Avoiding body impressions

[phoenix]

Hi Sekhmet,

Is one type of latex better than the other as far as resisting the formation of body impressions over time?

There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here but with the possible exception of 100% natural Talalay latex that is in lower ILD’s I would treat all the types and blends of latex as being comparable in terms of durability although they can certainly have different properties that can affect how they "feel. The type and blend of latex is more of a preference and budget choice than a “better/worse” choice.

Our current mattress is a very cheap Amazon purchase (Lucid 10" foam), which we bought because we had been burned by paying $1500 for an innerspring mattress which developed body impressions as described above (and which the manufacturer wouldn’t cover under warranty because you couldn’t actually measure them with a ruler… you could just FEEL them, crystal clear, upon getting on the bed). We didn’t feel like risking another $1000+ for another disappointment (we’d rather knowingly buy crap & pay an appropriate price rather than spend a lot of money for crap!). We’re willing to pay $$$ this time, if we are reasonably confident we won’t have the same bad experience again. and are actually getting a mattress that will remain comfortable & supportive for several years.

There is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here 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).

Outside of PPP … the most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability and the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label so I would always make sure that a retailer or manufacturer you are considering making a purchase from is willing and able to provide you with the information you need to to compare the quality of the materials and components in the mattress to the quality/durability guidelines before making any purchase.

Premature foam softening from lower quality/density materials (with or without visible impressions) is a very common cause for the loss of comfort and support and is the most common reason for needing to purchase a new mattress much too quickly relative to the price you pay and unfortunately these “virtual impressions” that you can only feel when you sleep on the mattress but can’t see when you aren’t on the mattress aren’t covered by mattress warranties (see post #174 here).

While I’ve read in many places that all-latex mattresses are the most durable option out there, I also read on 1 site (I can’t remember whether it was this one, sorry, been on information overload!) that roughly 10% of latex mattress users report the development of body impressions, which is of some concern to me.

There are many “so called” latex mattresses that only use relatively small amounts of latex mixed in with other less durable materials or that use thicker layers of less durable materials (usually lower density polyfoam) on top of the latex and these are materials that can soften or break down prematurely which leads to some people thinking that the latex is the issue when it’s actually the lower quality materials in the mattress. While it’s possible for any foam material (including latex) to be defective … this would only be a much lower percentage (much less than 10%) and in most cases any sagging issues with latex mattresses are the result of the other materials in the mattress and this is the reason why it’s so important to make sure you find out all the information listed here before purchasing any mattress so that you can confirm that there aren’t any lower quality or “unknown” materials that would be a “weak link” in the mattress.

I have read conflicting information about whether Dunlop or Talalay is more prone to this phenomenon. I’d love advice on whether there are specific qualities we can look for that would make a mattress less likely to do this.

Latex is generally the most durable of all the foam materials and I would treat them as being closely comparable in practical terms but you may prefer the feel and response of one type of latex over another.

We’re on a Cal King, if that makes any difference… Like, are split mattresses better/worse in this regard, potentially?

There is more about the pros and cons of a side to side “split firmness” mattress in post #2 here.

Phoenix