Hi steelwindmachine,
[quote]My quandary is whether or not it’s worthwhile for durability sake and bang for the buck to go with the Tri-Zone and a latex (Dunlop or Talalay) topper?
I realize this indecision comes down to personal preference and the Personal Value Equation, but I’m conflicted and am looking for some guidance on how to maybe navigate through this since these innerspring mattresses seem to be constructed out of pretty much the highest grade materials.[/quote]
I’m not clear on all the specifics of the two “sleeping systems” you are comparing so I can’t really make any meaningful comments about them. If you can list the type and thickness and density of all the polyfoam layers in both sleeping systems you are comparing (including any toppers) listed from top to bottom with one line for each layer it would be helpful. I’m also not clear if the 1" Talalay layer in the Milan is in the pillowtop section of the mattress or in the body of the mattress itself because the information you provided doesn’t make clear what is in the pillowtop itself.
In very general terms though … as long as all the materials and components in a mattress meet the minimum durability guidelines here and without regard to all the specifics of each mattress which I’m not clear on … I would generally prioritize comfort, firmness, and PPP (how well you are likely to sleep) over durability (how long you are likely to sleep well).
Also in general terms … if a mattress/topper combination is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP and there are no lower quality materials or “weak links” in the mattress/topper combination then it would also have the advantage of being able to replace just the topper without replacing the entire mattress if it softens or breaks down before the upper foam layers in the mattress (which is likely because a sleeping system will tend to soften or break down from the top layers down) or if your needs or preferences change over time.
The only way to know for certain whether any mattress is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own personal experience.
While knowing the specs that can affect the quality and durability of the layers and components in a mattress is always important … unless you have a great deal of knowledge and experience with different types of mattress materials and components and their specs and different layering combinations and mattress designs and how they combine together and can translate them into your own “real life” experience that can be unique to you (which would generally be a very small percentage of people) … I would tend to avoid using complex combinations of specifications to try and predict how a mattress will feel or perform for you. When you try and choose a mattress based on complex combinations of specs that you may not fully understand or only based on specs for single layers or components that may not be as relevant or meaningful as you believe they are then the most common outcome is “information overload” and “paralysis by analysis”.
A latex/innerspring hybrid is also in a completely different category than an all latex mattress so it would be difficult to use one as a meaningful reference point for choosing the other one because every layer and component in a mattress will have some effect on all the other layers and components above and below them and on the mattress “as a whole”. Both of them can make great choices but the choice between them would be more of a preference and budget choice than a better/worse" choice. There is more about innerspring/latex hybrids vs an all latex mattress in post #13 here and the posts it links to.
Savvy Rest will tell you the type of latex (either 100% natural Dunlop or 100% natural Talalay) and the general firmness level (soft, medium, firm) for each of their layers. If you know the type of latex and the firmness level of each layer in one of their mattresses that is the best “match” for you then post #3 here includes a list of many of the online manufacturers that sell component latex mattresses with loose layers and zip covers as well and they would normally be available to use this information to suggest which of the options they have available would be the most closely comparable.
Phoenix