Just to give an update: I just got off the phone with Shawn from SleepEz. He was friendly over the phone. There were only a few questions about which mattress specs. I ordered an 8" Queen mattress currently on special for $1,245. 2" Talaly, 3" Dunlop, 3" Dunlop. The firmness for these in same order will be soft, medium, firm. I was told it will be shipped tomorrow and it should arrive by no later than Friday, Oct 10. I mentioned that I am a member of this website and since the mattress is already on special instead of the 5% discount I will receive a free pillow. I did not order a cover nor a support for the mattress at this time. Due to moving apartments there are a huge amount of costs hitting at once: deposit+normal rent, AT&T charged $99 for installation and $100 for the modem which I am required to use, renter’s insurance needed to be renewed, the list goes on actually… Point being that were it not for the fact that the air mattress is clearly not the best sleeping choice I would have put this off for another month, but my sleep is a bit more important right now hah. I do suspect that I will purchase a support in the future as I noticed in a posting made elsewhere that while good airflow is less important for latex mattresses relative to other types, it is still helpful to have and I do not think the wood floors allow for much airflow…
Somethings I perhaps should have asked over the phone and did not:
Is buying some sort of bug/sweat protection cover a good idea for latex?
The Latex goes into a cotton covering. Does this covering need to be washed or only the bed-sheet on top?
I will give updates after I get the mattress and try it out for a few days.
Thanks for the update … and you certainly made a great quality/value choice!
Congratulations on your new mattress
Yes … a mattress protector is a good idea for any mattress regardless of whether it is latex or any other material. There is more about the pros and cons of the different types of mattress protectors in post #89 here that can help you choose the type that is the best “match” for your criteria.
Generally it doesn’t need to be washed if you have a mattress protector on top of it that can easily be removed and cleaned and which will protect the mattress from stains and accidents along with the body fluids and skin cells that we release each night so you can keep your sleeping surface in a clean and hygienic condition. It will also protect the warranty because most warranties are voided if there are any stains on the mattress. For the most part … mattress covers only need to be spot cleaned when necessary or vacuumed once in a while but if the care instructions indicate that it can be washed or dry cleaned without damage then you can clean them once in a while as well if it becomes necessary.
I’m looking forward to your feedback when you’ve received your new mattress and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.
So the mattress arrived today. I am actually a little confused by this as I thought the UPS site said that a signature was required, but when I got home from work it was sitting there waiting for me. Works out better this way, do not need to somehow fit it into my car.
So silly me spent like 15 minutes getting the 3 layers (3" Firm Dunlop, 3" Medium Dunlop, 2" Soft Talalay) to fit semi well only to realize that I forgot to put the covering down first… I spent another dozen or so minutes trying to cram the layers into the covering most of the time thinking that they must have sent a full size cover or something as the layers did not want to fit.
As I was finally about to zip close the cover I noticed something which I am not thinking is good.
The 2" Soft has an area maybe 6" X 6" or so where the layer has tears. I failed to take good pictures I now see, but the first image shows that there are very rough spots between the holes, the second image shows one a few tears where the latex just pulls apart maybe an inch to and inch and a half deep. This is not something which is consistent through the top layer so I suspect that either maybe I tore it or more likely (I think due to all of the “defects” near the holes) that the latex was not manufactured properly. I also did not check the other 2 layers and I do not know how much of an issue this is and honestly as this point me sleeping on an actual mattress for the first time in more than 6 months matters more. I do not recall this being mentioned elsewhere on this forum, is this something I should contact SleepEZ about?
Initial impression: S,M,F is too soft. I think that my thighs/hips are sinking too much, my shoulders are fine. I am not about to screw around with it and will leave it be for a few days as my body gets used to a real mattress instead of the air mattress which I was only to happy to deflate, hopefully forever.
Other details, I bought a mattress protector from MattresMatters, it is the basic “Protect-a-bed”. I was going to buy the $99 one but the salesman told me that it would not make much of a difference for a latex mattress? I will admit that the samples he had out I could not tell the difference between the $99 and the $39. He insisted that the $99 was better at transferring heat, but who knows. I then made up for this immediately followed as I bought a Sheex Queen mattress sheet set for $161.99… I did glance through the forum and this was a very highly rated sheet in one of the other threads. On the other hand, I really probably should have spent like half of this on the linen one right next to it.
After the fact I now see that I could have added the pictures directly to this site instead of using imgur. Today is not a good day for doing things correctly it seems.
This is fairly typical and most people that are putting together a latex component mattress go through a period of time that they don’t think that the layers will fit … until they do
Judging by your pictures this seems to be in a very normal range and there is nothing to worry about. Latex usually has small tears, voids, imperfections, or discoloration that is a normal part of the manufacturing process and in many cases there are more than your layer which looks fine to me. There is more about this here.
Latex can also be fragile if you tug or pull it and can tear easily so it’s important to lift and “wave” it into position when you are positioning the layers but this also isn’t something that will affect the performance of the material if there is a small rip or tear. There are some assembly instructions on the SleepEZ site here as well.
There will always be an initial break in and adjustment period with any new mattress and your body will need to get used to a sleeping surface that is different from what it is used to and I would generally wait at least a couple of weeks before considering any changes unless for some reason there was no other reasonable alternative (see post #3 here).
I am about your weight and looking at a firm, firm, medium or firm, medium, medium layering.
I am leaning towards the firmer mattress but a sales agent cautioned that after a full night sleep it may feel firmer than simply laying on it for a short time at the store. Transitioning from a pillow-top I realize it may take some time for my body to adjust (and I am okay with that), however I am concerned that the more time I spend on the mattress it will break in and feel softer - I like the firm, medium, medium but don’t think I would want the resistance to lessen.
So I am curious if you have adjusted and become comfortable or if you think you will exchange any of your layer?
I’m not Cn1ght of course but I thought I would chime in with a comment :).
I would agree with the person you talked with and if you are used to a pillowtop then even F/M/M latex will most likely feel firmer to you than the pillowtop you are used to. I would also be aware that the type of latex, the thickness of the layers, and the type of cover that you use will all make a difference in how firm a mattress feels as well.
I am still in the process of transitioning. At the moment I am using (top - bottom)
Bed sheet-Pillow topper-Mattress protector-Cotton covering-Soft-Medium-Firm
The cotton covering is the overall “mattress” part which zips closed to hold the layers together and makes it look like a mattress. I am actually a little disappointed overall I guess and am hoping it is still in a transition phase, the mattress I liked at MattressMatters was more comfortable in my opinion than what I got from SleepEZ, the pillow topper I added helps but not quite there… Actually, it is slightly annoying to know that I bought a $1,200 mattress and had to add a pillow topper, whereas if I had bought from MattressMatters I would have loved it as it came. Having said that, with the price difference I am not about to switch however I not sure this ended much better than a normal spring mattress shrug. We will see what happens in the next week or 2. If I do end up switching it will be either to get an additional Medium or Soft.
Just to throw out other info not related to the question: I currently have (2) different bed sheets. “Sheex” which is a material similar to under armor and “linen” which is 100% polyester if I recall correctly. I prefer the linen one as it has a more “mattress” feel. I also have tried both with and without the mattress protector to see if that was a major cause of my dissatisfaction, the difference with or without does exist, but that is not a large factor in what I want versus what I am getting. I have not tried changing layers yet, so far the most I have done is try different setups with the protector, different sheets, and the pillow topper. The setup I currently prefer is the one I typed out above with bed sheet=linen.
Thank you for your reply. It actually addresses another concern: that the SleepEZ top layer will be a 2-in Talalay instead of a 3-in Dunlop we had tried. The Talalay vs Dunlop firmness didn’t seem dramatic (but I may feel different after 8 hours on it!) and I can’t decide if being a little softer on top of two firms would be a good compromise or if being an inch thinner will make it feel firmer as I would compress it that much easier/completely?
Thank you for the update, cn1ght, and sorry to hear your not more comfortable. Though, I’m surprised to hear you say you are thinking of another soft layer if you feel the bed is too soft now…
Thank you for your reply. It actually addresses another concern: that the SleepEZ top layer will be a 2-in Talalay instead of a 3-in Dunlop we had tried. The Talalay vs Dunlop firmness didn’t seem dramatic (but I may feel different after 8 hours on it!) and I can’t decide if being a little softer on top of two firms would be a good compromise or if being an inch thinner will make it feel firmer as I would compress it that much easier/completely?
Thank you for the update, cn1ght, and sorry to hear your not more comfortable. Though, I’m surprised to hear you say you are thinking of another soft layer if you feel the bed is too soft now…
In general thinner top layers will feel firmer because they will compress to a greater percentage of their thickness faster and will “allow” more of the firmness of the layers below them to “come through”. There is more about the effect of thickness in post #14 here. If you have a thinner top layer that is also softer it can be somewhat “paradoxical” because the softer layer will feel softer with initial compression but you will also sink into it more deeply so you may feel more of the firmness of the layer below it as well so it can have a “combination feel” of being softer and firmer at the same time depending on whether you are more sensitive to the surface feel or the feel that comes from sinking in a little more deeply.
I might as well make another posting since I logged in to read these 2 replies anyway…
The mattress itself is not uncomfortable, it is simply not as comfortable as some of the latex mattresses I had tried at stores. Maybe I was unclear, or rather perhaps I am wrong with the following statement: but it is my understanding that the mattress is currently not soft enough for me. I was hoping to be a bit more IN the mattress and feel too ON right now… maybe? I suspect that is why the pillowtop additional layer helped. I am actually a little surprised that you replied to my thread as I was hoping for a soft mattress whereas you are seeking a more firm mattress.
I am unsure if it is due to the mattress or not, however I am waking up during the night MUCH more than I ever did on the air mattress. Obviously I cannot be 100% as I was trying to sleep, but I believe I woke about a dozen times last night either to turn or fall back asleep. On the air mattress I would do this maybe 3-4 times a night at worst.
I really should note that from what I have seen I am one of the only to complain about SleepEZ. Please realize that this is the exception, NOT the rule. I would very strongly suggest looking at other postings as well as this is the only thread I am aware of where someone is complaining that they do not enjoy the mattress they got from SleepEZ.
Latex has a much more “on the mattress” feel than other types of foam materials so it may be worth considering either a very soft latex topper, a soft polyfoam topper, or for a much more “in the mattress” feel yet … a memory foam topper.
The mattress you mentioned here at MattressMatters has 2" of very soft polyfoam on top of a 2" layer of very soft latex and the support core is very soft as well (softer than you would normally find in support layers) so it would be significantly softer and more risky in terms of alignment and durability than the mattress you ended up purchasing.
It’s a never ending source of amazement for me as well how different people can be in their perceptions of softness and firmness and what feels “right” for them.
Yes … while 100% natural latex comes in a wide range of firmness levels … if the ILD is the same as Talalay then it would tend to feel firmer for most people because Dunlop latex is a denser material and will get firmer faster with deeper compression than Talalay (see post #7 here).
I was wondering if the 2" polyfoam was making such a big difference, however I did not recall that the MattressMatters also was much more soft in the core layers. This does, however, seem to agree with my guess that the mattress is not as soft as I was expecting/hoping for. I am aware that often the latex mattresses have more of an “on” feel, however there is something about the “in” feel with it also being a latex mattress which I enjoyed and am hoping to replicate.
In terms of durability, while I recall from the main page that the firmer materials generally have a longer lifespan, I was under the impression that due to this being latex that should not have anywhere near as much of an effect. In terms of the posture, I thought that my back was straight with the MattressMatters mattress whereas the one from SleepEZ I recall mentioning felt as if my hips were sinking in too much relative to my shoulders. I do not know why the firmer mattress would not feel better for this as it should, however we shall see. I am still trying to wait out for a time before I change anything other than the coverings. Although the fact that my sleep record is now
Sunday night with pillow topper: Woke 12 times during night to turn
Monday night without pillow topper: Took more than 1 hour to fall asleep and woke not feeling well rested
Does not bode well. I am still not willing to write this off as a bad mattress match for me, it may be stress or any other of a hundred things.
mcleanm: when you say F-M-S is this top-bottom or bottom-top? I am trying to figure things out as I thought it was more common to go from top-bottom leading to me being slightly confused haha.
Latex is generally the most durable of all the foam materials but softness is a durability factor in all materials … including latex. There is more in post #4 here about the many variables that can affect durability and the useful life of a mattress. Some latex manufacturers won’t sell the softest versions of latex because potential durability issues with some people (and the potential risk of alignment issues). Durability is also relative to each person because if you are close to the edge of the softness range that would be suitable for you in terms of PPP then only a very small amount of softening may put you outside of your suitable range and for you the mattress would be too soft even though the materials may have only softened a small amount and would still be fine for someone else (see post #2 here).
Giving an update a little over a month of owning the latex mattress I bought from sleepez. Quick background, I spent a few weeks trying mattresses in stores, loved some of the latex mattresses, and bought an 8" latex mattress which is 2" soft talalay 2" medium dunlop, 3" firm dunlop. I actually have only spent 1 month sleeping on it as the second week I was out of town for business.
So having spent a month here is a summary of what I have done. I bought 2 different mattress sheets (sheex and linen), a mattress protector (I have tried lying on the bed without this to feel the difference but never slept without it on), I tried swapping the 3 different layers to better suit my wants/needs, I tried adding a pillow-topper. I am not happy with the mattress and think I need to go back to looking for a mattress to better suit my needs. Essentially what I have found is that I need to add the pillow topper on top of the soft, medium, firm to begin to feel comfy, but there is simply not enough support that way and my back is clearly not aligned. On the other hand I did try medium, soft, firm without the pillow topper and that was simply not comfortable at all and I had to add the pillow topper to fall asleep at all… I also tried soft firm medium, yet again no dice.
I have a guess as to what I did wrong: out of the 100 mattresses I tried with maybe 2 dozen being latex this is the only 100% (pure?) latex mattress I have actually been on so I was expecting something different. I think that I prefer being “in” the mattress whereas a latex mattress is “on”, and the reason I never realized this is that every other latex mattress (including 1 which claimed to be 100% latex and I later found out otherwise) always had a layer of polyfoam to give it an “in” feeling. So the only way I would actually like a latex mattress would be if I bought a polyfoam or some other material topper to go on top of the mattress at which point it makes no sense for me to have bought an expensive 100% latex mattress in the first place.
Just to give more (possibly useless) info: I have never really had trouble sleeping throughout the whole night. On the latex mattress I have slept through the whole night maybe 10 times after more than a month of sleeping on it and of those maybe 5 were after taking zzzQuil (sleeping aid). I have also had very few nights where I fall asleep in under an hour, this is also unlike me. It is very common for me to roll over (I am a side sleeper) during the night with the latex mattress as my arm or leg feels as if it has too much pressure on it. I am currently inflating my air mattress (blast! I had hoped to never use it again) to see how that feels for a few nights. I have not yet contacted sleepez and the current plan is to use the air mattress for a few nights, see how that goes, and try to find a replacement mattress to better suit my needs before the 90 days runs out and return the latex mattress after I have ordered a replacement from somewhere else. I am currently tempted to simply buy a normal spring mattress if I can find one which suits my needs as spending over $1,000 for a latex/polyfoam which I would enjoy was hard to swallow in the first place, and after this debacle is even more difficult for me personally.
I really REALLY wanted this mattress to work out. I kept telling everyone how great this was going to turn out, how I could modify the mattress myself by switching the layers and how great latex was… and in the end I am going to need to return it because the non-pure latex mattresses I had tried are what I wanted so when I got the high quality actual latex mattress it was just not a good fit for me and now I am going to get a few laughs (at me) for having gone through this whole ordeal. At least I can laugh with them.
