Help finding local brands in NorCal

[phoenix]

Hi anandkesari,

We liked a few PLB models - they felt comfortable to lie on. We specifically like their All Natural ECO model. One of the stores is quoting $3500 for their king size. Is this a good price for this mattress?

It would be significantly more costly than some other mattresses that use the same or very similar materials (8" of 100% natural Talalay and a good quality knit cover) but of course these would be different mattresses with different designs that may not be the same for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferenes). Post #32 here includes some retailers that sell PLB mattresses that they will ship across the country that you can call to find out their prices (listed online prices are controlled and may not be the actual selling price) to use as a reference point for that specific mattress. The tutorial post also includes a link to a list of the members here that sell online and many of them sell latex mattresses with a wide range of designs, features, and options (including some that sell mattresses that have a 6" support core and 2" comfort layer of 100% natural Talalay) that you can use for comparison (although once again I would keep in mind that just because the type and thickness of the latex is the same doesn’t mean that the mattress will be the same in terms of PPP).

Would you say one latex is superior to the other?

This would depend entirely on how you define superior and your own personal preferences. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here.

We also liked another PLB model (can’t recall the name but pretty sure it was PLB natural medium firm). I read on this website as well as PLB’s own website that their All natural range is less durable than their natural (blended) range. I’m quite confused - isn’t all natural latex supposed to be the most superior/durable?

No … all natural latex isn’t necessarily more durable than blended latex and it depends on the specific type and blend of latex you are comparing and the specifics of the mattress itself. The previous link has more information about this as well. In the case of Latex International, 100% natural Talalay would be less durable than their blended Talalay … particularly in the lower ILD’s.

The feel of the All natural mattress was superior to both me and my wife. Is a blend of natural and synthetic latex also supposed to be all latex as opposed to a blend of natural latex and foam?

The difference in “feel” may have had as much to do with the specific design of the mattress as any difference in the type of latex it used. Latex itself just means a rubber particle suspended in water and the rubber can be natural, synthetic, or a blend of both. In other words … a latex layer that is completely synthetic would still be 100% latex … just not 100% natural latex. A mattress that is 100% latex means that it has latex from top to bottom and no other materials (except for the cover) but the latex could be natural, synthetic, or a blend.

To differentiate latex you would need to know the type of latex (Dunlop or Talalay) and the blend of natural and synthetic rubber in each layer.

A mattress that uses both latex and other components (such as a polyfoam or innerspring support core) is typically called a latex hybrid vs an “all latex mattrress”.

For some reason (and it could be that the cover of PLB All natural is plusher) the Natural mattress store mattresses did not feel as comfortable, though I have a preference for their flexibility of exchanges, simplicity of design, exchanging layers myself, and the fact that they are a family owned business.

This would have to do with the specifics of the design and the firmness level, thickness, and type of latex in all the individual layers and the type of cover they use to create the overall “feel” and performance of the mattress. There is also more in post #7 here about the difference in “feel” between Dunlop and Talalay.

Phoenix