Thanks for all the help. I’ll stay away from that store. Didn’t like the used car salesman vibe it was giving off as well.
Did some more testing this weekend. After laying on the 9" latex from DM for about 10 minutes, I noticed that my upper back around my shoulder blades was getting sore. I did the same 10 minutes on the Aspen without issue. I was also able to swing over to Mattress Source and it turns out they have some latex beds now that are not listed on the Capital bedding site. Calling the company, he told me they took the evening dreams mattresses and replaced the gel foam with latex. He seemed busy and I forgot to ask about ILD for the latex.
At this point I’m thinking either the Aspen or ordering something from DreamFoam. The Aspen has the advantage of being in store so I can lay on it. Oddly for a plush mattress it was quite firm and wasn’t uncomfortable when laying on my back, side, or stomach. DM also has a good return policy which helps. The downside is that it’s pretty expensive for a mattress I will only need for 2 years. Also it’s got a lot of comfort layers which when reading Phoenix’s other posts on it, tend to break down first (especially with a 6’5, 265lb person).
Dreamfoam has cost going for it, however ordering online makes me nervous. I was hoping to get more info to provide them, but it’s not looking great. Capitol Bedding’s Firm is a bit too firm and their Plush is too soft. If I could have gotten the ILD of the latex they use, Dreamfoam might have been able to use that to construct something. Looking at the Eurotop, that would allow me to swap out the comfort layer, however I’m not sure how much of a pain that will be once the latex has expanded.
You would need to duplicate all the layers of a mattress including the type and blend of latex, the thickness of every layer, the firmness of every layer, and the type of cover and quilting material for one mattress to “match” another one. Only matching a single layer based on ILD alone which is only one of the specifications that can affect firmness won’t necessarily give you a “matching” mattress.
I would also be surprised if the Dunlop latex they use is really 14 ILD.
Returning individual layers is a fairly simple process. There are some instructions from one of our members in post #5 here and there are also some instructions here and some videos here and here that go into more detail about how to roll and compress latex.
You certainly have many pros and cons to consider and I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding … and of course to any other comments or questions you may have along the way before you pull the trigger.
Yeah I think I need to rule out Online. Given how hard it is to find mattresses in stores that work for my body type, I’m not sure how many tries I’d need to get it right online.
I went to Denver Mattress again for over an hour, I laid on both the Aspen and the 9" Latex. They were very similar, though again after 10 minutes or so my upper back was getting sore on the Latex. The Aspen seemed to put a little pressure on my lower back. The salesman mentioned do to the closeout he could knock another $300 off the Latex mattress. That would put the difference in price between the latex and the aspen is $250, with the latex being cheaper.
Maybe I’m crazy but I have it stuck in my head that the all latex is a better mattress, maybe due to the MSRP’s of all latex mattresses or the lack of layers that could break down. Since it seems the advantage of the Aspen is the extra comfort layers relieving some of the pressure of my upper back, which option would be better?
Get the 9" latex and add a 1" soft topper?
Get the Aspen.
I’m not sure how well putting a 20ILD topper over a 14ILD comfort layer would work though.
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … it’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
There is more about the 3 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 suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
I or some of the more knowledgeable members of the site can help you to narrow down your options, help you focus on better quality/value choices that are available to you either locally or online, help you identify any lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress, act as a fact check, answer many of the specific questions you may have along the way that don’t involve what you will “feel” on a mattress, and help with “how” to choose but only you can decide which specific mattress, manufacturer, or combination of materials is “best for you” regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or whether anyone else has the same needs and preferences, criteria, or circumstances or would make the same choice.
In terms of durability … Latex in general is certainly a more durable material than other types of foam but of course it’s also more costly than other types of foam materials as well.
If the only issue with a mattress is that it is too firm and there are no soft spots or sagging in the mattress then a good quality topper can be an effective way to add some additional softness, “comfort” and pressure relief to your sleeping system but the only way to know for certain whether a specific mattress/topper combination is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP is based on your own careful testing or personal experience on the combination. If you can’t test the mattress/topper combination in person then there will always be always some risk and uncertainty involved in adding a topper because the specifics of the mattress itself along with your own body type, sleeping position, and preferences can affect which specific topper would be a suitable choice for any specific person on any specific mattress.
There is more information about choosing a topper and a link to the better online sources I’m aware of in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to which along with a conversation with a reliable and knowledgeable supplier (that can provide you with good information about how their toppers compare to each other or to other toppers they are familiar with that are available on the market) can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success. A good exchange/return policy can also reduce the risk of an online topper purchase so I would make sure you are comfortable with the options you have available after a purchase just in case the topper you choose doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.
In its simplest form choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to FIRST finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers (either locally or online) that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in that are in a budget range you are comfortable with and that you have confirmed will provide you with the all the information you need about the materials and components inside the mattresses they sell so you will be able to make informed choices and meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …
Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.
Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.
Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
There is more about some of the differences between a latex support core and an innerspring support core in post #2 here but the choice between them would really be a preference and/or a budget choice rather than a “better/worse” choice because both of them are durable materials…
“In theory” most latex support cores would probably tend to be more durable than most innerspring support cores but in practice the difference is probably much less meaningful because the the deeper support layers or components in a mattress aren’t generally the weakest link in a mattress and the upper layers of a mattress are generally the weakest link in terms of the durability and useful life of the mattress.
In other words … in terms of the durability and useful life of a mattress there would be no reason for concern with either innersprings or latex in the support core of a mattress.