Houston Mattress Factory - Talalay Latex Mattress

[phoenix]

Hi sylkvezter,

One 100% Organic Talalay mattress he designed for a couple had a 5 inch 18 ILD top layer organic Talalay latex with a 6" trizone Talalay core with 36 ILD for the hips and 28-30 ILD for the feet and shoulders. We tested this out and, while we liked the softness, I felt like my spine was misaligned especially when laying on my back because my hips sank in too much. I asked him why he designed such a thick soft comfort layer, and he stated the customer wanted a very soft mattress.

Just for clarity … Talalay doesn’t come in an organic version but it does come in a 100% natural version (that doesn’t have any synthetic rubber in the latex). The only latex that is certified organic is 100% natural Dunlop made by a manufacturer that has been certified (see post #6 here).

[quote]3" 18 ILD top layer Natural Talalay latex
6" trizone Natural Talalay core: 36 ILD for the hips and 28-30 ILD for the feet and shoulders.
3" very firm Dunlop latex (didn’t know ILD)
wrapped in wool
Bamboo cover (12 inch)
Price: $1715

Please let me know your thoughts. I have a few questions that hopefully you can shed some light on.[/quote]

They are certainly good quality materials with no weak links but your own testing or experience is the only way to know how well it will match your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). The “value” of a mattress purchase depends on the criteria of your own personal value equation that are most important to you and how they compare to other mattresses you are comparing it to. I don’t know the size you are considering or if anything else comes with the mattress or any of their return or exchange policies or what else is included but assuming that it’s not one of the smaller sizes then the price seems very reasonable. I would also want to know the blend of the Dunlop. The ILD’s aren’t important to know for a local purchase because your testing will tell you whether a mattress is a good match for you in terms of PPP.

What are your thoughts on the trizone option vs. an all 36 ILD core on the mattress described above? Cost could be a little more for the non zoned core layer since this is not their standard offering.

A firmer middle zone can be quite helpful for some people because the pelvis is the heaviest area of the body and can have a tendency to sink in too far in some mattress designs for some people. There is more about zoning in this article and in post #11 here. Once again though … your own personal testing will tell you more about how well a mattress keeps you in alignment (with or without zones) than any “theory at a distance”.

Michael stated that the natural Talalay is 97% natural and 3% synthetic. Is this common for natural talalay? I thought natural talalay was 100% natural. He stated only the organic Talalay is 100% natural. He also stated that the organic Talalay felt softer? I am somewhat confused here.

There is no organic Talalay and both Radium and Latex International make two types of Talalay. One uses 100% natural rubber and the other uses a blend that is in the area of 30% natural and 70% synthetic. With any latex core though there are other substances used to make the foamed latex core besides just the liquid rubber (foaming agents, curing agents, antioxidants, and others) so a latex core is never 100% rubber. Both come in a range of firmness levels or ILD’s.

Michael also adds very firm (50 ILD) foam rods around the edges of the mattress at the core layer. He stated that he does this so the latex maintains its form. Is this really necessary?

I’m not sure what he means by “foam rods” or how they are added to the foam. Could you provide more details?

How could this foam affect the long term durability of the mattress? I am worried that this could degrade and break down over time.

I would need to know a little more about how the “foam rods” are used and the density of the foam.

Michael also stated that he glues the layers together and the cover does not have a zipper option. He stated that a zipper option is not available due to the strict fire code requirements. I question this since other manufacturers such as Arizona Premium Mattress Company offers this option.

A zip cover can certainly pass the fire code (and there are many manufacturers that use it).

I am somewhat concerned about gluing the layers of the mattress. How does gluing the layers affect the comfort/feel or durability of the mattress? Does this mean that a layer cannot be exchanged?

Post #2 here has more about glued vs unglued layers but it will have no meaningful effect on durability (some people believe that unglued layers are less durable but you can see my thoughts about this in the linked post) and little effect on the comfort or feel of the mattress vs unglued layers (other variables will have a more significant effect).

With a finished or tape edged mattress that doesn’t have a zip cover then I would personally glue the layers as well because there would be no way to access them if they shift.

Many manufacturers will change out a layer by opening up the mattress, replacing the layer, and then tape edging it again so I would check with them if this is a service they offer.

Michael also stated that the bed purchase would be tax exempt if we had a doctor’s note or prescription. Do you have any recommendations on getting a doctor’s note?

All you have to do is go to your health care provider (doctor, chiropractor etc) and ask them for a prescription for a mattress with no fire retardant (if that’s what you want) or a chemical free mattress or a specific mattress for allergies (such as a latex mattress). If you have the prescription that describes the mattress then there would be no tax. You can read more about latex mattresses and dust mite allergies in post #2 here.

Phoenix