Hi, I’ve been exploring this site all weekend and there is a ton of information. My husband and I are looking to replace our old sleep number bed and we have read and looked and researched to our limit. I thought I had made a decision but after reading your tutorial and some posts on this forum I changed my mind. I am heavier, around 250lbs and my husband is lighter so your information on durable materials for heavy people has been enlightening.
The original choice I steered away from was the Alexander Signature Hybrid from Nest. It appears that the quality of foams are less then what would better suit us. I’m quite interested now in the Arizona Ultimate Pocket Coil Hybrid bed, which I found through your list of members.
I understand that this mattress has the Legget & Platt coils and then a 3" comfort layer of either Talalay or Dunlop latex. I do plan on giving them a call when they open tomorrow (I am in the Indianapolis area-46140 so we are on EDT), but could you explain the properties of the two types of latex?
I understand that the Dunlop contains more latex and is denser/heavier than the Talalay but I am trying to understand how the materials react to pressure. For example, would the airier (word?) Talalay just compress under pressure or displace outward? I am thinking along the lines of a 22-28 ILD, so a medium? This is probably a really stupid question, but on the SNB, the air will displace within the bladder causing some areas to be more firm (shoulders & arms) and others quite less (rear & hips).
I am also interested in the Brooklyn BME, with its all foam and latex, I notice you rated the quality of materials good for all weight ranges and they have both the Dunlop and Talalay latexes in the comfort layers. The pricing on this one in a king is more to my liking though the other is doable.
Hi LizW,
Welcome … and I’m glad you found us 
You are certainly looking at a great quality/value choice and as you probably know Arizona Premium is a member of this site which means that I think highly of them and that I believe they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge, and transparency.
The choice between different types and blends of latex is more of a preference and budget choice rather than a “better/worse” choice and any type or blend of latex is a durable material relative to other types of foam materials. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here and more about how Dunlop compares to Talalay in general in post #7 here but the best way to know which type or blend of latex you tend to prefer will be based on your own testing and/or your own personal experience.
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 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.
You can see my comments about airbeds in general this article. Air (and water) will displace so pressure in one area will affect other areas of the air or water bladder but foam materials will compress under pressure (like a sofa) without affecting the areas outside the area of compression.
If you are also interested in testing some local options then the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Indianapolis area (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the the quality/value guidelines here) are listed in post #2 here.
Phoenix
That was fast! Thank you! Since my husband is getting tired of my crazy long term research (this is pretty much how I buy everything), I will speak to them tomorrow and see what they would recommend. I did a quick chat with Brooklyn Bedding and I am still on the fence with them. We are at the testing stage of my research, so we should know more tomorrow and will hopefully just pull the trigger.
What are your thoughts about the Brooklyn BME in comparison to Arizona? I know there is differences in the base, but using Dunlop and Talalay as opposed to just one type? I only bring this up because as you mentioned in other posts, we can’t test either in a store exactly, but the BME does have a more generous return policy and shipping costs, not to mention the $400 price difference. As far as “sight unseen” purchases this could be the less “scary” option.
Hi LizW,
Brooklyn Bedding and Arizona Premium are both members of this site which means that I think highly of both of them.
Assuming that the materials in a mattress you are considering are durable enough for your body type and meet the quality/durability guidelines here relative to your weight range … the choice between different types and combinations of materials and components or different types of mattresses are more of a preference and a budget choice than a “better/worse” choice (see this article). The best way to know which type of materials or which type of mattresses you tend to prefer in general terms will be based on your own testing and personal experience because different people can have very different preferences.
While I can’t speak to which of them you may prefer or to which of them would be a better “match” for you in terms of their comfort, “feel” or PPP (your own experience is the only way to know this) … both of them use high quality and durable materials that would be suitable for your weight range and there are no lower quality materials or weak links that would compromise the durability of either of them. A pocket coil would also be a more costly component than a polyfoam support core and the pocket coil they use also has narrower diameter coils on the edges which provide additional edge support.
There is more about latex/innerspring hybrids in post #13 here but in very general terms a pocket coil would be more “springy” than a polyfoam support core.
Once you have narrowed down your options to a list of finalists that are all choices between “good and good” and none of them have any lower quality materials or “weak links” in their design and if at this point there are no clear winners between them (which is usually a good indication that you have done some good research) then you are in the fortunate position that any of them would likely be a suitable choice and post #2 here can help you make a final choice based on your own local testing and/or your more detailed phone conversations about each of them, the firmness and suitability of each one, their prices, your preferences for different types of materials and components, designs, or types and blends of latex, the options you have after a purchase to fine tune the mattress or exchange or return the mattress or individual layers and any costs involved, any additional extras that are part of each purchase, and on “informed best judgement” based on all the other objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
Phoenix
Thank you. I seriously appreciate all you’ve done with this site. I will let you know what we decide.
Thanks
Liz
Hi LizW,
I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding
Phoenix
No more mattress stores. After a long discussion with the husband we decided on the Brooklyn Bedding BME. I liked the idea of the innerspring hybrid, but we’re coming from a sleep number bed - no bounce or “pushback”. We tried different mattresses at a couple of local stores and decided that a foam core may be better for us with the latex comfort layer. Not to mention that husband said that with the difference in price point, and the generous return/exchange policy there isn’t much of a gamble.
Anyway, after a quick chat with Brooklyn Bedding regarding firmness levels we ordered. It turns out that after trying various mattresses husband and I both like a little more hug and softness than we first thought so now we are waiting for our new king medium.
Thanks for all your information. I’m sure I’ll post more when it arrives.
Hi LizW,
You were certainly looking at two good options and as you know you made a great quality/value choice.
Congratulations on your new mattress:)
I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback once you’ve received it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.
Phoenix