Friend needs help with already bought latex mattress
Jan 6, 2011 2:30 PM
Joined: May 12, 2010
Points: 241
My friend bought a DUNLOP latex mattress and it is supposed to be of medium feel but after he slept on it he felt it was feeling firm to him. The latex layers are not changeable as they are stitched together so he cannot move them up or down.

 

Questions:

1.  How can he make the mattress feel softer for himself?

 

2.  Does the latex soften over time? I mean if the latex is supposed to have a medium feel then does it become softer after sleeping in for some time?

I mean does the latex breaks in like the memory foam is supposed to break in and become softer after sleeping for some time?

 

3.  Can he buy a latex topper and place it on the top of this latex mattress?

If so, What ILD latex will give him a softer feel?

And which latex will be better? Dunlop latex or Talalay latex?

(please NOte: that the mattress is Dunlop Latex)

What places will provide good quality and value for this latex topper?

 

4.  If not latex can he get a memory foam and what kind and from where?

 

Lots of questions but please help. Thanks so much.

This message was modified Jan 6, 2011 by roy1
Re: Friend needs help with already bought latex mattress
Reply #13 Jan 12, 2011 4:15 PM
Joined: Oct 3, 2010
Points: 809
At one point the descripion on the Sam's Club website said it was Talalay. Now it doesn't. None of the other sites where it is sold say either (although some did at one point) so it's a mystery to me as well. The fact that they do say that the top layer is 18 ILD would indicate Talalay but this could also be a "mistranslation" of a different way of measuring ILD that is used for Dunlop sometimes.

In any case I'll see what I can find out.

Phoenix.

Re: Friend needs help with already bought latex mattress
Reply #14 Jan 12, 2011 4:38 PM
Joined: Oct 3, 2010
Points: 809
I talked to Irvin at Innomax who was very helpful. He told me he believed it was Dunlop but that it may have changed. When I said I didn't know of any 18 ILD Dunlop and mentioned some brands and also mentioned that it could be ILD in kg instead of lbs, he said his curiousity was piqued and he would call his supplier (Sleep Comp or Latexco) and find out for sure and call me back.

Phoenix

Re: Friend needs help with already bought latex mattress
Reply #15 Jan 13, 2011 4:35 PM
Joined: Jan 12, 2011
Points: 17
Phoenix wrote:

I talked to Irvin at Innomax who was very helpful. He told me he believed it was Dunlop but that it may have changed. When I said I didn't know of any 18 ILD Dunlop and mentioned some brands and also mentioned that it could be ILD in kg instead of lbs, he said his curiousity was piqued and he would call his supplier (Sleep Comp or Latexco) and find out for sure and call me back.

 

Phoenix



Thanks Phoenix for update. let know what is going on.

When the maker Innomax does does not know what kind of latex and what ILD and which source they are using in making this White Night mattress, it does not inspire confidence in the consumer.

It is remarkable the maker has to find ot what goes in their mattress.

The tag on the mattress has no description either.

 

I will wait for your response. thanks again Phoenix.

Re: Friend needs help with already bought latex mattress
Reply #16 Jan 13, 2011 6:07 PM
Joined: Oct 3, 2010
Points: 809
Everyone I have talked to is "sure" it is Dunlop which is strange because I could have sworn I read that it was Talalay on the Sams Club website at one point which is why I have it in my list as Talalay. The Allura (which is not all latex) does use Talalay in the comfort layer. Maybe I'm just going crazy :). The only reason I am so unsure is that I have not seen Dunlop this soft and when it is listed as this soft it is usually a mistake based on a different way of measuring softness. I called Irvin back and he was at a meeting. Then I tried to call Sleep Comp but the person I wanted to talk to wasn't in. So I'm still waiting for an answer.

Phoenix

Re: Friend needs help with already bought latex mattress
Reply #17 Jan 13, 2011 7:16 PM
Joined: Oct 3, 2010
Points: 809
OK I talked to the person at Latexco I wanted to reach and have some "probable" answers.

He didn't know specifically about the Innomax (he doesn't deal with this part of latexco) but he did confirm that Latexco's Puralux is available in very soft ILD's. This is a continuous pour "variation" of Dunlop that is one of the many "Dunlop variations" that are being produced in various places around the world. It does not come in 6" cores but can be produced up to 3" thick. It is a "mostly natural" blend and has less SBR latex in it than Talalay but it can be produced in a variety of "mixtures". The website says it can also be made in an all natural version. It is often used as a quilting layer in a mattress but since it can be made up to 3" thick and in a wide range of ILD's and is being produced in the US, I am guessing that it will start "popping up" in more places as in comfort layers. The 6" core is probably Durolux 5 Zone (28 -32 ILD zones).

So it is almost certain that this is what the Innomax is using in at least the top layers. If this is the case ... then at least in terms of specs ... 1" 18 ILD over 2" 24 ILD over 28-32 zoned would feel quite soft to most people and probably similar in feel to similar ILD talalay comfort layers (maybe a bit firmer). This means that what feels fairly soft to most people feels firm to you so the "firmness" is a matter of your individual perception and not because the latex itself is "too firm". This would also likely mean that what many people called soft and what was sold in stores as soft or medium/soft may also feel firm to you. Part of the "problem" though may be the thickness of the comfort layers.

Because most of the comfort layer is 24 ILD (which is bordering on medium) this is what you would mostly be feeling, but you are probably also going through this (the top 3") a bit (because of your weight) and also be feeling some of the "firmness" of the bottom layer as well even though this is also less than many support layers. All in all this indicates to me that if you decide to go with a topper in Talalay then either 19 ILD or 14 ILD would seem to "fit" your preferences better. I would test them both in stores on top of a mattress with a similar construction to yours so your own perception can tell you which is better for you.

I doubt you would need more than 2" in either 19 or 14 ILD since you already have 3" of softness under you which you would be adding to and if you go too much thicker than this you may be risking alignment problems because you were sinking down too far in your hips.

Again though ... because your perceptions may be outside of "average" I would put a lot of emphasis on your personal experiences and "lay on mattress" testing.

Phoenix

This message was modified Jan 13, 2011 by Phoenix
Re: Friend needs help with already bought latex mattress
Reply #18 Jan 14, 2011 11:22 AM
Joined: Oct 15, 2009
Points: 966
Phoenix wrote:

 

Everyone I have talked to is "sure" it is Dunlop which is strange because I could have sworn I read that it was Talalay on the Sams Club website at one point which is why I have it in my list as Talalay. The Allura (which is not all latex) does use Talalay in the comfort layer. Maybe I'm just going crazy :). The only reason I am so unsure is that I have not seen Dunlop this soft and when it is listed as this soft it is usually a mistake based on a different way of measuring softness. I called Irvin back and he was at a meeting. Then I tried to call Sleep Comp but the person I wanted to talk to wasn't in. So I'm still waiting for an answer.

 

Phoenix


Rocky Mountain mattress sells dunlop toppers that they claim are 16-18 IFD.   They have told me in the past that they are made by Latex Green.  Not sure if this firmness is accurate.  It is possible they are confusing a metric measurement with pounds.   Latex Green does not have much in the way of details on their website about their toppers.   In their section on mattresses, the measure the firmness in Kgf. 

This message was modified Jan 14, 2011 by sandman
Re: Friend needs help with already bought latex mattress
Reply #19 Jan 14, 2011 1:47 PM
Joined: Oct 3, 2010
Points: 809
The latex green one is the one that has caused the most problems. They measure in kg as you say which means that 16-18 kgf would really be around 35-40 ILD. on the LG website it says 13-18 kgf which could be as low as 29 ILD. The other problem is that they are probably using ILD @ 40% compression which would take the numbers down lower again. From some of the other threads and how it has "acted" it's probable that it's mid 20's to low 30's. It's listed as a lot softer on a lot of websites who didn't realize that LG was using kg and has caused lots of people to think that soft latex is harder than it is or that the "Dunlop difference" is bigger than it really is if the ILD was the same.

Phoenix

This message was modified Jan 14, 2011 by Phoenix