So I’m on the hunt for a latex/pocket coil hybrid and have narrowed my search down to a few options. Two of those (Arizona Mattress Ultimate Hybrid and Flexus Quadra-Flex) are made up of a layer of zoned pocket coils, a layer of latex, and a cotton/wool cover. Then there are the Nest Bedding Latex Hybrid and Luma Sleep Latex Hybrid which have similar designs, however both have an additional 1 inch of HD support foam on very bottom. There are some other differences: Luma omits the wool, isn’t zoned (although apparently can be for an upcharge) and has another 1.5in of latex. The Nest option has different zoning in the coils than the UH and Flexus. And there are differences in the choice of latex layers from each manufacturer.
Obviously all of the differences between options will also result in a change in feel, but I’m particularly interested in the support foam underneath the pocket coils. What would be the reason to include or exclude this? I’ve read the articles on different materials in support cores so I understand the purpose of both polyfoam and pocket coils when used independently but I’d like to know what the benefit of using them together would be.
I’m also toying with the option of a DIY design using the components from Arizona Mattress (I’m aware DIYing would be a complicated process likely involving some trial and error). So I’m curious about its use for two reasons - whether it would provide a benefit in the latter two mattresses that might make them a better option than the former two, and also whether there would be a benefit to including it under pocket coils in a DIY mattress if I choose to go that route.
There’s multiple reasons to use or not use a polyfoam base underneath a pocketed spring unit. Some manufactures will use a thin 1" base for the little extra solidity that it will provide beneath the pocketed coil spring unit. It will also help to “square things off” and can have a bit more of a finished look when the ticking surrounding the mattress is applied. Having the foam base can also help a bit with spreading out the load when placing the mattress on a surface using less than even supports or ones that are spaced out over a bit of a wider area. On some pocketed coil innerspring mattresses using a polyfoam edge reinforcement unit, having the bottom polyfoam can help with structural integrity by providing a surface upon which to glue the polyfoam edge system and create a “foam tub” into which the pocketed spring unit is placed. Some manufacturers eschew using a polyfoam base, as they have clients, especially with latex systems, who desire no polyfoam at all in their mattress. Using less polyfoam also helps reduce cost by a small amount. Others prefer the feel of their finished mattress without the polyfoam base. While there really is no specific “rhyme or reason”, these would be some common explanations.
If you create your own DIY mattress and desire to have a base piece of polyfoam, 1"-2" is common, in anywhere from a 1.5 – 2 lb range, with higher ILDs (mid 30s+). If you wish to avoid polyfoam, you could use the same thickness with a piece of firmer Dunlop latex, which would tend to be less “bouncy” than using Talalay.
Thanks so much for the reply, Phoenix! That clarifies things a lot. I’m somewhat leaning towards the DIY route and have found some useful resources on here for sourcing polyfoam to use in a base. I’ll be sure to update as I go!
Not sure if that would be considered uneven spacing that would need a more spread out surface area provided by the 1" foam in addition the mattress cover itself.
The short answer is yes, a 1" poly foam layer below this foundation would be very beneficial. As Phoenix wrote in the earleir thread:
The Zinus 14 Inch SmartBase Mattress Foundation that you are referring to is a perfect example of a foundation that has wide spacing between the horizontal bars (slats), therefore being able to spread out the load is helpful with this type of foundation. Zinus sells 100’s of thousands of these per year… the price is just so low…and they are perfect for kids rooms, spare rooms, and lighter mattresses. I have purchased these myself over the years, and one can tell they are certainly not as sturdy as a better wood foundation, but they do the trick for a lot of consumers.
A coir rug is porous and allows air circulation between the bottom of a mattress and a platform bed’s surface. It is strongly recommended for breathability under any foam mattress on a solid-platform bed. Where inadequate air circulation is a concern, a natural bed rug may be advisable on a slatted platform.
Following up on this conversation for the benefit of future readers, as I’m exploring the same question.
Are there any decent cheap and thin alternatives for what to put between slats and the springs?
(I currently have this frame: SLATTUM Upholstered bed frame, Knisa light gray, Queen - IKEA , not sure if needed)
And is this also needed between springs and latex? (given the latex is not covered!)
