Goodbye Latex Mattress - moving on

[phoenix]

Hi Dreamer77,

This crazy mattress! Last night, I got fed up with my stiff plastic Thermarest, so I got up and flipped over the latex so the 36 ILD bottom side was up, put a sheet down and slept right on top of it with no other pad. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as rock hard as I remember it though ut wasn’t what Id call really inviting or comfy either. Butt and hips still sank, but not overly so = slept well and woke up without back pain.

That’s good news and it would probably be worth sleeping on your upside down mattress for a few days to see how it feels over a little longer period of time. The 2" layer of softer latex on the bottom would provide some additional flex and softness to the mattress but having the firmer latex on the top would also provide a more “on the mattress” feel that you seem to like.

If your mattress has loose layers with a zip cover then it may also be worth trying just the 6" latex core to see how it compares and a firmer top 2" layer on the same core may also be worthwhile considering (although I’m guessing from your comments that it doesn’t have a zip cover with layers that can be removed). Of course it’s also possible to remove the 2" layer even if it’s glued but it can be a little tricky.

• It may be the 24 ILD comfort layer is whats too soft & sinky, not so much the base.?

That’s certainly possible and your experience, at least for a single night, seems to point in that direction (although a few more nights experience would be a good idea).

• I definitely prefer sleeping on top of a mattress not in it. Should I just rule out any type of foam altogether?

It would probably rule out memory foam which is a more “in the mattress” material but it may not rule out firmer polyfoam which is a more resilient and “on the mattress” material than memory foam and your experience seems t0 indicate that it wouldn’t rule out firmer latex foam either which is an even more “on the mattress” material than polyfoam.

1. Keep it turned over, maybe just get a nice cotton or wool pad to better cushion the pressure points. Sorta recreate my old futon experience (one with foam and cotton layers)

This would certainly be worth considering and as I mentioned I would tend to sleep on your upside down mattress for a few days to see if your experience is consistent and not just an anomaly. The single 6" core with a relatively thin and firm natural fiber or foam topper could also be worth considering.

Or replace the 24 ILD with 28 or 32. But imaybe that would be too soft too?

The only way to know would be based on your own personal experience so I would make sure that if you purchase a topper that it includes a good exchange/return policy so that if it is too soft you can exchange it for something firmer.

And I wonder if its the stiff fabric on the bottom that’s giving the firm feel and straightening my alighnment - maybe not so much the foam? It’some sort of stiff fabric backed wpolyester batting. It doesn’t look like its meant to be slept on - may wear out fast if slept on.

If the bottom fabric is stiffer than the top sleeping surface then it would definitely have some effect on the ability of the latex underneath it to contour to the shape of your body and would feel firmer.

You can also buy a new cover if you decide to keep the latex layers (or at least the 6" core) inside your mattress.

2. Sell the latex, and replace with a ZONED coil mattress topped with a 1 or 2 inch topper made of some combination of latex/cotton/wool… There is one nicely made zoned coil mattress I tested out in Beloit that had the right spinal alignment, but I would need some additional softeness and comfort on top for it to work for me - not much, but some… It would serve as the base of my new system. Its nicely made and all, but it makes me a little nervous to get it with the idea I’m going to have to find something else to p;ut on top of it - more trial and error. What appeals to me is that it would have the zoned support below, AND the smooth latex feel above - the best of both worlds, no? This would be in the spirit of your suggestion to “build from the bottom up” starting with support core… One thing I DONT want to do is mess around with zoned latex support bases - that just seems way too complicated and time consuming…

Based on your experience and lack of back pain it’s quitepossible that you may not need zoned latex but whether to buy a new mattress completely or a mattress/topper combination is a choice that only you can make based on your your personal testing experience and your willingness to experiment with toppers on a firmer mattress (if you even need one which you may not). If you do decide to go in the direction of a mattress/topper combination then post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to that can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success. It also includes a link to a list of some of the better online sources for toppers I’m aware of as well although Beloit may also have some toppers available as well.

I personally would be hesitant to sell the latex mattress at a significant loss unless you are confident that there really isn’t a combination of layers and materials that uses the 6" core that would work well for you.

Phoenix