Hi Phoenix, what a journey into the bedding world, thanks for opening my eyes to different routes and materials. I was considering using a zoned 6" dunlop 36-40 ild for my main support core. I had the opportunity to try out both a 36 and 40 ILD that were not zoned and both were great…what effects do you think the zoned version would have considering i am going to have a 3" of talalay on top.
not sure if it matters but i am a 5’8 145 lbs bad lower back so i like a firm mattress, 75% back sleeper 25% side and sleep hot
i may even like zoned on the upper layers but havent tried it yet
I had trouble finding a good price on a none zoned king 6"or 9" dunlop if you know of any I did search hard.
i dont mind much blended or organic, from my readings there was little difference in durability and cooling effects between blended and natural dunlop latex?
i was hoping to keep it to around 100$ an inch for the dunlop
I would keep in mind that Dunlop doesn’t come in specific ILD’s and that a Dunlop layer has a natural range of ILD’s across the layer than can vary more than 4 ILD.
Assuming that the zoned layer was zoned in thirds and that the firmer zone was in the middle third … it may provide some options for some people in terms of the firmness of the layer above it.
If you had a mattress design that had a unizone 36 ILD support core which in combination with the type, thickness, and ILD of the layer above it was “allowing” your hips or pelvis to sink in too far to be in good alignment … then a zoned support core it could “hold up” your hips/pelvis slightly more and keep you in better alignment which would result in less discomfort or pain in the lower back when you wake up in the morning that goes with sleeping out of alignment. Dunlop latex has a very high ILD which means it gets firmer faster so in many cases zoning isn’t even necessary to keep most people in alignment.
If you had a mattress design where a unizone 40 ILD support core in combination with a certain thickness, type, or ILD comfort layer was "stopping " your hips from sinking down too far but the shoulder area wasn’t “allowing” your shoulders to sink in far enough and contributing to shoulder pressure issues or upper body alignment issues … then a zoned layer could allow the use of a softer comfort layer that would “support” the hips/pelvis but “allow” the shoulders to sink in more. This would “feel” softer and also could prevent alignment issues in the upper back.
Zoning could also allow for a change in comfort layer thickness that may not be possible otherwise (with thinner comfort layers you will “feel” more of the layers below them than you would with thicker comfort layers of the same type and ILD).
Post #2 here includes links to some information on the site with some theory behind mattress design and layering and has some information about zoning (and post #11 here has some more detailed zoning information as well). I would read these like you read a good book and not “study” them like a textbook because they are only generic and not specific to any individual and because your own personal testing will be more accurate than “theory at a distance”. I would use these as helpful information rather than as the basis for a choice.
You can read more about the different types of latex in post #6 here. In general … Talalay is more breathable than Dunlop but there are also many other factors involved in the sleeping temperature of a mattress that in combination can have an even bigger effect than the type of foam used in the comfort layers (see post #2 here).
This may be too low for a good quality Dunlop latex mattress (unless you were looking at a 100% synthetic continuous pour Dunlop mattress). The quality of the cover can also have a significant effect on the feel and performance … and the cost … of the mattress and I would include this as an important part of the mattress as well.