How to look for and find the best mattress ... for YOU! ***READ FIRST***

[phoenix]

Hi ginnywop,

I’m glad you found us this time around

I’m just not sure if I want to go with their new ‘firm’ memory foam (Aria) or one of their laytex combos.

The choice between latex and memory foam is more about preference than anything else (see post #2 here) and your own personal experience is really the best way to know which type of material you tend to prefer.

I don’t know the density of the gel memory foam in the Aria but even if it was higher density memory foam, latex would be a more durable choice (latex is the most durable type of foam material).

I was only able to find one laytex retailer where I live, but they are 100% laytex (3 layers) and use Dunlop natural laytex. I’m not sure how much different this is than the Talalay, padding layer only in the DreamFoam, but I really liked it. Firm and supportive but had a softness and top layer comfort to it that memory foam lacks.

You can read a little more about the difference in “feel” between Dunlop and Talalay in post #7 here and more about a latex hybrid vs an all latex mattress in post #2 here. The firmness and thickness of the layers in each mattress would also make a significant different in how they compare in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) although much of the initial “feel” of a mattress comes from the upper layers.

The Contour Signature was rated medium-firm which led me to believe the DreamFoam Aria may be comparable

Firmness ratings are very subjective and can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer (more so with memory foam because it can vary with temperature and humidity and the specific properties of each type of memory foam) but they know more about the specifics of the mattresses they make than anyone and would be able to give you the most accurate information about how the Aria or any of their mattresses compare to any of the mattresses in the Tempurpedic line in terms of PPP.

On the other hand I really liked the laytex I tested and if it helps as much with back pain as memory foam, I may go that route.

One type of material isn’t inherently any better than another for back pain. It all depends on the specific design of a mattress and how well it keeps you in alignment in all your sleeping positions much more than which materials it uses. A mattress that works well for one person (or helps their back pain) may be completely unsuitable for another (and make their back pain worse) because of differences in body types, sleeping positions, or individual preferences.

I’m just a little worried about longevity/durability as it seems a lot of reviews mentioned sag and break down after a year. I don’t know if their memory foam would have the same issues or not, but I’m pretty average in size…5’10, 180 (stomach and back sleeper).

The weak link of a mattress is almost always in the upper comfort layers which are generally the first to soften or break down and latex is the most durable of all the foam materials (polyfoam, memory foam, latex foam) so it would be more durable than a mattress that used memory foam in the comfort layers and used the same base foam. There is more about the variables that can affect durability and the useful life of a mattress relative to each person in post #4 here and the posts it links to and post #20 here would also be worth reading.

If there are visible impressions in a mattress that are deeper than the warranty exclusion then it would be a defective mattress which can sometimes happen (even with high quality and durable comfort layers such as latex) and it would be replaced under warranty. In most cases though when you have high quality and durable comfort layers then any “sagging” that most people mention would be “virtual impressions” which are generally from choosing the wrong firmness level in the first place (too soft) where the heavier parts of their body (such as the pelvis) are sinking into the mattress too deeply or with higher weight ranges where they are compressing the base layer more deeply and they may have been better off choosing a mattress with either more latex on top or a higher density base foam (at a higher cost).

If you were in a higher weight range or had an unusual body type or weight distribution where you sink into the base layers more deeply then it may be a good idea to consider higher density base foam or thicker latex layers but you are not in a weight range where this would generally be an issue.

Stomach sleeping is especially prone to alignment issues from a mattress where the comfort layers are too thick or soft (or in the case of some types of memory foam becomes softer over the course of the night) and the “best” choice is generally to use comfort layers that are “just barely thick and soft enough” to relieve pressure when you sleep on your side so that the risk of alignment issues that can cause pain or discomfort from your pelvis sinking down too far when you sleep on your stomach (and causing a “swayback” position) is reduced.

If you aren’t able to test a mattress in person before you buy it (or a mattress that a manufacturer has confirmed would be very similar to a local mattress you can test in terms of PPP), then it’s always a very good idea to make sure you have a more detailed conversation with any online retailer or manufacturer so that they can give you some guidance to help you decide which of their mattresses may be the most suitable choice for you (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

Phoenix