Mattress Forum

Lynn2006, 

Yes, I meant to say that we live in Kentucky where it there is a lot of humidity. The cover on the mattress is the same type of ticking that used to be found back in the 60's, a heavy gray and white striped canvas, at least it feels like canvas. I have the rubber pad on top of that, then a fairly thin mattress pad under the sheets. I doubt if many people still have that type ticking on their mattresses these days, because most people don't keep their beds this long. Friends and family think we are crazy for still sleeping on this old mattress, but it seems to be doing what it aways did. It is firm, but has some "give" to it also. I  have been spending the last few night thinking about how it feels while I am trying to go to sleep.

I may go with the Flobed mattress, but think it is Talalay, which may not hold up as well as Dunlop. I also like the fact that the mattress can be returned. I am checking out SleepEZ too.

Thanks again!

If you go with SleepEZ, I would make sure your top layer is firm and ask for a soft topper no thicker than 2" to fit inside the zippered cover. Find out about exchanges and the return policy and make sure you get slip layers so each side of the king bed is a twin size easier to move around.  If you do not need a King Size bed and a Queen size would be adequate, the later cores are thinner than a twin bed and easier to move around. 

Since my platform bed had fallen apart and I had been sleeping on the floor over a latex topper for a few months during my busy tax season, when I bought my bed, I went for the pine platform that is split and attaches together easily and apart easily if I ever have to move the bed out of the room.  Despite ordering the highest legs and three layers of Talalay Latex with the topper, I have no problems getting on and off the bed despite not being quite 5 feet tall. I had problems getting on top of the way too tall Rockaway Bed that I had bought and was allergic to. It was a Simmons with too fat of a mattress and the boxspring also was very thick on top of that awful metal frame that moved around. 

I attached a Wesley Allen Headboard on the back of my mattress which makes it look like a real bed and I had not had a pretty headboard since a child which is many years ago since I am age 49.

Please keep us updated and whatever you decide, at least you are now educated and know what is out there and have your bed as a comparison.

Lynn2006

You must have read my mind. I was wondering how old you were. And I was wondering how I would put a topper on this bed without it sliding around since it would be outside the mattress cover.  I haven't checked on them yet, still looking around the "Whats The Best Mattress" site.

The reason I don't want a 10" or 13" bed, is that our age we could fall getting up during the night, we are used to this short bed and my sheets, some of which are about 35 years old, fit the bed. I don't want to spend a lot for new bedding.

In the 70's we kept our heat turned very low, and dressed warmly, however that low temperature allowed mold to grow in the basement of our house, but it did not affect our bed, thank goodness!! 

What to you mean by "slip layers" and "convoluted topper"? We definitely need a King size bed, so I can get to the edge and get away from my husband's snoring noises!  ;)  He built the platform from plywood in two twin x long sizes, attached in the middle, so we can move the bed if needed.

Last summer, when we were babysitting our grandchildren, we spent the night and I slept in a queen bed which was about a year old and felt exactly like concrete, so I don't see how you could stand sleeping on the floor with just a topper!! It was a bed for the 6 year old. I managed to sleep one hour before the pain on my body woke me up. I couldn't go back to sleep, got on the carpeted floor, which was only a little better and finally took his quilt, put it on the mattress. That didn't do much either but I finally got back to sleep. My husband didn't have any trouble with it. I don't know the brand or what type mattress it is, but hope to get the chance to check out the label some day.

Thanks again for all your help!

 The FloBed topper is convoluted with peaks and valleys on top.  If you go to their website there is a picture. My Brylane topper is smooth and only 1" thick which is perfect for me and it is soft.

I always slept on an awful rock-hard bed but I never knew what hard was until I returned the Rockaway bed I was allergic to and had no bed to sleep on.  Since I already wasted a week finding the bed and then another week arguing with the store to take it back for lying to me what it was made out of, I could not afford to take more time off from my tax season.  I tried at first the skinny exercise mat with my comforter over that over my carpeted floor that has padding underneath but this was also amazingly too hard since the padding under the carpet in my bedroom I guess is not a lot of padding. Then I ordered the 1" latex topper from overstock in a Queen size (ended up being a full size) and I put that over the exercise mat and my comforter over that which was amazingly comfortable.  I hated sleeping on the floor which was a pain to get up to go to the bathroom and it was colder on the floor since this was the winter time and heat rises but I had work and deadlines to do so I had no choice.  I could not sleep on the sofa downstairs since it was too skinny and I move around a lot and I need a complete dark room to sleep in which I have in my bedroom from the black-out honeycomb blinds that block out the lights on the street (But not the daylight in the morning that seeps on the sides). 

It was heaven getting my new latex bed but I went too soft at first wanting nothing so hard like my floor.  My bed now is very firm but softer than the set-up I had when I was sleeping on the floor. The Brylane Home's topper is so nice and was actually too big for my Queen bed and I had to cut it to fit but at least it was not too short.  I think if I was taller and heavier, I would have liked the 2" convoluted topper that came with the FloBeds Kit but it was too soft for me since I did not sink down enough to feel the X-Firm latex core which averages to 36 ILD with one of my cores a 35 ILD, another a 37 ILD and so on since it is an average.  You will NOT need a Super Firm latex core (44 ILD Average) if you are only getting two layers of latex since you will be very close to the very hard surface.  The blended Talalay latex is cheaper which my Super Firm latex cores are made out of since I had ordered all natural Talalay Latex for my bed but had to exchange two latex cores for the Xfirm ones. When I took out two latex cores over the slat box, it was too firm for me and then I would have needed a Firm under my X-Firm latex core but I wanted a thicker mattress due to my 6 foot headboard. My allergies were not bothered by the blended Talalay latex if you wanted to try that to save money.  The Talalay process must really clean the latex well since everything seems to bother my allergies.

The blended latex cores are 2.8" thick while the natural latex cores are 3" thick. So if you went with two 2.8" latex cores = 5.6" thick + 2" soft topper= 8.6" thick..  Or you may like a firm over an extra firm with only a 1" or 1.5" topper and I know Dave at FloBed will work with the customer since he tried to help me and maybe SleepEZ would also since I did not order a bed from them so I can only give you my experience.  If you get both firm and X-Firm latex cores so you have four cores, you can move them around also to see what feels best or get three X-Firm latex cores and one Firm latex core to see if one of you would like a softer side of the bed.

If you go all natural 3" X 2 = 6" + 2" topper = 8" so this will still be a mattress not too thick. Believe me my mattress with the three latex cores: 2.8 + 3. + 3. = 8.8 + 1" = 9.8" is not thick since it is over the slat box from FloBeds.com and their plastic legs. I have no problems getting in and out of the bed and I am only 4"10.5" tall and 100 lbs and as you know now age 49.

Whatever you decide to buy, were are all here for you and trying to help. I try to help since others helped me on this site before I bought my bed and when I was needing a new pillow and a new topper. I still appreciate the person and persons on this list that told me about that perfect Brylane Topper that was such a great price and really made my bed comfortable without it being too soft. Thank you again!

Lynn can you tell me the difference in feel of the blended and Natual talalay latex? Since you had both of them. Which one contours to the body more? which one feels more bouncy? Any other differences?

On another note the prices at flobeds have increased tremendously.

Thank you Lynn.
 

RichardP,  The softer the ILD is of any type of latex, the more it contours to your body but also the more you sink in (but it springs back .... less sinking in and less spring back but no indentations of my firmer pieces of Latex) and also the more bouncy it is. My latex cores are not really bouncy like a spring mattress since I have a very firm bed.  My blended latex cores are no less than 44 ILD so they do not confirm as well to my body as the softer 36 ILD that my X-Firm latex cores average to with a few more than this and one only 35 ILD.  But I wanted it this way since I wanted the Super Firm latex core for the bottom of each side of my bed to give as firm support as I can so the latex will not move into the slats of the pine box I am using my my mattress support. Hence, I can't compare the two but I can say, that they blended latex had less of an initial smell or at least the two pieces I got.  Anything knew wrapped in plastic has a smell to me so I always air out new pieces of latex over my Banister.  The Queen Size latex topper from Brylane Home had just about no smell and no seam.  Really the only two pieces of latex that bothered me with their smell was the Dunlap latex piece and the 1.5" Talalay latex pieces that Dave sent me that stunk.  I had company that weekend and it was embarrassing and that is when I also had the car accident that Sunday. The piece arrived a few days before the car accident.  It was also too soft. The 2" convoluted latex topper from FloBeds had hardly any smell but I did not like the depth of it nor did I like the seam since Latex International always has a seam for anything wider than a twin size I think.

I know I had three mark downs from FloBeds during my time of ownership as I checked their site daily to get the best price and the price difference. Sorry the prices have gone up. 

Wish I could help more.  I am tired form getting my oil change and getting a new tire on my car and then having to drive so far to my hair dresser and back since I like the way she does my hair.  I may rest my wrist for another night by cleaning up papers and throwing out old magazines and then getting a good night's sleep so I can work productively tomorrow.

Thanks RichardP for acknowledging that I am helpful which made my night. I try to help out by being as honest as I can with my situation and experiences.