Hi Phoenix,
Got some more info from Stacy’s. Seems the manufacturer is Custom Coils which has a program called “J Stowe Custom Sleep”. At least that’s what the salesman wrote me back.
The bed itself has 9" pocketed coils in a poly “box”. Then on top is the 4" of Talalay Latex (in custom inserts put inside a zipped upper part.
Hopefully this is a reliable maker and a durable product. Any other thoughts on your part would be welcomed. 
CJC
Hi cjc,
I don’t know a lot about Comfort Coil or J. Stowe but there is a little more about them in this thread. I had forgotten they were being sold at Stacy’s (and other retailers as well) so I added this to the Stacy’s link in the Dallas list. Like any mattress, they are as good as the construction and materials inside it regardless of who puts the materials inside the cover and attaches their label to it.
If the only components are the pocket coil and the 4" of Talalay latex then these would be good quality materials although I’m not a great fan of foam surrounds in a mattress (they are a good way to cut the cost of steel and can soften over time). this means the mattress should be in the range of 13" or a little more. If it’s thicker than that, then I would also want to know the other materials in the mattress. they are customizable on each side which is a nice feature and the layers van be removed and exchanged down the road which is a nice feature as well.
Of course their “value” would depend on price and on how well they compared to other similar latex/innerspring hybrids mattresses that are available to you including some of the local manufacturers in Dallas Fort worth.
If these are all the materials (and the mattress is in the range of 13" thick or just a bit thicker) then there wouldn’t be any obvious weak links in the mattress.
Phoenix
Thanks Phoenix… yes, the mattress is 13" in total. I’m sure it might be available somewhere at greater “value” than what we’re paying but at this point, I’m settling for ensuring a quality, durable product is coming my way.
You’ve been most prompt and thorough and I sincerely appreciate your help as you’ve put my mind at ease on this for now.
Best regards,
CJC
Hi cjc,
I’m glad to hear it!
Sometimes it can take some persistance when you are dealing with salespeople who don’t make it easy to get meaningful information about what they are selling but it’s worth it in the end
Phoenix
I live in Dallas and am going to visit The Mattress Factory and maybe one other that you recommend. But I’m having a little hesitation about the Mattress Factory’s only using Dunlop latex. It seems I’ve read that Talalay is higher quality. Should I be concerned?
Hi Susaboo,
All latex is a good material relative to other types of foam and the choice between them is really a matter of preference rather than “better or worse”.
There is a lot of information on the internet which “promotes” one type of latex over another and says one is “better” than another and these types of comparisons can be very misleading because they are different and each version of latex has its own pros and cons.
You can read more about how different types of latex compare in this article and post #2 here along with more detailed and technical information in post #2 here and post #6 here.
As you can see … I certainly wouldn’t “rate” one as being “better” than another unless the specific context and definition of what someone means by “better” is part of the discussion.
My own personal preference for example is Talalay but my daughter tried both extensively and much prefers the feel and performance of Dunlop which is what she purchased … with my “blessing”
Phoenix
I found this site last night and I’m off to visit the Mattress Factory in Fort Worth today. Thanks!
Hi MEENag,
I’m glad you found us and I’m looking forward to your feedback. There are a few good manufacturers in the Dallas area that are all good options to include in your research.
Phoenix
We ended up visiting 3 manufacturers in the area:
The Mattress Factory
City Mattress Factory
Sleep Craft Mattress Co.
We didn’t buy anything yet and I’m not sure what to think.
At the mattress factory we were helped by an associate that wasn’t very knowledgable (but was nice). The owner was there when we got there but left a few minutes later. The showroom is not particularly nice. We were looking at latex beds and they had two to try. One was really firm and the other was medium. We were told the medium was a Dunlop core with 2" Talalay on each side.
Next we went to City mattress. They also had 2 latex models to try. The associate here was a little more knowledgable but I still knew more technical info about latex than she did and I just started reading last night. One of their latex mattresses was just the latex core with a quilted cover. The other was a latex core with a 1" foam on each side and then a the quilted cover. We were told that the 1" foam was latex but I’m not sure that was correct.
The last place we went to was Sleep Craft. There we talked to the owner who was very knowledgable about the materials. They had a few latex models. Two of them were just 6" Talalay cores with covers quilted with 1" foam. He said that laminating two different densities of foam was a bad idea because they would wear differently and that in Europe they have been using one piece latex mattresses for a long time. They had two densities, N3 and N4 for the single latex mattreses. Their other option was a innerspring “core” with a separate latex topper. It was a little too soft for my taste. We were told by the owner that he didn’t believe that The Mattress Factory was using 100% Talalay comfort layers (because of knowledge that the only distributor doesn’t sell to the mattress factory).
Each place had a memory foam option that we tried and my wife and I both clearly favored latex mattresses over memory foam. There is a distinctly different feel.
So what’s the next step? I think we will decide between the Mattress Factory’s Dunlop core with 2" Talalay layers on each side and Sleep Craft’s single layer 100% Talalay N3 density. If the mattress factory unit is as it was described (100% Talalay comfort layers and 100% Dunlop core) then I will likely go that route. I would also like to find out more about whether layering latex is a bad idea.
Hi MEENag,
There are two different types of Talalay latex. One is blended talalay and the other is 100% natural Talalay. Both of these are 100% Talalay (which is the process used to make the material not the type of raw latex itself). Having said that I was also told by Peter that he was no longer using Talalay at all and only using Dunlop and yet I have also heard feedback that they have told people that they were. I would hold off on any purchase here until I have had the chance to talk with him to confirm whether he is once again using Talalay in his mattresses because they may be mixing up the two types of latex. The Talalay latex that Sleepcraft is using is 100% natural Talalay (which is rated for softness and firmness from N1 to N5 instead of ILD).
I personally would have no issue with having different layers with different firmness levels of latex in the same mattress because that’s how you can create different designs that can change the balance between the comfort and support of a latex mattress. There are many manufacturers across the country that build multi layer latex mattresses. While many manufacturers also use a single latex layer with a choice of firmness levels with a thin quilting layer on either side … this is certainly not the only effective way to design a latex mattress and there are many people who prefer a mattress with softer layers of latex over a firmer support core or in some cases even several layers. Many manufacturers also use a box spring with a single layer mattress instead of a foundation to create more “give” in the mattress which can also be an effective combination. In the end this boils down to which mattress works best for you.
It’s true that the softer comfort layers will soften or break down more quickly than the deeper support layers that are firmer but this is true of any mattress and it’s just part of how a mattress wears over time. The tradeoff may be a mattress that is more suitable in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) vs a mattress that lasts a little longer that isn’t as suitable for your specific needs and preferences. It’s like having a choice of sleeping better for a little shorter period of time or sleeping worse for a little longer. Of course if a single layer mattress is perfect for you then it becomes a moot point because there would be no benefit to adding a comfort layer that you didn’t need.
If you are within reasonable driving distance … I would also consider paying a visit to the fourth manufacturer in the Dallas area since you have visited the other three anyway because they are also making some good quality mattresses.
Phoenix
Phoenix,
I appreciate all of the great info and thoughts you provided. I look forward to reading what you learn about The Mattress Factory using Talalay from Peter.
I’m quite impressed by the promptness of your replies, along with the thoroughness. This seems like a pretty well trafficked forum so it has to be difficult to keep up with.
Thanks for your help.
Jeff
Hi Meenag,
I’ll post here as soon as I know.
Thanks for the kind words.
I’m gradually learning how to make do with less sleep … and I’ve learned to type a lot faster than when I first started
Phoenix
MEENag,
Thanks for your write up on your store visits. We are in a similar predicament, latex vs memory foam, and we have been thinking about making the trek over to Fort Worth to look at mattresses. Let us know what you wind up doing.
Dave
Hi Meenag,
I talked with Peter today and he confirmed that they are once again supplying Talalay latex for the comfort layers and that their core is Dunlop so the information they are providing is correct
Phoenix
BIG THANKS for following up with Peter and getting that information! I think that is the way we are going to go. I’d like to see if he has options for comfort layer density and whether the cover is quilted to another layer of thin latex(their website reads that way), so I think I’ll give him a call in the next couple of days. Thanks again for your effort. I’m really impressed with your knowledge and helpfulness.
Jeff
Thanks to this thread and reading for few days straight. Going to visit the mattress factory in FW this Saturday. Hopefully they have an experienced person to help get the correct mattress. Thanks for this great forum.
Hi Slowgrind and MeeNag,
I’m looking forward to the feedback about your experiences from both of you.
It might be worth calling before you go to make sure Peter will be there because based some of the comments here the person that replaces him when he is off isn’t as knowledgeable as he is.
Phoenix
After talking to Peter on the phone (his preferred method) and via email, we decided to order one of his latex mattresses. It has a 6" 100% latex 36 ILD (i think) Dunlop core with 2" 100% latex 28 ILD Talalay comfort layers of both sides. The other option was 36 ILD Talalay comfort layers. When we tried the 28 ILD in the store we liked it but thought we wanted to try something a little softer. They don’t make a softer latex mattress but Peter told me that he could order 19-20 ILD 2" Talalay if we really wanted it. He recommended getting the 28 ILD and trying it for a few weeks and if we still want the softer latex, he will switch it out for us. I sent him an email on Thursday to place the order, he called on Friday(today) to say he was making it that day and it will be delivered tomorrow morning (Saturday). So far dealing with Peter and the Mattress Factory has been great. I hope the actual product continues that. I’ll report back my experiences with it.
I’m very thankful for this website and the work that you do Phoenix. I find myself wanting to get into mattress conversions with friends and coworkers just so I can pass on what I’ve learned and direct them to this site. Thanks again!
Jeff
Hi MEENag,
That would be very firm (probably too firm) for most people and 28 ILD would be much closer to the norm (depending on what was in the quilting in the cover).
I think his advice is probably good if you have tested the combination … especially if you can replace it for softer latex if you need to. You can also add a topper if necessary if you need comfort layers that are just a bit softer or thicker as well.
Thanks for the kind words … and the more people that can learn that there really is a better way to choose a mattress and the less the major manufacturers dominate the industry … the better it will be for consumers in general. You are probably more of an “expert” now than most of the people who sell mattresses in the mainstream industry!
Congratulations on your new mattress … and I’m looking forward to your feedback when you’ve had the chance to sleep on it
Phoenix
After 2 weeks of sleeping on our new latex mattress from The Mattress Factory in Fort Worth, I can say that I am very pleased.
It is quite comfortable. No elaboration here. It’s just feels good.
It doesn’t sleep hot. I don’t notice a difference between the new latex mattress and my old innerspring mattress).
It has a much different feel than our old innerspring, as expected. It isolates motion much better , but doesn’t feel like it hinders movement like memory foam does. I’ve heard/read many times that memory foam makes the non-sleeping mattress activities awkward… Not so for our latex mattress.
The only unresolved issue I have is whether to get a mattress protector. Since I’m so happy with the way it feels without one, I fear a mattress protector will affect the feel negatively.
Overall I’m very pleased. Thanks again to Phoenix and this site for all of the help and advice.
Jeff