Hi ThatDoePerson,
While Talalay latex is a very attractive material (and my favorite because of it’s combination of softness/firmness levels available and it’s durability among other things) … it is only one of many choices available. It can be made in very soft versions and very firm versions so is used as both a support material and a comfort layer material. The different firmness levels along with different layering and thickness of the talalay layers can create very different mattresses that can help to fit a mattress to the weight, shape, sleeping positions, and preferences of different people.
Other options such as memory foam (in the comfort layers only), high quality polyfoam, innersprings, and many others can also be used to create high quality mattresses and there are always people that prefer one material or “feel” over another. The comfort layers and the support cores sections of the site have more information about most of the different materials that are used. Each material has higher and lower cost and/or quality options that influence the price of a mattress.
For those who are “committed to” or have a strong preference for one material over another (which can be for many reasons), such as latex, memory foam, or innersprings, then another material used in place of it may not satisfy their preferences … even if it provides the pressure relief and support they need. I normally suggest a little bit of reading so that the strengths and weaknesses of each material are known and then laying on various mattresses so that each person can decide for themselves the qualities and overall feeling of each material they prefer.
The closest factory direct manufacturers to Albany are in post #2 here. Since most of these are a bit of a drive … I’m also including a list of retail stores that may be some of the better “possibilities” available to you and that carry brands that make latex mattresses (and other types as well) in case you want to get a sense of what latex feels like in a local store before taking a longer drive.
I would certainly call first though to make sure they carry latex models and to verify that they can tell you the specifics about the materials and components in their mattresses (see this article) so that you can make sure that what they say is latex isn’t just a meaningless layer inside the mattress or doesn’t have more than about an inch or so of lower density polyfoam in the comfort layers or the quilting.
Albany, NY. Carry Shifman which makes several latex mattresses. Make sure though that you are able to find out the specifics of the layering and make some very careful value comparisons because Shifman may be more costly than other similar mattresses and may include other materials inside their latex mattresses.
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https://www.metromattress.com/ Several outlets in the Albany region. Therapedic (incl Ecogel and latex) and Spring Air. Several of their stores have told me they will call the factory for specs if asked. CAUTION: Be careful here because they tend to specialize more in major brands which they may tend to overpromote and make sure you don’t buy a mattress on the same day as you test them or that you don’t know the specifics of every layer.
Mechanicville, NY. Carry Naturepedic which makes some high quality latex mattresses although they are in a higher budget range compared to some other similar mattresses.
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http://www.albanyfoam.com/ Albany, NY. They are a foam outlet which sells many different types of foam including high quality memory foam, polyurethane, and talalay latex. They sell mostly wholesale but will also sell retail. They don’t have a showroom but do have some samples to show people so would be more suitable for those who are a little braver and know exactly what they want in terms of foam layers that can be made into a mattress. They also sell tickings and will put the layers together into a mattress.
http://www.green-conscience.com/ Saratoga Springs, NY. Retail outlet that carries Savvy Rest which are high quality component latex mattress where you can choose your own layers (in either Talalay or Dunlop). They are more than similar mattresses made by some other factory direct manufacturers so make sure you make some good value comparisons here but they have a wide range of layering possibilities.
http://kuglersredbarn.com/ Schenectady, NY. They carry Gold Bond mattresses including some of their latex models.
These are the outlets I know of or can find in the area which may carry latex that you can try … and of course they would also carry other styles of mattress for comparison. Some of these may have some better quality/value depending on their prices but they could also serve as a rough guideline for an online order from a factory direct manufacturer such as some of the members of the site that specialize in “choose your own layer” component mattresses or for an order from Albany Foam.
Hope this helps
Phoenix