Hi skye,
I’m not sure what you’ve read since you found the site but just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
[quote]I’m considering buying their Ultimate Dream Total Latex mattress priced at $1700. It’s a 10" latex mattress w/ 1" quilted bamboo mattress cover (natural wool and breathcool polyfoam) 3" blended talalay latex and a talalay 36 ild core or they can substitute for a 32 ILD latex core or a Natural Dunlap latex core. The comfort layer is adjustable. I am 135lbs, 5’7 and mostly sleep on my back and occasionally stomach.
they use 40/60 blend from latex international.
any thoughts on the firmness level for my size and sleeping habit?[/quote]
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart (which would include Dreamfoam) and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
Hopefully you’ve done some local testing so you are familiar with the general “feel” of an all latex mattress.
While I can’t speak to how any mattress will feel for someone else … latex is a very high quality and durable material and there are certainly no lower quality materials or weak links in the Total Latex Mattress.
Dreamfoam is also one of the members of this site which means that I think highly of them and that I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, knowledge, service, and transparency. A specific term site search on total latex mattress (you can just click the link) will bring up many more comments and feedback about it as well.
The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Los Angeles area (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines I linked earlier in this reply) are listed in post #2 here.
Phoenix