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

Hi there,

The first mattress I referenced was the Latex Innerspring combo (15"), but my recent post linked: Legacy Latex ā€“ Mattress Factory Inc. This is a 10 inch mattress and the owner Jim accounted for 8 inches of that with 2 inches being the soft latex foam quilted to 100% cotton and 6 for the latex core. I do not know where the last 2 inches can be accounted for to add up to 10?

This bed is 100% natural Talalay latex (no synthetic rubber or blend)ā€¦ Thank you again!!

Hi Mrsbitterchef,

I would want to know what was in the missing 2" partly to make more meaningful comparisons with other mattresses and partly because itā€™s possible that 2" of a lower quality and less durable material could be a weak link in the mattress. I would always make sure that the specs and layer thicknesses add up to the thickness of the mattress (within about 1/2" or so to account for normal variations in thickness and cover materials).

The choice between different types and blends of latex is generally a preference and budget choice but 100% natural Talalay is certainly a high quality material. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here.

Phoenix

Hello,
my husband and I are looking to buy a new mattress. He suggested to find a forum and I found this one. He is not comfortable buying from a big retailer. After reading this thread, I will have to agree with him. Does anybody know of a local manufacturer in the Dallas/Forth Worth area?
Thank you so much,
Maria

Hi Maria,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

The better options or possibilities Iā€™m aware of in and around the Dallas/Ft Worth areas (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here) are listed in post #4 here.

Iā€™m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding ā€¦ and of course any comments or questions you may have along the way.

Phoenix

Hello,
I need to purchase new mattresses for my family. After lots of research, I decided that I would like to buy latex mattresses with wool and cotton as the natural fire retardant protection. I have looked at flo beds, plush beds and many other companies. I read a post here about the difference between latex that comes from the US compared with latex from Malaysia. The poster mentioned that itā€™s not necessarily natural even though it may be stated by the company. They settled on a mattress from green sleep. I was wondering if there were any other companies I should be looking atā€¦ I have several beds that I to need to purchase so cost is a consideration. It is a huge decision and I want to get it right. Can I please get some guidance on selecting a mattress that is 100% real deal latex, I donā€™t want hybrid or anything unnatural as I am concerned about off gassing. Thank you so much., I really appreciate the help.

Hi CarrieP,

I switched your post to a new topic of its own so it wouldnā€™t get mixed in with many other posts in a more general topic.

Iā€™m assuming that youā€™ve read the mattress shopping tutorial (which is the first place to start your research) but two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure youā€™ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best ā€œmatchā€ for you in terms of ā€œcomfortā€ and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesnā€™t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the ā€œvalueā€ of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

You can see some comments about Plushbeds in post #2 here and a forum search on Plushbeds (you can just click the link) will bring up much more information and comments/feedback about them as well. They use good quality and durable materials in their mattresses (natural or organic Dunlop and Talalay latex) and they would certainly be a ā€œbetter than averageā€ choice compared to most of the mainstream mattresses that most people end up buying. They do a lot of internet advertising so they do attract a lot of online attention for those that are looking for a latex mattress. They are also in a higher budget range than many other similar mattresses so I would make some careful ā€œvalue comparisonsā€ with some of the other component latex options that are available to you.

Flobeds is one of the members of this site which means that I think very highly of them and I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge, and transparency. They have some unique designs including their vZone (see post #4 here) which allows you to customize the zoning of the mattress not just the layering. A forum search on Flobeds (you can just click this link as well) will also bring up many more comments and feedback about them as well.

There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here and there is more about some of the general differences between Dunlop and Talalay in post #7 here but the choice between different types and blends of latex is more of a preference and budget choice than a ā€œbetter/worseā€ choice. Most of the latex that comes from Malaysia would be 100% natural Dunlop but the best source of information about the type and blend of latex in any particular mattress would be the retailer or manufacturer that sells it ā€¦ assuming that they are knowledgeable and transparent about the materials in their mattresses.

Any type of latex (synthetic or natural) is ā€œrealā€ latex. All of the latex you are likely to encounter (either Dunlop or Talalay that is made with either natural or synthetic rubber or a blend of both) will have a reliable safety certification such as Oeko-Tex, Eco-Institut, or Greenguard Gold (see post #2 here) and based on actual testing I would consider any type or blend of latex to be a very ā€œsafeā€ material in terms of harmful substances and VOCā€™s.

If you let me know your city or zip code Iā€™d be happy to let you know about the better options or possibilities Iā€™m aware of in your area.

If you are also considering online options then the tutorial includes a link to a list of the members here that sell mattresses online (in the optional online step) and many of them sell latex and latex hybrid mattresses that use different types and blends of latex (including organic Dunlop latex) that have a wide range of different designs, options, features, return and exchange policies, and prices that that would be well worth considering.

When you canā€™t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help ā€œtalk you throughā€ the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and ā€œfeelā€ of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best ā€œmatchā€ for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the ā€œaveragesā€ of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about ā€œmatchingā€ their specific mattress designs and any firmness level options they have to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

Phoenix

Thank you very much for all your help. I will look at the suggested links. I live in Burlington MA 01803.

Thanks so much,

Carrie

Hi CarrieP,

The better options or possibilities Iā€™m aware of in and around the Boston, MA area that would include Burlington, MA (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines I linked in my last reply) are listed in post #2 here.

You certainly have some good options available in the area and I would make sure that you include a trip to Spindle Mattress who is one of the members of this site and sells a great quality/value component latex mattress that uses 100% natural continuous pour Dunlop latex that is made in the US (by Mountaintop latex) and has a wool quilted organic cotton cover.

Phoenix

Hi all,

I just wanted to chime in and say thank you, I have been researching to no end mattressā€™s, suppliers, materials and this has been a great resource.

'I canā€™t tell you how much bad information exists in this area with such a lack of science and unbiased education. My wife and I have had a tempurpedic for 4 years and I have connected chronic hamstring problems to a lack of support. so we started searching for a bed with more support since running and ultra runs are core to our life.

after looking at different types, we tried a casper and many others, finally we settled on what I hope is our last choice. I just ordered from FloBeds and not astrabeds. I can thank you for that choice as Astrabeds has a pretty savvy marketing arm putting lots of lipstick on the pig(in terms of what they promise vs what they deliver). I should get my Flobed next week, I will update with my experience. I have returned my casper and others as it was frankly pretty bad in terms of comfort. Casper was awesome with service though, I will give them thatā€¦

Thanks again for all your Work Phoenix.

Hi GoDucks08,

I certainly agree with you that there is a lot of misinformation or very misleading information in the industry!

As you know I think you made a great quality choice ā€¦ and congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

Iā€™m looking forward to your comments and feedback once youā€™ve received it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.

Phoenix

I have spent much time reviewing your website and itā€™s just a blessing to have all of this information at my fingertips. Iā€™m embarrassed to admit but we purchased a sleep numbers 5 years ago and itā€™s by far the worse decision that we made! We have had many tossing and turning nights and we are ready to throw the towel in and fess up to our mistake.

So, after many months of research, we have decided to go with a 9" latex 100% pure natural sap of the tree mattress processed via Dunlap (possibly an adjustable base) because of itā€™s durability, longevity and comfort with pressure points. Iā€™ve narrowed my search between 2 online retailers and itā€™s proving to be a difficult decision. Iā€™ve asked these retailers many questions and they seem to tell me that the other retailer is not being totally true. Iā€™ve confirmed that both retailers only sell 100% pure natural sap of the tree mattresses and the mattresses are processed via the Dunlap. Here are the main differences between the retailers:

Retailer 1: Offers 6" core and 2" topper and 1" wool cover which is claimed have inherent fire resistant properties so no chemicals used. the core and the topper are secured by ā€œglueā€ and you donā€™t have the option of changing out the topper down the road if your needs change. (price 1k)

Retailer 2: Offers 6" core and 3" topper and bamboo stretchy cover. This retailer claims that 3" topper will be more comfortable than 2". They also claim that the retailer 1 wool cover can not be ā€œnaturally fire resistantā€ and that retailer 1 is adding silica to the wool to make it fire resistant but telling me itā€™s chemical free. Retailer 2 offers complete chemical free mattress and I would need a prescription to purchase this mattress.
Retailer 2 does not glue the 2 pieces together because they comment that both pieced will natural stick together and do not need to be glued. this offers flexibility if you want to change topper at later date.(price 2,300)

This is a very big price difference and I canā€™t figure out why even asking a bunch of questions.

Iā€™ve done some additional research on line and found very conflicting information about the wool cover NOT being naturally fire resistant. one comment I found: ā€œThere are no natural, chemical free, or nontoxic mattresses that comply with the federal regulation. They all contain toxic chemicals. Your only choice for a chemical free mattress is by prescription.ā€

So, Iā€™m really having a difficult time deciding and this is a big ticket item so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much.

Hi dhcoupons,

I switched your post to a new topic with a different title so your questions wouldnā€™t get mixed in with another members questions.

They are correct that wool can be a natural and effective way to pass the fire regulations.

Their comments about wool are wrong. They are correct that latex is heavy and ā€œstickyā€ and doesnā€™t tend to shift inside a mattress and a component mattress does have the advantage of being able to replace a single layer if one of the layers softens or breaks down before the others (usually the softer top layer) or if your needs or preferences change down the road without having to replace the entire mattress.

There is more about some of the factors that can affect the price of a mattress relative to different manufacturers or retailers in post #14 here. Both of the mattresses that you are considering use very similar materials except one has an inch more latex than the other and one has a wool quilted cover which would be more costly than a cover that doesnā€™t contain any wool.

I would also keep in mind that your own careful testing or personal experience will be the only reliable way to know for certain whether any mattress is a good ā€œmatchā€ for you in terms of ā€œcomfortā€, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences).

There is a lot of misleading information in the industry about fire retardants and ā€œchemicalsā€ ranging from significant ā€œfear mongeringā€ on one side to completely minimizing fire retardants as an issue at all on the other. Like most issues that arouse strong feelings or controversy the most reliable and ā€œaccurateā€ information tends to be in between both polar extremes so there is ā€œsome truthā€ that ā€œsome mattressesā€ may use some chemicals that some people would find questionable or wish to avoid. Some people may also wish avoid certain types of synthetic foams or fabrics as well even if they have been tested for harmful substances and VOCā€™s and would be considered ā€œsafe enoughā€ by most people.

There are also many people in the industry that IMO exaggerate the risk (usually in an effort to sell some very costly mattresses) and seem to believe (or at least want their customers to believe) that every mattress except for an ā€œorganicā€ mattress (however they define this) is somehow ā€œloaded with chemicalsā€ to prevent them from catching fire which is far from the truth but this type of misinformation tends to scare people and lead people down a rabbit hole of conflicting and misleading information ā€¦ and of course is exaggerated and somewhat ridiculous.

In this case what you are being told is nonsense.

There is also more about ā€œsafeā€ fire barriers in this article and post #2 here and the posts it links to at the end and there is more about purchasing a prescription mattresses that donā€™t have a fire barrier and donā€™t pass the fire regulations in post #4 here and the posts it links to.

The most common method used to pass the regulations in the mattress industry is the use of inherent, ā€œnon chemicalā€ fire barrier fabrics that are either quilted into the cover or are wrapped around the inner materials of the mattress like a sock and foams that use fire retardant chemicals are much more common in the furniture industry than they are in the mattress industry.

Iā€™m assuming that youā€™ve read the mattress shopping tutorial (which is the first place to start your research) but two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure youā€™ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best ā€œmatchā€ for you in terms of ā€œcomfortā€ and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesnā€™t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the ā€œvalueā€ of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase to exchange or return the mattress if your choice doesnā€™t turn out as well as you hoped for ā€¦ especially if you canā€™t test the mattress before a purchase).

Just in case you havenā€™t seen it yet the mattress shopping tutorial also includes a link to a list of the members here that sell mattresses online (in the optional online step) and many of them sell latex and latex hybrid mattresses that use different types and blends of latex (Talalay and Dunlop) that have a wide range of different designs (including component mattresses), options, features, return and exchange policies, and prices that that would be well worth considering.

There is also more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here but all of the latex you are likely to encounter (either Dunlop or Talalay that is made with either natural or synthetic rubber or a blend of both) will have a reliable safety certification such as Oeko-Tex, Eco-Institut, or Greenguard Gold (see post #2 here) and based on actual testing I would consider any type or blend of latex to be a very ā€œsafeā€ material in terms of harmful substances and VOCā€™s.

Phoenix

Hi,

I am still on my journey to find the right matress. We visited Spindle and Kim was very informative, friendly and helpful. I wanted to find out what ingredients that make up the five percent in the matress. Kin said that the manufacturer does not tell them exactly what is used other than a list of things like zinc oxide, fatty acid soaps.

If I go ahead with a purchase I want to be confident there is nothing I should be concerned about. What are your thoughts?

The matress felt very comfortable but I am just making sure the choice of Dunlop over talalay is a sensible one. Flo beds and Plush are quite a bit more money. Is it worth paying more? Itā€™s difficult because we canā€™t test them to seeā€¦ What are your thoughts?

Thanks so much,

Carrie

Hi CarrieP,

All the latex you are likely to encounter (either Dunlop or Talalay that is made with either natural or synthetic rubber or a blend of both) will have a reliable certification such as Oeko-Tex, Eco-Institut, or Greenguard Gold (see post #2 here) and based on actual testing I would consider any type or blend of latex to be a very ā€œsafeā€ material in terms of harmful substances and VOCā€™s.

The choice between Dunlop and Talalay is a preference choice rather than a ā€œbetter/worseā€ choice but there is more about the differences between them in post # here. The only reliable way to know which one you would tend to prefer would be based on your own testing or personal experiences on a range of mattresses that used each of them.

There is more about the 3 most important parts of the ā€œvalueā€ of a mattress purchase in post #13 here which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesnā€™t turn out as well as you hoped for).

Once you have narrowed down your options to a list of finalists that are all choices between ā€œgood and goodā€ and none of them have any lower quality materials or ā€œweak linksā€ in their design relative to your weight range (which they donā€™t) and if there are no clear winners between them (which is usually a good indication that you have done some good research) then you are in the fortunate position that any of them would likely be a suitable choice and post #2 here can help you make a final choice based on your local testing or mattresses you have slept well on, your more detailed conversations about each of them, your confidence about PPP and the suitability of each one, their prices, your preferences for different types of materials and components, the options you have after a purchase to fine tune the mattress or exchange or return the mattress or individual layers, any additional extras that are part of each purchase, and on ā€œinformed best judgementā€ based on all the other objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Phoenix

Okay,

I gotta say this, - this truly is the most confusing, hard to follow, look here and look there, then check here, and be sure to go there; forum I have seen in my life! I read so much I felt ill. Trying to cypher it all out just made it worse. I know all you people put in countless hours of research, footwork, time, effort, and then to sit down and put it all to words; is well; unreal! And I congratulate each and every one of you for this loyalty to whom ever or/ and your cause.

Butā€¦like I stated, this is by far the most confusing site Iā€™ve ever run into. With that being said, Iā€™m going to leave this really great site, because quit frankly I do not have the time or patience to go through every thing there is to go through!

Call me what you will, but some just need a ā€œlittle guidanceā€ and not the "Britannica Encyclopedia " to go through. Iā€™m a ā€œjust a little bitā€ one. I get overwhelmed at times, tends to happens with brain tumors. So, itā€™s been fun, a lot of info and all, and I can see a lot of people just trying to do what is right by all.

I wish you all much success and luck in your endeavors!!

BJ

Hi BJ,

In its simplest form ā€¦ choosing the ā€œbest possibleā€ mattress for any particular person really comes down to first finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in and that you have confirmed will provide you with the all the information you need about the materials and components inside the mattresses they sell so you will be able to make informed choices and meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then ā€¦

  1. Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of ā€œcomfortā€, firmness, and PPP ā€¦ and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or ā€œfine tuneā€ the mattress and any costs involved if you canā€™t test a mattress in person or arenā€™t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.

  2. Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in the mattress relative to your weight range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.

  3. Comparing your finalists for ā€œvalueā€ based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Hope thatā€™s simple enough for you :slight_smile:

Good luck in your search.

Phoenix

PS: I transferred your last reply into your original topic.

I have read your info on line. We have been to about 6 stores in Los Angeles/ Valley area but do not find a store where we can talk intelligently about the mattress. Can you recommend a store in Sherman Oaks , Hollywood, Santa Monica, West LA etc which has an expert on finding a natural mattress with good support and comfort , and discuss the options for split king with zero gravity

Hi milan,

Subject to confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list is completely transparent (see this article) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here ā€¦ the better options or possibilities Iā€™m aware of in and around the greater Los Angeles area are listed in post #2 here.

Phoenix

Many thanks for this site. I spent a few days reading and making notes. Heading out today on our first shopping visits to check out what is available in our price range. I really appreciated your review of materials and core vs support parts of a mattress. Good to know we have a decent chance to get a solidly good to great quality bed given our budget restrictions.

Hi MegCA1234,

Welcome ā€¦ and good luck in your search :slight_smile:

Iā€™m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding ā€¦ and of course to any comments or questions you may have along the way.

Phoenix