Hi windyshores,
Tuft and Needle currently uses 3" of 2.9 lb high performance polyfoam (that has good contouring and some localized bounce) on top of a 7" 1.8 lb polyfoam support core.
The Dreamfoam Arctic Dreams currently is offered in three different thicknesses – 8", 10" and 12". The 8" uses a 5.25" polyfoam core under 2" of Energex polyfoam, with .75" polyfoam in the quilt. The 10" uses a 6.25" polyfoam core under 2.5" of Energex polyfoam, with .75" polyfoam in the quilt. The 12" uses a 8.25" polyfoam core under 3" of Energex polyfoam, with .75" polyfoam in the quilt. The polyfoam core is conservatively rated at 1.5 lb., and the Energex polyfoam is 3 lb.
There isn’t really an “equivalent” or “corresponding item” of one item versus another, as they use different foams and combinations. Dreamfoam is a member here, which means that I think highly of them, their advice and their products.
Both brands are CeriPUR-US certified, which included certifying for low VOCs according to their standards, but that of course wouldn’t test for your own specific sensitivities.
This would be extremely rare to be allergic to latex foam, and neither of these items use latex, so it would not be a concern.
If you have a wool sensitivity, even if the mattress contained it, you wouldn’t be in contact with it, so this generally wouldn’t be an issue. Neither of these items contain wool.
These products will off-gas throughout their life, but some people are more sensitive to the odors of a new mattress, so airing it out makes sense regardless of what you purchase.
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 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).
I’m not sure if you’ve read this since your earlier post, but the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well he will sleep), durability (how long he will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the 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).
While again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.
When you’re looking online and can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs, options, and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
Phoenix