I live in Southern California. I started realizing a month or so that my Simmons Beautyrest Pillow top was on its way out. It was a super plush mattress that suddenly started developing a valley. I had hurt my back playing tennis a few weeks ago and I think the mattress is keeping the muscle I pulled from healing completely. I purchased the mattress and the one before that at a local Simmons outlet store that sold seconds about 12 years ago. I paid about 1/3rd of the retail price at the time. That store is no longer in business and I knew I did not want to deal with normal mattress stores so I began my research.
My first order of business was to go out and see what the current crop of mattresses feel like. I decided I would go out on my lunch break for several days in Rancho Cucamonga where I work. I went to a local outlet type store and they seemed to have good deals on some of the big name mattress brands especially Stearns & Foster. I liked a couple of them and they were in my price range, but I felt I needed more data before I could make a purchase. I next went to a store that claimed that they contracted with mattress manufactures and had mattresses built to their specs. It turned out that they were nothing more than a retailer that sold mattresses from companies that made the mattresses to order. This is where I got to try my first latex mattresses. They carry the Pure Talalay Bliss brand. I really liked the “Beautiful” but it is beyond the price I wanted to pay. They had some conventional pillow top mattress that I liked well enough and they were in my price range, but after trying latex I was not really satisfied.
My next stop was at a local mattress store\factory. I found a couple of pillow top mattresses there that I liked a great deal in my price range. I was really tempted to buy one of them, but I asked the salesman if they had anything with latex in it. He took me to a mattress that was a hybrid of mostly latex. It just blew away the others I liked, but at over $4,200 it was just too much. They told me that they could take one of the pillow tops and when they build it could substitute a 2" layer of latex in the pillow top in place of the 3" poly for only $300. I was tempted, but felt I needed to do more research.
Now that I knew what I liked I started my internet research which led me to this site. I spent most of Friday night reading various posts on this forum and realized that I live in a pretty good area for purchasing. Flexus caught my eye as well as Foam Sweet Foam. I decided to visit Flexus yesterday because they are only a half an hour away and have a show room that is open on Saturdays. They were in the midst of a $300 off sale so it seemed that my timing was good. I met with James and he invited me to test everything. My research had indicated that a 10"Natural Comfort mattress should be what I was looking for. I was disappointed. I felt it was lacking in softness, and I really didn’t think to ask what the firmness was of the 3 layers so he could switch then up with softer ones. I tried the 13" mattress next. James told me to try the left side first because the left and right had different layers. The 13" felt great! It was a little stiffer than the mattress at the factory I was at the day before, but it was something I could easily live with. The 4 layers were (starting at the bottom 3" Dunlop firm, 3" Dunlop medium, 3" Dunlop medium, 3" Talalay soft. I next tried the right side of the bed. This was it! It felt like the perfect mattress, soft on my back but yet supportive. The difference from the left side was the bottom layer on the right side is medium in place of the firm layer.
The sale is ending tomorrow, so I went ahead and placed my order. It included delivery srtup, 2 latex pillows, and they pay the sales tax. The mattress is being build tomorrow and is scheduled for delivery on Wednesday. They are going to haul off my old mattress for an additional $25. I am looking forward to my new mattress!
Hi Schenkelini,
Welcome to the site!
I’m glad you found us and were able to use the resources here to make an informed decision.
I appreciate you taking the time to chronicle your mattress search, and I look forward to your follow up comments once you’ve had some time to sleep on your new mattress. As you’re aware, Flexus is a member of this site and I think they make a product that offers a great value and uses quality componentry.
Congratulations on your new mattress!
Phoenix
Schenkelini,
I purchased the 13" from Flexus eight months ago and could not be happier. I have a different configuration but that is the beauty of the layers, you can experiment. I dealt with Henry via phone as I am many states away and he helped me choose the proper layers. My only disappointment is why I waited so long to get one. Just need to find the right pillow now. Good luck with your purchase, hope you are as satisfied as we are.
Tim
Hi Tim DV,
Thank you for taking your time to post your comments on your Flexus mattress. I’m glad that you are enjoying your product! As you are aware, you made a good quality/value choice.
For more information on pillows, you may wish to visit the pillow thread here.
Phoenix
The mattress was delivered while I was at work yesterday. I was given a window of from 1:00 to 3:00 and they arrived around 2:00. The mattress was setup and the old one hauled away. The service was excellent!
I had a real problem falling asleep last night. The mattress is not very soft at this point and has a radical difference in feel compared to my old pillow top. . I have read numerous threads about latex having to break in so that is no real surprise. I have also read about the adjustment period for one’s body to adjust to a new style mattress. I am hoping that process will not take too long. I did call and speak to James at Flexus and he said that if I was not happy by Monday that they could change the second layer from medium to soft. I am hoping that will not be necessary.
Hi Schenkelini,
Congratulations on the delivery of your new mattress. I would agree with you that it certainly does take time for you to adjust to the mattress, as well as the mattress to “adjust” to you. I recommend people take as much time as is allowed within their exchange period in order to go through this adjustment period. There will almost always be this “period of retrogression” where things don’t feel as you’re used to them feeling.
At least you’ve already spoken to James at Felxus and they are willing to assist you should you decide to make a change.
I look forward to your follow-up comments.
Phoenix
Hello Schenkelini,
We also recently ordered an all natural latex mattress from James at Flexus Comfort (and a Leggett & Platt adjustable bed frame) for my 91-yr-old mother, which was delivered on Oct. 22nd. As this was a major purchase, I spent a lot of time researching mattresses and adjustable beds online (thank goodness that I eventually found this site-so helpful!) and concluded that Leggett & Platt and all natural latex mattresses were the way to go. Thanks to this site (& Phoenix), I found Flexus, the only quality all natural latex mattress manufacturer with a showroom within 45-60 minutes drive of where we live (South Bay area, 1/2 hour’s drive south of Los Angeles). Took Mom to try out mattresses and we met James, who was very helpful and kind. He was also honest, telling us that for a petite person like my mother, a 9" or 10" 3-layer latex mattress was more than adequate. Mom preferred the combo of (top) talalay-soft; (2nd) Dunlop-medium; & (bottom) Dunlop-medium. Ordered it Monday (Henry, the owner, took my phone order - also very nice and helpful) and the mattress and adjustable bed frame were delivered on Saturday between 12-2:00 as promised. (Their prices were very reasonable, comparatively.) Jack and his assistant were great - they quickly dismantled and carried away the old box spring, bed frame, and memory foam mattress for a $25 fee and then carried up (to a second story bedroom) and set up her new (& heavy!) adjustable bed frame and mattress. Jack was clearly very experienced and knowledgeable of adjustable bed frames and latex mattresses. He did a great job and was very nice and patient when demonstrating the bed’s features and use of the remote control to us.
Despite the fact that an error had been made on her latex density (instead of soft/medium/medium, James accidentally ordered soft/firm/firm), she slept very well and reported no back pain in the a.m. for the first two nights. Jack was back the following Monday (Day 3) and swapped out the middle “firm” layer with “medium”, as James asked after two nights sleep “testing” if she wanted her mattress a little softer or much softer and she replied just a little softer. Four nights’ sleep later, she is happy with her soft/medium/firm combo. Her latex mattress doesn’t get too hot the way her memory foam mattress used to and provides good support of her back but is soft enough for her arthritic joints. She adjusted almost immediately to the feel of her latex mattress after 10+ years of sleeping on her memory foam mattress.
The only other problem we’ve had is that the height of the bed frame+mattress is a tad too high for Mom, but we can’t go too low or the bed frame will scrape the floor when adjusting positions. We will be ordering shorter bed “legs” (by 1") and hope this is low enough for Mom to get in and out of bed easily. It will be Jack’s third “house call” in 9 days. James (and Jack) have been very accommodating and flexible throughout this process. They seem to truly care about getting the mattress and bed frame “right” for my mother’s optimal comfort. Overall, I am very happy with Flexus Comfort Mattresses: top quality products at very competitive prices and terrific customer service. We will likely be purchasing another latex mattress from them in the near future.
Good luck - hope you soon find your latex mattress perfect “fit”!
And Phoenix - thank you so much for the incredible amount of accurate information and helpful input! Your site is a “must read” for anyone shopping for a mattress and bed frame.
Sincerely yours,
LTM
Hi LTM,
Thank you for your feedback about your mom’s purchase of her adjustable bed and latex mattress from Flexus Comfort Mattress Company. As you’re aware, Flexus is a member of this site and you certainly made an excellent quality/value choice. It seems that they are providing you and your mom some excellent service. It’s nice when retailers do their best to provide in the best interests of their customers.
You’re very welcome. I’m glad to be of service. 
Phoenix
Well I have 3 nights under my belt and the mattress is getting softer. It is still no where as soft as the one of the same configuration in the showroom. It still has a long way to go to make me happy. I hope it keeps improving!
I am now at 4 nights. The improvement in softness seems to have stopped at this point. This mattress feels way firmer than the one I was sold on in the showroom. I find myself unsure of what to do. I find it hard to believe at this point that a single layer change is going to bring the softness level to what I thought I was buying.
I am trying to figure out what happened to this mattress. I can only come up with 2 conclusions. Either James was wrong about the densities of the layers of the mattress I tested in the show room, or when the mattress was assembled denser layers were used. If my mattress is truly medium, medium, medium, soft then it seems to me that it would take a change to medium, soft, soft, soft to get what I am looking for. In discussing this with James after the first night he made it clear that they only allow one layer change under their warranty.
Just to make sure I knew what I was feeling I went back to the mattress factory that I had visited before I went to Flexus and retried the $4,700 all latex mattress that led me to this site. This mattress feels just as I remember it, soft but yet supportive. My Flexus mattresses is a firm feeling mattress by comparison. I do not like firm!
Hi Schenkelini,
Your mattress certainly has not reached an initial “broken-in” state in only 4 nights, but you may be at the point that you desire a comfort exchange on a layer.
Changing even a thin layer within a mattress can have a dramatic impact upon overall comfort, so swapping out a 3" layer for something new certainly can have a considerable impact on comfort, as thousands of people have done on this forum.
I would find it odd that James was incorrect about the arrangements of the different layers of his showroom model, but it’s always good to reconfirm not only what is in the showroom but also what is in your home, and that the layers are in correct order. It’s also important to note that the cover your mattress is using will soften over time, especially if it is a thicker cotton/wool cover.
It’s important to note that there are always variations in the comfort of different batches of latex, and densities/ILDs are not an exact science, and they fall within a small range. It’s also important to note that Dunlop layers will tend to feel softer on one side versus another, so you’d want to be sure that your layers were arranged with the “softer side” facing up.
Even with all of that being said, you may personally be at the point where you want to change out a layer and make the bed softer. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Comparing two different mattresses from different companies and expecting one to feel exactly the same as the other, especially when it is from another store, isn’t reasonable. Different stores source their foams from various sources, and even the terminology of “soft” or “hard” for a particular layer isn’t meant to be an exact method of comparing, as these are general terms that a company/manufacturer will use to describe the overall feel of a particular layer.
Your best option is a detailed discussion with James as to the layer you’d like to change. His experience will be a useful guide based upon your feedback. It’s nice that you made the choice of a product that you can customize over time, and that you had the foresight to choose a brand that does allow a comfort exchange, like Flexus does.
Keep us updated as to your decision.
Phoenix
I went back to that store because it is close to home and because my experience there is what caused me to buy at Flexus. That expensive mattress was only slightly better feeling to me than the floor model at Flexus; I used it as a point of reference. I wanted to make sure that I remembered the feeling like I thought I did. I have not heard about Dunlop being directional. Is it difficult to tell which side is the soft side? I can certainly flip a layer if need be. I did open up the mattress earlier today. It looks realy good. One of the Dunlop ;layers had a green tag on it with the number 85 on it. That seems too high a number to be the ILD rating. Do you have any idea what it is refering to?
The soonest I can get back to Covina is Saturday. That will give me 6 more nights to see what happens. If there is not a decent change I plan to exchange a layer. on Saturday. I must say that this process is far more difficult than I expected.
HI Schenkelini.
Dunlop isn’t directional, but there can be one side a little firmer than the other, depending upon the thickness of the mold used and where the sheet was sliced (if it was sliced) from the core. You’d have to speak to James about that and he could provide you more accurate advice about the layers he uses. You’ll certainly realize much greater results in an increase in softness by exchanging a layer.
That would more than likely be a density number from the latex manufacturer (kg/m3). But it could also just be an inventory control number used by the factory.
It’s good that you can have a few more days to sleep on the product. That gives you a better frame of reference and more time for things to “adjust”.
You’ve ordered one mattress and might be exchanging one layer to achieve a better plushness. This is part of the benefit of a component mattress – the ability to customize and not be stuck with one configuration forever. Most people appreciate the ability to "manipulate’ comfort and have a second chance to “get it right”, but at least you’re dealing with someone who is willing to make this as easy as possible for you. I think you’re on the right track. See if you still want the more plush feel by the end of the week when you’re able to visit the store again, and if that’s the case you can figure out the one layer you wish to exchange, and at that point you should end up with the comfort level you desire.
Good luck!
Phoenix
I spoke to Henry today. He is willing to work with me beyond the one layer exchange. We agreed to give it another week and then decide exactly what to do. I am pretty confident after my conversation that he will do whatever he needs to make this work. I told him that I want the mattress that I experienced in the showroom. He said he would make sure I got it. They people at Flexus are great to work with.
Hi Schenkelini,
That is great news! I’m happy that Henry and Flexus are going above and beyond for you. It’s nice when a company takes your comfort to heart.
I know it will be a few weeks, but please let us know what configuration you eventually choose and how it works for you.
Phoenix
I am at day 13. There has not been much change to the feel of the mattress in the last week or so. I spoke to Henry and he is making arrangements to replace all of my layers and to determine why my mattress is so much firmer than the one in the showroom. I am just waiting for him to give me a date and time to come to my house.
Hi Schenkelini,
Thank you for the update.
Please follow up at your convenience once you’ve made arrangements for the different layers to be exchanged and had a chance to try out your new layers.
Phoenix
Flexus’s driver arrived on Wednesday and changed out the 3 medium dunlop layers for 3 new medium layers. I had suggested that they bring some soft dunlop just in case, but Henry was pretty sure that we just had mislabeled layers. Well it didn’t workout that way. The bed now feels like it did when it first arrived. They are going to return next week with some softer dunlop layers and we will change out layers until we get the right feel. I will keep you all posted.
Hi Schenkelini - Have you and Henry considered Talalay Medium or Soft for your top layer? Talalay has a softer feel than Dunlop. My mother originally chose (bottom and middle layers) Dunlop medium and Talalay soft for the top layer after trying out different combos in the Flexus showroom. When her mattress was delivered, they mistakenly sent Dunlop firm for the bottom and middle layers and Talalay soft for the top layer. They weren’t able to return to swap out the firm layers until Monday so she slept on this combination for two nights. She slept great and James at Flexus asked if she wanted it much softer or just a little softer (she chose this) so she ended up with Dunlop firm (bottom layer), Dunlop medium (middle), & Talalay soft (top). The combination is the best of both worlds: Dunlop for firm support and Talalay for a soft, cloud like feel. Since more softness is what you need, Talalay might be the answer. Good luck!
The top layer is talalay soft. With the 3 medium Dunlop layers it is still to firm.