What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
|
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. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
|
Probably for most people the pocketed coils were fine for support. Dan, my mattress guy just thought that maybe they were too conforming of a coil for me. So he felt the LuraFlex might be a better match. I think he was right. Although, I'll never know for sure. It could have just been my initial response to latex. Or a new mattress, period. Either way, I do feel like the LuraFlex coil is a bit firmer, hecnce more supportive. You sound like me leaning towards a coil/latex combination. I really do wish you could easily pop into Bay Bed and Mattress to check out the type of set-up I have. I think you would be pleased. centralpark wrote: BeddyBye, I just checked out the www.baybed.com web site. I wish my local stores sold mattresses like the ones on baybed, with pocketed coils or just the regular coils with latex for the comfort layers. With a baybed mattress, do the pocketed coils give your back enough support? I had a Beautyrest with the individually pocketed coils, and my back suffered, but the mattress had soft PU foams for comfort layers. From what I see on baybed's site, it looks like their pocketed coil system is far superior to that of Beautyrest. Anyway, too bad I don't live anywhere near baybed's store or I'd check them out.</p><p>I have been to several local mattress stores and tried out the latex beds, but all the latex beds I've seen and layed on are made by Sealy and Stearns & Foster, so they use PU foam on top of the latex core. That PU foam layer doesn't give me a 100% accurate idea of what a latex mattress with a softer layer of latex for the comfort layer feels like, but I guess the S-brand latex mattresses give me some clue as to whether or not I'd like to sleep on all latex. The stores didn't have all the S-brand latex models, but the ones I tried were either way too hard or a bit too soft because of all the soft PU foam layers...I didn't find the perfect mattress. </p><p>Well, if / when I need a new mattress, I'm leaning more towards a mattress combining traditional springs (that's what I'm used to sleeping on) with layer(s) of latex foam and maybe even a layer of high density memory foam combined with the layer(s) of latex. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
|
BeddyBye wrote: 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. Actually pocketed coils provide a conforming support similar to latex. If you have certain kinds of lumbar conditions or if Talalay gives you a backache, you probably need a more rigid support like the luraflex or the standard bonnel coils. So it's not just you. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
|
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. Sometimes stores don't recommend something because they don't offer it in their product line and want to discourage you from going somewhere else. Many manufacturers are now combining springs with quality foams like latex. What would really be nice is if they would combine them in a modular concept so you could swap layers out and fine tune the sleep surface. BeddyBye, I'm still jealous!This message was modified Feb 8, 2008 by cloud9
|
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
| If you do some objective research, you'll probably find that while the pocketed coils are more conforming, they may not be the best for heavier sleepers or those who need firm support. They also will breakdown sooner than others. That's why an interchangeable pocket coil system would be so good. The adjust-a-coil bed linked above sounds interesting, but I'll bet the pocketed coil components are very low quality. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
|
We have an Englander pocketed coil mattress. It is from their TensionEase line. We really like the support and also the lack of motion transfer. The coil gauge is heavier than the Simmons Beatyrest so ought to last longer. Also we are not heavy people (me: 125 lbs; him: 150 lbs). I have a feeling Centralpark, that it was the low quality foam on top that gave you problems, not the coils.... We got a firm-ish model and are looking for an inch or two of latex to get the perfect feel. This message was modified Feb 8, 2008 by kimmcgov
|
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
| Better quality/heavier gauge coils certainly will help, but independent coils still will fail/weaken sooner since not sharing load nearly as much as interconnected system. That may even hold true for the foam on a pocket coil system since might have to stretch more, as well as compress (just a WAG). I'm not knocking pocket coils since there are advantages, especially for side sleepers, and those w/ restless bed mates since less motion transfer. Just pointing out a known trade off. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
|
Fascinating discussion. I wish I had read more of the negative posts about latex here before getting my latex mattress. I am about at my wits end trying to get this thing to work for me. Its either too soft so I bottom out in the thing, or its too firm where I feel beat up in the morning or it feels like I am sleeping on a rubber ball. I think I would have been better to get a decent spring mattress (indiv coils etc) and just plopped a memory foam topper on it... |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
| Again, Novahelp, I really think your problem is that you need a soft topper since you like softness but you need firm support underneath. I would find a soft less thick topper (to me 3" of softness of a latex core is too soft to sleep on) over firmer support. Imagine sleeping on a rock hard mattress with no cushion or sleeping on a matrress that is way too soft without firm support underneath. Both these combinations that are uncomfortable can happen with a regular mattress also. I actually love the zipped up cover from FloBeds and feel it has a little give and is comfortable for me. But I could not sleep with no topper at all or I will be moving my side to side like I used to do on my Extra Firm Posteurpedic Bed that has no cushion on it.. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
|
Lynn2006 wrote: Again, Novahelp, I really think your problem is that you need a soft topper since you like softness but you need firm support underneath. I would find a soft less thick topper (to me 3" of softness of a latex core is too soft to sleep on) over firmer support. Imagine sleeping on a rock hard mattress with no cushion or sleeping on a matrress that is way too soft without firm support underneath. Both these combinations that are uncomfortable can happen with a regular mattress also. I actually love the zipped up cover from FloBeds and feel it has a little give and is comfortable for me. But I could not sleep with no topper at all or I will be moving my side to side like I used to do on my Extra Firm Posteurpedic Bed that has no cushion on it.. I think you are right. I will try again the Medium Firm X-firm and take an old memory foam topper and place it on that.. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
|
I think you're right about that. The conforming combination of the latex AND the pocketed coils were just a bit too much. cloud9 wrote: Actually pocketed coils provide a conforming support similar to latex. If you have certain kinds of lumbar conditions or if Talalay gives you a backache, you probably need a more rigid support like the luraflex or the standard bonnel coils. So it's not just you. |