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I would like to know what some of the pros & cons are of sleeping on a latex mattress, especially in the kit form from a company like Flobeds (I have samples of the different latex cores from Flobeds). I understand that issues with comfort of latex depend on ILDs, a person's body type & weight, personal preferences, etc. The only type of mattress I've slept has been an innerspring (with no latex). It's hard to tell by laying on a latex mattress in a store what the mattress will feel like to actually sleep on. What is the difference in feel between sleeping on an all latex mattress and on an innerspring mattress? Does a latex mattress provide enough support for the lower back and hips, or is a latex mattress not a good choice for providing good back support? Does a latex mattress provide a good seating surface if you want to sit up in bed to read, or does your butt sink down too much for it to be comfortable enough to sit up in bed? With kits such as Flobeds that don't have a firmer edge support around the mattress to support sitting on, do you just sink in when you sit on the side of the bed? Can a latex mattress feel like you are sleeping on a piece of "dead" foam, "dead" meaning no cushiness, no springiness to the foam? Thank you very much for help and opinions. I've been reading this site (and old one) for over a year now, and I'm still learning. |
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Good point, cloud9. Right now my mattress has been feeling pretty nice the last few nights. I'm going to leave it alone for awhile. I did order the Brylane latex topper last night, thanks to this forum! :) cloud9 wrote: I'm kind of guessing that the Dunlop mattress I slept on was about 28 ILD. It definintely didn't thud! Although it was on a boxspring, and that will change the feeling. I'm not really sure why you would want to swap out the firm HR foam for the Dunlop. Firm HR foam has much more of a thud factor than latex. I think it provides a nice stablizing base over the springs for the bouncier materials on top. Remember, Dunlop is still rubber. It's bouncy. Just not jiggly. I'd be concerned that 2" of firm Dunlop would compromise the ridigity of the innerspring unit and you might be back to having too much foam on the mattress. I guess if you can return or exchange it for another ILD it would be okay. It might take a some experiementation. |
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And, I find it the best of both worlds. :) mattressmom wrote: The local Verlo mattress guy told me that they don't recommend putting latex or memory foam on springs or a box spring. They sell rigid foundations specifically for foam mattresses. I didn't get into the reasons why - but I have my doubts about mixing and matching springs and latex. Just my 2 cents though.<BR><BR>Dunlop is springy but it is a different springy than springs or Talalay. |
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Great information about latex mattresses and latex vs. dunlop. Thanks, everyone, for sharing your impressions and personal experiences of sleeping on latex...I'm soaking all of the information in and definitely learning more. Of course, it would be impossible to know for sure if I'd find latex comfortable until I actually slept on it, but reading your experiences helps me get a better idea of what latex may feel like to a person. I don't think I would like the feeling of talalay latex pushing back on my body. I wonder if the soft convoluted topper from Flobeds that comes with their latex kit would eliminate the feeling of talalay latex pushing back...but I have read that some people find this soft topper to be too soft and useless. I have a sample of the Flobeds latex topper, but it's hard to know for sure whether or not it will be too soft for me until I can actually sleep on it on a Flobeds kit. I need enough support for my lower back/butt so that my spine is kept in proper alignment and so that my butt doesn't sink too far into the mattress. I cannot handle too firm of a mattress that creates pressure points and feels like it has no "give" to it. There has to be just the right amount of cushioning, not too much and not too little. So a mattress that keeps giving the proper support (with durable cushioning) year after year is a huge plus! If I were to buy a mattress with latex, it would have to be either a mattress with good 'ol coils with latex for the comfort layers or a latex kit (so that I have the option of choosing different ILD layers and moving them around inside the mattress to find the correct support). I have no experience sleeping on a latex mattress, so I'm thinking a combination of coils with latex would offer the best of both worlds. It would be even better if the coils and latex came in a zippered mattress casing so that if the latex wasn't comfortable, I could exchange it for a firmer or softer latex layer. Of course, I would love to get the mattress configuration right the first time and not end up having to make latex exchanges by mail...but at least Flobeds is good by allowing you time to do core exchanges or even return the whole kit. This message was modified Feb 5, 2008 by centralpark
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A very soft topper is what I need to take away the pushing against me feeling also. Hence, that is why I was looking for a 1.5" very soft latex topper. If I was not petite, the 2" topper may be better for me since I would sink in deeper and have the cushion with teh firmness underneath. Everyone is different. Some people prefer very firm toppers and others like very soft toppers. You need to find out what you like best by going to stores and lying on latex beds and finding out what their layers are made up of to give your best educated guess. You can always exchange layers or toppers but first try to find out what you like since we are all so different. I did so many exchanges to I know I did the right thing by going with FloBeds.com. I also did not want to pay a restocking fee if I did not keep the bed. But we are all different and you need to experiment in stores to have a better idea before ordering and also knowing if you like a very firm bed or a softer bed. I like Latex since there is some give versus a rock hard mattress like I used to sleep on having no give. A person's weight, height, back problems, and their comfort level of firmness levels are all part of the equation for comfort and support for that person.
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mccldwll wrote: And that's where another dunlop problem arises for me. Shipping. It's heavy. Repacking a 3" twin size piece of talalay is rough enough. Try it with a relatively dense piece of dunlop which has been vacuum packed by the manufacturer. Some of these sites peddling dunlop with seemingly generous return policies obfuscate the fact that you have to repack it in original shipping materials, and return shipping costs are high (even where it seems to say that there is a minimal "return shipping fee", which often is a "handling fee"). One site stated if you lost the original boxes, they would sell you replacement boxes for $59. BOTTOM LINE: Enter all transactions fully informed. Whatever you buy, make sure everything is in writing. Read and reread the fine print and make sure you fully understand the terms and conditions. Ask your questions and get the responses IN WRITING.
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| Packing up my split latex cores is not that much work since they are split and are only 2.8 to 3.0 each and I have a friend that helps me. I would never buy a latex bed without split cores seeing the convenience of making the bed so adjustable and seeing how heavy latex can be. |
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You mean like mine: http://www.baybed.com/ I wonder if there are other local stores around who are doing the same thing. I'll never buy another "readymade" mattress again, especially if it starts with an "S". centralpark wrote: If I were to buy a mattress with latex, it would have to be either a mattress with good 'ol coils with latex for the comfort layers or a latex kit (so that I have the option of choosing different ILD layers and moving them around inside the mattress to find the correct support). I have no experience sleeping on a latex mattress, so I'm thinking a combination of coils with latex would offer the best of both worlds. It would be even better if the coils and latex came in a zippered mattress casing so that if the latex wasn't comfortable, I could exchange it for a firmer or softer latex layer. Of course, I would love to get the mattress configuration right the first time and not end up having to make latex exchanges by mail...but at least Flobeds is good by allowing you time to do core exchanges or even return the whole kit. |
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Yep. Don't know about their prices, pocketed coil system vs. more basic coil style, and how much high density PU is used to encase the coils and to "quilt" the cover, but otherwise they sure seem to be doing things right. Clearly, that's how all traditional mattresses (above the most basic "el cheapo" level) should be made/offered--accessible guts and upgraded comfort layers. Just like Burger King, you could "have it your way." Even if you can afford the highest priced custom made mattress on the market, this really is how it should be constructed and modifiable. Anyone needing a good mattress who lives within a reasonable distance should at least consider them. IIRC, site says use 4 layers of decreasing ILD talalay over the coils. BB--what is their standard layup as far as thickness and ILD for these layers? Small mattress retailers should pay attention. Stop trying to compete with Costco, department store sales, and the various "Mattress Whatevers." Low inventory. Further, while I am completely unfamiliar with how the pocketed coil systems are constructed/assembled, it appears to be the type of system which could be modified so that the individual pocketed coils could simply be plugged onto a grid (think interlocking rubber kid's mat bred with large dimple LEGO base--end product 60" x 80" or 72" x 80"). Coils available in 3 or 4 firmnesses for zoning. End result--a coil mattress with latex comfort materials, all parts interchangeable/replaceable, shippable in standard size/weight boxes, light color coded parts assembled by consumer in place with instructions, and a bottle of wine. And it's "green." Someone please try making one of these. I'm too tied up with latex at the moment. |
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Found this looking for pocketed coils (cheap, but concept similar): http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Adjust-A-Coil-Comfort-Twin-Mattress/2780622/product.html#moreinfo |
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I noticed that he said they use 4 layers of talalay over the coils. I'm wondering if this model is a bit higher than mine. I can't imagine the latex layers being thinner. Mine are 1" and I think that seems fairly standard for them to use this size for layering. I can get three 1" inch talalay layers in snugly. Or as I have now, a 3/4" HR PU layer as the base and two 1" talalay layers. I wouldn't mind if I could get 4 layers, though. It would give me more to play with. On the other hand, I might not need all that foam if I can achieve the comfort I want with just 3 layers and the coils. I agree that this concept is ideal. The "plugged pocketed coils" sounds like a neat idea, too. He doesn't advertise the LuraFlex coils I exchanged my pocketed coils for, I notice. Probably most people do fine with the pocketed. I'm just the Princess and the Pea. BR><BR><BR><BR> mccldwll wrote: Yep. Don't know about their prices, pocketed coil system vs. more basic coil style, and how much high density PU is used to encase the coils and to &quot;quilt&quot; the cover, but otherwise they sure seem to be doing things right. Clearly, that's how all traditional mattresses (above the most basic &quot;el cheapo&quot; level) should be made/offered--accessible guts and upgraded comfort layers. Just like Burger King, you could &quot;have it your way.&quot; Even if you can afford the highest priced custom made mattress on the market, this really is how it should be constructed and modifiable. Anyone needing a good mattress who lives within a reasonable distance should at least consider them. IIRC, site says use 4 layers of decreasing ILD talalay over the coils. BB--what is their standard layup as far as thickness and ILD for these layers?<BR><BR>Small mattress retailers should pay attention. Stop trying to compete with Costco, department store sales, and the various &quot;Mattress Whatevers.&quot; Low inventory. Further, while I am completely unfamiliar with how the pocketed coil systems are constructed/assembled, it appears to be the type of system which could be modified so that the individual pocketed coils could simply be plugged onto a grid (think interlocking rubber kid's mat bred with large dimple LEGO base--end product 60&quot; x 80&quot; or 72&quot; x 80&quot;). Coils available in 3 or 4 firmnesses for zoning. End result--a coil mattress with latex comfort materials, all parts interchangeable/replaceable, shippable in standard size/weight boxes, light color coded parts assembled by consumer in place with instructions, and a bottle of wine. And it's &quot;green.&quot; Someone please try making one of these. I'm too tied up with latex at the moment.<BR> <BR>This message was modified Feb 7, 2008 by BeddyBye
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