About to Purchase: Need Help with ILD for All Natural Dunlop Mattress

[phoenix]

Hi baddog,

I don’t sink into the latex the same as with the memory foam but I’m trying to produce the feeling of being wrapped up in a cloud so to speak, hopefully without the heat of the memory foam.

There is more about the differences between memory foam and latex in post #2 here but the “feel” of being “wrapped up in a cloud” may be from the memory foam and it may not be possible to duplicate with latex because they are very different materials with a completely different subjective feel and response. Perhaps the closest you could come would be with very soft Talalay in the range of 14 - 19 ILD but it would still have a more “on the mattress” feel than memory foam and latex (or any material) that is that soft isn’t likely to hold up well for someone in your weight range. If you are considering materials that are that soft I would probably make sure that they were either component layers or a topper so that they can be easily replaced without replacing the whole mattress.

There is more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” another one in post #9 here but the only reliable way to do this based on “specs” would be to duplicate the type, firmness, and thickness of all the layers and components in a mattress because every layer in a mattress will have some effect on the feel and performance of all the other layers and the mattress as a whole although the top 5" or 6" or so would have a bigger effect on what you feel when you lie on a mattress than the deeper layers. Other than duplicating the specs of your previous mattress you may need to actually test mattresses until you find one that has a similar “feel” based on your actual experience in the showroom.

Where I live, in a Canadian border town adjacent to Michigan, there are literally no retailers or manufacturers where I can try different configurations, I had to travel a 6 hour round trip from my home to Ideal Mattress Ltd in Toronto, and as I have a significant back disability it is extremely difficult to make the trip.

If you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know about any options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.

I found the mattress configuration (above) I tried at the store to be comfortable while also being supportive, but as they did not have any firmer latex for me to test I do not currently know how that may affect my comfort but my guess is that increasing the core from 32 ILD to ILD 36 or ILD 40 should not affect my comfort as I should not be sinking down onto the core anyway.

I would keep in mind that all the layers in a mattress will have “some” effect on all the other layers. They will all compress to some degree although the softer layers and the layers that are closer to the surface will compress more than firmer layers or layers that are deeper in the mattress and the upper layers will have more effect on how a mattress “feels” than the deeper layers. Depending on how sensitive you are to smaller changes though … some people will notice even relatively small changes in a mattress in any layer while others may not notice them at all.

I spoke with another Canadian manufacturer of Dunlop latex on the phone who also stated that he was unable to procure ILD 40 Dunlop latex. Although this would obviously be due to these company’s individual suppliers, I am having a difficult time finding a retailer or manufacturer selling natural latex rubber mattresses at a reasonable price (reasonable being under $4,000.00 inclusive).

It may be more difficult to find 40 ILD latex in Toronto (I know that other forum members in Toronto have had some difficulty finding it as well) but I don’t know the specifics of the mattresses that all the retailers on the Toronto list carry so you will need to either check their websites and/or talk to them on the phone to find out if any of them carry any mattreses that include 40 ILD latex in the support layers. It may be worth trying Dormio (who is a member of this site) or Soma Sleep although some of the others may also have it available as well.

Unless you have a great deal of experience in the industry and on a wide variety of latex mattresses with different combinations of latex I would concentrate more on your testing than on using specs (which may not always be accurate) and which are much more difficult to “translate” into your real life experience.

What I am asking for advice on specifically is with the ‘core layer’ (7" of ILD 32). I am hoping that with proper selection on my part, the core layer will provide a foundation that can be relied upon to last for many years. I can live with and I actually anticipate that the comfort layers will have to be replaced within a few years. I would like to know if a ‘core’ using 7" ILD 32 is likely provide similar durability and longevity as a core using ILD 36 or ILD 40? I am looking to design a mattress where the ‘core’ will outlast one or more changes of the comfort layer(s). What would be the longevity of an ILD 32 core in comparison with a core using ILD 36 or ILD 40?

There really is no way to quantify how long any mattress or combination of layers will maintain its comfort and support for any specific person but the previous post I linked in my last reply has much more detailed information about how all of the many variables involved can affect durability and the useful life of a mattress relative to different people. Since firmness is a durability factor as well it would be reasonable to expect firmer ILD’s to last longer than softer ILD’s if all the other layers and components of the mattress were the same so a firmer support core (probably in the range of 36 ILD or higher) with suitable layering on top of it (as firm as you are comfortable with) would probably be a good choice considering your weight.

Also, is a core using ILD32 Dunlop (combined with 3" of ILD 18-22 as I tried at the store) likely to give me the support I need over time, or is the entire mattress likely to develop either a sink hole like my current mattress, or fail to provide support to my body over the years? As I stated, I anticipate having to replace the comfort layer over time, but I would like to select a core (and possibly the middle 3" layer also) that will hold up to my 270lb’s over time. I would expect that as latex increases in density it also increases in durability and longevity. Is this correct, and if so how much of a difference in durability and longevity should I expect as I increase the density from 32 ILD to 36 and 40 ILD?

Again you are asking questions that don’t have a quantifiable answer except in relative terms in comparison to other mattresses (firmer will be more durable than softer etc) because it will vary from person to person even if they are in the same weight range. Your own testing or personal experience will be the only way to know whether any mattress keeps you in good alignment in all your sleeping positions. In terms of durability … firmer layers will last longer than softer layers so I would choose the firmest layers that you are comfortable with and that provides you with good PPP.

Phoenix