280lb guy here.
Sleep apena, side and back sleeper.
I don’t know which way to turn. Was about to order the latex one today but came on here again and the 1.8lb core has me worried b/c at my weight i should be shooting towards 2lb. Even though the UD SG is 1.8lb there is 8" of it. More below
UD Latex: 10" mattress
6" 1.8lb HD Poly Foam
3" Talalay Latex
UD SG: 12" mattress
8" 1.8lb HD Poly Foam
1.8lb of 4lb gel memory foam, 2.5lb of 4lb memory foam ( 4" total )
Would I actually be better off with the 8" core on the mem foam vs the 6" core, considering my weight? ( 280lbs )
Is the 3" latex that big a difference in terms of comfort/longevity vs the 4" gel / mem foam top?
You are really looking at three “separate but connected” issues in your choice between them and deciding which of the trade-offs involved are most important to you.
One is durability. A mattress will generally soften and break down from the top layers down because ongoing foam compression and deflection is the primary reason that foam materials will tend to soften and break down. In most cases smaller differences between the density of the support layers will make much less difference in the durability and useful life of the mattress than differences in the durability of the top layers but higher weight ranges will tend to compress a mattress more deeply so the density of the deeper layers will make a bigger difference than they would for those that are in lighter weight ranges. While there is no way to quantify the useful life or a mattress or predict exactly when you will decide to replace it (because this is the only real measure of durability that counts) because it depends as much on where you are inside the comfort/support range that is suitable for you and your own sensitivity to changes in a mattress as it does on the mattress itself … in general terms latex is a much more durable material than 4 lb memory foam. There is more about the many variables that can affect the durability and useful life of a mattress relative to different people in post #4 here.
Another is comfort and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences). This is much more subjective and a matter of personal preferences. Memory foam and latex are completely different materials that respond very differently from each other and are very much an apples to oranges comparison. Some people will strongly prefer one material and some will prefer the other. There would be little value in buying a mattress that you aren’t comfortable with or that you don’t sleep well on because you don’t like the properties of the material that it’s made from no matter how durable it may be. There is more about the general differences between memory foam and latex in post #2 here but the best way to know which type of material or mattress you tend to prefer will be based on your own personal testing and experience. In other words I would rather purchase a mattress that I slept well on for a few years that was less durable than purchase a mattress that was more durable that I would never sleep well on at all.
Finally there is cost. The reality is that higher density and more durable materials tend to cost more and if you are in a lower budget range then it may not be possible to have everything you may otherwise wish for in a mattress and you may need to make some compromises (or of course raise your budget). Since the firmer deeper layers in a mattress will deflect and compress less than the upper layers … using slightly lower density materials in the deeper layers of a lower budget mattress can be a reasonable compromise or “tradeoff” that can reduce the cost of the mattress and will have less effect than using lower density or less durable foams in the upper layers. While it likely wouldn’t last as long as a mattress that uses the same or similar comfort layers and that uses a higher density base layer … the difference in durability will be less than if you use less durable materials in the upper layers of the mattress.
Since the type and density of the foam would be the same … the thickness of the support core will make little difference in terms of durability.
While I can’t speak to which one would be more “comfortable” for you because you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … latex in general will be a significantly more durable material than 4 lb memory foam.
There is also more information 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 to fine tune the mattress or any exchange/return options that are available to you).
Assuming that you prefer latex vs memory foam and you are comfortable with all the sometimes difficult trade-offs involved in a mattress purchase … congratulations on your new mattress
You are certainly making a great quality/value choice relative to your budget range and I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback when you’ve received it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.
I would also make sure that you talk with Dreamfoam so that they can provide you with some guidance about the firmness choice that would be most suitable for you as well.
