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Hi Folks, Thanks in advance for all the good information everyone shares here. I need your advice on how many inches or layers x inches of latex or block foam I might need and how to do that the cheapest. After thousands of dollars and hours and at least 20 mattresses actually slept on in the home, I am convinced that a ground up latex and base foam stack is my only solution, and want to do that as inexpensively as possible, hopefully from Foam by Mail? I have monkeyed around with memory foam and latex 1-2 inch toppers from several vendors and rule out memory foam for too hot and not liking the 'falling in' sensation, especially for lower back pain. Using another member's suggestion, I have cut my two queen sized pieces of 20 ILD "Soft" latex from FBM... a 2 inch and a 1 inch, so I could try 6 inches of latex as a start. (Curiously, the 2 inch feels a good bit firmer than the 1 inch thickness "doubled" in previous on-mattress tests.) Both feel firmer than "soft" to me and are quite supportive. Very dense. I believe this is dunlop latex, not talalay, because of the density and the 'natural' look of some non uniformity of bubbles, which is normal for dunlop as I understand. Here's how it felt: VERY FIRM. While lying on my back, my butt felt "up in the air". I felt like I was supported by my butt, the center of my spine, and two shoulder blades, and not much else. I was "up on top of it".. not sunk into it at all. I have not slept on it yet, though, and will try tonight. My impression is that it is "too firm." My starting concern is that if this is 6 inches of "soft", how does even more of "soft" get me where I want to go? And how much, etc.? When I lie on my side on this 6", again I don't sink in very much... and for a short test my shoulder and hip don't hurt immediately, which has been a problem with firm mattresses in the past. I am 60 and no longer have much muscle, so have sensitive hip and shoulder when sleeping on side, which is about 50% of the time. My problem has been that a mattress firm enough to support my butt/lower back while sleeping on my back... hurts my hip and shoulder when I sleep on my side. Looking for that delicate balance. Is the firmness from bottoming against firm box spring? Will that be solved by either block foam or more latex? How much of which? Does another supplier have a softer top layer? (Tried Sleep like a Bear's "soft" 14 ILD 1 inch piece at $172 which didn't feel enough different for that price.) Any suggestions?
Thanks so much. I am looking forward to winning this battle and waking up rested and without pain.
shovel99
This message was modified Aug 9, 2010 by shovel99
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How old is your FBM latex? I believe some older posts indicated that there was not much (if any) difference between the soft and the firm. So, if it is medium or firm dunlop, that would explain your situation. The more recent purchases from FBM seem to be talalay and reasonably soft (I am basing that on desriptions and not personal experience). 6" is probably not enough anyway, so some softer latex on top would probably help. The 6" could serve as good base. If the 14 from SLAB does not seem that different, then maybe the 20 is accurate. However, it can be hard to tell by feeling, so you really have to sleep on it (if you didn't). I think 1-2" of 14 would soften it up for most people.
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Thanks Sandman. The 1 inch from FBM is at least a year, I believe the 2" from FBM at least two years. The 2" really feels firm, the 1" noticeably softer. The formation holes on the 2" did not go all the way through... so at least 3/4 inch of the 2 inches was solid.... adding perceived density and firmness. Is that far enough back to be iffy? Since the 6 inch exeperiment wasn't very encouraging... the the thought of starting yet another random walk with several different densities and thicknesses and no assurance of any progress scared me out of major DIY for now. I am back to tweaking the comfort layer, which I deem the most critical part of the equation. With low back (lumbar, strain 15 years ago but only recently manifesting) and being both a side and back sleeper, I am trying to achieve the absolute minimum comfort layer - which seems to be somewhere between 1 inch and 2 inches. Some times only 1 inch of 4lb or 5 lb memory foam seems to do it but I wake up very shortly after nodding off burning up. The one inch of 20 ILD FBM latex seems "close" noone makes 1.5 inch. I have searching for 1/2 inch PU foam for just that tiny bit of extra isolation, and just found Fbm's sister website Foamdistributing.com and ordered several thin .5 to 1 inch pads to try in conjunction with the 1 inch.
If that doesn't get me there, I will probably buy the SLAB 14 ILD and keep it.... to try with the FBM piece and the conventional foam.
It is all just so maddening. Could be alot worse. I could have a lot of the serious C word ailments that many are dealing with.
Thanks again, shovel |