Hi Rachierad,
With polyfoam and memory foam … ILD is a measure of the softness and firmness of the material and is a “comfort spec” and has nothing to do with quality. Density is a measure of the weight of the material per cubic foot and is the most important indicator of the quality and durability of the material. Polyfoam ranges from under 1 lb to over 3 lbs and memory foam usually ranges from about 2.5 lbs (sometimes even lower) up to about 8 lbs. Any density of polyfoam can have a wide range of firmness levels and density and firmness are not really connected to each other. ILD in memory foam is not really meaningful because it varies with temperature and humidity and time (just like if you slap honey it will feel firmer than if you press your hand into it slowly) so the other qualities of memory foam (temperature response, breathability, motion restriction, speed of response and others) are more important although lower density memory foam usually feels softer and more responsive than higher density memory foam because it takes less time to respond and soften with heat.
These are all good quality materials and PLB is typically “better than average” value … especially compared to mainstream manufacturers … but they are often not in the same “value range” as some smaller independent manufacturers. Of course this depends on the prices that are being charged and on the other benefits and services that are part of the mattress purchase. Make sure you always make “mattress only” comparisons that don’t include any other components such as a foundation when you are making comparisons.
Unfortunately … most of the people that spend a couple of hours on this site know more “real” information than the majority of people who actually sell mattresses. I wish it wasn’t true as well which is why I value the better retailers and manufacturers so highly.
The top 2" which is Active Fusion fast response Talalay is either 15 or 21 ILD
The next 2" I don’t know but I would guess at 24 based on their plushness rating.
I don’t know the ILD of their core layer
The latex is blended Talalay (which they call “natural”) not 100% natural Talalay (which they call “all natural”)
Yes … the list of members that sell online is in post #21 here and they are certainly better value although “value” can be measured in many different ways and is not just about price alone although of course it’s an important part…
There are only 3 ways to match another mattress and it’s very difficult if there are major differences in design, materials, covers, layer thicknesses, and ILD’s all of which can have a major effect on the feel and performance of a mattress. You can read more about trying to “match” another mattress in post #2 here. I generally would suggest that you measure all mattresses you test against a common set of objective and subjective standards and your own personal value equation (see post #46 here) rather than one to another unless all the layers and components are very similar.
You can read more about the different types of latex in this article and in post #6 here. but in general … blended Talalay is more durable than 100% natural Talalay expecially in lower ILD’s. With Dunlop it’s the other way around. All of them are more durable than polyfoam (especially in the densities you will usually find). I would also keep in mind that the upper layers are the “weak link” of a mattress and the deeper layers are less subject to stress and compression and are not the layers that tend to break down or soften first.
Alignment is the goal in a mattress and support is just the means to get there. Your body and personal testing is the only meaningful way to answer this because I can’t see your alignment on the mattress.
There are over 500 manufacturers in the country and about 21 of them are members here. They are certainly among the best quality and value in the country … each in their own way … but there are many others that are great quality and value as well all across the country. The way to make meaningful comparisons is always to make sure you first know all the quality specs of all the layers in the mattress so you can make meaningful “apples to apples” comparisons regardless of brand or manufacturer.
Yes … being an “educated consumer” is not always easy … until you connect with “experts” that have the knowledge and experience that can help you make the best decisions. In effect you are doing what a good salesperson should be doing. This is why doing research into the retailers and manufacturers in your area comes before testing mattresses because who you work with can be just as important as what you buy.
I also agree that there is a time when too much information does more harm than good.
The goal is always to research and connect with manufacturers and retailers that are experts and “professionals” so you don’t have to learn what they already know.
I’m assuming you are in SLC? Have you have talked on the phone and or visited any of the other options on the SLC list here?
I realized as well that I didn’t answer your previous question about Essentia and I would read this thread and this thread with more information and some discussions with them on the forum before considering them.
I also realized that I haven’t linked the most important post on the forum which is post #1 here which includes all the basic information you need and the steps to take one at a time just in case you haven’t read it.
Phoenix