Hi Shannonrich,
You’ve probably read these already but just in case you can read some of my thoughts about Essentia and some forum discussions with them in this thread and this thread and posts #3 and #4 here. The information and claims on their website are misleading IMO and their pricing is certainly not great and they are a manufacturer that I would be very cautious about considering … especially if you don’t want memory foam in your mattress.
If I was in your shoes I would be very cautious about spending an extra $1000 with them and there are probably better local and online options available to you that would have much better “value” for most people. Some of the better options and possibilities in the Vancouver area are listed in post #2 here. I would also make sure that you use the testing guidelines in the tutorial post to do some careful and objective testing for PPP to make sure that any local mattress you consider is more likely to be a good match for you. The tutorial post also has some good online options if that is a direction you are comfortable with (and of course that includes Brooklyn Bedding which are one of the members here and compete well with the best in the industry).
These types of questions are always up to each person and the parts of their personal value equation that are most important to them so it’s really a matter of your “best judgement”. Neither mattress has any “weak links” in terms of the quality of the materials although of course they may be very different in terms of “value”.
I’m not sure of the price that you would be paying for the Essentia Classic 8 but their web prices are more costly than the Essence (not the same) and I would personally be very cautious spending more money with Essentia. I would also keep in mind that the Classic 8 has about 2" of good quality memory foam (which is not a natural or organic material) and a 6" Dunlop latex core (see post #35 here) while the Essence uses a 6" Dunlop core with 3" of natural Talalay latex which is a higher quality and more costly material than memory foam and also has a wool quilted cover which is also a higher quality and more costly cover. As you mentioned it also has the option of exchanging the comfort layer if you need a softer or firmer version and in King size you can also split the comfort layers on each side to customize them to each of your preferences.
Because the Classic 8 has a 2" memory foam comfort layer and the Essence has a 3" Talalay latex comfort layer and a wool quilted cover they will also “feel” different from each other. You can read more about slow response materials like memory foam and fast response materials like latex in post #2 here.
While the parts of each person’s person’s personal value equation that are most important to them can be very different … If it was me and I was choosing between these two options I would certainly be leaning towards Brooklyn Bedding for all the reasons that you’ve mentioned in your post and in my reply.
Phoenix