Difference Between Latex Beds

[phoenix]

Hi mjester,

We currently have a Night Therapy memory foam mattress (Cal King) that we have been sleeping on for 3 years. It seems like after a few years these things really start to deteriorate and are a shell of their former self. Fast forwarding ahead- we have spent the last couple of weekends mattress shopping.

Unfortunately this is one of the issues with a mattress that uses lower quality/density and less durable materials in the upper layers. They can “feel” very similar to higher quality/density materials of the same type … for a while … but they don’t last nearly as long.

She really likes the Sleep Number p5. I think it’s a pretty good bed too, but I have several issues with it: namely the space in the middle and what I believe to be a more gimmicky type of a product. I’m sure plenty of people are satisfied with them…

You can see my thoughts about Airbeds in general this article. For those who decide that they prefer an airbed anyway regardless of their potential weaknesses then there is a list of many of the manufacturers that make them in post #3 here and there would be many better quality/value choices than Sleep Number.

I’m trying to convince her to get on the latex bandwagon. I love the fact that they don’t seem to lose their bounce back properties and the lifespan is probably higher on these than any other bed. We visited Foam Sweet Foam a couple weeks ago and she was completely turned off by every bed we tried out. She said it felt like a trampoline and she got a dizzy sensation. I kinda felt like what she was talking about. We tried many different combinations of Talalay and Dunlop. Today we tried out another Latex bed that was called Pure Latex Bliss. She was more open to this model, especially with a mattress topper. Seems like she likes the softer latex setup. Anyway, looks like these mattresses are a bit more expensive than the others i’ve seen. I’m still trying to sell her on the idea but I know it’s difficult to try out a lot of these without being in a local store. We are in Southern California

Every category of mattresses includes hundreds of different designs and models inside the category so it’s not uncommon at all that one mattress may be a better match than another even if they use exactly the same or similar materials but have different designs or firmness levels. The PLB mattresses use blended Talalay latex which is a good quality material but is also slightly different from the more costly 100% natural latex that is used in the FSF mattresses and as you know the PLB mattresses use softer latex layers than the FSF mattresses. For some people this could also be somewhat more risky because mattresses that use thicker layers of softer materials can feel great in a showroom but can cause support/alignment issues over the course of the night so I would make sure you do some careful and objective testing for PPP using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post.

While the Pure Latex Bliss mattresses are generally in a higher budget range than many smaller manufacturers that use the same materials … they are also better quality/value than most mainstream choices. They also have MAP pricing which means that retailers can only advertise their “controlled pricing” but if you do decide to purchase a PLB mattress then post #32 here includes some retailers that carry them that can ship them across the country that may be worth calling and talking to on the phone so you can make some meaningful pricing comparisons.

The mattress shopping tutorial (which is the best place to start your research) includes a link to a list of the members here that sell mattresses online (in the optional online step) and many of them also sell latex mattresses with a wide range of different designs, options, features, firmness levels, and exchange and return policies in a wide range of budgets as well.

I’m not sure where you are in the Southern California area but some of the better local options and possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Los Angeles area are listed in post #2 here and for the San Diego area in post #2 here.

Phoenix