Dallas/Ft. Worth Mattress companies

[phoenix]

Hi Cool Hand Lou,

Thanks for the comments and feedback … I appreciate it.

The latex mattresses were nothing to write home about. They were Dunlop latex, so they were too firm for me.

All types and blends of latex come in a wide range of firmness levels from very soft to very firm so Dunlop layers can be either softer or firmer than Talalay layers. If a Dunlop layer is the same ILD as a Talalay layer (and the ILD’s are correct which isn’t always the case) and the same thickness (and disregarding the effect of all the other layers and components in the mattress) then for many people the Dunlop will feel firmer than the Talalay because it has a higher compression modulus than Talalay (the rate that a foam material becomes firmer as you compress it more deeply) which can affect the perception of firmness. A Dunlop layer that is a few ILD softer than a Talalay layer will often feel similar in terms of firmness for many people although the Talalay will generally have a more resilient or lively feel than Dunlop which can also affect how some people perceive firmness. There is more about Talalay vs Dunlop in post #7 here.

This brings to mind a concern of mine: the small 16 gauge coils. My concern is that they might be too weak to last a meaningful amount of time. I did read on this forum elsewhere by Phoenix that thin wire coils can still hold up for years in a mattress with small coils and with a high coil density. The coils did feel soft. My concern is that the coils might give out in a couple of years. Another concern is the gel memory foam. I know Latex is supposed to last for a very long time, but I hear that memory foam can give out in a few years. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

The amount of steel in a coil would probably be the most reasonable measure of its overall “quality” and durability but you can’t tell the amount of steel in an innerspring based on just the gauge of the coil because the number of coils (or the coil density), the height of the coil, the diameter of the coil, the shape of the coil, and the number of turns in each coil, and some of the other coil specs that can differentiate one coil from another can also make a significant difference in the amount of steel in an innerspring and along with the type of coil and how the individual coils are connected together can also make a significant difference in the firmness and response of the innerspring as well. If a tempered innerspring provides suitable support and alignment when you lie on the mattress and it isn’t too soft for your weight and body type then it’s very unlikely that it would be the weakest link in a mattress which is likely to be in the comfort layers above the innerspring. A mattress will generally soften and break down from the top layers down because they are the layers that are subject to the most compression and deflection which is what causes a material or component to break down and lose height or firmness over time.

Memory foam (like polyfoam) comes in a range of different densities and higher density memory foam is more durable than lower density memory foam. There is more about the foam density and durability guidelines I would suggest in post #4 here and if you are in an average weight range (lower 200’s or so or less) and the memory foam is 4 lbs or higher then it would be “durable enough” and wouldn’t be a weak link in the mattress. Memory foam layers that are deeper in a mattress will also be more durable than the same layers that are closer to the surface of the mattress because they compress less when you sleep on them than the same layers that are closer to the surface.

I called and spoke with Zak, the co-owner, and he said their N3 mattress is all-Talalay in a 25-30 ILD. I’m excited!!! I mentioned the latex mattress at Mattress Factory being Dunlop and Talalay mix, and he made a pretty interesting statement, he recommended against buying a Dunlop/Talalay combination because the different latexes will wear out unevenly, requiring me to replace it sooner.

I’m not sure I would agree with this and neither would many latex manufacturers that have been making latex mattresses for decades. The reality is that all layers and components in a mattress will soften and break down at different rates depending on the type and firmness of the layer and component and on their position in the mattress. There are many people that prefer the more “supportive” and less resilient feel of Dunlop in the support core and this is strictly a preference issue. Both Talalay and Dunlop are among the most durable foam materials in the industry and both of them are suitable as both support and comfort layers. The reality is that the softer top layers will tend to soften and break down faster than deeper and firmer support layers no matter what type of latex it may be. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #7 here.

I have seen a video of a compressed Talalay latex mattress unfold after four years of being rolled up, and it sprang back to life, whereas the Dunlop latex that was also compressed for four years just flopped down and maintained the indentations from the folds while compressed.

The video you are referring to has been brought up on a number of occasions on the forum and I have commented on it in posts such as post #4 here and in post #4 here. It certainly doesn’t reflect how Dunlop responds or breaks down in real life use or the reality that many people have slept on a Dunlop latex mattress for decades (you can see an example here of one that is almost 50 years old).

I would completely avoid the temptation to call one type of latex better or worse or more or less durable than the other and just treat them as being different with each one having different properties that some people would prefer over the other. I would treat the choice between them as strictly a matter of preference and not as a “better/worse” choice at all which IMO completely misses the point.

I’m looking forward to your comments after your visit to Sleep Craft.

Phoenix