this at all.

Anyway, the others have recommended an easy test.  Take off 1 of the top 2 inches and see if it gets better or worse. 



I agree Sandman...what  I meant to say by softer top, is that until I really firmed up the bottom by putting in the XF base and firm middle, the softer top was really soft.  It needed a very firm foundation to feel better.  TJ
Re: Flo Beds Convoluted Latex Topper Work for Pressure Point Relief?
Reply #9 Mar 1, 2010 10:09 AM
Joined: Oct 15, 2009
Points: 966
TJ12 wrote:
I agree Sandman...what  I meant to say by softer top, is that until I really firmed up the bottom by putting in the XF base and firm middle, the softer top was really soft.  It needed a very firm foundation to feel better.  TJ



I would assume that with the firm dunlop base, the base level should be pretty firm and supportive.   I think we really need more details on what type of latex is on top, who made it,  what is that third inch, what is the dunlop base (who made, how thick, how firm), is there anything else on top of the latex?

In thinking about this more, Sabra may be bottoming out on the firm dunlop base, especially if that third inch is not very firm, and if the latex on top is not the highest quality (and therefore lower density).  There may not be enough transition between fairly firm dunlop and the softer comfort level on top. 

I have not used dunlop, but from what I have heard it can be very firm.  So, firm in that might feel even firmer than the XF blended talalay I used in the Flobed.  

TJ, what do you have on top of your XF & F base levels?

Re: Flo Beds Convoluted Latex Topper Work for Pressure Point Relief?
Reply #10 Mar 1, 2010 9:55 PM
Joined: Dec 29, 2009
Points: 57
I now have the FloBed Firm VZone (which is not all firm)...which I softened in a few spots that were too firm (I.E. it was XF under the knees, I have firm now..might even go softer).   But even when I had the medium on top, I found it worked better once I put the XF on the bottom.