Hi cy5478,
It sounds like you made a great quality/value choice … and congratulations on your new mattress 
If your mattress contains 9" of latex then it should measure close to 9" at it’s thickest part (and perhaps just a little bit thicker depending on the thickness of the cover) but depending on the type of cover it’s possible that the outside edges may be compressed a bit by the tightness of the cover.
Phoenix
You were right phoenix, I was measuring the outside edges, but from the thickest part it does come to 9". I will come back in a few months to give you guys an update.
Forgot in my first post to report that I also purchased from literie provincial a latex pillow, which feels like heaven for my neck and head !
Hi cy5478,
That’s good to know
I’m looking forward to your next update.
Phoenix
Believe it or not, I’m not used to forums, so I dont know if I’m posting my questions in the right section, but I AM looking for a latex mattress in Montreal! And thank you so, so much for this forum. Without it I would be much more discouraged than I am now 
What a crazy market.
I have 2 main questions. My first one relates to the percentage natural rubber in the Talalay latex. I read the thread about the difference between natural and synthetic latex and the advantages and disadvantages of both. Because of my budget and because I want to make sure my new mattress lasts, I don’t mind the mattress not being 100% natural latex. But I want to know what I am buying (and at the same time get a feel of the trustworthiness of the retailers I am visiting) so I am asking, and I get all kinds of answers. The first one I asked was Matelas Dauphin. They first told me it was 80% natural, then 60, and finally the person who really knew said it was 30% of natural rubber, the rest being “additives”. That person told me their supplier was Talalay Global.
Then at Matelas Sélection, they told me that their Talalay latex was 80% natural, and that their supplier is ALSO Talalay Global. Is this possible? I read in another post that the blends are usually 30 NR/70 SBR. Do Talalay Global make different percentages in their blends? I even wrote to Talalay Global directly with this question and they were very evasive in their response. I mean, there is no way for me to verify the validity of what Matelas Sélection is saying. I do prefer their mattress, especially because they have more choice of firmness for the comfort layer (Dauphin only has 2: one with just a 6" 36 ILD, the other one with a 6" 36 ILD and a 2" 19 ILD comfort layer. I like the in-between for the comfort layer, like 28 ILD.) They also have a cover with a zipper in case you want to change the firmness of the layer. But the matress is more expansive, and I would have to take the hybrid (6" high density foam and 3" latex on top). They say their foam is excellent quality, from Belgium. Their customer service seems to be really good too.
Then at Literie Laurier, they say their supplier is better, Vita Talalay. Is their latex really better quality? At Literie Provinciale, they say their latex is 100% natural but their prices are a bit lower so I am skeptical… They also seem to have had problems with their customer service in the last few years.
My last question is: is the 5% rebate supposed to be valid in retailers of this list here? (#276): The Serta iComfort mattress ... what's the buzz - #176 by phoenix
Again, thank you so much for this forum and for your help in this jungle of mattress shopping!
I re-read the guidelines and it answered my last question!
Hey Gennysleeps,
Thanks for joining the TMU Forum ! Thanks too for your kind words, good to know that you find the resources here useful.
This is a good question as there is often confusion between “latex” the natural rubber from a rubber tree and “Talalay” the blended process of manufacturing latex as a mattress component. Talalay Global, located in Shelton, CT is an international supplier of Talalay Latex, providing cores, toppers, pillows and other components to mattress manufacturers worldwide. They produce 3 recognized formulations: (1) a “standard” synthetic blend, 30NR /70 SBR, consisting of roughly 30% natural rubber combined with 70% synthetic rubber or “SBR”; (2) a “natural” blend formulation for the growing category of “Natural” components, featuring 100% natural rubber with no “SBR”; or (3) a “custom” blend, the ability to create any variety of natural/ synthetic combinations by manufacturer request. This type process is generally cost-prohibitive to most manufacturers as nearly 80% of the component business falls into the “standard synthetic” blend category.
Referring back to the above mentioned 3 formulations/ point 2, it is possible that Matelas Sélection carries something closer to a “natural blend” formulation, just visited their web site and they have more of a “natural” product story, but this is merely speculation as I have no way to verify this as fact.
Both Talalay Global and Vita Talalay would feel that each has a superior product; perhaps we turn this one over to the TMU consumers and ask what their experiences have been…
Read your latest post and saw you found this answer earlier ;). Glad that you feel the Trusted Member Guidelines are helpful and looking forward to hearing about your mattress purchase decision, keep us updated .
Thanks,
Sensei
Thanks so much Sensei for your reply, it helps a lot.
I think Matelas Sélection seem to be trustworthy, so I think I’m going to go with them. I made a mistake (if I go with the foam support layer instead of all latex): I said their foam was HD but they say it’s HR. I don’t understand though, they say it has a “comfort factor” of 3, but they say density is “more than 2.3 lbs/cu.ft”. Isn’t density supposed to be 2.5lbs/cu.ft or more to be considered HR?
Thank you again for your help! Yes, I will absolutely let you know what I decide.
Hey Gennysleeps,
Glad to have been of help earlier .
[quote]I think Matelas Sélection seem to be trustworthy, so I think I’m going to go with them. I made a mistake (if I go with the foam support layer instead of all latex): I said their foam was HD but they say it’s HR. I don’t understand though, they say it has a “comfort factor” of 3, but they say density is “more than 2.3 lbs/cu.ft”. Isn’t density supposed to be 2.5lbs/cu.ft or more to be considered HR?
[/quote]
Just curious, which of their mattresses are you considering? According to the Matelas Sélection site, I do see that they describe their composite mattresses as having “high quality and high resilience 6-inch soybean oil based Ecologix foam foundation with a density rating superior to 2.3 lbs/ cu ft” and “the open cell structure of the foam used in the foundation of this mattress has a comfort rating of 3 (In comparison, the vast majority of conventional foams use a rating of 2).”
Regarding “High Density/ HD” and “High Resilience/ HR” numbers, these are density measurements referring to polyurethane foams. Poly-foams can be used as a base layer in mattresses instead of traditional innerspring coils. Whether the poly-foam is “HR” or “HD”, it is still less dense than a latex or memory foam layer and as a synthetic component it would degrade over time more quickly than a latex mattress.
Cheers,
Sensei
Hey Sensei,
I am indeed considering their hybrid mattress, and I am aware the base layer is made of polyfoam, topped by a 3 inches latex layer. I am considering that one for 3 reasons.
Their customer service so far has been excellent.
What do you think?
Thank you
GS
Hey Gennysleeps,
Checking back to see how things are going with your Matelas Sélection mattress shopping .
[quote]I am indeed considering their hybrid mattress, and I am aware the base layer is made of polyfoam, topped by a 3 inches latex layer. I am considering that one for 3 reasons.
Their customer service so far has been excellent.[/quote]
Sounds like you’ve done a good job researching their hybrid mattress and that your findings seem in line with your PPP/ Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences. Do you have any updates on your findings?
Thanks,
Sensei
Hi
I thought I’d share my experience shopping around for a king size latex mattress in Montreal based on a few places named in @Phoenix’s post.
Matelas Dauphin: Good service at the location I went to, $2 200 for a 6" Dunlop with ILD 36. Only one firmness available. Also available is a 6" 36 ILD + 2" 19 ILD also in Dunlop, also non customizable for $2 800. I found the first one ok, but the second one too soft.
Matelas Siesta: Good service as well. 2 200$ for a 6" Dunlop with ILD somewhere around 36 (they have their own numbering system and weren’t able to really confirm ILD). Again no option to customize the firmness that much, tried two other options which were way too firm or way to soft for me.
Literie Provinciale: Only called but friendly service over the phone. $2 250 for a 6" 36 ILD + 2" 19 ILD 100% Natural Talalay. Seems inexpensive for an 8" 100% Natural Talalay so I’m a bit skeptical on quality. Haven’T tried it but I’m pretty sure the 19 ILD will be too soft for us.
Matelas Sélection: Most knowledgeable and helpful service. $3 340 for a 100% Natural Talalay with 6" 40 ILD core + 2" 28 ILD topper. It was definitely the most comfortable mattress, but also the most expensive by quite a margin. Their latex is 5.25 lbs density, maybe that explains the higher price?
If Matelas Selection would be under 3k I would definitely get that one as the comfort was great, but I’m wondering if it’s worth the 1k+ premium. With tax the mattress comes close to $4 000!
Does anyone know of another shop that can customize Talalay firmness with more competitive prices? Is the value of Matelas Selection at 4k worth it and I can’t expect to get much lower than that for customizable firmness in 8" Talalay?
Also, it was quite amusing to hear each shop defending how Dunlop or Talalay is THE way to go and the other one was bad based on what they were selling :lol:
Hey mksleep,
Welcome to The Mattress Underground ! Thanks for your question.
Happy to hear that Phoenix’s suggestions were helpful to you! Want to thank you too for sharing your comprehensive Montreal-based shopping research with other TMU consumer subscribers, we have many questions about Canadian mattress options and updated information is always appreciated. As you’ve already investigated TMU suggestions for local store visits, have you considered contacting any of our trusted members?
Here is a listing of Canadian and US manufacturers/retailers who are Trusted Members of our site that carry Latex or all Latex mattresses and ship across Canada that you may wish to consider. They are very seasoned in providing good guidance over the phone and fitting their customers with a suitable product in terms of comfort/support needs.
MFC, Canadian online retailer with a very good selection of latex mattresses and hybrids that close to your budget range.
Restmore Bedding Canadian manufacturer with a large array of mattress choices latex/ pocket coil, hybrid, springs. They are based in Winnipeg, but you can place an order over the phone.
Canadian manufacturer specializing in organic/natural latex mattresses with options that fit all budget ranges.[/indent]
Yes; the debate on the virtues of Dunlop vs Talalay latex is an ongoing conversation. Each of these latex manufacturing processes yield unique properties in terms of their feel, responsiveness and support. For those consumers who are interested, Phoenix’s article, “Mattress Comfort Layers” discusses the general differences in the manufacturing of various foams, while the article “Mattress Comfort Layers” focuses on Dunlop and Talalay latex foam properties. TMU trusted member manufacturers use their many years of component expertise and consumer response when designing their products and are skilled at pairing the more appropriate latex layering based on a consumer’s preferences/ PPP. Needless to say, both are quality comfort layer materials and the choice of one over the other is entirely a matter of individual preference.
Looking forward to hearing what others have to say and more of your future updates .
Thanks,
Sensei
We bought a king size latex mattress from Literie Provinciale in 2015. We love it. The softer top layer means no pressure points. When we sleep elsewhere, I always get aches and look forward to getting back to my bed. No regrets, very good quality. We had also bought a queen size for my daughter and she loves it too.
Thanks Sensei, I got so much from reading this site and I felt like I had to give back in a way
I checked out the Canadian members’ websites but I prefer to shop locally. I might reach out to a few to get a better sense of what can be done out of province, doesn’t hurt to ask!
I have a few questions regarding density and firmness. From what I understand, a higher density means longer durability and higher quality (I may be wrong, please tell me if that’s the case). but I have no idea how to interpret the density number. Can you tell me if 5.25lbs is a good density for Talalay latex foam? What’s the typical range for Talalay? Is it similar to Dunlop? How does a 4 lbs density differ from a 6 lbs density? Is that number even important and relevant to ask when shopping around?
Thanks for your help!
Hey mksleep,
Consumer contributions, in particular citing current mattress specs and pricing, are helpful to the forum and much appreciated; thanks again for the good work, mksleep .
Latex comfort/ support layers are only partially an indicator of mattress durability, the quality and choice of all components combined contribute to the longevity of a mattress as explored in Phoenix’s “Mattress Durability: How Long Will a Mattress Last?”. A person’s BMI plays a role in material choice; BMI ranges under 30 require a different comfort/ support system than those BMI ranges of 30+. Density in itself is not an indicator of “quality”, more a measurement of the latex’s mass.
For other consumers following your research, a read of Phoenix’s “Latex: Pros and Cons”, “Mattress Comfort Layers: Latex Foam” and “Mattress Support Cores: Latex” are good resources for getting acquainted with the differences in these two latex manufacturing processes. You may find this information from Phoenix’s post #2, “Likelihood same Dunlop product is labeled differently (by ILD and “firmness”)?”, here are highlights as they relate to your question:
Here are some densities for Talalay Global’s blended Talalay (these are accurate within the tolerance of TG blended Talalay) …
14 ILD … 2.5 lbs/ft3
19 ILD … 3.0 lbs/ft3
24 ILD … 3.4 lbs/ft3
28 ILD … 3.7 lbs/ft3
32 ILD … 4.0 lbs/ft3
36 ILD … 4.3 lbs/ft3
40 ILD … 4.7 lbs/ft3
44 ILD … 5.0 lbs/ft3
And some rough guidelines that I believe would apply to manufacturers producing similar densities of 100% natural latex and don’t take into account the firmer feel of Dunlop:
EXTRA SOFT 16-18 … 4.05pcf (64.9 kg/m3)
SOFT 19-22 … 4.36pcf (69.8 kg/m3)
MEDIUM 23-27 … 4.67pcf (74.8 kg/m3)
MEDIUM FIRM 28-33 … 4.98pcf (79.8 kg/m3)
FIRM 34-38 … 5.30pcf (84.9 kg/m3)
EXTRA FIRM 39-44 … 5.61pcf (89.9 kg/M3)
X-EXTRA FIRM 45-49 … 5.92pcf (94.8 kg/m3)
A discussion of latex density would not be as meaningful as understanding your personal sleeping preference and needs. How you “feel” on a mattress is unique to you and the more clearly you can explain those details, the closer you will be to finding the right mattress for you. For more thoughts on that subject, review article “Your Sleep Style, Preferences and Statistics”. As you continue your research, article “Five Steps to Your Perfect Mattress” will help form more questions for discussion. A truly knowledgeable and transparent manufacturer/ retailer, such as the many fine TMU trusted members will also offer their knowledge and expertise to help guide you through the mattress selection process. Hope my response isn’t too long-winded as you already have put a great deal of time and energy in your process…
Thanks,
Sensei
Just a follow-up on our shopping.
We ended up contacting Dormio from the trusted members list but they only have Dunlop and after trying many mattresses we realized we prefer Talalay.
We also visited to Literie Provinciale based on the recommendations in this thread. They had a great price for their king size 6" 36 ILD All Natural Talalay of 2000$ which was the most comfortable out of their selection for us and the service was very good too.
In the end, we decided to go with Matelas Selection even if it was pricier. Our deciding factors were:
No other mattress we tried felt remotely close to theirs in terms of comfort for us. It’s well worth the premium!
mksleep - Congrats on your decision and going with the mattress you felt was superior to all others in comfort and quality from a local seller you trust. As the saying goes… “Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.” Hope that it serves you well and I look forward to your further impressions once you settle in with it.
I also live in Montreal, and started shopping for a latex queen mattress after sleeping on one during my vacations. I always sleep on the side, and the support has been extremely comfortable on that latex mattress I had for a few days while on vacation.
I read this thread, and the choice in Montreal is seems overwhelming. Lots of vendors, each having a great variety of options.
Also, it seems like good quality latex mattresses bought locally are not on the cheap side (over 2000 CAD, and probably gotta add about 15% taxes).
I have been considering buying from a cheaper source, sleeponlatex. They seem have a very good reputation on this forum. Their queen mattress sells for 800 USD. Then of course, there is the shipping cost to Canada (198 USD), taxes and duties (157 USD). That makes the total cost 1154 USD, or 1550 CAD. Still significantly cheaper than local manufacturers and vendors.
One thing I like about this manufacturer is that they have streamlined the options. They now have one single version (8"), and they have sort of “merged” their medium and soft options. As they told me:
“We very recently discontinued the Soft density mattress. When our company first started, the Medium mattress was firmer than how it feels now; and there was a lot of customer feedback that it was firmer than expected. So we softened up the Medium mattress; but we got to a point where the Medium mattress and the Soft mattress were pretty close in feel. Since the firmness adjustment to the Medium mattress, it has become our best seller; and since the Medium and Soft mattress were so close together in feeling, we decided to just phase out the Soft mattress altogether. We’ve also come to the conclusion that we’d rather have people choose a mattress that is a little too firm and soften it up with a topper. If you go too soft with a mattress, it’s a bit tricky trying to firm it up with a Firm topper; and customers were often asking to firm up their Soft mattress.”
That makes the choice, when buying remote without trying the product, much more easy, and that is something I like, it avoids going down the path of analysis paralysis.
Of course, there is one risk: if I don’t like the mattress, they provided options to get rid of the mattress for free, but I would only get refund for the product cost (800 USD, or 1075 CAD). The shipping, taxes and duties cost (355 USD, or 476 CAD) would be lost.
I would like to hear your thoughts about this…?
Hi Befor
I would definitely BUY LOCAL…I agree with Sweetdreams: « Buy from a seller you trust… “Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.”» Buying a mattress is no easy task. I spent a few months doing research (blogs, forums…stores) so I would’nt go wrong. There are lot’s of choices in the city. I bought a 9" 100% talalay latex mattress at Literie Laurier in 2012. One of the best buy of my life. It’s still so comfy …heavenly. Absolutely no regrets
Cheers
Zeff
Has anyone over here tried Mattelas Personnel? in Anjou? it’s a local Montreal manufacturer and very comfortable I just want to know your personal experience before buying my new mattress