Choosing adult and kids latex mattresses - cost, quality, layers, warranty, exchange - oh my!

After reviewing what seems like hundreds of websites and eliminating scores of companies, I’ve narrowed it down to a few possibilities but am having some trouble making final decisions. I’d love some advice!

First question. I was pretty set on an interchangeable layer latex mattress but just today opened to the possibility of a hybrid coil and latex mattress so I’m wondering what characteristics make someone choose one over the other? Support? Cushiony-ness? In this category I was considering the Naturepedic EOS or one from Design Sleep, possibly the Scandinavia. Experiences with these?

We both like a mattress that is firm and supportive but feels plush and comfy on the top.

I’ve narrowed my selections in the layered latex realm to the following and would love any insights or experiences with comfort, or info on material quality and durability.

FloBed Organic Natural Deluxe
This one is appealing to me because it’s all Talalay with organic wool and cotton and because of its egg carton latex topper. This was appealing because when I laid on a friend’s split side Savvy Rest, we could easily feel the gap in the middle. That top layer seems like it would prevent that.

SleepEZ Organic Latex 10" or 13"
Organic cotton and eco wool, but introducing Dunlop and not sure if that’s bad? Also how to choose whether I need four layers or just three?

CozyPure Luxury
10" Plush or 8" Cush. Slighty more expensive than the others and haven’t learned as much about this company, though I notice they are members.

Sleeping Organic, Leaf or Tree
Seems great - all starting to look the same now!

Design Sleep 7 zone latex
Same as above!

Okay as if all of that weren’t enough, I’m also in the market for two twin beds for my three and five year old boys. I want their mattresses to last till I send them off to college if at all possible and hope this isn’t too much to wish for!

Here are my options at the moment for them:

FloBeds Student mattress or Select
Not sure if the student one can be flipped or zipped open? The photos of it don’t look particularly flattering but would love to hear if anyone has reviews. Select looks good but at $1249 each, it’s a pricey option.

SleepEZ Naturalé 9" Latex Mattress - $695 sale
Dunlop firm/plush reversible. Doesn’t zip open. Also an option to get an 8" natural latex in cotton/rayon cover on sale for $725. Two dunlop layers and one Talalay, can rearrange layers.

Design Sleep
HealthyKids (coils and latex) or HealthyLatex. Knowledgeable staff and seemingly quality materials but this company only has five year warranty on kids beds. Also not sure on coils or all latex. At $560 and $660, price is good.

Ikea MORGONGÅVA
Considering this one because the price is decent and Ikea beds seem to get decent reviews. Doesn’t use organic fibres and not sure if it can be flipped? Also, I note it contains 15% synthetic latex and am hesitant for this reason (don’t want any offgassing) but I saw Flobeds site say that blends don’t seem to have offgassing issues.

Thoughts on which one would be best for growing boys?

In short, I’m feeling paralyzed by thickness, layers, exchange policies and comparing in general!

All the mattresses will go on slatted platform beds being crafty by hubby if that makes any difference.

Also open to other suggestions if I’ve missed something (though that seems impossible :blink: ) or there is an option with better cost/quality features.

My sincere gratitude to anyone reading all that and offering thoughts!

Oh and this site has been so helpful!

Jenn in Cleveland

Hi McJenn,

This is a preference choice so only you can decide which type of mattress you tend to prefer but there is more about innerspring hybrid mattresses vs all latex mattresses in post #13 here and the posts it links to. I would keep in mind that every category of mattress includes hundreds of individual mattresses that are very different from each other and some of them may be a great match for you in terms of PPP and others may be completely unsuitable for you to sleep on because they have a very different design even though they are in the same general category.

There is more about the different ways to choose a mattress (either locally or online) that can help you identify and minimize the risks involved in each of them and there is also more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses.

Unfortunately I can’t feel what you feel and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved in choosing a mattress for anyone to know which mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) based on specs (either yours of a mattress) or "theory at a distance (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here) and I also don’t know which of the mattresses you listed are the best match for all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you but I can certainly speak to the quality of the materials in all of them.

You have done a great job choosing high quality mattresses as your finalists and none of them contain any lower quality materials or weak links in their design so I would focus more on which of them is most likely to be the best match in terms of PPP and on which of them meet all the other “value” criteria that are most important to you since durability isn’t likely to be an issue with any of them…

When you are down to finalists that are all choices between “good and good” and there are no clear winners between them 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 local testing, your conversations with each of them, your confidence about the suitability of each one, the prices, the options you have after a 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.

Post #2 here includes a number of links to some of the better forum posts and topics about mattresses and children which include some guidelines for children and more information about many of the better options I’m aware of as well. All of the Childrens mattresses you mentioned would certainly make suitable choices although you won’t really need more than about 6" of latex for younger children. The Morgongava is flippable.

While there is no way to quantify how long any mattress will last for any particular person (or child) … if a mattress is well inside the comfort/support range that is suitable for someone and isn’t close to the edge of the range that is too soft when it is new (see post #2 here) and meets the minimum quality specs that are suggested in the guidelines here then it would be reasonable to expect a useful lifetime in the range of 7 - 10 years and with higher quality and more durable materials like latex or higher density memory foam or polyfoam (in the comfort layers especially) it would likely be in the higher end of the range or even longer.

It’s always more realistic to think of 10 years as a maximum reasonable expectation for any mattress no matter what the quality of the materials and then treat any additional time after that as “bonus time” because after about 10 years the limiting factor in the useful life of a mattress will often be the changing needs and preferences of the person sleeping on the mattress and even if a mattress is still in good condition after a decade … a mattress that was suitable for someone 10 years earlier may not be the best “match” any longer. With higher quality materials throughout a mattress and/or for people whose needs and preferences or physical condition or body type hasn’t changed much over 10 years then “bonus time” or even “extended bonus time” with higher quality/density materials like latex is much more likely than with materials that are in a lower quality/density range.

If you purchase a firmer mattress and your sons just need additional softness or thickness (depending on how they develop as they get older) then if the mattress is in good condition (which it would be if you use high quality materials) it’s a simple matter to add a topper to extend its useful life.

In the same way if you have a component latex mattress you can also rearrange the layers to firm up the support if necessary and then add a topper if they need some additional thickness or softness on the sleeping surface as well.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Thanks so much for the prompt response and all the information.

I think what’s really preventing me from making a final decision is that I simply can’t test the various contenders. I could drive several hours to test one of the mattresses on my list, but it’s not one that I’m leaning toward at the moment. And as you pointed out, there are hundreds of iterations of each mattress type so even if I find I like one latex mattress, it doesn’t necessarily mean I’d like another.

That said, I’m leaning toward a King FloBed for my husband and I because I really like that they do a fourth layer on top with that egg carton layer. Though I am still intrigued by the four layers in The Tree by Sleeping Organic and have just noticed a similar bed by Flexus Comfort at a great price. Seems like you’d have lots of room to tweak the mattress if the four layers were XF, F, M and S. Would you say the latter are of the same high quality as FloBed?

Still deciding for the kids too. I’ve ruled out SleepEZ Roma as it has polyfoam. Now considering the following:
SleepEZ Naturale $695
SleepEZ 6" Special $595
Spindle Blue Shoal $600
Flexus 7" $675
Mattresses.net Twin Core $695

After making a few more calls today I’ve realized that some retailers use a six inch core for the base. One told me this is superior to using to using two 3" topper layers together. What are your thoughts on this?

Lastly, I’m shying away from the SleepEZ Special because it doesn’t use any wool but has a cotton/rayon cover. I would the think the wool would be good for thermal regulation and padding. Thoughts on whether laying right on the latex with only a cotton/rayon cover is okay or if it might feel hotter?

Thanks,
Jenn

Hi McJenn,

This is part of the risk of an online purchase that you can’t test in person and in this case the options you have after a purchase to exchange a mattress (or to adjust the comfort or support by rearranging or exchanging individual layers) or to return it would become a more important part of your personal value equation.

They all use high quality latex layers so the quality and durability of the materials would be closely equivalent yes although the designs are different. There is also more about the pros and cons of a thicker mattress and/or having more layers to rearrange or exchange in post #14 here.

This is one of the many topics where you won’t find a single consensus or agreement between different manufacturers but you can see my thoughts about this in post #2 here.

There is more about the pros and cons of a wool quilted cover vs a thinner stretch knit cover where you sleep more directly on the latex in post #6 here. The wool can certainly make a difference in temperature regulation … especially for those who are more towards the warmer end of the oven/iceberg range.

Again … you are certainly looking at some great choices both for yourself and for your boys :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Been meaning to get back to the forum to provide an update and feedback on the latex mattresses I finally purchased after EXTENSIVE research!

For my two young boys I purchased Twin XL Sleep EZ Naturale mattresses which are 100% natural latex with a non removable cover. The cover is a very nice, soft organic cotton knit with wool. It has a firm and medium layer inside. I would say the mattress is firm, but not uncomfortably so, which is good for growing children and healthy spinal alignment. I’ve covered them with Luna Premium Mattress Protectors and am very happy with these. No complaints with these mattresses. I felt they were the best price on the market for a kids mattress that had no synthetic materials and a quality cover all the way around. I found one company with a better priced latex bed but they used a poly material on the bottom and something other than wool for fire retardant properties and I didn’t like those features.

For myself and my husband I debated for ages between Sleep EZ, FloBeds and Sleeping Organic. I decided to go with Sleeping Organic because I felt that from what they described, their cover and zipper were of slightly higher quality. Not sure if this is true or not. They matched Sleep EZs price for the four layer natural latex mattress which was awesome!

We each have an XF, F and M layer to adjust and I got a king sized (read glued together) soft top layer. Friends with a latex mattress can feel the seam in the middle and we didn’t want that.

Disappointingly after all my research, I’ve not been as pleased with the mattress as I would have hoped. My husband has been happy with pretty much whatever layer combination he’s ended up with in all my tinkering but I’ve been waking up with lower back aches for quite a while now. Lots of futzing with layers hasn’t really remedied that. Currently I’m on F, XF, F, S from bottom to top. I like the firm feel with the pillow top and had to do a layer exchange to get there. The SO people have been very accommodating and helpful with all my requests for advice on how to get comfortable. I don’t feel like I’m there yet but am now outside my window for return or further exchanges.

The other thing I don’t like about the bed is how squishy it is. It compresses greatly when you sit on the side of it and feels a bit like a big pillow sometimes. Even with putting all the firmest layers on one side, it still squishes. We tried a three layer version by putting one layer aside for a few nights and this helped with the squish factor but DH preferred the feel of four layers.

Also, I’ve put a Gotcha Covered organic cotton waterproof mattress protector on our bed. I feel that the wool and the mattress protector somewhat interfere with the feel of the latex and make for a more taut sleeping surface.

So that’s my feedback for now. Hoping back issues resolve and I fall in love with the bed soon!

Many thanks Phoenix for all your help and advice along the way!

Jenn

Hi McJenn,

Thanks for letting us know what you ended up deciding for both you and your kids and for the update … I appreciate it.

You certainly made a great quality/value choice for your kids. Children generally need firmer mattresses than adults and if a mattress is “comfortable” for an adult then it’s often too soft for younger children so the firmness of the Naturale would be a good choice for your kids.

I’m sorry to hear that your mattress hasn’t worked out as well for you (at least so far) as the mattresses you chose for your children.

Unfortunately it’s not possible to “diagnose” mattress comfort issues on a forum with any certainty because you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unique unknowns, variables, and complexities involved including body type, sleeping positions, health conditions, and individual sensitivities and preferences that can affect how each person sleeps on a mattress in terms of “comfort” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) or any “symptoms” they experience so a mattress that would be “perfect” for one person may be unsuitable for someone else to sleep on.

Having said that … there is more about the most common symptoms that people may experience when they sleep on a mattress and the most likely (although not the only) reasons for them in post #2 here.

There is also more about primary or “deep” support and secondary or “surface” support and their relationship to firmness and pressure relief and the “roles” of different layers in a mattress in post #2 here and in post #4 here that may also be helpful in clarifying the difference between “support” and “pressure relief” and “feel” that may be helpful as well.

These posts are the “tools” that can help with the analysis, detective work, or trial and error that may be necessary to help you learn your body’s language and “translate” what your body is trying to tell you so you can identify the types of changes that have the best chance of reducing or eliminating any “symptoms” you are experiencing (at least to the degree that any symptoms are from your mattress rather than the result of any other circumstances or pre-existing issues you may have that aren’t connected to a mattress).

The most common (although not the only) reason for lower back pain is a mattress that is too soft (either comfort layers that are too thick/soft or support layers that are too soft) but if you can list the combinations you’ve tried and describe how your “symptoms” changed on each of them (particularly which of them seemed to help with your lower back) I may be able to make some suggestions.

I would also make sure that the support system under your mattress is suitable as well. It should have a firm, flat, and evenly supportive support surface underneath it that has minimal to no flex under the mattress and for larger sizes with at least one center support beam that has good support to the floor to prevent any sagging in the middle of the mattress. The support surface under the mattress should also have enough surface area to prevent the mattress from sagging through any gaps or spaces in the support surface over time but still allow some airflow under the mattress. I would suggest that the gaps between any slats are no more than about 3" (with 1 x 3 slats) although less than that would be better yet. It should provide similar support to having your mattress on the floor.

The “squishiness” and resilience that you are describing is part of the “feel” of latex and is one of the reasons that some people like it and others don’t. As you mentioned this would be more noticeable with softer and/or thicker mattresses. Latex mattresses don’t generally have or need edge support (and mattresses are designed more for sleeping than sitting) although there are certainly some people that tend to sleep on the very outside edge of their mattress or that sit on the outside edge of the mattress that may prefer it. There is more about edge support and latex mattresses in post #3 here but for most people that sit on the edge of their mattress it’s normally just a matter of getting used to sitting more towards the middle of the mattress rather than on the outside edge.

There is more about wool quilted covers vs thinner and more stretchy unquilted covers in post #6 here but this is also a preference choice and some people prefer one and some prefer the other. It may be worth trying the mattress without the protector and trying the mattress with the top of the cover unzipped (one at a time) to see if you can isolate whether what you are feeling is coming more from the mattress cover or the protector or a combination of both.

Thanks again for your update and hopefully you can share more details about yourself (body type and sleeping positions etc) and your experience on different layering combinations that may provide some insights into the types of changes that may help.

Phoenix

From the links you’ve provided, it seems that lower back issues can stem from a top comfort layer that is too thick or too soft. I wouldn’t have thought that one three inch soft layer would be too much but do you think this could be the case in some instances?

Originally the company recommended the following layers for us:
DH: XF, F, M, S
Me: F, M, S, S

I’m 5’9 and 140 pounds and he’s 6’2 and 220 lbs.

I found the two soft layers on top to be way too soft and am now a little annoyed that this was the original recommendation given I’d mentioned that I prefer firm mattresses with a soft comfy top. Oddly another friend bough from the same company recently and she’s much smaller than me but was recommended XF, F, M, S from the start.

Next I tried F, S, M, S and lower back was still hurting and it still didn’t feel firm enough.

Then I did a layer exchange and tried F, M, XF, S and still wasn’t thrilled - still a lower back ache and still felt squishy.

Then we pulled the soft layer and slept on three layers - I think that was XF, F, M. Hubby liked the four layers so we put it back since I was still achy in the morning anyway.

Here’s what we are on now. He’s on XF, M, M, S (bottom to top) and I’m on F, XF, F, S. This feels supportive enough for me but I’m still having to get out of bed before I’m ready because of lower back troubles.

He’s pretty over taking the bed apart and switching around layers and I just don’t know where to go from here.

Re support and frames - the beds are all currently on the floor as my husband is building platform or slat beds for all three of them.

Thanks again.
Jenn

Hi McJenn,

Any combination of layers that puts your lower back out of alignment can result in lower back ache but the most common (although not the only) cause is a mattress that is too soft which could either be comfort layers that are too thick and/or soft or support layers that are too soft. For some people this could include 3" of soft latex (in combination with the other layers underneath it) but the only way to know for sure is your own personal experience and some trial and error with different layer combinations.

What positions do you sleep in?

[quote]I found the two soft layers on top to be way too soft and am now a little annoyed that this was the original recommendation given I’d mentioned that I prefer firm mattresses with a soft comfy top. Oddly another friend bough from the same company recently and she’s much smaller than me but was recommended XF, F, M, S from the start.

Next I tried F, S, M, S and lower back was still hurting and it still didn’t feel firm enough.

Then I did a layer exchange and tried F, M, XF, S and still wasn’t thrilled - still a lower back ache and still felt squishy.

Then we pulled the soft layer and slept on three layers - I think that was XF, F, M. Hubby liked the four layers so we put it back since I was still achy in the morning anyway.

Here’s what we are on now. He’s on XF, M, M, S (bottom to top) and I’m on F, XF, F, S. This feels supportive enough for me but I’m still having to get out of bed before I’m ready because of lower back troubles.
[/quote]

Each person can be very different from someone else (even if they are in the same weight range) but it would be helpful if you could describe how and how much your symptoms changed on each combination compared to the one before it (instead of just mentioning whether you experienced lower back pain or not on each one). The changes that you noticed on each combination and identifying which of them was better than the others can be helpful as a “pointer” that may give some insights into the combination that is best for you. It would also be helpful if you could mention how long you slept on each of them.

If you could provide more specific and detailed information I may be able to make some suggestions that may be helpful but outside of the suggestions in my last reply about the cover and protector they would probably involve rearranging layers.

The floor would certainly be supportive enough.

Phoenix

Now I’m wishing we didn’t get that top soft layer as all one piece because DH really likes it but I’m wishing I could try a week without it!

I sleep on my back and side, rotating throughout the night. He sleeps on his back, side and stomach occasionally.

I wish I would have taken detailed notes to be able to answer your questions about how each adjustment affected my back. Mostly I felt like like there was little perceptible difference in how I felt with each change so I just moved on to another configuration.

We slept on each configuration for at least a week, and usually more like two or three to allow time to adjust to it. I didn’t feel like any of them dramatically improved or worsened my lower back woes. It’s just been ongoing dull pain upon waking. I have felt more comfortable as the layers have gotten firmer but the back pain remains…

I’ll try the suggestions about the cover and protector later this week. I’ll rearrange layers again if needed but I’m not even sure what I would try next.

Thanks,
Jenn

Hi McJenn,

Unfortunately the most meaningful information that could provide some insights into different layering arrangements would be any differences in your “symptoms” and sleeping experiences between different combinations. It would be very unusual that someone doesn’t notice any differences between different combinations although it’s possible that this could also be “pointing to” other issues that may be contributing to your back pain that may not be connected to your mattress.

Without knowing more about the differences in your sleeping experience between the different layering combinations I don’t really have a frame of reference or enough information to be able to provide any insights or guesses into the type of changes that may be worth trying.

It may be worth trying the XF/F/M again if you can convince your hubby to go along with it for a few days.

It may also be worth trying a medium layer on top with your soft layer underneath it (and then the firmest layers underneath them).

If your mattress is too soft then some of the suggestions in post #4 here may be helpful as well.

Phoenix

Thank you for this thread. My wife and I are considering a latex full sized mattress for our 6 year old special needs son and this information was very helpful.

Hi Bullsusf00,

You may have read this since it’s linked in my first reply in this topic but just in case you haven’t (there is a lot of information in the topic) post #2 here and the topics it links to have more information about mattresses and children and “safe” materials including a link to some general guidelines for children in post #2 here. It also includes links to the better forum posts and topics about mattress and children which also have more information about many good options for children as well.

Phoenix

So pleased you’ve found my research and ramblings useful! All the best making a selection.

I think you could be right that there is some other underlying issue happening but the back pain does correlate with the new mattress, though the pain didn’t start right away. I haven’t had any other injuries that should be causing pain. I’ve talked extensively with my chiropractor about this as well and he thinks that it’s quite possible my back was compensating for a good while before the pain actually started to be noticeable, likely from a too soft top layer. That’s my current theory.

So my husband finished our bed frame (and it’s stunning!) and so we had to take apart the bed to get it on the platform slats. I took off the soft topper altogether and am now sleeping on F, XF, F, M (bottom to top) and I feel less like my hips are sinking in. My back still aches many mornings but I do think it’s a little better. None of the other configurations with the soft layer still on top seemed to have any effect.

Still, can’t help but feel frustrated that it’s not perfect as I spent so much time researching the best products and spent so much money! Friends with latex mattresses are loving theirs so I’m jealous. Also annoyed that that I’m out of the time frame for returns. If I wasn’t I might get an Original Mattress Factory traditional mattress to compare and return the one that I didn’t like!

Also worth noting perhaps that I’m not having back pain at other times of day, only in the early morning hours when I end up tossing and turning to try to get comfortable. Once I’m up and out of bed, it goes away reasonably quickly.

I’ll post back if I have any breakthroughs or revelations! Thanks for your help in troubleshooting!

Jenn

Hi McJenn,

I went back through your posts to see what combinations you’ve tried and any comments you made about each of them to see if I could identify any “patterns” in your experience. Based on your somewhat limited feedback here is what I could “extract” from your comments …

F, M, S, S with the top layer outside of the mattress cover:

You didn’t mention whether your layers are Dunlop or Talalay (Talalay will generally be a little softer in the same ILD as Dunlop) but this would be a fairly common layering combination that would work well for many people in your weight range and sleeping style (particularly if one of the top soft layers are Dunlop) although I would generally consider having two soft layers to be somewhat risky. In any case it certainly seems that this was too soft for you.

F, S, M, S (with the soft layer outside the cover):

This also appeared to be too soft although I can’t tell from your comments whether there was any improvement or lessening of your back pain with this combination so I can’t tell whether a slight increase in firmness made any difference.

F, M, XF, S (with the soft layer outside the cover):

It appears that you also had lower back pain with this combination but again I didn’t see anything about whether there were any changes in this combination compared to the other combinations you tried so again I can’t tell whether a firmer combination yet is going in the right direction.

XF, F, M:

Your only comment about this combination was that you still felt a “little bit achy” in the morning but I would be interested to know if this was an improvement from any of the other combinations and how long you tried it before you switched back to the 4 layer combination because your husband preferred 4 layers. Knowing more about your experience with this combination would be helpful because it would be firmer than any of your previous combinations.

F, XF, F, S (with the soft layer outside the cover):

You mentioned that this “felt like” it was supportive enough for you but I don’t know what this means because you also mentioned that you had sower back troubles that caused you to get out of bed in the morning before you really wanted to (which may be contradicting that it was “supportive enough” for you). Was this an improvement over any of the other combinations?

F, XF, F, M (with the medium layer outside the cover):

This would be firmer than any of your other 4 layer combinations (although not as firm as your 3 layer combination). You mentioned that it feels like your hips are sinking in less but this isn’t all that meaningful because it’s not a “symptom” but you also mentioned that “my back still aches many mornings but I do think it’s a little better” so at least this is encouraging because it seems that your back pain has lessened with a firmer combination. With this combination you are outside the “averages” that would generally work best for most people in your weight range that also spend time sleeping on their sides but of course not everyone fits inside the averages of other people.

It’s very difficult to know how to interpret this because most people would feel “some” differences between different combinations even if they all had a soft top layer but the only logical conclusion that would seem to fit your feedback is that a soft top layer of any kind may not be the best choice for you.

I think that’s all the combinations I could see that you tried so if you can fill in any more specific information (including whether your layers are Dunlop or Talalay) about how they compared that would help to differentiate between them it would be helpful.

Which of the combinations would be your first choice if you “had to” choose between them and which would be your second choice?

As you probably know from your reading here one person’s experience can be very different from someone else or even a larger group of people because each person is unique. While you certainly made a great quality and durable choice … the quality and durability of a mattress is very different from the suitability of a mattress and even with all the “theoretical” research in the world the only way to know for sure whether any combination of materials and components will be a good “match” for you will be based on your own careful testing or personal sleeping experience.

It may also be worth sleeping on one of your kids beds for a few days or the XF,F,M three layer combination (if you didn’t try this for very long) to see how they feel for you as well.

Did you try any of the suggestions in the post about mattresses that are too soft?

I’m looking forward to any additional information or updates that you have the chance to share.

Phoenix