I’m interested in buying two mattresses, a full-size one for my 10-year-old and a queen-size one for my husband and me. For my daughter I am thinking of something that will be relatively non-toxic, either with an innerspring or a latex support layer. Possibly something like you’d find at Sleep EZ (https://www.sleepez.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/44) though that seems pricy for a child. The thing is, we want to be able to try out the mattress(es), especially if we are going to buy latex, which we’ve never slept on. Is there any place in the New York area that we can visit to avoid the brand-name stores you recommend against visiting?
Hi rachelk,
Post #2 here includes a list of some of the better options in the NYC area. Post #7 here includes a little more detailed description of many of them and categorizes them more into “groups”. Some of these would provide a better place to “test” latex and some would be a great option for a purchase as well.
Post #2 here also includes some links to various posts and threads which will give you some good options, choices, and guidelines for a child’s mattress that may help you as well. Some of these may not be available for local testing but they can help you know what may work best and give you some good reference points to look for and make “value” comparisons.
I like the idea of a 6" latex layer (such as the SleepEz 7000 or the slightly less expensive “special” listed here) because they have the option of adding a topper as the child grows and their needs change. As you mention though … latex is a more costly material although it is also very durable and well worth the price … especially with higher quality latex (especially blended Talalay or 100% natural Dunlop). Post #21 here lists the members here who sell online and there may be some good options here either as a possibility or as a “value” reference point.
You are “wise” to avoid the name brand stores both in terms of quality of materials and value!
Hope this helps and if you have questions along the way feel free to post them.
You have some good choices available in the general area 
Phoenix
Thanks for your detailed reply, which is incredibly helpful. I very much appreciate it.
I spoke to someone at RoomandBoard about their relatively inexpensive innerspring plus foam option, which I was considering for my daughter. Although Restwell touts their natural products, it turns out that the foam is poly-soy, and my understanding is that this really isn’t much better than polyurethane. Do I have this wrong?
Also, if I were to get the SleepEZ special that you mention, and if I wanted to add a topper, what would you recommend?
Hi rachelk,
Soy poly, ecofoam, soy based foam, plant based foam, and many other names are just names for polyfoam (or memory foam) which has had some of the petrochemical polyols (one of two main chemicals used to make polyfoam) replaced with various plant oil based polyol substitutes. The percentage replaced is usually under 20%. This means that 80% of this one chemical (which can range from about 50% to 65% or so of the composition of polyfoam) is still petrochemical based not to mention the rest of the chemicals used in the foam.
While it’s a small step in a good direction (replacing with petrochemicals with renewable alternatives) … it’s far from green or natural. There is no natural polyfoam or memory foam (in spite of some claims to the contrary) that you may come across).
The quality and durability of polyfoam and memory foam (including those that use polyol replacements) is determined primarily by density.
The only way to know this would be to sleep on the mattress and use your specific experience (in terms of pressure relief and support) or the experience of the person/child on the mattress as a reference point. It would depend entirely on how close to your or their ideal you were on the mattress by itself and how much you wanted to soften the surface or improve the pressure relief. It probably wouldn’t need a topper at all for a child depending on the ILD you chose for the layers when you purchased the mattress. If it was for an adult … then it would probably be better to go to the sleepez 8" special which has an additional 2" softer layer and would be less than the 6" version plus a separate topper.
RoomandBoard has their own line of mattresses made by Restwell (they aren’t the same as the Restwell products) including latex models and while they are “better than average” value … I would probably focus on the last five choices “organized” list I linked which are most likely to have the best value of all on the list. In particular you may want to call or visit Dixie foam which makes some good value latex mattresses and toppers.
Phoenix