I thought DreamFoam/UltimateDreams prided itself in customer service?

[phoenix]

Hi IzzysMom,

Chuck seems knowledgeable and helpful, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from them, but I am not overly impressed with their service, which is odd because I thought it was what they are known for. Also, probably not important but I was a little surprised that Chuck didn’t know if the synthetic Dunlop latex in their Freedom mattress was continuous pour or mold and as it probably doesn’t matter much, I don’t really care, but I thought they were very involved in the process w/the manufacturer.

So again, nothing in my experience with them would be a showstopper and prevent me from buying from them, but it’s not “best in class” and is in contrast to what I’ve read about them.

There are always times when every manufacturer or retailer is busier than others and there are minor delays in returned calls or emails (their normal time is about 12 - 24 hours and yours was a little longer than this) … and I don’t know of any manufacturer where this hasn’t happened on occasion … but they are certainly among the “best in class” when it comes to the help and guidance they provide to their customers and the quality and value of their mattresses. It’s unfortunate that you were caught up in one of the times where they weren’t responding as quickly as they normally do. Part of this may be that the labor day period can be a very busy time in the industry.

The process that is used to make the latex isn’t as important as the type and blend of the latex (in this case it’s synthetic Dunlop which would be from Mountaintop Foam who uses a continuous pour process) and it’s not unusual that someone wouldn’t know this because it really isn’t part of what makes a material better or worse than another. Dreamfoam/Brooklyn Bedding is the manufacturer of the mattress (they aren’t “involved” with a manufacturer) but the people that are involved in the actual design of a mattress and the selection of the materials aren’t usually the same people that are on the “front end” dealing with customers.

I’m still weighing all our options and their DreamFoam Freedom mattress is at/near the top of the list…can’t seem to beat the price ($1099 for king size) for an all-latex mattress with flexible comfort levels. My main hesitation is that it is made up of 3 separate 3" layers without a larger core, and I’ve been told that it’s better (more of a stable feeling) to have one core layer of 6 inches or so, topped with comfort layer of 3" (ideally made in Talalay for softer feel). Phoenix, what are your thoughts on this?

There would be little difference between a single 6" core and two 3" layers of the same type and blend of latex in the same firmness levels if they were inside a tight fitting cover. In “theory” … two single layers would act a little bit more independently and feel a little softer than a single core of the same type and blend and firmness level but in “real life” with a comfort layer on top then I doubt that most people would feel any difference. If the two 3" layers are a different firmness than the single 6" core then there would certainly be a difference in the feel and performance of the mattress and there would also be a difference if the type and blend of the latex was different from another mattress you were considering as well because different types and firmness levels of latex have a different “feel” and respond to pressure differently. Any differences in the cover between two mattresses will also have an effect on the feel and performance of the mattress as well. Multiple layers also have the option to rearrange layers for fine tuning if it’s necessary although if a mattress is already a good “match” in terms of PPP then this wouldn’t make much difference.

Synthetic Dunlop is a good quality and durable material but it’s also less dense and has a lower compression modulus than natural rubber which means that it wouldn’t become as firm as quickly when it is compressed as natural Dunlop so in the same thickness and ILD it would be a little less “supportive” than natural Dunlop (meaning you would sink into the material a little more deeply).

The choice between Talalay and Dunlop is really a preference issue between different types of latex and different firmness levels (see post #7 here) and I certainly wouldn’t treat it as a “better worse” issue. All types of latex are available in softer and firmer versions and continuous pour Dunlop can be made as soft as Talalay although it would still “feel” different even in the same firmness level.

Phoenix