I NEED ADVICE! THANK YOU!

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

My budget is 650 MAX and I want a latex mattress… And I just did a 1 hour research including the discussions here and it seems that the best mattress for my budget is either the dreamfoam queen mattress HARD firmness for $611:
https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Dreams-Latex-Mattress-Comfort/dp/B0051AQXZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417040145&sr=8-1&keywords=latex+mattress
or ikea MYRBACKA queen mattress FIRM for $549

Which one you think is better? And if you know of any better alternative please let me know.

Second Option: I really don’t want to wait, and I don’t plan to do it, but if you tell me that the morgongava is the BEST mattress ever for the price then I may wait 2 months and save $500 more. But only if you tell me that is really worth it and is the best deal EVER. This is 85% natural latex but what I don’t like is thickness (less than 8")

Well please let me know for this one.

Thanks!

2

Hi jovan,

There is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses but only you can decide on which one is “better for you” (regardless of whether your choice would be better value for anyone else). I can only help with “how” to choose … not “what” to choose.

The Dreamfoam is a latex/polyfoam hybrid that uses Talalay latex in the 3" comfort layer. They have different firmness levels available so you can talk with them and choose the custom firmness level that would have the best chance of being a suitable match for your body type, sleeping positions, and preferences (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

The price of the Dreamfoam Ultimate Dreams (queen) is $611 if you order through Amazon and Amazon fulfills the order and you would be covered by the Amazon large items return policy (see post #11 here).

The price would be $599 if you order through Amazon and your order is fulfilled by Dreamfoam. Your mattress forum membership here would also entitle you to their pillow bonus. There are no returns.

The price would be $539.10 if you order through the Dreamfoam site (they have a 10% discount currently which would replace the pillow bonus) and you would also have the benefit of their 45 day comfort guarantee.

The Myrbacka that you linked is a memory foam mattress but they also have a latex version (see here) which uses synthetic continuous pour Dunlop latex in the comfort layer. This is also a good quality and durable material but it’s also a lower cost version of latex than the blended Talalay latex that is in the Ultimate Dreams.

It only has one firmness option so one of the biggest parts of the value of this mattress would be whether it was a suitable match for you in terms of PPP based on some careful testing of the mattress.

There is also more about the difference between how Dunlop and Talalay “feel” in post #7 here that may help you decide on which type of latex you may prefer.

Neither one of these mattresses has any weak links in their design in terms of durability.

[quote]Second Option: I really don’t want to wait, and I don’t plan to do it, but if you tell me that the morgongava is the BEST mattress ever for the price then I may wait 2 months and save $500 more. But only if you tell me that is really worth it and is the best deal EVER. This is 85% natural latex but what I don’t like is thickness (less than 8")

No … I don’t think that the Morgongava is the “best deal ever” for the price but of course the value of any mattress is always relative to each person’s criteria and the other mattresses you are comparing it to based on your testing for suitability (or making sure that you are comfortable with any return or exchange policies and the options you have after a purchase if you can’t test a mattress in person), checking the quality of the materials in a mattress to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in the design, and then making meaningful comparisons with other mattresses based on all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Posts #3 and #4 here include some links to some of the lower budget online latex and latex hybrid mattresses that I’m aware of.

Once you have eliminated all the choices that don’t meet your criteria in terms of suitability, durability, and value … and you are down to finalists that are choices between “good and good” that you have either tested in person (if they are local) or have had a more detailed conversation on the phone to help “talk you through” your firmness choice (if they are online) and are comfortable with all the return and exchange options with each choice … then if there are no clear winners between them you would be in the fortunate position that any of them would likely be a suitable choice and deciding on your final choice (see post #2 here) will really be a matter of “best judgement” based on all the objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Phoenix

3

Thanks a lot Phenix! Great responses this will help me a lot to reach my final decision. I will copy/paste from my email a response from Chuck in regards the material % distribution of the 3" latex.
…
Hi Jovan,
You can ask as many questions as you need to be comfortable with a purchase.
The latex is going to be the Talatex latex from a company called Latex International. It is a 40% natural and 60% filler blend.
To give you an idea on the fillers it is things like sea shells
…

So this means that we are getting less than 1.5" of natural latex. And I don’t know nothing about sea shells but doesn’t sound very attractive.

The advantage I can see from the IKEA latex mattress is that is high-resilience polyurethane foam and it may be synthetic latex but at least is a lot more than just 1.5% of latex. To bad I was unable to found any review for MYRBACKA. In regards to dreamfoam the only negative commonality i can see is that the mattress can get very hot.

4

Hi jovan,

[quote]Hi Jovan,
You can ask as many questions as you need to be comfortable with a purchase.
The latex is going to be the Talatex latex from a company called Latex International. It is a 40% natural and 60% filler blend.
To give you an idea on the fillers it is things like sea shells
…

So this means that we are getting less than 1.5" of natural latex. And I don’t know nothing about sea shells but doesn’t sound very attractive.[/quote]

The Talalay latex that is made by Latex International uses “about” 30% natural rubber and 70% synthetic rubber so the entire 3" layer is made from a blend of natural and synthetic latex using the Talalay process. Their latex does have some Feldspar (similar to crushed chalk) filler material that they use in their latex formulation which is used to add additional firmness to the latex in different firmness levels. All 3" of the layer are a high quality blended Talalay latex material and it is a higher cost material than the synthetic latex used in the Myrbacka.

Based on your calculation method … the Myrbacka would have 0" of natural rubber but of course you can’t separate out the natural and synthetic rubber in a blended latex layer since they are mixed together as a liquid before they are co-polymerized together.

There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here.

They both have more than 1.5" of latex. The upper layers of a mattress are the weakest link in terms of durability so if you are in a more normal weight range the density of the support layer would make little difference in the useful life of the mattress (you can see the foam quality guidelines here that I would suggest using). The most important criteria that I would use to decide between them would be based on which type of latex you would prefer and which one you believe you would sleep best on and would be most suitable for your body type, sleeping positions, and preferences in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences).

Talalay latex is generally the most breathable of all the different foam materials so it would tend to be more temperature regulating and sleep cooler than other types of foam materials or other types of latex. There are also other variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress though besides just the type of foam that is used in the comfort layers that can have just as big an effect on the sleeping temperature of a mattress (including the type of mattress protector you use and your sheets and bedding). There is more about the many variables that can affect sleeping temperature in post #2 here.

Phoenix

5

Phoenix thanks again for your prompt response. What I was talking about is the pictures you shown here:https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/ikea-mattress-cutaway-pictures

When looking the one for the latex myrbacka correct me if I am wrong but the first 6.5" are pure synthetic latex and then the last 2" are the high-resilience polyurethane? I am surprised if is like that. And it seems that there is no other top layer of anything, for example in the dreamfoam case the top layer is not latex but hyper flex foam i wonder is that’s an advantage of disadvantage.

But still you mention that that the latex in the dreamafoam mattress is higher quality, but what about the lower layers, I think high-resilience polyurethane is better than HD poly foam? Right? Would this make a difference?

Finally (and sorry!) a little change of topic here… what is your opinion about latex pillows? is worth it?

Thanks again!

-Jovan

6

And once again another change of topic… Did you ever heard of this natural cotton 'futons" with natural latex inside like a sandwish? Please would like to know your opinion. Thanks.

Reference:

7

Hi jovan,

[quote]Phoenix thanks again for your prompt response. What I was talking about is the pictures you shown here: www.themattressunderground.com/mattress-…-pictures.html#24640

When looking the one for the latex myrbacka correct me if I am wrong but the first 6.5" are pure synthetic latex and then the last 2" are the high-resilience polyurethane? I am surprised if is like that. And it seems that there is no other top layer of anything, for example in the dreamfoam case the top layer is not latex but hyper flex foam i wonder is that’s an advantage of disadvantage.[/quote]

The Ikea website doesn’t list the thickness of the synthetic latex layer in the Myrbacka but based on the picture it looks like it’s in the range of about 5.5".

There are many people who prefer the feel of a quilted cover over latex which can have a softer and more “relaxed” feel and there are others that prefer the feel of sleeping more directly on the more resilient latex. There is more about the pros and cons of different types of quilted covers in post #12 here but this is a matter of preference and which one feels and performs better for you.

The deeper layers of a mattress have much less effect on the durability of the mattress than the upper layers of a mattress and the density of a polyfoam support layer has little to do with how a mattress feels or performs but for those that are in higher weight ranges (in about the lower 200 lb range and higher) that would compress the deeper layers “through” the comfort layers more than those that are in lighter weight ranges then the density of the deeper layers can become a bigger factor in the durability and useful life of a mattress. There is more information about the many variables that can affect the durability and useful life of a mattress relative to different people in post #4 here and the posts it links to.

Some people like them a lot and some people don’t like them at all (they find them too bouncy and resilient) but the choice of material in a pillow is even more of a preference choice than it is with mattresses. I am one of the ones that happen to like them (I sleep on a shredded latex pillow). There is more information about choosing a pillow in the pillow topic here that may be useful.

[quote]And once again another change of topic… Did you ever heard of this natural cotton 'futons" with natural latex inside like a sandwish? Please would like to know your opinion. Thanks.

Reference:

I am certainly familiar with the materials they use but I don’t have any personal experience with the specific futon or design. They use 2" of 100% natural and certified organic Dunlop latex in the middle layer and then use organic cotton batting and wool on either side. These are all high quality materials and there would be no weak links in the futon in terms of durability but with a thinner layer of firm Dunlop latex and with natural fibers in the comfort layers that are firmer than most foam materials (and get firmer as they compress over time) it would likely be firmer than the other options you are considering … similar to many other futons.

Phoenix

8

This is very good information. In that case (I weight 175pounds) wouldn’t be worth to try one of this toppers:
https://www.amazon.com/Green-Natural-Latex-Mattress-Topper/dp/B00F49C0SM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1417078104&sr=8-8&keywords=latex+topper

Now the question what would be the ideal mattress (not to expensive) mattress to use for the topper.

9

Hi jovan,

The topper you are looking at is certainly a high quality material (100% natural Dunlop).

Buying a mattress/topper combination can be a good strategy if you can test the combination in person and make sure that it’s a good match for you in terms of PPP before you buy it.

A topper can also be a good backup plan if you make a mistake and buy a mattress that is too firm and need additional pressure relief or comfort.

If you can’t test the combination before a purchase though then it can involve higher risks and uncertainty because you are buying two products instead of just one and you won’t know how they will interact with you and with each other until you have the chance to sleep on them (see post #2 here)

Phoenix

10

Hello Phoenix, I really appreciate all of your help. This will truly help me to make my final decision. I just have a last question for you, I know that you mention that you can’t decide what is better for me, but still would like to know what YOU would do. If you have only this budget (no more than &650) what would buy out there.

Thanks,

Jovan

11

Hi jovan,

I have never gone through the exercise to make a choice in this budget range so I really don’t know what I would choose. I do know that I would follow the same steps in the tutorial post just like I suggest for anyone else. My finalists would be based on the type of materials I prefer, on which mattress I was reasonably confident would be a good match for me in terms of PPP, which mattresses don’t have any lower quality materials or weak links relative to their budget range, and then to choose between my finalists I would compare them based on all the other criteria that were important to me. If my budget was limited I would make the same tradeoffs as anyone else and focus on which combination of materials were the “best possible” in my budget range with a focus on the feel, performance, and durability of the upper layers.

Even if I had gone through the specific process of choosing a mattress in your budget range though … my own needs and preferences would likely be very different from someone else and a mattress that works well for me may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on. My focus on this site is to help educate the members here about “how” to choose based on the criteria and preferences that are important to them … and not “influence” them about “what” to choose (and suggesting what I would do is no different from making a specific suggestion).

My own specific choices would also have a disproportionate “weight” on a site like this and there would be too many people who would believe that just because I would choose a specific mattress or combination of materials that it would somehow be a better choice for someone else which of course wouldn’t be the case.

I can tell you that I tend to prefer the “feel” of Talalay latex with relatively softer comfort layers and that I tend to prefer some type of quilting material on top to create a more “relaxed” sleeping surface and feel but my own preferences may be completely different from someone else. My daughter for example prefers the “feel” of sleeping on Dunlop latex and some of the other people I know that are among the most knowledgeable in the industry prefer the feel or memory foam or of innerspring support cores with their favorite material on top of the springs (such as memory foam or latex) in the specific combination that works best for them.

Everything is relative to each person’s unique needs, preferences, and criteria and it would be a real mistake to choose a mattress based on preferences or criteria that are important to someone else (no matter who they are) but may not be a good choice for you.

There are just too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone to make specific suggestions for someone else based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here) … so instead of trying to do something that isn’t possible … I just don’t do it at all.

Phoenix

12

I’m interested in the casper. Like the lack of middle man and the price. I also like the latex surface but know nothing about the core materials. I use a full size bed, sleep alone (except my 60 lb dog), I weigh 180# and have serious back problems ; 2 rods and 4 screws at L4 & L5 ;developing problems from over stress of the above disk (pinched nerves resulting mild neuropathy of both legs and feet. I can’t sleep on my side due to hip replacement surgeries. I need soft surface to protect from pain at the spine surgical site and excellent alignment control to prevent morning pain. what do you think. Is there anything else I should consider in my price range?

Thanks for your help

13

Hi jirvinross,

The first place I would start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines you will need to make the best possible choice.

If your budget range is about the same as the Casper price then yes there are certainly others that I would consider depending on which types of material you tend to prefer (memory foam, latex, polyfoam, innersprings etc). The tutorial post includes several links to some of the better online options I’m aware of. Many of them are also factory direct manufacturers that have their own factory and have less middle men than Casper which doesn’t have their own factory and is a reseller that sells mattresses made by a foam fabricator (or what is also known as a “cut and sew” mattress).

If you let me know your city or zip code I’d also be happy to let you know about any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area as well.

Phoenix

14

Phoenix,

Please I would like to know your opinion about this dunlop latex mattress. They claim is all natural latex with no synthetic materials. The queen size is just $470. Seems to good to be true! But please let me know what you think.

Jovan

15

Hi jovan,

The mattress you linked has a 2" comfort layer of 100% natural Dunlop latex and a 6" 1.8 lb polyfoam support core (I’ve asked them about the density of the base layer previously) so there would be no obvious weak links in the mattress (unless you were in a higher than average weight range).

There are no options for choosing different firmness levels and with a fairly thin 2" layer of Dunlop latex over a firmer polyfoam support core this mattress would be in a firmer range and with an “all or nothing” mattress that can’t be customized and that you can’t test in person before a purchase the biggest risk with this mattress is that if it’s not suitable for you in terms of PPP then you would have no options after a purchase because there is no exchange or return policy.

Phoenix