Hi baddog,
[quote] I think my best choice at this point will be a DIY most likely from Arizona Mattress (www.mattresses.net). Although I understand that you are not able to give me specific ILD’s I am considering the following purchase:
6" ILD 36 – ILD 40 Dunlop (core)
3" ILD 22 Dunlop (intermediate layer or comfort layer)[/quote]
You are certainly looking in a good direction if you are comfortable with an online purchase.
There is also more information in post #2 here about the different ways to choose a mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for that are involved in each of them but when you can’t test a mattress in person (or at least a design that is very similar) then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer who has your best interests at heart that can help “talk you through” the options they have available based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences and which of the firmness and layering options they have available will have the best chance of success than anyone else.
There is little difference between a 40 ILD Dunlop core and a 36 ILD Dunlop core and a 4 ILD difference would be inside the range that a Dunlop core can vary anyway (you can get a sense of the range for each firmness level of 100% natural Dunlop here). Which one was “better” for you would also depend on the layers that are on top of the core as well because in some designs you may need a firmer core and in some designs you may need to focus more on the transition between the layers.
Your own personal testing or a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable manufacturer that can give you suggestions that are specific to the mattress you are considering and the materials and options they have available are the two most reliable ways to choose. While I would “lean” towards a firmer support core at your weight … it may not always be the best choice for you depending on the thickness and firmness of all the other layers and how they interact together and with you on the mattress.
I would tend to choose firmer layers if I was in your shoes because 22 ILD may be on the soft side for most people in your weight range either as a top layer or as an intermediate layer but once again the only way to know this for certain would be based on your own personal experience so the exchange options you have after a purchase would also be an important part of the “value” of your purchase. I would also keep in mind that there will be some cost involved in exchanging a topper across the border so if the top layer is too firm (which is very unlikely with a 22 ILD layer) then you can always add a topper to add some additional softness and pressure relief but if the top layer is too soft then the only effective solution to firm up the mattress would be to replace it with a firmer layer.
Phoenix