Have done quite a bit of reading on this site and we’ve narrowed down our selections to 2 different memory foam mattresses. Hoping to get a better idea of the value.
Here are the specs for each mattress…
Restonic Exhilerate (Tempagel)
Outlast fabric woven into the cover
Soft Talalay Latex
2.75" of Gel Infused Memory Foam
2" of 4lb Memory Foam
HD Soft Poly
6" True Comfort Poly Support Core
Price: $2,200
Dutch Craft ConturPedic Silverthorne
2" 4lb Gel foam (soy based)
1" 5lb Memory foam (soy based)
100% gel infused
7" 2.3lb foam core (consists of 2" HR Foam and 5" PreserveHR, soy based)
Each mattress has a similar feel based on our in-store tests. The Restonic may have been slightly more plush - maybe due to the latex? The Dutch Craft was slightly firmer, but still comfortable. I’m leaning towards the Dutch Craft simply because I feel I’m getting a better value for mattresses that seem nearly identical.
Each mattress is from a different local dealer that I discovered using this site.
Any other thoughts would be appreciated to help make my decision easier.
The Restonic mattress is missing some of the specs that would be necessary to really have a meaningful opinion (see comments) …
Restonic Exhilerate (Tempagel)
* Soft Talalay Latex: This is a good quality material but it doesn’t give the thickness of the layer. * 2.75" of Gel Infused Memory Foam: Doesn’t say the density but it would probably be 4 lb GFlex gel memory foam which is good quality. * 2" of 4lb Memory Foam: This is a medium density/quality memory foam but is lower in the mattress so it wouldn’t be subject to as much of the compression forces which would extend its lifetime. * HD Soft Poly: It doesn’t say if this is a separate layer but I would assume it is and I would want to know the thickness and the density. It is also lower in the mattress so it wouldn’t be as big a concern as it would be if this was higher in the mattress. * 6" True Comfort Poly Support Core: It doesn’t give the quality/density of this polyfoam layer which I would want to know.
Once the missing information is filled in then it would be possible to give more feedback but overall it looks like there are a lot of softer layers in this mattress which could be more risky in terms of alignment even though it would certainly have some “cush” to it. This would also depend on the ILD of the latex as well.
Dutch Craft ConturPedic Silverthorne
* 2" 4lb Gel foam (soy based): I don’t know the type or density of the gel foam that they use (particulate or mixed as a liquid). * 1" 5lb Memory foam (soy based): Good quality memory foam * 100% gel infused: I’m guessing that this is not a separate layer but refers to the gel memory foam? * 7" 2.3lb foam core (consists of 2" HR Foam and 5" PreserveHR, soy based) this is a hgh quality polyfoam base.
This is a more “basic” mattress that has thinner comfort layers without the latex but all the layers appear to be good quality (although I would want a bit more information about the gel memory foam but the odds are good that they are using all good quality materials).
Does the Restonic also include a foundation (so you are comparing apples to apples)?
Based on your information though … I would tend towards the Dutch Craft mainly because there are less “gaps” in the information, there are less possible weak links in the mattress, because if there are two approximately equal comfort choices I would choose firmer over softer, and because it has a lower cost and is probably better value. It surprises me a bit that they feel similar to you (because of the very different materials and construction) but your own personal perceptions and testing “trumps” anything else.
Of course it would be helpful to fill in any of the information gaps before making any final decisions but all other things being equal I would be leaning towards the Dutch Craft unless the Restonic had clearly superior pressure relief and/or support when you tested it and you strongly believed the extra cost was justified or if you had a strong preference towards the feel of sleeping directly on latex over memory foam rather than just memory foam.
I was able to get a bit more info on the mattresses I’m interested in.
Let me also add that we are primarily side sleepers and I sleep hot. I did like that the Restonic TempaGel latex mattress specifically says that it helps control temperature. I don’t know if this marketing fluff or if it is fact. I would be willing to pay a bit more for a mattress that sleeps cooler.
Restonic Exhilerate (Tempagel) - this is 1" of Talalay latex. It is 4lb American made gel foam. The support core is a 2lb. pre-compressed polyfoam core.
Dutch Craft Silverthorne - The only other info I was able to get is that they use a “swirled” gel.
Let me also add a 3rd option now that I’m thinking that a latex mattress may be better for my cooler sleeping preference…
Dutch Craft Biscayne Bay
1" Foam Poly fabric
3" Talalay latex
7" 2.3lb foam core (consists of 2" HR Foam and 5" PreserveHR, soy based)
Price: $1499
The Biscayne Bay seemed a bit more “bouncy” than my original 2 choices. It also seemed to “push back” a bit more. And it seems that this mattress transfers the movement from one sleeper to the next a bit more. The first 2 options didn’t transfer the movement from the other person nearly at all.
While I can’t tell you which of these is more suitable for you (your body and your testing will be much more accurate than any “theory at a distance” I could suggest) … I can tell you that all the mattresses you are looking at use good quality materials.
The gel memory foam used in the Restonic is made by Flexible foam and in the Dutch Craft is made by Hickory Springs (see post #30 and #31 here for misters research and my reply that identified this) and both use gel that is mixed into the memory foam rather than larger particles of gel which is good (see post #2 here about the different types of gel memory foams). This adds some thermal conduction to the memory foam (see the end of post #4 here about the different technologies that can affect temperature) but most importantly the sleeping temperature of a mattress is a combination of many factors which you can read about in post #16 here along with post #29 here so the gel foam is just one piece of the puzzle which can have an effect until the temperatures between your mattress and your body equalize at which time ventilation and humidity control are the most important part of ongoing temperature regulation. Every layer of your mattress, ticking and quilting, and the mattress protector, sheets, and bedding will have a positive or negative effect on the sleeping temperature of your mattress … not just the gel memory foam.
You are correct that the latex will likely sleep a bit cooler over the longer term and that it transfers a little more motion than memory foam (but still in the “good” range") and is a more lively and resilient material and a little more costly. The pressure relieving abilities of both materials are very similar (depending on the specific layering of each mattress) and it will also likely be more durable than memory foam (although swirled gel memory foam is a durable material as well). Which of these tradeoffs are most important to you is a matter of personal preference … and I know from personal experience the difficulties involved in eliminating good choices
I do like that the comfort layers of the Dutch Craft are slightly higher quality overall and they could also be a little less “risky” in terms of alignment because there is a little less memory foam in the upper layers which would put you closer to the support layers of the mattress but this would depend on how your weight and body type interacted with the mattress and on how good the pressure relief was on the Dutch Craft models compared to the Restonic (which you said were similar).
It seems to me that your choices are good ones but as I mentioned before I would probably be leaning towards the Dutch Craft models in terms of quality/value.
