Please tell me what to buy - Thank you

[veryfrustrated]

I am a 6'1" male who has herniated disk resulting in low back pain, I weigh in at 210 pounds to 225 pounds depending on season of the year(in winter I eat more and my weight goes up). Further more, I sleep on my side.

In addition I like a soft sleeping surface.
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After reading some on this forum I am leaning on a latex mattress but I am thoroughly confused. I have several questions.
1. What type of latex should I buy - dunlop or talalay or a mixture of both?
2. what should be the height (thickness) of my latex mattress?
3. what ILDS(?) should be my latex layers?
In what order should they be arranged on the bed so as to give me a soft sleeping top surface?
4. Do Dunlop and Talalay feel the same or different when you sleep on them?
5. Are ILDS of dunlop and talalay comparable?
6. How would this arrangement feel?
SAY BUYING FROM SLEEPEZ
OPTION 1#
Soft Dunlop - top layer
medium dunlop - 2nd layer below the top layer
firm dunlop - 3rd layer below the top layer
firm dunlp - bottom layer
Would this arrangement get me a soft sleeping surface?

OPTION 2#
Soft Dunlop - top layer
medium dunlop - 2nd layer below the top layer
firm dunlop - 3rd layer below the top layer
Xfirm Dunlop - bottonm layer

OPTION #3
Soft Talalay layer - top layer
medium dunlop - 2nd layer below the top layer
firm dunlop - 3rd layer below the top layer
firm dunlp - bottom layer
Or other options that you can tell me that can give mea soft top sleeping surface but with enough support and pressure relief that can take my
weight/height/side sleeping position and low back pain into consideration?
OR should I go with all Talalay latex.
Thanks very much for your time and help.

 

[twalkman]

Personally, I would go for Talalay - preferrably Latex international. Ratings are not the same between manufacturers, let alone between types of latex. Use them as a guide not an absolute.

If you have a bad back, you probably want a firmer bed with just a top 1" of softer material to get the softness you want, but I would call SleepEZ and see what they recommend since you would be buying from them. They have the most incentive to make sure you get the right combination and will work with you to get it right through exchange if needed.
Beds are very personal and you can't shortcut the trial and error process too much.

 

[veryfrustrated]

twalkman wrote:
Personally, I would go for Talalay - preferrably Latex international. Ratings are not the same between manufacturers, let alone between types of latex. Use them as a guide not an absolute.


If you have a bad back, you probably want a firmer bed with just a top 1" of softer material to get the softness you want, but I would call SleepEZ and see what they recommend since you would be buying from them. They have the most incentive to make sure you get the right combination and will work with you to get it right through exchange if needed.
Beds are very personal and you can't shortcut the trial and error process too much.

I don't want a top FIRM FEEL. I want a soft sleeping surface but I don't want my body to sag into the mattress either. And you suggest I should only consider SleepEZ? but why only SleepEZ? I don't understand.
Hmm you say I need only 1" of soft surface but after some reading on this forum I believe that won't get me the softness I want. No I don't want that.

 

[veryfrustrated]

Someone, anyone please help me. Very desperate situation here. have been sleeping on a Sealy posterpedic and my whole body is hurting bad. Thanks in advance.

 

[Betsy]

I don't know if this is exactly the right place to post this -- but I have chronic pain and with that a hypersensitivity in my back so that a wrinkle feels like a knife sticking into me. So I have terrible problems with mattresses. I tried the tempurpedic and hated it because it was too hard and very hard to get out of and created too much heat. it doesn't seem to matter whether the bed is expensive or not because I found a bed in my parent's home before we sold it, that was a very inexpensive Simmons beautyrest but when I laid down on it was absolutely perfect for me. The material on the top was very silky and it was a very small pillow top that didn't bother me by digging into me. However, it being an inner spring mattress, it compressed after three years and I've never been able to find another one like that. I'm interested in the latex beds but I once tried a latex topper over my mattress and the foam pushed against the injured nerve. I'm not sure that would happen though if it were a topper over a latex bed which was flat. In any case, if anyone has a suggestion about what that might work for me, I would be deeply deeply appreciative.

 

[Sall]

I think what you are looking for is someone who sells latex mattresses that can really answer your questions. There are many posts by "Phoenix" that you can read all kinds of useful suggestions. Do a search.
Phoenix is no longer here but he gave many people individual advice so if you read his posts, you might find yourself in there. Phoenix bought his customized mattress here after much research: http://www.themattressfactory.com/
You could also call Flobeds, Sleepez and these guys, http://www.customsleepdesign.com/, who will all be willing to give you advice. They all have good reputations. I've bought things from Sleepez and Custom Sleep Designs and they are a fountain of information. I don't think I would hesitate to buy from Flobeds either.
I don't think there are any easy answers that apply to everybody so you will need to do a little research and try some things out.

 

[st3v3k4hn]

Flobeds and Custom Sleep Design even have "advisors" on their website that recommend mattress configurations for you (you enter your weight, height, sleep positions, etc); I'd start there...

 

[Conservative]

What he said. Just remember that FloBeds has 2" of "fluff" on top of what the advisor advises. So the advise will appear "firmer" than it really is.

 

[KimberlyH]

See my response to JoeM. IMO, at your height and weight, and sleeping position, with the back pain factored in, you won't be doing yourself a favor going with a soft feel. Your back is going to need support, not to be cratering into a soft mattress.
Personally I prefer Flobeds over Sleepez. I think they will give you more sound advice on firmness levels.
But call both and see what they have to say.

 

[Sall]

Just to add to the great advice above, I would consider some kind of zoning for side sleepers with bad backs....I am one, especially, if your shoulders and/or hips are bigger or smaller than other parts. I think Custom Sleep Design and Flobeds both offer zoned mattress designs to accomodate those who need it. My guess is that both would recommend that for you. That's the way I would go (I'm actually building my own zoned areas from the toppers that I've already purchased). Also, I agree with Kimberly about not going too soft. It just adds to misalignment and more back pain. I've been there too. I've been reading this forum for about a year and I don't remember reading too many folks complaining about zoned mattresses that can be adjusted.