I’ve newly discovered this forum - what a tremendous resource! I wish I had come across it earlier to assist in the configuration of my recent purchase. Last month, we replaced a 12+ year old original style Tempurpedic mattress (which we both were comfortable on for several years) with a Brooklyn Bedding Total Latex, blended talalay, in Level 5 (6" of 32 ILD core, and 3" of 32 ILD in the comfort layer). My husband is 5ft. 11in, 220lbs, mainly a back and side sleeper. I am 5ft. 8in, 140 lbs and am mainly a side sleeper (rotated towards stomach with top knee forward on mattress), though I do often end up on my back. The Brookly Bedding level 5 seemed too firm, with both of us feeling pressure points and lower back pain that developed over the month we have had it. We did a comfort exchange to a level 6 which is 3" of 28 ILD over the 6" of 32 ILD core. We have slept on this new configuration for 3 nights now. My husband seems to think his side is pretty comfortable - no pain yet - but wants more time to decide. I still feel like this combination might still be too firm for me. When on my side, I don’t think my shoulders and hips sink down far enough, and there is not enough of a cradle for my curvier waist area. When on my back, I think I could use more lumbar support. There is less pain than with the 32ILD comfort layer, but I’m still not as comfortable as I think I could be. I’m not sure how many times I can do the comfort exchange with Brooklyn Bedding so am hoping to get it right this next time and any insight would be greatly appreciated!
The way I see it, I have a couple of choices (?):
Exchange the comfort layer on my side to either 24 ILD or 19 ILD, leaving his side alone, or
Purchase a 1" or 2" 19 ILD topper to go over the entire bed
Given our differences in weight, plus the knowledge that we both liked our Tempurpedic when it was new, do you have any thoughts on which option would be less risky in terms of overall alignment for my husband and myself?
If I had the choice I would probably split the top layer because of your weight differential and this would also keep you closer to the support layer than adding a topper for best alignment and this also keeps the option open of adding a topper if it’s necessary.
With your husbands higher weight firmer foams will feel softer to him than they will to you and latex in the range of 19 - 24 would be more in the soft range for most people or your weight. I would go with 19 if you prefer a little softer surface and 24 if you prefer a little firmer surface (even though both are in the soft range).
There really isn’t any way to compare memory foam to latex in terms of firmness because memory foam varies in softness with different conditions and responds differently depending on body temperature, room temperature, humidity, pressure, the length of time it is compressed, and the speed of movement while latex responds only to pressure. When there is little difference between two comfort levels I generally tend towards the one that is slightly firmer of the two because it’s usually a less risky choice, it will soften slightly over time, and if you liked the old Tempurpedic then it may indicate you prefer a little firmer as well.
I would also wait a couple of weeks so that your sleeping experience is a little more predictive of your longer term experience and that can also help you decide if you need something that is only one level softer (24) which would be a smaller difference or two levels softer (19) which would be a bigger difference depending on how much more softness your “best judgement” says you need.
Phoenix… I have been reading through the forum quite extensively and have come across a few posts stating that for your particular PPP equation, you use a 28 ILD talalay core. I can’t seem to find any posts that state what you use in your comfort layers. Would you be willing to share that information? I understand that you don’t want to sway people’s opinions and that we all need to figure out what works best for us… But I’d love to know what seems to work for you.