9 inch DIY Latex mattress on top of a Hastens as a base...any advice?

Mattress Talk General Mattresses Questions
1

Hi All,

New to this forum but a long time mattress forum lurker!

My dilemma…

Current set up: 7 year old Hastens (can’t for the life of me remember the model - it’s discontinued - 2nd or 3rd from their bottom of the line model) with their 4 inch horse hair mattress topper and 2 in talalay latex topper (added 1 year ago).

Way too firm and uncomfortable as time has passed…we toss and turn…back issues (relating to the mattress)

I am 5’10’ - 150lbs side sleeper and the wife is 5’3 - 115lbs back sleeper…we both like soft now.

I am trying to salvage at least part of the Hastens to save face with the wife:-) Can’t bring myself to throwing it out and none of my kids want it…LOL

We have decided that softer is better…the Hastens was way too firm then and even worse now.

I just ordered a 100% natural 3 inch talalay latex (specifically ordered from Latex International) topper through mattresses.net…gonna try this on the Hastens mattress first and then add a 2 inch blended talalay topper if I need it.

The Hastens mattress is a medium firmness but their medium is FIRM.

The old horse hair topper will be converted to a dog bed:-).

Dont get me wrong, I love the Hastens but the horse hair topper is at the end of its economic life and way to firm even with the 2 in latex topper on top.

I also tried the 2 inch topper by itself on the top of the Hastens mattress alone and it was still uncomfortable.

If the 3 in and 2 in don’t suffice then my next move will be to add a split 6 in 100% natural talalay base, one side medium and one side soft to start.

Mattresses.net says the soft or medium 6 inch talalay base would work for me/wife and I can always switch one out if I need to for customization.

I really like the feel of latex and hope the Hastens base will work…wish me luck!

Thank you very much in advance!

racer

2

30% of Americans are obese and 60% are overweight. You are in the low healthy weight range, that’s probably why medium feels firm :blink:

I’m 5’11, around 170lb and I won’t sink too much into 4" of 5.3lb memory foam, which has typical ILD of 15. Seems like you should be looking for softest latex topper. I think they can go as low as 15.

3

Hi 1racer,

I think what may be happening is that the horsehair topper has become too firm and the 2" latex topper may not be thick enough to keep you from feeling the firmness of the horsehair topper underneath.

Fibers compress under weight over time and become firmer while foam becomes softer over time. While horsehair is a great material and is more resilient than wool … it will still compress over time and become firmer (as will the fiber layers in the Hastens itself).

Many people replace a natural fiber topper in the range of 5 years or so if it becomes too firm for their comfort although depending on the person some can use it for much longer (and replacement would be more of a hygiene issue than a comfort issue)

This is exactly what I would do if it involves a comfort issue on a mattress that is otherwise too firm and if the mattress itself is still relatively even across the sleeping surface (no big dips or valleys that are uncomfortable and that a topper will just follow). This in combination with the 2" topper you have (depending on its ILD and condition) would almost certainly be all you need and you may not even need the 2" latex topper you already have. The 2" topper may not be thick enough to keep you from the firmness of the layers below it but the 3" will probably be an improvement (again depending on the ILD’s involved) and in the worst case you still have the option of using 5" of latex (both toppers combined) on the mattress.

If you are using more than about 5" of latex over your Hastens with your lighter weights … then the mattress underneath the toppers would be mostly irrelevant anyway (most of what you feel would be the toppers themselves rather than the Hastens).

whoever is also right that lower weights will generally also feel that certain latex ILD’s are firmer than people who are heavier because they don’t sink into it as much.

Do you happen to know the ILD of the 2" topper you already have and the ILD of the one you ordered?

I would start with just the 3" latex on the mattress (thinner is usually better than thicker when it comes to softer toppers on an existing mattress and wth your weight this may be all you need) and if a second step is necessary then I would use the two toppers combined with the firmer one under the softer one. Beyond this I would wait till you have some specific feedback with the toppers before deciding what may be next.

Phoenix

4

Thanks for the rely Phoenix…

Not sure the ILD of the 2 inch topper…it feels soft but i will get a better idea once the new 3 inch topper arrives. i assume its around a 19, maybe slightly higher but not much…it was purchased 2nd hand (1 month old) from an individual who wanted a thinner topper…craigslist!..it was reasonably priced with little to no use and gave me a chance to experience latex without a big expense.

i am hoping the new 3 in does the job…just sent Ken a email for status on my order.

Thanks again…love the forum…Good luck to all who seek mattress nirvana!

racer

5

Hi 1racer,

I hope you have the chance to let us know how things work out when you receive the topper.

I think your odds of “saving face” just went up :slight_smile:

Phoenix

6

I am on the mattress.net site as we speak trying to order the 100% Natural Talalay 3" topper, but it says that it is shipped in the RAW and will flake during the shipping process. I am now leaning towards the blended talalay instead as it states that it is more durable.
Any thoughts?
What’s the difference between blended and 100/ natural? Also, ho do I know where it’s coming from?

7

Hi DJphotogal,

[quoteI am on the mattress.net site as we speak trying to order the 100% Natural Talalay 3" topper, but it says that it is shipped in the RAW and will flake during the shipping process. I am now leaning towards the blended talalay instead as it states that it is more durable.
Any thoughts?
What’s the difference between blended and 100/ natural?[/quote]

That’s probably true in the lower ILD’s. See this article along with post #6 here and post #2 here.

I’m not sure which one you’re looking at but I would call and ask them (they will tell you anything you may want to know :))

Phoenix