Mattress Forum

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