My husband and I are in the market for a new bed for the first time in about 18 years. Our old one was a super high end Serta, tufted with 4-5" of very plush memory foam as the comfort layer and a deep core which I believe was a very firm foam. We loved it, and we both really loved the soft feel. We could sit up in bed without "mushing down, we never felt hot, and it didn’t have that “quicksand” feel. But it was worn out and starting to take a toll on our sleep and our bodies.
We are looking at latex this time around, but it seems a total crapshoot to find one that offers the perfect spinal alignment and yet be soft enough for our preferences, so we are looking at DIY and are willing to go firmer if it means better alignment. My hubby has a tendency toward back pain. We went to the only showroom that offers DIY latex in our region: Naturepedic. With the help of the knowledgeable salesperson, we decided the best spinal alignment fit was the Naturepedic EOS, with a 3" medium top over 8" pocketed coils (they only had coil options, no latex cores). That combo was firmer than either of us preferred, but our bodies could feel the improved alignment. My husband had better (impeccable actually!) spinal alignment on a much firmer 12" Magniflex Cool they had. But it wasn’t as good of alignment for me as the Naturepedic. So we have slightly different needs.
We will be in Charleston next week and plan to stop at Sleeping Organic’s showroom, and this may be the only chance we get to try out a latex core, so I want to make it count. I am trying to figure out the best configuration to try with spinal alignment being our highest priority (with a plush top our second priority.), About us:
Hubby
6’ 190 lbs
Me
5’'5" 170 lbs
My questions:
Since the best alignment came with firmer beds than we prefer, does that mean that plush feel (that feels like 3" of good memory foam) is out? Is there a configuration that can allow for both stellar alignment and a very plush comfort layer? If so, what is that combo?
Would something like the LaNoodle Cuddle Top be the best option for adding that softness we crave if we have to get a more firm bed?
They offer 2, 3, or 4 layers in 7", 10", and 13" thicknesses. Is there any benefit to the 4 layer over the 3? Or even the 3 layers over 2? (I didn’t feel any perceived benefit in the Naturepedic to have 2 layers over coils verses one layer.)
The one post on your forum I can find about the Sleeping Organic brand was a customer who had premature sagging - within the first year. Should this be concerning to me?
They nickel and dime you on returns and exchanges to the point, I am not sure we will buy from them. Will their latex beds feel drastically different than other brands? If I can get the combo down in that store, should it transfer to another company I may not be able to try out, but has a hassle free, truly free return policy?
It sounds like you’ve been able to do some really useful in person testing. Slightly differing needs isn’t uncommon and many people choose to go with a split configuration because of it.
Sleeping Organic is a great company and they’ll be able to help you with all of your questions and concerns, split configuration or otherwise. Do let us know how it goes and ultimately how you find the all-latex bed.
I wouldn’t say so. You may just need a thinner, softer comfort layer atop the firmer transition layer to get the sinking you want with the support you need.
A topper can be a great solution to creating a softer sleep experience, for sure. The LaNoodle is a really nice, durable product. I’ve only heard good things about it.
Most people who benefit from a thicker mattress have more extreme support needs, higher weights, or some other need for the thicker bed. (Sometimes, though, this can be a matter of preference). In a fully latex bed, the benefit can be the allowance of swapping out and building that “best bed” for yourself with a little tweaking in the different layers.
I wouldn’t be worried. Latex failure can/does occur but it super uncommon. If it does happen, it should be covered in the warranty.
It’s pretty normal for people to test beds and get data points from manufacturers they ultimately don’t purchase from. I don’t believe their beds will feel drastically different than other latex beds, assuming they use they same latex (talalay or dunlop) in the same ILD. You won’t be able to get an identical feel between manufacturers unless they source their latex from the exact same place, use the exact same encasements, etc. But it wouldn’t be impossible to get a similar feel elsewhere.
