Hey snickerful,
Congrats on all of the hard work you’ve been doing to research your new mattress purchase :). Been following your posts with great interest, like your process of checking in with other consumers whose insights may help with your product comparisons. I’ve also seen the written comments by at least one expert member (some of which you have sited in this thread), happy to see you are consulting with experienced latex manufacturers if you are in fact considering an all-latex bed.
The Mattress Underground proudly supports its Trusted Member program, an important membership benefit to our consumer subscribers. Our Ask an Expert panel offers direct access to industry leaders who are some of the finest among mattress manufacturers/ retailers; their knowledge and experience with components and materials is based on years of experience working with consumers’ performance feedback to continually enhance product development. If you’re researching all-latex beds and asking specific questions about pairing your preferences/ PPP for attaining a particular “feel” or sleep need, these experts can either provide feedback based on their knowledge of the type latex components they recommend from their deep experience in that category or can refer you to a source that would be a better fit for you. Ultimately, this journey is still an individual process for each consumer, no manufacturer or no consumer can make the decision of what is right for you personally as only you can “feel” what you feel on a mattress. Question for you, snickerful: you have quite a few posts out there, I haven’t read through them all but do you mention what type mattress you’re using now and if this will be your first latex mattress? Also regarding store visits in the current COVID environment, can you make safe store visits to test an all-latex mattress? I’ll leave my thoughts here for now with an appropriate summary remark from TMU Ambassador @SweetDreams from All Latex vs. Latex Hybrid post #13, a similar thread: “It’s hard to put the relative feelings (about sleeping on latex mattresses) into words, they really need to be experienced since our perceptions can be quite different when it comes to mattresses and our individual needs.” Looking forward to hearing more on which way you decide to go.
Thanks,
Sensei
@Mallowpuff, hope you don’t mind if I combine a thought on your reply to snickerful here too:
You are totally right here, Mallowpuff. The choice of Talalay vs Dunlop latex in the comfort layer is a matter of personal preference to the individual. When a reputable manufacturer suggests one latex over the other in component construction, they are responding with the knowledge of how one type latex’s performance/ durability qualities will respond to that consumer’s sleep needs based on the many years of post-sale feedback they have, not necessarily to “make more money”. For those curious about the differences between Talalay and Dunlop latex (these are latex foam manufacturing processes, each yielding different properties in quality, feel and durability), Phoenix’s article “Latex: Pros and Cons” is a good read. Neither is necessarily “superior” to the other from the comfort layer standpoint as much as which latex has the properties that provides the best comfort to the individual. Also worth checking out is the article “Mattress Comfort Layers”, an overview of the other types of comfort layer materials.
If you feel a seller is suggesting a particular step-up component simply to make money, you are right to avoid them as no one should be “selling” you on anything that isn’t suited to your personal preferences/ sleep needs. BTW, your $0.02 matters; honest opinions are welcome…and encouraged 
. Thanks —S