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

Hi! I am new to the latex mattress world. My husband and I narrowed our search to two beds, both 3" top layer of latex (cushion firm) and an individual pocketed coil system. This is the EOS classic by Naturepedic and then there is a similar one called SMARTHOUSE, designed by an HGTV couple.
Two Questions: 1. What is the difference? 2. There is a small reliable company called Organic Mattress that sells both, but we were concerned that if we decide on the Naturepedic one, should we purchase it directly from Naturepedic for the warranty etc? The small store says there are 20 year guarantees on both.

@Mima18 - I have no direct experience of either mattress, but as far as the warranty of Naturepedic it is clearly posted here on their website. It states: ā€œWho and what does this Warranty cover? This Warranty is not transferable and only covers you if you are the original purchasing consumer and owner of the EOS (ā€œProductā€) and purchased it directly from Naturepedic or from an authorized dealer.ā€ Looking over the retailers on the Naturepedic site you should verify that yours is listed as an authorized dealer.

Hi stmslpr,

Sorry to hear that the Talalay latex bed is not working out for you. The coil bed descriptions sound great, do you recall the brand name? What are the comfort layers for this coil mattress? It really makes a great difference when discussing any of these mattresses that we are able to get as much information about the specifications as possible, then it is much better to offer any guidance.

As far as other brands go, while I can certainly help with ā€œhowā€ to choose ā€¦ Itā€™s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first ā€œruleā€ of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best ā€œmatchā€ for you in terms of ā€œcomfortā€, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own personal preferences).

That said, there are some threads on the mattresses you mentioned that you might find helpful here:

Avocado Mattress consumer experiences and questions [/url ]thread
[url=https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/winkbeds]Winkbeds mattress consumer experiences and questions

Saatva mattresses consumer experiences and questions
Dreamcloud mattress search

Let us know if you have more questions.
Phoenix

Thank you, Sweet Dreams. Organic Mattress did come up on the list. The bed was less expensive and the delivery options were better. I AM HOPING That someone who reads this has experience with these bedsā€¦I have not heard anything yet.

Thanks Phoenix! The brand is Berkeley Ergo. The initial bed I got was the Amsterdam:
Layers from top to bottom:
100% Organic Cotton outer fabric
100% Plein-Air French wool quilted to inside of outer fabric
Plein-Air - These sheep live outdoors year-round
Produces a more curly, longer fibre
Superior to mechanically crimped wool, does not matte down as easily
2" 100% Natural Talalay latex topper
Soft for buffering pressure points in hips and shoulders
Manufactured by Radium Foam BV in The Netherlands
6" 100% Natural Talalay latex core
7-zoned for correct ergonomics and pressure relief
Choice of Medium or Firm core
Queen and King size available with a different firmness for each sleeping partner
Manufactured by Radium Foam BV in The Netherlands

I had the soft 2" talalay layer on the top.
Basically after a variety of self tweeks I finally decided to change the 6" firm core with those springs I had described and turn it essentially into a Berkeley Malmo:

Layers from top to bottom:
100% Organic Cotton outer fabric
100% Plein-Air French wool quilted to inside of outer fabric
Plein-Air - These sheep live outdoors year-round
Produces a more curly, longer fibre
Superior to mechanically crimped wool, does not matte down as easily
2" 100% Natural Talalay latex
Manufactured by Radium Foam BV in The Netherlands
European honeycomb nested pocket coils - steel, wrapped in polypropylene; a high performance, durable, breathable, moisture-wicking, non-toxic fabric
Coil Counts:
1,484 Queen Size
1,908 King Size

I contacted the manufacturer and supposedly the coil thickness is 1.4mm which was supposed to be 15 gauge. I was a bit skeptical at first but after two nights with the springs itā€™s definitely more ā€œsupportiveā€ than the 6" firm latex core which is odd because everyone told me the latex core should be firmer and more supportive. Iā€™m definitely sinking less into the springs than I was when the latex core was in. I mentioned this in another post but to me, with the springs in it feels more like the mattress is a plump ripe piece of fruit with more turgid pressure pushing up into the peel/skin (the 2" latex topper) and keeping me up noticeably more than when the 6" firm core was in as the support layer. For me when the 6" latex was in it felt more like a dried piece of fruit without the same turgidity, and while still firm, did not stop me from sinking in too much into a firm hard stopping point putting my spine out of alignment.

Again itā€™s only 2 night but itā€™s somewhat better with the coils. The back is still stiffer than Iā€™d like and Iā€™m considering seeing if I can make another tweek to keep me more afloat and less sinkage. I donā€™t know whether to a) switch the soft latex layer for a firm latex topper, b) switch the soft latex layer for a memory foam layer:
2" Belgian Viscoelastic Memory Foam
Open cell, breathable fast response memory foam for supreme pressure relief
4 lb density
Not sensitive to temperature like traditional memory foam
Layer Made in Belgium
Or c) change the springs for firmer springs, like the ones in the Berkeley Berlin mattress (just found out about this a couple days ago):
European honeycomb nested pocket coils - steel, wrapped in polypropylene; a high performance, durable, breathable, moisture-wicking, non-toxic fabric
Taller springs are 6 Ā¼"
Shorter springs are 5"
Choice of three firmness options:
Plush model features 2.0 and 1.4 mm springs w/ soft latex on top
Firm model features 2.1 and 1.4 mm springs w/ soft latex on top
Extra Firm model features 2.1 and 1.4 mm springs w/ firm latex on top
Coil Counts:
1,127 Queen Size
1,530 King Size

I hope theyā€™ll allow for another tweek with no additional costs but weā€™ll see. I think itā€™ll be a toss up between trying the memory foam and the new Berlin springs (which should be firmer than the Malmo springs). I laid on the Berkeley London (which is basically the malmo with the memory foam on the top instead of the latex) and it seemed to feel more rigid and supportive with less sinkage (though only lying on it for a few mins does not represent what happens overnight).
Would you think the memory foam with the 4lb density would be more supportive and keep my more ā€œon topā€ of the mattress than either the soft or firm talalay latex topper?

Maybe all the issues are the latex form me. Itā€™s comfy but maybe somehow my body rejects it or doesnā€™t have the right supportive feel for me? Because itā€™s weirdā€¦. one of the earlier tweeks I tried with the Amsterdam was putting a soft cheap foam topper on top of the Amsterdam and it seemed to feel a bit better (still not good) which doesnā€™t make sense because it would make the mattress softer and more sinkage.

Anyway thus far the mattress company Iā€™ve dealt with has been pretty good, allowing me to swap the latex core for the springs and giving me back some money as the Malmo is cheaper than the Amsterdam. Iā€™d just like to get it right and better with as few tweeks as possible to save them and myself the trouble. Iā€™ll probably give it a bit more time on this Malmo configuation before I make a decision.

I have gone and tried out cheaper mattresses (Ikea Haugesand), Kingsdown (Ace TT), Springwall, Setrta sensations iii etc and i definitely felt more ā€œon topā€ and afloat on the more supportive mattresses and they were significantly cheaper. Hard to say if they would be a better choice as far as how it would feel and perform on a full nights sleep as opposed to lying on it for a few mins. And their durability is an issue likely. Plus itā€™d be nice to make the current mattress i bought work since i spent a pretty penny on it.

I also have to figure out the foundation which I also bought from them: Berkeley Eronomic Suspension Foundation. Bowed adjustable tension slat foundation. After the first couple weeks I took the mattress off the foundation and Iā€™ve been sleeping with mattress on the floor (with variation of tweeks I mentioned) for the last 3-4 weeks, and it felt noticeably better as well. Not exactly sure why.

Thanks again, thatā€™s all I can think of for now, any suggestions or info would be great!

Hey stmslpr,

Hey thanks for the detail in your post. Berkely Ergo products, very well known and high-quality products.

This is interesting but not that surprising (Berk firm talalay core ild?). Phoenix has a post about it - differences latex core vs innerspring post#2 that discusses some of the technical differences.

This is interesting as I think I know this Belgian foam, with the fast response, did you feel the foam itself or see it? Itā€™s light blue or it was light blue. It is very nice ā€œmemory foamā€ and really makes the answer to this question more difficult. And really itā€™s more of a ā€œyouā€ question, as everyone could have a different preference.

Your descriptions are very robust, for the 8" Talalay mattress, which is high quality, but differentā€¦and not everyone. The zoning is cool looking, but as a core, one cant feel the different zones. Did you have an additional 2" Talalay topper on top of the Amsterdam?

It sounds like your getting close, and the coil move worked so far. Let us know any other questions I am sure I missed something.

Thanks,
Sensei

Thanks Sensei!

I can tell the product from Berkeley is of good quality which was why I was willing to gamble and go with them. And the retailer has been good as well thus far. Hoping they might be able to do the soft latex topper swap with potentially the memory foam for free though. I did spend quite a bit for the mattress etc.

According to Berkeley the firm latex core was an ILD of 33 and the soft topper is an ILD of 18.

And yes Iā€™m collecting even more information after sleeping on the 6 inch pocket coils with 2 inch soft latex on top (mattress on the floor) this past week. Iā€™m starting to come to a hypothesis that maybe my muscles/frame etc does not react well to the latex. After about 6 weeks of this new mattress (with my back stiffness and soreness being worse than on my old saggy pillow top coil mattress) I think maybe the latex foam is tooā€¦. Lively? Bouncy? Reactive? I think Iā€™m just used to (or is better for my body) or prefer the ā€œdeadnessā€ of whatever foam was/is in the pillowtops or even a few memory foam mattresses Iā€™ve briefly slept on in air bnbs or hotels.

Itā€™s hard to tell but maybe (?) it kind of feels like the latex is fighting my weight on it and then maybe my body is fighting it back causing me to be contracted and tight? Hard to say, but my low back and pelvis (upper ridge) has been super stiff, weak feeling and sore and had a fair amount of rib pain. Itā€™s something I would assume only happens if the mattress is too soft and you sink in and not because itā€™s too firm. I mean I do sink into the soft talalay top but I canā€™t imagine itā€™d be worse than the sinking I had with my old pillowtop. Which is why you see my confusion of wonder if itā€™s too soft or too firm right from the start. Almost feels/felt at times, especially when the firm latex core was in, that my heavy parts was able to sink in a bit much into a firm stopping point and the light parts of me were held up accentuating that mid-section arching.

So basically Iā€™ve noticed that just sleeping on the hard carpeted floor made my back feel somewhat better (for sure ā€œfirmerā€ than any mattress) and putting a cheap (non latex) foam topper on top of the 8 inch mattress was also a bit better. Can I conclude that no latex or being further away from it is why I felt a bit better? Maybe the mattress now with the springs in as the support is a bit better for me because thereā€™s less of that lively rubber to ā€œfight againstā€?

I can fully understand why people love latex and it feels great and seemingly supportive when I lay on it for a while but overnight it wears me down or SOMETHING and I get super sore and stiff.

I think I remember the Belgian foam was beige (maybe a blue tint?). I did lay on it for a bit and I think it had a more ā€œdeadā€ feel compared to the lively latex. I just have no idea if I would sink too much or if it would get super hot overnight after hours on it.

It was suggested that I try actually putting the soft latex topper on the BOTTOM of the mattress and the 6 inch coils on top (directly underneath the cover, mattress protector and bed sheets) and try sleeping on it that way to see how things feel. Everything is still on the floor as it seems/ed to feel better with it off of the suspension foundation 3 weeks ago. He said it wouldnā€™t harm the mattress in that configuration and if it feels better maybe get some thin foam to place on top of the coils after or maybe the Belgian foam.

I think itā€™s probably close to the last option try before I might have to consider a completely new mattress. Iā€™m hoping it is just the feel and ā€œactionā€ of the latex and getting rid of it might do the trick.

Thanks again! Hoping i can figure this out sooner than later. The back/body would be thankful.

Hi Phoenix, thanks for the info youā€™ve provided thus far. I just got back from visiting my parents for a week, and they had added a 2" soft talalay latex topper to their standard S-brand guest room mattress that I had previously mentioned was too firm on my last visit - it made the bed feel soooo much better! At this point Iā€™m convinced I do want a latex hybrid, but am still trying to choose which one. I pretty much have it narrowed down to one of the below four:

  • Arizona Premium Ultimate Hybrid (zoned coils)
  • Arizona Premium EcoSleep
  • Luma Natural Hybrid
  • Luma Hybrid Slumber System (zoned coils)

Iā€™m stuck on whether or not the firmer center zone of the Ultimate Hybrid and the Slumber System would be a positive or negative for me. Iā€™ve read conflicting information on two different articles here on TMU. In your ā€œPutting the layers togetherā€ article, you say of the firmer center zoning, ā€œMen in particular with wider shoulders and chests than hips may do well with this. Those with wider hips but more normal weight will likely not do well with this zoning scheme as their hips need to sink down further in proportion to the shoulder to accommodate their width and help with alignment.ā€

However, in your ā€œTips and Tricksā€ article, you say the opposite: ā€œIf you carry a lot of weight in your hips and/or have heavy/wide hips, especially with thinner shoulders, then a zoned mattress core that is firmer under your hips may be very helpful.ā€

I am a side sleeper, 5ā€™2" and 130lbs, petite build with a thin frame, narrow shoulders and narrow ribcage, but curvy bust and hips. My hips are wider than my shoulders. Iā€™ve briefly chatted with both Ken (AP) and Tomas (Luma) over email, and was surprised they each recommended something different in terms of zoning. One recommended it, one did not. Itā€™s so hard not getting to try these out in store, and I donā€™t want to have to send back another mattress like I did with the Purple 3. Iā€™m trying to get a better sense of whether or not I should be considering the zoning. My biggest problem with mattresses that are too firm are 1) pressure point on the hipsā€¦whichever side Iā€™m laying on has a very sore hip when I wake up, and 2) scrunched shoulders because my thin shoulders donā€™t sink in far enough. Issue #1 makes me think zoning would be badā€¦why would I want to add more pressure under my hips? Issue #2 makes me think maybe zoning would be goodā€¦once my wider hips have properly sunk in, maybe the zone at my shoulders needs to be softer yet to get them to sink down. Another thing to consider is my height. At 5ā€™2", I would align with the zones far differently than my 5ā€™11" husband would. I canā€™t imagine how zoning could be equally effective for two such different builds.
I do plan on speaking with both Ken and Tomas again, but curious to hear your thoughts on this.

Hey rp0475,

Phoenix is off for a couple of hard-earned vacation days, but I will try to address your post. Regarding the earlier articles, I will review with Phoenix and see if there is a need to edit.

I just have a quick thought on the zoning, it is not surprising that Luma and AP may have different opinions on zoning. My own opinion is the zoning less important to your decision than the desire to have a firmer coil unit or not. At your height and weight, I do not think you will feel the ā€œzoningā€ anyways (you will feel whether itā€™s too firm or not), and issue #1 you raised is important to getting good alignment and pressure relief together. And you bring up a very good point about the zoning, tall person vs short - even though these are high-quality coils units, the zoning is more ā€œmarketingā€ in my opinion. It sounds to me the bolsa coil units, (not as firm) seems to be the right direction.

There may be some locations near you that have these coil units, as they are made by Leggett&Platt a huge conglomerate in the industry.

Thanks,
Sensei

Thanks Sensei. You have me feeling better that the Bolsa is the right option. I have had a chance to try L&P combi-zone coils locally, although in a former gauge than what the companies Iā€™m looking at offer. It was too firm, but the Talalay layer was also 22 ILD and Iā€™d prefer 19, so itā€™s not exactly an apples to apples comparison. I donā€™t know who might offer the Bolsa nearby.

I think Iā€™m almost ready to pull the trigger on the Luma, but have another question Iā€™d love your advice on. The topper I slept on recently at my parentsā€™ was a 2", 19 ILD Natural Talalay topper from the Latex Mattress Factory. The Luma pillow top is 2" of either natural Dunlop or Blended Talalay. I definitely want Talalay, but I donā€™t know about the blended. My questions are:

  1. In the same ILD (19), would blended and natural Talalay feel similar. Iā€™ve read here that natural can feel firmer, and I wonder if thatā€™s why Luma switched their ā€œPlushā€ from 19 to 24 when they changed from natural to blended.
  2. The Natural Latex Hybrid has a transition layer of 28 ILD Dunlop. I know this will be to firm a feel for me, and Iā€™m wondering if the 2" pillow top will be enough to keep my hips from feeling that firmer layer. I initially thought the pillow top was 2", but discovered that was a mistake on the Luma site that they have since fixed.
  3. Do you see any reason to go with Natural Talalay over blended? I was surprised to learn today that the blended Talalay is only 30% natural latex.
    Iā€™m now also considering just getting the basic Luma Mattress instead of the Natural Hybrid, which is essentially the same thing but without the pillow top. I could then buy either a 2 or 3 inch topper of natural Talalay elsewhere. For that matter, I could do the same with the EcoSleep - the only downside is if I return it, I have to pay return shipping and am out a total of $300 (total, for both ways). Iā€™m also unsure of the differences in coil gauge between the two, and how the 6" coil differs compared to the 8".

What are your thoughts on this?

Hey Drackean,

Sorry about your post just getting lost in the shuffle, summer stuff, etc. I will go back to your original post and move it to a new thread, any updates with your ā€œanalysisā€?

Thanks,
Sensei

Hey rp0475,

Did you ever get the information you needed on the Luma and the coils?

I am pretty sure Luma has both 100% natural Dunlop toppers and the Talalay topper are ā€œblendedā€ formula and they have always used the Talalay blended formula. They have very deep knowledge of latex in their company.

Regarding the talalay, i always recommend Talalay for the toppers and top comfort layers. Unless someone is opposed for personal natural reasons, which I totally respect.

Luma Mattress plus a 3" topper may work better.

Let me know if you want any follow up.

Thanks,
Sensei

Thanks for getting back to me, I never got an email notification so didnā€™t realize you had replied a month ago. I just came across your reply now as I started more mattress research yet again.

I ended up ordering the Luma Mattress in Medium, which is 15 gauge Bolsa coils with 2" of 28 ILD Dunlop. I also purchased their 3" Talalay topper in 19 ILD. My husband and I have been sleeping on it for about 3 weeks now and both love the plush feeling of the soft topper. I also love that my shoulder doesnā€™t feel crushed on too firm a mattress for a change.

However, I am experiencing some mid-back pain just below my rib cage. I had my husband take a picture of my spine while laying on my side, and I can see that starting at my hips to around mid-back/waist my spine looks fairly straight, but then at that waist point it angles upwards to meet my shoulders which donā€™t sink in as deeply as my hips do. I had my husband put his hand under the topper while I was laying there, and my hips do go all the way through and meet the 28 ILD transition layer.

Iā€™m not sure whether this will solve the issue, but Iā€™ve just initiated a comfort exchange for the 24 ILD topper instead. Iā€™m a little nervous about the firmer topper, but am hoping it will help bring my hips a little higher to be more in line with my shoulders.

I have no idea which layer is actually too soft, and if maybe I would have been better off with the firmer Combi-Zone coils and still the 19 ILD topper. I knew the firm Savvy Rest coils I tried locally with a 19 ILD topper was still too firm, which is why I opted for the Bolsa, but I donā€™t know the specs of those coils so itā€™s possible the Luma Combi-Zone might not have been as firm as those.

Hey rp0475,

Congrats on your new Luma Mattress purchase :cheer:.

To receive email notifications, you will need to subscribe to this particular topic and check your spam/junk email folder in case the notifications for any new replies are sent there. The ā€œSubscribeā€ button is available at the very top of each topic.

Like always, the comfort is a personal choice, but from what youā€™ve described, the change from a 19 ILD topper to a 24 IDL should be a good solution for bringing your hips a little higher, providing you better alignment for shoulders and hips.

Iā€™d love to hear your feedback after you and your husband allow for a few days of adjustment with the 24 ILD topper replacement versus the previous 3" Talalay topper in 19 ILD. Thanks again for sharing your experience with your mattress, it looks like this final fine-tuning will work out for you, let us know.

Thanks,
Sensei

Thanks! I noticed the ā€œreceive notificationsā€ checkbox at the bottom of my reply yesterday. Mustā€™ve missed it last time.

I think the issue is actually not so much my hips sinking too far, but my torso sinking too far. If I put a pillow under my hips only, it makes the problem worse. If I put a pillow under both my hips and torso, it feels so much better.

I will definitely check back in one we receive the new topper and have slept on it a bit.

Hey rp0475,

The more you describe some of your solutions, the better it seems that your choice of a 24 ILD replacement should be a good fit. Please keep TMU updated on your replacement experience, it will be helpful to other forum members:) :slight_smile: .

Thanks,
Sensei

Hi Sensei,

Nothing new so far. Have you moved my question to a new topic already? Has it been answered?

Hi Drackean,

Thank you for your prompting and perseverance! Your initial post with questions certainly slipped through the cracks and has never been moved or answered (Until now) so sorry :oops: !
I have created this new topic and placed all your comments and related posts to your own dedicated topic and subscribed to you to it so that you receive notifications whenever someone replies to it.

We are in the process of site redesign and our small team wears many hats but weā€™ll certainly get to it soon.

Phoenix

I really appreciate that Phoenix. Looking forward to your analysis on the issue. Thanks for the help.

Hi Drackean,

Thanks again for your patience and gentle approach. I appreciate it! :slight_smile:

Diagnosing and troubleshooting an old mattress is not always that straight forward ā€¦youā€™d need to know the materials used within your old mattress and look for any potential visible sagging or signs of the foam breaking, virtual impressions, and mattress failing along with how your own body interacts with itā€¦ Poor quality materials would lead to the mattress prematurely breaking down. This issue may be further compounded by the use of comfort layers that are too thick and/or too soft.

If your current mattress that has thick layers of lower quality polyfoam in the upper layers such as in a pillowtop ā€¦as it starts breaking down it will gradually put you ā€œover the lineā€ and the mattress may no longer be suitable for you (even though it may still work for your wife with a different BMI body type or sleeping positions). I am not sure if your mattress is still under warranty but unless there is an obvious defect, loss of comfort and support from foam softening would not be covered (even though itā€™s the most common reason people need to replace their mattress). If you wish to do some in-depth mattress diagnosing as part of the learning curve for future mattress selection there is some information about the many different symptoms people can experience on a mattress and most common causes behind them in post #2 here that may be helpful to you.

In general, issues with ā€œpainā€ earlier in the night tend to be surface comfort related, and issues with ā€œpainā€ in the morning tend to be more alignment (deep support) related, Lower back pain and Frequent repositioning is one of the signs that your mattress may not be meeting your specific deep support and comfort needs. For someone with lower back issues on a mattress ā€¦ the first place I would look is the thickness and softness of the comfort layers. What can often happen is that the heavier parts of the body (the lumbar pelvis area) will sink down too deeply relative to the lighter parts of the body which arenā€™t sinking down as much. The sinking into the mattress is not even for all parts of the body and that spinal alignment is not ā€œneutralā€. In this case, the pelvis will tilt which leads to the lumbar curve not maintaining its neutral relaxed position. You probably need to be closer to the firmer support layers that ā€œstopā€ the heavier lumbar/pelvis from sinking too far. There are some general guidelines as to what tends to cause back pain in post #2 here that you may find interesting

Your pictures show a good posture and spinal alignment when laying on the edge/perimeter of your current mattress, but I am guessing that this is not in your habitual sleeping area and that youā€™d sleep more towards the center of the mattress where most of the mechanical stress would occur and where the foam(s) would first start breaking down, softening, and losing its supportive properties. The pictures taken of you being placed towards the center of the mattress may be a bit misleading but I do notice more sinking-in than when you are on the edge. Generally, those photos also show good alignment, but if the foam started to break down it would have less resilience and would not fill in the gaps to offer support for the recessed parts of your body.

Again, when you are dealing with alignment issues (often lower back issues) ā€¦ then itā€™s usually about some part of your body sinking DOWN into the mattress too far relative to the others. Assuming that your mattress foundation is sturdy, flat, and offers a good central support without sagging, your lower back pains can be the result of either mattress support layers (such as an innerspring) being too soft or comfort layers that are too thick and soft which can allow some parts of the body to ā€œtravelā€ too far. It can also be from comfort layers that are too thin or firm or support layers that are too firm where the ā€œgapsā€ in your sleeping profile (such as under the lumbar curve or waist) arenā€™t being filled in and supported which can also allow the more recessed parts of the body to sag or ā€œtravelā€ too far. These can both lead to pain and discomfort in either the back or joints when either the spine or joints are outside of their ā€œneutralā€ alignment.

While your description is a fairly good assessment of what is seen in the photos about good posture and alignment, Iā€™d try to focus more on how it feels rather than how it looks. See my reply to a recent post with similar questions about spinal alignment that may be useful in trying to understand your current landscape.

Glad to see that in your new mattress hunt you moved away from getting a pillowtop with unknown componentry that may contain lower density polyfoam. They can have a great ā€œshowroom feelā€ but that feel doesnā€™t last very long ā€¦with over 3" of polyfoam is even worse (the lower density polyfoam there is the more effect that foam softening will have). These guidelines will help you avoid most of the worst choices when you are mattress shopping.

Assuming that you chose the right balance of comfort/support for you, the Latex Albizia hybrid mattress does look like a good product. The bed is listed as having perimeter support and the zoned pocket coils are rarely the weak link in a mattress. If you primarily sleep on your back than the 2" Talalay Latex of 19 ILD (most likely from Vita Talalay) maybe not supportive enough and cause again alignment issues. Post #2 here has some generic guidelines for different body types and sleeping positions.

All foam materials will both soften (virtual impressions) and/or develop visible impressions to some degree over time and wonā€™t stay perfectly flat but if they are higher quality and more durable materials such as latex they will be significantly less and take longer to develop than lower quality and less durable materials and any minimal softening or impressions wonā€™t generally affect the comfort and support of the mattress. Latex, in general, is the most durable of all the foam materials and generally holds up very well for a very long period of time.

I hope this helps ā€¦ itā€™s nice to see that there are still people who are taking their time rather than rushing to replace a mattress quickly and go through the stress of hurried decisions and more ā€œurgentā€ research.

Phoenix