Talalay Vs Dunlop?? (this mattress decision is making me crazy!)
Aug 12, 2011 1:57 AM
Joined: Jun 2, 2011
Points: 20
First I have to say "thank you" for this forum.  I have learned a lot.   :-)

I'm pretty sold on the idea of getting a latex mattress.  I like the naturalness, and  I like the ideas of swapping out pieces.   My husband and I did stop at Savvyrest, during a trip down south in June, and I liked their product, but not the fact that we cannot get a refund, plus their prices are higher than some.

I think that I need a pretty firm mattress, while my husband did seem to like the softer ones when we stopped at Savvy Rest.   

Basically, we seem to be gravitating towards the suggestions on this forum like sleepez and mattress.net, though I do like the flexibility of sleepez vs mattress.net.

I did want to ask about this clip I just saw regarding talalay vs. dunlop.    The original poster (sorry, I cannot remember which post)  said that it convinced them of talalay vs. dunlop.

I also was pretty sold on getting dunlop, except for possibly a talalay topper, until I saw the clip:  

http://www.flobeds.com/AboutLatexLinks.htm#TalalayVsDunlop

I also wish there was some sort of tally to show what people ultimately buy...the ratings here are challenging to follow.

I'd appreciate any thoughts about this.   My old mattress is probably causing me much unneeded pain in the meantime!

TIA!

Re: Talalay Vs Dunlop?? (this mattress decision is making me crazy!)
Reply #7 Aug 12, 2011 1:37 PM
Joined: Jun 2, 2011
Points: 481
Iris,

 

I won't sit here and plug for SleepEZ all day, but I'll tell you, they are awfully nice to talk to.  I've talked to Shawn 'bout 3 times and his sister Christina once, and they are very nice.  Also, they did the order right and it came to my doorstep less than 3 days.  'Course that's AZ to CA.

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Do you have another local mattress stores that have any amount of latex in them?  I tried out Serta Vera Wangs latex line for starters, but don't like the prices.  We're lucky to have Natural Mattress Store with 'organic' latex beds.  I've tried some Englander latex beds a bit, but ewww, they don't have that all latex feel. 

Get out there and look and call.  It's all a risk.  Too early for me to call latex beds great.  I like what I felt at Nat. Mat. Store.

:)

 

Iris wrote:

 


What are the main co's that use the good quality latex?     I originally thinking that total dunlop was the way to go, but now I'm wondering about that dunlop core and talalay top.   Sigh.  I know that with some of these products I can return pieces, but I'd really like to get it right the first time if possible.   Plus with mattress.net, it's a one time deal.....but I am wondering if the zipperless mattresses would wear better, or if the convenience of the zipper to exchange pieces would be more practical.   

Mike from LI said that Organic Mattress out of CA or Arizona Premium use their natural talalay.  

Did I mention I'm in Southern NJ?



This message was modified Aug 12, 2011 by slpngoc
Re: Talalay Vs Dunlop?? (this mattress decision is making me crazy!)
Reply #8 Aug 12, 2011 2:43 PM
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Joined: May 13, 2011
Points: 170
Hi Iris,

Welcome!.  I think that it may take more time and more reading for you to feel comfortable with your mattress decision.  I did purchase an all Dumlop 10" Savvy Rest because I don't have sleep issues and felt that exchanging layers would be sufficient and I got a discount.  Otherwise I probably would have purchased a SleepEZ as I wanted organic mattress.  This forum seems to have two types of people who visit here: people who come for some advice on a new purchase, and people who can't seem to find a bed they like and have tried 3 or more mattresses.  If you believe you fall into the first category, then you will problaby not have many issues purchasing over the internet.  I would only purchase from internet company that has acceptable BBB rating and has been in business for several years (as evidenced by posts on this forum).  You shoudl inquire about the cost of actually returning a mattress as well as looking at comfort exchange policy and cost of shipping.

As for Talalay vs Dunlop, I was like you and read a lot of different opinions online.  After a while, it seemed to me that the quality of the latex mattered more than which process you purchased.  These mattress companies are simply resellers of someone's latex with a cover; asking where they source their latex should help you decide.

Perhaps you can do some creative googling to find some local companies that distribute latex, a la Foam By Mail so that you can purchase locally.

Re: Talalay Vs Dunlop?? (this mattress decision is making me crazy!)
Reply #9 Aug 13, 2011 11:09 AM
Joined: Jun 2, 2011
Points: 481
Iris wrote:

 


What are the main co's that use the good quality latex?     I originally thinking that total dunlop was the way to go, but now I'm wondering about that dunlop core and talalay top.   Sigh.  I know that with some of these products I can return pieces, but I'd really like to get it right the first time if possible.   Plus with mattress.net, it's a one time deal.....but I am wondering if the zipperless mattresses would wear better, or if the convenience of the zipper to exchange pieces would be more practical.   

Mike from LI said that Organic Mattress out of CA or Arizona Premium use their natural talalay.  

Did I mention I'm in Southern NJ?

I was pretty torn about getting 100% natural latex or not.  There is really a lot of debate about the matter.  Of course places that specialize in all natural / organic beds will say all natural latex is The way to go,    But, I did talk to Latex Intl like you did and I bought the story that the vast majority of their latex is blended.  I went with SleepEZ based on their reputation and policies and they recommended blended.  So we shall see. 

If there is any off-gassing from my mattress, I couldn't tell.  I don't smell a thing.  IIRC, the synthetic stuff is locked into the material during processing and other chemicals are washed off the foam with water. 

I have my receipt of purchase, and warranty card from SleepEZ.  If this thing totally breaks down, it shall be repaired/replaced according to their policy.

 

Re: Talalay Vs Dunlop?? (this mattress decision is making me crazy!)
Reply #10 Aug 20, 2011 1:38 AM
Joined: Aug 20, 2011
Points: 2
Is it me or did it seem like the Dunlop piece was more beat up to begin with, it was packed tighter and so on.
Re: Talalay Vs Dunlop?? (this mattress decision is making me crazy!)
Reply #11 Aug 20, 2011 6:23 PM
Sleep and rest!
Location: Fort Myers
Joined: Aug 20, 2011
Points: 14
Forget the Talalay dunlop analogy.

Go with the mattress that is more comfortable and less money.

Both methods of producing latex are different but the end result is nearly the same. Both are synthetic latex, and will last for years.

You will not sleep hot either.

Personally i do not like how latex feels, I call it the trampoline effect. Too bouncy for me, especially when placed on top of mattress springs.

 

Re: Talalay Vs Dunlop??
Reply #12 Aug 22, 2011 2:02 PM
Joined: Aug 1, 2009
Points: 175
I'm no expert (and I haven't been here on the forum for a couple years), but I just added another Talalay topper (2" 32 ILD from SleepLikeABear) under my 1" Talalay topper (1" 24 ILD), because the 2" Dunlop topper that I'd had there, and have now removed, had cratered. It was wonderful for several months, but it gradually lost springiness where I sink in the most (hip area). And I'm a lightweight (5'6", 120 lb or so), so I was kinda surprised about that. 

I don't know what the ILD of the Dunlop piece was -- I got it from Overstock.com, knowing it'd be a crapshoot, but it had good reviews and the price was right, so I tried it. And it was really great for a while... and then it wasn't.

I've had the 32 ILD topper for just a few nights, so I'm not sure if I like it yet. (I'm using these on top of a minimalist, firm, flippable innerspring mattress, bought a few years ago from a local company.) I also had a polyfill fiberbed, about an inch thick, on top of the latex toppers. I just took that off today, because it has also flattened in the hip area over time, and I'm waking up with some lower back pain. (It was a great buy at Kohl's, I think, and it lasted several years, maybe 5 or 6. Everywhere other than the hip area is still nice & cushy.)

Long way of saying: My guess is that Dunlop is fine for a core, but Talalay might be better for a topper. One more data point for you, anyway.

-Catherine

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Edited to add:

Never mind. I have no idea what that Overstock.com latex piece actually was -- could have been some cheap synthetic blend (or all synthetic), rather than natural Dunlop-processed latex. It had no labels of any kind. Natural Dunlop latex probably would not have cratered after a few months.

This message was modified Dec 9, 2011 by Catherine
Re: Talalay Vs Dunlop?? (this mattress decision is making me crazy!)
Reply #13 Aug 22, 2011 4:09 PM
Joined: Jun 2, 2011
Points: 20
slpngoc wrote:

Thanks for the reply.  What configuration of firmness did you get??     I also wonder if I go with Sleepez, if I could fit an additional 1" topper in the mattress - I'll have to ask.

 

I won't sit here and plug for SleepEZ all day, but I'll tell you, they are awfully nice to talk to.  I've talked to Shawn 'bout 3 times and his sister Christina once, and they are very nice.  Also, they did the order right and it came to my doorstep less than 3 days.  'Course that's AZ to CA.

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