Feedback on latex innerspring idea

[phoenix]

Hi wsmith,

I was particularly interested in the latex mattresses but found that the all latex were out of my price range and, much to my surprise, I preferred the feeling of a combo innerspring and latex mattress. My favorite was their Amish-made Forever Plush which uses an innerspring (they advertise it as the best on the market) with 2 inches of 19 ILD Mountaintop latex on top and bottom with 1.5" polyfoam quilted covers, making it reversible. It comes with a lifetime warrantee. The price is $999 which is a stretch for me, even though I know it’s a reasonable price for what it is. I will pay it if I have to, but would really like to find a less expensive solution.

You certainly aren’t alone in this and there are many others whose favorite type of mattress is an innerspring/latex hybrid (see post #6 here and post #13 here). Your mattress also has the benefit of being two sided which will add to its durability as well (see post #3 here for more about the pros and cons of two sided mattresses).

Marco suggested a less expensive, but well-made basic mattress with an added 1.5" organic cotton and wool mattress topper. The topper felt like a cloud and was luxuriously soft, but I had concerns about its suitability for a major comfort layer component for someone of my size and because I sleep on both sides and my stomach.

I’m not sure of the specifics of this mattress but if your testing indicates it is a good match for you in terms of PPP then I would pay more attention to your own testing than any “theory” as long as all the materials in the sleeping system are good quality. Both cotton and wool are high quality and durable materials and are suitable for higher body weights although to some degree they will tend to become a little firmer as they compress over time.

I wish I had thought of it while I was there so I could have tested it, but it occurred to me the next day that a variant on that idea might work. That is a basic mattress using the same innerspring as the Forever Plush with a 2" 19 ILD latex topper. It would still be reversible but I’d only be paying for 1 layer of latex. I would, however, be losing the 1.5" of polyfoam in the quilting.

I would be very cautious with this unless you can test it in person because the quilting components will be a significant part of the feel and performance of the mattress. I would personally lean towards what you know works well for you than making changes that are unpredictable or uncertain. There is more about the effect of quilting layers in post #12 here and the posts it links to. Because every layer and component of a mattress will have some effect on every other layer (including the cover and quilting in a mattress) the effect of making what to some may seem to be “small” changes to the design of a mattress can have a surprisingly significant effect on the feel and performance of a mattress.

Then it occurred to me that I could make a similar version myself. I found large 3" 100% wool batting available for quilting at a very reasonable price on the internet and I can easily do a simple cotton knit casing with yard goods or maybe even better, a large cotton knit sheet. Then it’s a simple matter of tacking/tying the layers together to prevent slipping.

If you are comfortable with some trial and error and with the likelihood that your topper may turn out to be different from the cotton wool topper you are considering then it can certainly be rewarding to make something yourself but I would make sure that you have realistic expectations about whether it will feel or perform the same way because of the differences in the materials and all the other variables that are involved in wool toppers (see post #6 here). IMO … the “best” approach for a DIY mattress or a more complex component (such as a wool topper) is a “spirit of adventure” where your experiences and the satisfaction that comes from the DIY process itself and what you learn along the way are more important than any cost savings which may or may not happen … depending on how your DIY design works out for you in “real life”.

I would also like to eliminate the box spring and use a platform instead. The poplar platform frame at Magic Sleeper is very nice looking and sturdy although I don’t think there’s any flex in it.

If you tested the mattress on a rigid non flexing foundation (a box spring has springs that flex under the mattress while a foundation has no flex) and this is what they recommend for this specific mattress then any suitable support surface that also has no flex and provides even support under the mattress would also be a suitable choice that would “feel” the same or very similar but in general a manufacturer themselves would know more about the type of support system that would be suitable for any of their mattresses (and would meet the warranty criteria).

Phoenix