GOOD OR BAD? : Nature's Rest Plush Firm Latex Foam - Jordan's (Boston)
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Hi: Very informative forum here, I saw quite a few negative responses looking at both S-Brands (Spring Air or what's left makes the Nature's Rest brand I gather) and Latex Foam mattresses. The one we looked at yesterday for $2400 (plush firm) and $2700 (pillow top firm) - I believe "Banyan" and Conservation are the brand names I dont know if they are specific to Jordans furniture or what? Lot of money to pay for a mattress, I personally like the tempur-pedic, but it's too firm for my wife. The sales lady said the only problem is the "canoeing" effect, you have to turn the bed a quarter turn every week for a few weeks to prevent the mattress getting indents and sags due to wear and tear. Anyone have experience with this and with Jordan's buying this brand of mattress? Any other better suggestions of comparison?? Sleepys?? Mattress Discounters, etc.? Tom |
Re: GOOD OR BAD? : Nature's Rest Plush Firm Latex Foam - Jordan's (Boston)
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The short answer is, the best latex mattress is a 100% latex mattress - not one that is layered with other PU foam. You will not find this in any of the major "S" brand manufactured latex mattresses - they ALL have a relatively small layer of latex sandwiched between layers of PU foam. The *possible* exception to this is the top of the line Vera Wang mattress, which one salesman told me was 100% latex - but I haven't independently confirmed this. You get a 100% latex mattress by going to a company like sleeplikeabear, flobeds, sleepez, or saavyrest. Latex comes processed by two methods - Dunlop and Talalay. Dunlop was the first method developed over 50 years ago. The Talalay method is more recently developed, it is a more complicated, and more expensive manufacturing process that produces a more uniform and consistent latex. The two types have a slightly different feel. Some people believe that Dunlop is "firmer" than Talalay, but Talalay actually comes in a much wider range of firmness levels, and can be quite firm. I have tried both and found the Talalay vastly nicer than the Dunlop, although there are others on this forum who prefer the Dunlop over Talalay. This is a matter of personal preference. You can easily read up on Dunlop vs. Talalay by doing a google search "Dunlop vs. Talalay" and even see some videos on the processes. Once you've decided whether you want your latex produced by the Dunlop vs. the Talalay method, the next choice you face is whether to get 100% natural botanically grown latex, such as Eagle2 is fond of (this is latex that is 100% made from rubber from a rubber tree), or a 100% synthetic latex (chemically identical to 100% natural but less expensive to produce), or a blended latex, which is typically 30% natural and 70% synthetic. This is the type I have. The reasoning behind the blended is that the introduction of synthetic latex produces an even more uniform, consistent latex that is both cost effective and more durable than 100% natural. 100% natural is sometimes, maybe usually, more expensive than blended. Here's the important point: NO MATTER what ANYONE tells you, there is not one shred of real, scientific evidence, that 100% natural is better than blended or synthetic, and there is also not one shred of scientific evidence that synthetic or blended is any better than 100% natural. What it comes down to is merely a matter of personal preference, and I think that preference is mostly a psychological one. When you start looking at websites, some will just flat out assert that 100% natural is "the best," and when you go to the Latex International website, they assert that blended is "the best." THE BEST is the one that makes you happiest - you might like the idea of a 100% natural product and chafe at the idea of having a synthetic product. If so, blended is not for you. You can also do a google search on natural vs blended latex and see what different websites say. One last thing I believe is also true - if you go with Talalay latex, the best talalay latex is sourced from Latex International. There have been various threads on this forum where LI latex has been compared side by side with cheaper sourced latex, such as that by foambymail, and there is a discernable difference in quality. You get what you pay for and quality latex is expensive. My queen size was I think $2200. |
Re: GOOD OR BAD? : Nature's Rest Plush Firm Latex Foam - Jordan's (Boston)
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I have little personal experience with latex, but having researched it and read about it for years on this forum, I think the fact is that any latex will last a long time; so to me it's more a matter of price vs. longevity. The LI blended Talalay latex may last longest of all, but to my knowledge that has not been proven beyond a doubt. Basically I agree with KimberlyH. I would guess that LI latex is probably better than most other latex in terms of longevity. But I would buy whatever latex I liked the feel of and assume it will last a long time. I think the only latex that may be suspect for not lasting a long time is "jungle Latex" or latex made in the 3rd world without a lot of sophistication. However, my limited experience with latex included laying on a couple of "jungle latex" mattresses, and I felt that particular latex had a "better feel" than the Talalay latex. So if I were to buy latex and I could get the jungle latex substantially cheaper, I would try it. But if money were no object I'd buy Latex International latex. Just some thoughts from my own experience and research re latex. |
Re: GOOD OR BAD? : Nature's Rest Plush Firm Latex Foam - Jordan's (Boston)
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I just wanted to post that I purchased a Natures Rest matress from Jordan's Furniture about 5 years ago. I have Fibromyalgia and need something soft that doesn't put pressure against my body (I feel like I have bruises everywhere). My husband is 6' 3" (about 200 lbs) and likes a firm mattress. He also has insomnia. As you can tell, this posed a slight problem when looking at matresses. We went to Jordan's and tried many of their matresses (Tempurpedic, Latex, you name it). We ultimately purchased the Natures Rest matress (they had different levels of firmness, we got one in the middle - can't remember the exact one). For us, this was the right choice. Both of us have slept better than we ever have (and my husband actually sleeps). We love it so much, we are going to buy one for our daughter's big girl bed (though I found Jordan's doesnt sell them anymore - drat!). I know there are newer lines on the market now, but I am just too afriad of switching to something else because we are so happy with the comfort of this matress. As for the sagging, I do notice if I lay on my husbands side there is a slight dip. They recommend turning the matress, but I like how we both like how the bed formed to our bodies so we haven't touched it :) We have a king sized bed - not sure on the quarter turning, I would say you do a half turn or a flip. I hope this helps, Jayme |
Re: GOOD OR BAD? : Nature's Rest Plush Firm Latex Foam - Jordan's (Boston)
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I live right near Jordans (Reading) and felt their sales people didn't have a clue about mattresses. They put you on that stupid scale and basically weigh your body and tell you that you have 2 pressure points..your shoulders and your behind.... Such a stupid gimmick...
I asked the person if it worked and they said "of course it does"..
I think by 1/4 of a turn they meant a 76" East Coast King is 76X80 can be turned 1/4 on most frames... They told us the same thing... This message was modified Jun 8, 2010 by a moderator
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Re: GOOD OR BAD? : Nature's Rest Plush Firm Latex Foam - Jordan's (Boston)
| I have to whole heartedly agree with jwelch on Nature's Rest. I have a Queen Nature's Rest "Vista" model, which incidently carries the Latex International Seal of Design and Manufacturing Excellence -- something I really never noticed until reading this thread. The original price on that mattress was approx $3,300 at Filenes in 2002. I was an employee and it had been marked down, so after multiple discounts I paid $750; had I known then what I know now, I would have happily paid $3,300! That mattress is fabulous! Unfortunately for my partner and I, we wanted to move up to a King size mattress in 2010 and I just could not find a Nature's Rest. I tried Jordan's and they'd stopped partnering with Naure's Rest -- I was told by Jordan's that NR has started to use an inferior latex product. I shopped and researched quite a bit trying to find something that would be as good as the Nature's Rest. I purchased what I thought would be an equivalent Natura Organic (list was $6K +/-) I HATE THAT MATTRESS, we both do! I've bought toppers for that mattress and attempted any number of fixes and I still despies it. We used to say "ahhhh" every night when we got into the Nature's Rest, but for the past year we suffer through each night with the Natura Organic. To each his own, but I wouldn't recommend Natura Organic to anyone and I recommend Nature's Rest to everyone. It's just hard to find them, I wish the were sold on line. The queen NR is in our guest room, we think we have very lucky guests, and when we just can't sleep on our mattress, we go visit heaven in the guest room! |