Hi. I need to have my bed adjustable for health reasons and I’m wondering if a Latex mattress is able to work well with an adjustable base. If yes, which is better to use, Dunlop or Talalay, and why? Which would work better, latex or memory foam? Thanks so much!
Hey craz4cakes,
Latex and memory foam mattresses in general will work well with a power foundation, but it’s important to note exactly what you mean by a “latex mattress” and a “memory foam mattress”, or more specifically, what someone who is selling you one of these mattresses means by it.
Latex is generally the most durable of the foam materials, and technically a latex mattress should contain all latex layers. But there are some mattresses called “latex” by sales people that use polyurethane foam support cores or innerspring units that are still called “latex”. Those with a polyurethane foam core should work well on an adjustable bed base, and those using some sort of a pocketed spring unit, especially those with steel perimeter edge systems, should also work well. Of course, an all-latex mattress will work well (it’s what I recommend for adjustable bed use to my customers), and the choice of Dunlop or Talalay would be a personal preference, not a durability issue.
Typical memory foam mattresses will use a polyurethane foam support core, and these generally work quite well with power foundations. Others use a pocketed spring unit (sometimes referred to as “hybrids”), and those also can work well on power foundations.
When in doubt, always check with your retailer to make sure that whatever item you’re considering is “adjustable bed friendly”, and doesn’t use a metal border rod, inflexible foam perimeter, or an innerspring unit that is not made to bend.
Jeff Scheuer, The Beducator
Beducation/ Mattress To Go
Thank you Jeff. I truly appreciate your insight! By latex, I mean 100% all natural latex, and by memory foam, I mean polyurethane. I tried this mattress today at a furniture store just to get a feel of a natural latex mattress:
Retreat by Bob’s Discount Furniture (they are the only ones in our local area that carry anything close to 100% latex)
Quilt:
- Luxurious stretch knit cover
- Natural cashmere anti- microbial safeguard fiber
- 1" super soft comfort layer
- 1/2" plush comfort layers
Pillowtop:
- 3x 1" Layers of plush Talalay Latex
Mattress:
- 1" Layer of support foam
- 8" Soy based foam support core
The salesperson did not have access to the ILD of the latex or the density of the foam layers. He said he is going to try to secure those numbers from the corporate office tomorrow, but he’s not certain they will release them to him. I really liked the feel of this mattress but will not purchase until I know exactly what I’m buying and certain that it’s high quality.
Also, I am not familiar with Soy foam. Can you give some insight? Is it durable, does density matter and does density relate to the softness or firmness of the mattress, are ILD’s a measurement of soy foam like latex, and will this feel different than a 100% latex mattress?
I also noticed that in the zero gravity position, the comfort cover, but not the mattress material, bunched up and created a kind of bulge which, in my mind, could be problematic in the future. Is there a way to eliminate this bunching, such as using a different material that might be more stretchy or fitting, different quilting, etc.? Thank you!!
craz4cakes,
I don’t know that what you tested will give you a great idea of what an all-latex mattress feels, like, as it doesn’t have very much latex in it. There’s polyurethane foam in the quilt (1.5") and then there’s only 3" of Talalay latex, then 9" of polyurethane foam beneath this. Polyurethane foam will fee and respond differently from latex, so I wouldn’t take too much out of your testing, and instead search out something using all-latex or expand your search to a larger region.
As for bunching up, you’re testing an item with 1.5" of polyurethane foam and some fiber in the quilt panel, and as a mattress effectively “shortens” when you’re adjusting the head and foot up, there will necessarily be some “bunching” of the upper quilt layer (as it “floats”). As this mattress has 1.5" of foam quilted in the “floating” quilt panel (as opposed to a stretch-knit cover quilted to no foam, or something similarly used in an all-latex mattress) you’ll notice this more in what you tested.
I wouldn’t be concerned with the density of the polyurethane foam unless you were considering purchasing this specific item, as it is a reflection upon the durability of that foam (not the comfort). And the ILD of the latex won’t tell you more than the actual testing that you did, as it’s much easier to determine the softness of foam layers through actual testing versus ILD numbers on a piece of paper. So in essence, what I’m saying is that the testing you did unfortunately won’t yield too much as far as being a good reference to an all-latex mattress, and knowing the specs you mentioned aren’t necessary unless you want to purchase that specific mattress.
Regarding soy, this is just a reference that some of the polyols used to make polyurethane foam using soy material as a precursor versus petroleum sources. You can search SOY or BIOH on the forum - it’s been discussed here previously in quite a bit of detail. Frankly, most polyurethane foam produced domestically is using some percentage of soy-based polyol, and some stores “hype” the use of it as somehow being superior to other foams, which isn’t necessarily the case. It’s quite ubiquitous.
Jeff Scheuer, The Beducator
Beducation / Mattress To Go
Ok, I will definitely try something else. The salesperson told me it was all latex. I assumed I could trust him… That means we will have to drive into Chicago, but it’s worth it to get a high quality bed that I need to help me. We are considering the Costco Sleep Science 9" Natural Latex Mattress. It has a 3" Talalay 19 ILD topper and 6" Talalay 32 ILD core with a medium feel. Do you think this mattress will have a similar feel to the previous one from Bob’s Discount Furniture? Does your store carry something comparable?
As far as the bunching up issue with the cover, should I look for a stretch-knit cover with a layer of wool? What kind of cover material do you recommend that is stretch-knit? Is something like the Costco 9" latex mattress a better cover option to minimize the bunching issue? It is made of organic cotton and a layer of wool. I must sleep with my head elevated every night and I want to avoid a lower back problem because of the extra material. Thank you again!
craz4cakes,
They may have told you it was all latex, but the specifications you provided obviously tell an entirely different story. That’s why it’s so important to learn what is inside of any mattress you’re considering.
As for cover material, some people prefer the feel of wool and its use for the FR barrier within a mattress. It’s all quite personal. Quilting to wool can make the cover a little thicker and stiffer, but that also would depend upon the fabric to which it is quilted and the thickness of the wool used. Thicker “canvas-style” covers like from Savvy Rest are quilted to wool and a bit stiffer when new, but they break in and are generally quite unobtrusive as time goes on. Most stretch knit covers will be percentages of cotton, polyester, spandex, elastin, viscose and so on. How they flex and feel would be something you’d want to test personally. Even these will have to “bunch up” a bit by necessity, but generally not anything that can be felt. And remember that even with the covers quilted to wool, you’ll be on the mattress when it adjusts and the “bunching” generally isn’t an issue.
Jeff Scheuer, The Beducator
Beducation / Mattress To Go
Once again, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi,
Can you or anyone else tell me of a reliable, durable, made in USA adjustable frame? My wife and I have a split king latex mattress from Sleep EZ and with her health issues, we are in the market for a quality adjustable frame (2 twin XL to = split king).
I have looked online at Leggett and Platt Prodigy 2.0, S-Cape 2.0 and S-Cape+ 2.0. They all seem to be well made, but there are no brick and mortar stores within 75+ miles that stock them. Any knowledge of these products or the company? Any suggestions on other companies and their models? We really just need a wall hugging model that articulates the back and legs. Massage, under bed lighting, Bluetooth is certainly NOT on the “must haves”. We don’t really care about that.
I thank you very much for your time!
Hi hoyt.
All the adjustable beds are good quality and reliable and some manufacturers are assembling their power foundations in the USA but most of their products are using imported components (or at least the motors). I don’t keep a list of companies that assemble their products in the USA vs importing the power foundations already assembled, this is a question that you can ask each of the retailers/manufacturers you are considering or you can ask some of the experts of our site who have their main area of expertize in foundations and adjustable beds.
There is more information about choosing an adjustable bed in post #3 here and the main adjustable bed topic that it links to that can help you choose an adjustable bed based on price vs features comparisons and also includes some retailers that you can use as good sources of information about the features of the adjustable beds they carry and as pricing references as well (in post #6in the main adjustable bed topic). Of course there are many other sources as well and prices can change on a regular basis so I would also include some internet searching in your research. I would also keep in mind that online advertised prices are often price controlled so make sure you call the stores you are considering to find out their best prices rather than just looking at websites.
I would consider all the major adjustable bed manufacturers to be closely comparable in terms of reliability so I would use price and feature comparisons to choose between them.
I would also give some careful consideration to the type of features that you may find useful over a longer period of time because some of the features they offer may seem very “enticing” when you are shopping but some people may find that they don’t use them as much as they thought they would once the novelty has worn off.
There are also some comments about extended warranties for adjustable beds in this topic that may be helpful.
The adjustable bed thread here has some examples and comparisons of some of the more common types and manufacturers of adjustable beds and some sources for each that you can use as a “value reference” for a purchase. If you don’t want to drive 75+ miles then you ca consider some of our online site members who ship power bases include: [br]
I look forward to hear what you may decide.
Phoenix
Regarding the adjustable base, how important is it to have one with Lumbar Support when using a latex mattress and is it recommended?
Yesterday I tried a Savvy Rest Serenity with the top being soft Talalay, then medium Dunlop and the bottom firm Dunlop. The Savvy Rest provided a good comfort feel for me as I layed on my side, which is how I always start out. I felt like the mattress conformed to my body providing the support I needed. When I layed on my back, however, (which is where I always end up) I felt like it was a tad too plush to support my lower back completely sufficiently.
I also tried a Naturepedic EOS Trilux yesterday with all Dunlop, soft on top, medium middle, then firm bottom. I felt like it had appropriate support for my back but was a bit too firm for my side. I’m not certain which would be better because trying a mattress out for 10 minutes in the store is not a true representation of the actual results at home. Could it be that either of these mattresses would work for me and that I just need to give my body time to adjust?
My thought was that if I got something like the Savvy Rest with an adjustable base that has lumbar support, it could work very well, providing the back support that it falls a little short on while I lay on my back. Will lumbar support in the adjustable foundation potentially affect the mattress or damage it permanently? Will it be enough to provide the back support needed with the Savvy Rest, should I get the NaturPedic and hope the comfort aspect on my side will happen in time, or should I look for another mattress?
If the lumbar support feature on an adjustable base is recommended, do you have a list of manufacturers/models that have it so I can compare?
Thank you so very much for all of your help. I feel empowered now as a consumer and shop with confidence that this knowledge brings!
Hi craz4cakes.
It is important that you assess and choose your mattress by testing it in the flat position that best suits your sleeping style (which in your case seems to be a back primary sleeping position) While both items you looked at use quality and durable componentry be sure to select the one that best fits your preferred sleeping style. As Naturepedic gives you the best support when on your back it looks like this would be the better choice of the two. I would advise against choosing a product where you have to use other things like a “lumbar support” feature to fix the mattress and make up for the lack of supportiveness. This would be one of those cases of “theory at the distance” as you it does not seem that you had the chance to potentially try a lumbar support to assess how this may feel for you.
You can certainly tell more in 10 minutes about how a system will perform for you than without trying the product at all and usually your initial impressions would be quite accurate and as long as you are choosing something using good quality materials you can usually trust your initial thoughts and what your body is telling you when lying on the product. There is a very good article about this written by Jeff (Beducator and one of our experts) that you may wish to peruse.
As far as the adjustable bases go… some people like the action of having a lumbar adjustment while others don’t. For some people with special needs this is a “must” rather than a preference and for others this is just another feature that they may enjoy with having a push back like this in the lumbar area.
Depending on your size and the brand you are considering the extra bit of height added in the lumbar region by the panel that is tilting or pushing up, the lumber adjustment can “hit” the exact area of your lumbar but for many bases this is usually “hitting” in the lower thoracic region and this may be a variable that you may wish to check on. Then again some people with specific needs may enjoy having a push back like this in the lumbar area and others don’t so I would not be able to predict if you would like lumbar adjustment feature or not… this would be something that you have to try out in person, but again I would not look at this as a fix to a mattress that does not suit you or that you don’t like, I would just look at it as option of an adjustable bed that you prefer or use once in a while and it certainly should not be used as a band aid on a mattress that is not right for you…
With any good latex mattress (or any mattress with good componentry) the amount or rise that this lumbar units give is low enough and would not stress or damage the mattress above. Just make sure to check that any mattress you are considering is suitable for an adjustable power base.
Manufacturers are constantly offering new products and it would be too big of a job for anyone to provide and update these listings in a retail landscape that is constantly changing and with the World Market Furniture happening right now in Las Vegas there are quite a few new introductions s Rize is coming up with 2 new models with side to side lumbar support that may be of interest to you, but I don’t expect to see these beds available until late in the spring. It seems that one of them is for lower budgets and the other is a more premium version.
You can find more information about choosing an adjustable bed in post #3 here and the main adjustable bed topic that it links to that can help you choose an adjustable bed based on price vs features comparisons and also includes some retailers that you can use as good sources of information about the features of the adjustable beds they carry and as pricing references as well (in post #6in the main adjustable bed topic). Of course there are many other sources as well and prices can change on a regular basis so I would also include your own internet searching in your research. I would also keep in mind that online advertised prices are often price controlled so make sure you call the stores you are considering to find out their best prices rather than just looking at websites.
I would consider all the major adjustable bed manufacturers to be closely comparable in terms of reliability so I would use price and feature comparisons to choose between them.
I hope this helps and I would be interested to find out what you end up deciding
Phoenix
Thank you so much Phoenix.
I did try the adjustable base with the Naturepedic, but not with the Savvy Rest. What you say makes sense and I think I will try the mattresses again. I believe if I change the middle layer to firm and the bottom layer to medium on the Savvy Rest that it may meet my support needs while on my back. I do need the head adjustment for acid reflux control and I’m glad to know it won’t cause any damage. We have narrowed the adjustable base down to the Rize Cresta, L&P Prodigy, Ergomotion 8300, and the Reverie 9T. Now we just have to make a choice 
Thank you so very much for your assistance. I will be sure to let you know when we make our decision.
Hi craz4cakes.
You are welcome I am happy to be of help.
It seems that you are more attracted to Savvy Rest and certainly the S-M-F construction (switching the two bottom layers placing the firm in the middle and the medium on the bottom) will firm up the feel of the sleep system and you won’t sink up quite as deeply but you have to watch out if the more abrupt transition from the upper plush layer to the firm middle layer is something that you desire.
The other option you may wish to test out with Savvy Rest is a M-M-F (M Talalay -M Dunlop -F Dunlop) layering which will still give you the good support but just a little bit more firmness surface comfort and test it out to see if this would be comfortable enough for you. Also remember that with Savvy Rest you can mix and match between Talalay (with a softer feel) and Dunlop to find tune the system to best suit your needs and preferences.
As far as the power base goes we all wrestled with similar choices between good and good.
Let us know how things progress for you.
Phoenix
That’s great advice! I do like the comfort feel of the Savvy Rest better and I will try that option (M-M-F) as well. Thanks!
HI craz4cakes.
You are welcome!
That sounds like a good plan.
Phoenix