| i have a sleepez bed that I keep trying to soften by adding more layers of foam in the case. So I now have 4.5 layers in a case meant for 3 layers. The case still zips, but I wonder if I am compressing the foam so much that it is affecting the feel. I have talalay latex, which always felt springy to me, but I am wondering if this made it more springy? Or if this is bad for the foam? |
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Phoenix wrote: It will be interesting to see how the next step goes. If you can, I would consider using the most flexible pad on top that you can find just to get the maximum sinking in for your shoulders that we can, especially considering that you could notice a difference. made things feel firmer. I think the 2" foam is too much to add (also its "softness" is suspect as its from FBM). So I can try the MF (would have to be under the convo foam). Or I can start looking for new? Suggestions for new soft topper? BTW I helped my son move yesterday so I'm just crazy sore; need to wait a little bit before deciding if any of this is bed-related :-) Steve |
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Have you already tried (from top to botttom) 3" soft Talalay Convoluted 3" Dunlop If you have I'm sorry I missed it but this was the one I thought you didn't have the time to try. This is also the one I would test without the middle convo layer on the floor if you are re-arranging anyway. By "flexible pad" I was meaning the mattress pad itself. If you have a blanket or something that was "elastic" that you could try for one night then this would help to see how big an effect the wool pad is having. The memory foam "options" would be after this set of options. Phoenix PS: I am thinking we are likely much closer with this option than we have been with any of the others. This message was modified Dec 16, 2010 by Phoenix
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Phoenix wrote: Have you already tried (from top to botttom) 3" soft Talalay Convoluted 3" Dunlop If you have I'm sorry I missed it but this was the one I thought you didn't have the time to try. This is also the one I would test without the middle convo layer on the floor if you are re-arranging anyway. By "flexible pad" I was meaning the mattress pad itself. If you have a blanket or something that was "elastic" that you could try for one night then this would help to see how big an effect the wool pad is having. The memory foam "options" would be after this set of options. Phoenix PS: I am thinking we are likely much closer with this option than we have been with any of the others. No, sorry, I havent tried that combo yet. I'm going to wait for the soreness to go away before trying anything else. I guess I was confused by the flexible pad comment. I'm actually not using any sort of mattress pad at the moment; just the latex, the mattress cover (which is the standard Sleepez quilted cover), the conv. foam and the sheets. I guess thats why I tried the wool topper (which is really intended to be a mattress pad) but as I said that makes things too firm (its possible the wool could be fluffed up somehow, we havent done anything like that since we got it). I don't even think I have any "normal" mattress pads. Do you think that might help? I don't think I understand your comments about the "elastic" blanket or pad... |
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By "elastic" I meant a pad of some kind (like a really stretchable blanket) over the mattress that would allow you to sink in with a "pointy part" more easily than a wool pad. I thought you were using a wool pad which is why the suggestion. The "bare latex" would be best of all although you are already on wool anyway with the sleepez cover and this would also lessen the ability to sink in with a "pointy part" (what the other post called "bony prominences") like your shoulders. Phoenix PS: This is the layering I was hoping to start with (except at the beginning I had suggested the convo on top instead of in the middle). I really do think that a single Dunlop is the "foundation" you will need as it is the firmest you have and that above this it's just a matter of getting to the right comfort layers on top of this without making them too thick and putting you out of alignment. A "middle" layer between comfort and support layers with what you have will probably always cause problems. This message was modified Dec 16, 2010 by Phoenix
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Just to give you a sense of "where I am going" ... here is the general progression of what I am thinking (regarding foam layers and not counting any refinements that can come from pads or reversing layers). All of them are on a single 3" layer of Dunlop. First = 3" Dunlop under 4.5" Talalay (counting the convo as 1.5). Convo on top would allow slightly more sinking in but it "bunches" and you are not as comfortable with the feel which is why I'm suggesting it in the middle for the first try. Second = Convo over the talalay. I know this may not feel as good but it this "nails" it then you could always get a thin topper to replace it. Third = Memory foam under 3" Talalay. This is a little more "unknown" as how it reacts would depend on the type of memory foam. If the foam "melts" under you then this could be a good combination as you would have 4" of soft over the soft very top of the Dunlop. What I do like about this is that it would only be a 4" comfort layer and with the convo there is still a danger that the comfort layer is too thick and could put you out of alignment. Fourth = Memory foam over 3" Talalay. Waiting with this because I know you don't like sleeping on memory foam even though it may work well. Fifth = Thin firm layers in between using what you have available in the house. Sixth = Zoning using what you have. This would almost certainly solve your problems but it would involve cutting latex (which it seems you're already doing anyway lol) Five and Six are "interchangeable depending on the feedback that comes from 1-4. There is no doubt in my mind that the best possible solution is in these steps and the information we gain from them. Phoenix PS: I think we've pretty much ruled out the second Dunlop layer and none of these options involves using the medium Talalay as a single layer as I believe the odds are low (not zero) that it would help. While the medium Talalay may give you different "low odds" options from these, I would think it would be more appropriate to use it in the zoning step where it could come in very handy. This message was modified Dec 16, 2010 by Phoenix
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Phoenix wrote: By "elastic" I meant a pad of some kind (like a really stretchable blanket) over the mattress that would allow you to sink in with a "pointy part" more easily than a wool pad. I thought you were using a wool pad which is why the suggestion. The "bare latex" would be best of all although you are already on wool anyway with the sleepez cover and this would also lessen the ability to sink in with a "pointy part" (what the other post called "bony prominences") like your shoulders. Phoenix OK I found a standard mattress pad that I added to the existing config to see if that changes things. I'll start testing the other stuff tomorrow. BTW, I posted a pic of the convo foam in the "can you cut latex?" thread. I think its pretty worn out and would be a problem even under the talalay. See what you think... Thanks again Steve |
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It sure does look worn. It also looks a little strange to me. The pincore pattern is a bit "off" and they seem to go "around" the edge. I haven't seen tons of different kinds of "bare" latex in person since most of it was covered but based on what I have seen and online it just looks wierd enough to make me wonder what it is. In any case I would probably still use it in the layering for long enough at least to get some information from using it because there isn't another softer thinner layer to add to the soft talalay. I am thinking that it may be useful in a zoning scheme (when we get there) if you are thinking of cutting it up anyway. If it's softer than the medium Talalay it may prove useful in the shoulder area as part of testing an up/down split should we need to go there. Phoenix |
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OK Phoenix, I got around to testing some of these today. But right off the bat, the weird convo foam was making it so hard to judge (because it felt really different as I moved along it) that I decided to ditch it and use the other 2" soft latex. I'm pretty sure its not great quality, I think its from FBM, and it feels a little firmer to me than the convo foam or the sleepez foam, but at least its reasonably consistent. So first thing I tried was just the sleepez soft tal over the med dunlop. Surprisingly this didn't feel terrible to me - certainly better than the 2 soft talalays felt. It definitely caused pressure, again mostly on my hips; and it made me feel like I was rolling a bit; hard to explain but didn't feel stable? Anyway as I said not bad, although definitely not sleepable. So then I tried the FBM latex over that and - for the 5 minutes I was on it, it felt pretty good. Definitely sunk in enough on my back, shoulders I think I need to sleep on it to tell. Since the FBM is thinner I thought maybe its better on top, even if its a bit firmer? So I didn't try it under the sleepez foam, even tho i suspect that layer is much better quality. So unless you see something wrong with this plan I thought I would sleep on this tonite (med dun, soft tal, 2" soft tal from FBM, mattress cover, mattress pad) and see how I feel in the morning. I suspect it will end up feeling too firm, but we can see. In the meantime, it really seems like I need to order a high quality soft topper - any suggestions? (I live in Seattle area is you know of any local places, otherwise pls suggest mail order)... |
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I would use the 2" over top as this would likely be the "softest" overall. I would wait just a little before ordering the topper as we have a few combinations to try with just the 3" Dunlop under that may come close to nailing it. If you do need a topper it would probably be because you didn't have anything soft enough or thin enough to use in the "best" layering scheme but to order now may be a little premature until we have tried the memory foam and (if you want to go there) zoning. The convo would be ideal to use for zoning as you could cut a decent piece of it for use under your shoulders and it is roughly the same height (uncompressed) I understand as the 3" sleepez. I have to say again that the convo looks really strange to me. Even the fact that the pincores seem to have "filled up" on the picture was odd. Are they still there and just "covered" or were they only in the top? Great feedback too with the 3" soft Talalay over the 3" Dunlop as well. That confirms to me that your "critical zone" is more than 3" and probably in the region of 4. Phoenix This message was modified Dec 18, 2010 by Phoenix
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OK so after 1 night on this config (3" med dunlop under 3" soft tal under 2" "soft" tal) I am even more confused... It didn't feel great to me, but it didn't feel bad either, and I slept pretty well. Definitely didn't have the "soft cushy" feel I would like, and I really didn't like sitting on the bed as it felt like it bottomed out that way. But when lying in bed, I didn't feel that, and although I felt some pressure on my shoulders and ribs it wasn't too bad. My back hurts a bit but thats been ongoing so I can't tell if this config had anything to do with that. So, can you make some sense from that? Whats really weird is, this is essentially the same as a previous config I tried except that time the top layer was a 3" soft tal piece from SleepEz and this time its a 2" piece from FBM (which may be firmer that the sleepez piece). And that config definitely felt too soft. |