PS I do see online that Rocky Mountain has a 9" all latex with a natural cover for 1700. How does that compare to Colton?
Hi beanneu,
In order to make a comparison between mattresses ā¦ I would need to know the specs and prices of both mattresses and I donāt know the price or specs of a ācomparableā mattress at Colton.
I can say though that I like Rocky Mountain Mattress and they are members of the site (which means that I believe they are among the ābest of the bestā in terms of quality and value). Their current prices for a 6" natural Dunlop core with a 2" talalay latex comfort layer are very good value (which is typical of the members here). When ordering online though ā¦ knowing your options if you need to exchange the mattress or a layer is important because unless you are at their local outlet you wonāt have had the chance to lie on it to test it in person and it is is a āfinishedā mattress and not a zip cover where you choose layers or can exchange them although it does offer choices in firmness levels. Of course local testing on latex mattresses can provide a good guideline to the firmness levels that work best for you.
Overall ā¦ the Rocky mountain is good value but like all online purchases have a degree of āriskā (shipping charges for any exchanges or returns) and this would need to be included in your āvalue equationā.
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix,
Did you see the previous post where I listed the price. The (1800) is dollars, then itās 1300 for the other two options, foam or pocket coils. The Colton stock mattress is 6" latex, but doesnāt have the natural cover. - Anne Marie
Hi beanneu,
I did miss your post, sorry ā¦ it must have snuck in when I was busy writing another one.
The Colton natural/synthetic blend (which would be 30/70 NR/SBR) is talalay rather than Dunlop and would be a higher quality and more expensive type of latex than the blended continuous pour Dunlop that Ikea uses. If I am looking at Dunlop (rather than talalay) ā¦ I personally prefer 100% natural that is by companies like Latex Green, CoCo latex, or Latexco (among others).
Assuming that the latex support core is 6" ā¦ all of these would be good value IMO. The 3.1 lb polyfoam is exceptionally high quality (approaching the quality of latex in many specs) and pocket coils with latex comfort layers are also a preference for many people. All of these in other words are very high quality options and have good value IMO and preferences, intangibles, and budget would be the reason most people would choose one over the other.
When I am comparing a mattress made locally by a manufacturer to an online outlet ā¦ I would tend to include a premium in my āvalue equationā to the fact that I have been able to test the mattress for pressure relief and alignment which removes much of the uncertainty of buying online. Making changes after the fact is also easier (if the manufacturer allows this) because the manufacturer is local and the mattress wouldnāt have to be packaged and shipped. If this āpremiumā on a similar mattress is too much however ā¦ then the additional risk of an online purchase may also be worth considering.
The most important part and benefit of buying locally though is the ability to carefully āfitā a mattress to your needs and preferences (under the guidance of someone who is very good at this) and I would never make a purchase under the pressure of other events because this is something you will be living ā¦ and sleeping with for many hours each night for a long time. I would personally not make any purchase until you are satisfied that the mattress you are choosing really will give you the pressure relief and the alignment and support you need and also feels the way you prefer a mattress to feel. Even an online purchase can be much more accurate if you have done enough local testing to really know what you need and prefer.
Bear in mind too that it is sometimes difficult to make exact comparisons because the cost of the quilting/ticking (as you can see) and differences in the amount of materials used in different mattresses can make a real difference in the final prices so price comparisons are more āballparkā comparisons based on similar amounts of similar materials and there is no āexactā way to factor in āexactlyā the many other variables and intangibles that are important part of each individualās value equation.
Thereās more information about the various choices in ticking/quilting materials here (ticking) and here (quilting) and about natural vs synthetic here as well as in many other forum posts as well including post #2 here but they will basically confirm what your own experience and Colton is telling you and help to give some context to any āprice benefitā tradeoffs that may be important to you.
All of your choices here are good ones IMO ā¦ and once someone reaches this point (has eliminated the worst or low value choices) then itās very difficult to go āwrongā and its more a matter of deciding what is most important to you and the levels of risk/benefit and the prices of various options that you are comfortable with rather than thinking in terms of which one is ābestā.
Phoenix
So here is my Ikea experience.
-
SULTAN EDSELE
Your review in another thread āAll latex mattress. This is 85% natural Dunlop and a wool/cotton ticking/quilting. This is one of the better Ikea choices (although the latex used is still not of the same quality as a 100% Dunlop produced in a mold by some of the better manufacturers).ā
I was surprised how soft it was after all i read about dunlop hardness vs talalay. I actually felt like i was sinking in it and it didnāt feel supportive or pain/pressure relieving, actually felt like it was amplifying pain initially. (this was the same experience I had with a 2" memory foam topper that someone gave me as a giftā¦dont know lb density of foam)
Interestingly, unlike all the others I tried, the longer I laid, the more it seemed to adjust/correct, and after some time the pain seemed to dissipate and became reasonably comfortable. Stated as 7 comfort zones. The price online is 729, but in store was 979!..whats that about?..60 buck delivery chargeā¦dont think they remove your oldā¦free delivery and removal one of the nice things about the mattress chains even though the are clueless on specs and just tryin to hustle they commission. -
SULTAN ELSFJORD
Your review āAll latex mattress.I would avoid this completely because it contains synthetic Dunlop with a synthetics fibers in the quilting/ticking.ā
This was much firmer and supportive and didnāt instantly cause me pain like number 1(edsele). Didnāt really notice much difference than the feel of a memory foam mattress. Reasonably supportive and comfortable. Stated as 5 comfort zones. Positive is you can take it with youā¦no delivery charge -
SULTAN FJORDGARD
Your review āPolyfoam/Latex hybrid. Very similar to the SULTAN FOSSING except a thicker layer of 80% Synthetic Dunlop latex. I would also avoid this.ā
This was much firmer and supportive and didnāt instantly cause me pain like number 1(edsele). Didnāt really notice much difference than the feel of a memory foam mattress. Reasonably supportive and comfortable. Stated 5 comfort zones. 529 online -
SULTAN HEGGEDAL
Your review " Pocket Coil / Latex hybrid. I would give some consideration to this as a ābudgetā mattress. Slightly higher coil count, 85% natural Dunlop, Rubberized Coir, and higher quality materials in the ticking/quilting than the less expensive options."
Its almost the opposite experience of number 1). There is an instant positive feeling of support and pain relief, but over time you wonder if comfort is degrading. Reasonably supportive and comfortable. Stated 5 comfort zones. 829 onlineā¦60 buck delivery charge -
SULTAN HOLMSTA
Your review āPocket Coil / Latex hybrid. I would avoid this. Fairly low coil density pocket coils, low density polyfoam, 80% synthetic Dunlop latex, synthetics in the quilting/ticking.ā
Didnāt notice that much difference with 4), maybe actually more comfy feeling. Reasonably supportive and comfortable. Stated 5 comfort zones. 429 online
My take aways:
- Its very hard to remain objective. Lots of things sub-consciously sway perception.
- Harder than I thought to discern major differences even by laying on them for a couple minutes(as opposed to reading specs)ā¦support, comfort, nor temperatureā¦ donāt like hotā¦which is pretty depressingā¦you would almost have to spend a night on eachā¦which of course you cant do
- None of the them blew me away likeā¦ooooohhhh that feels goodā¦want more of that. Didnāt happen at value city furniture eitherā¦even with their expensive beds.
- I donāt actually hate springs like I thoughtā¦ donāt know if its just the independent āactive coilā or āpocket coilā design, or all springs
- Cant really discern major differences between solid synthetic latex, and thin synthetic blend layer over foam.
- I could however discern difference between majority natural dunlop over majority synthetic dunlop. Natural had this more viscous liquid feel that seemed to cradle more and adjust over time.
- Surprised how soft dunlop can be after descriptionsā¦makes me think talalay may be too squishy for meā¦will need to try i guess.
- Couldnāt tell difference between 5 comfort zones or 7
- The highest correlation in positive vibes was to firmness. Numbers 2-4 were āmost firmā listed. Numbers 1 and 5 were just āfirmā listed. I instantly felt more supported or pain relieved on 2-4. This makes me think knowing and having experience with the IDL or being able to choose the firmness of one or all layers is important. By specs and price you would think number 1 would automatically give the best initial warm and fuzzyā¦but didnāt happen like that due to firmness.
- Was pleasantly surprised by Ikea. They had hands on cutouts of all their mattresses with explanations on construction and materials. You can exchange as many times as you want for anything in the store over 90 days until satisfied. Way more consumer friendly and transparent than the bed chains I have been to.
Guess now I have to make it out to vienna and merrifield to savvy and americanfoamcenter to try some talalay and 100% natural dunlop.
The saga continues
Hi jayblackseal,
My reply to your comments are in post #4 here in your other thread.
Thanks for adding it to the Ikea thread as well.
Itās one of those āgoodā duplicate posts 
Phoenix
[quote=ājayblacksealā post=10290]1. SULTAN EDSELE
Your review in another thread āAll latex mattress. This is 85% natural Dunlop and a wool/cotton ticking/quilting. This is one of the better Ikea choices (although the latex used is still not of the same quality as a 100% Dunlop produced in a mold by some of the better manufacturers).ā
I was surprised how soft it was after all i read about dunlop hardness vs talalay. I actually felt like i was sinking in it and it didnāt feel supportive or pain/pressure relieving, actually felt like it was amplifying pain initially. (this was the same experience I had with a 2" memory foam topper that someone gave me as a giftā¦dont know lb density of foam)
Interestingly, unlike all the others I tried, the longer I laid, the more it seemed to adjust/correct, and after some time the pain seemed to dissipate and became reasonably comfortable. Stated as 7 comfort zones.[/quote]
I found it quite hard, although not like laying on solid quartz like the other latex bed near it. It was quite hard without the extra topper, and still hard with it (although bearable).
[quote=ājayblacksealā post=10290]2. SULTAN ELSFJORD
Your review āAll latex mattress.I would avoid this completely because it contains synthetic Dunlop with a synthetics fibers in the quilting/ticking.ā
This was much firmer and supportive and didnāt instantly cause me pain like number 1(edsele). Didnāt really notice much difference than the feel of a memory foam mattress. Reasonably supportive and comfortable. Stated as 5 comfort zones. Positive is you can take it with youā¦no delivery charge[/quote]
I think this is the extremely hard model. If I had to lay on this for more than half a minute I probably wouldnāt be able to walk. Hard beds give me middle lower back pain, which I donāt get usually. I usually have back pain on the outer sides of my lower back.
I was disappointed. But, my body isnāt made for hard beds.
Hi RF,
I was disappointed. But, my body isnāt made for hard beds.[/quote]
I think more than anything else this goes to show how different people and their individual perceptions really are and how important it can be for each of us to test a mattress to see how it performs and feels for us ā¦ which may be very different from someone else.
Phoenix
For what itās worth, I recently checked out the IKEA latex options and hereās what I found
IKEA rates this as āmost firmā and it was the only one that felt comfortable to me. Given its great price point ($599 for king) I was going to put it on my list if I could find good reviews of it. But I was worried that at only 5 1/2 inches, it might not hold up, especially since my husband and I are both on the heavy side (170lbs and 225lbs). And, as Phoenix points out, itās all synthetic Dunlop.
I went expecting to love this one since itās their top end and itās mostly natural Dunlop. But I was shocked by how soft it felt (itās rated āfirmā by IKEA). It was comfortable in so far as it was super cushiony, but it felt like there was no actual support underneath all that cush, and I could tell after laying on it for a good 10 minutes that my body felt too unsupported to relax properly. Definitely not for me.
This is their newest one. IKEA rates it as āmost firmā and the price point is $999 for a king. It felt great, although I donāt know how much that great feel is the mattress by itself or the Sultan Atloy box spring they feature it paired with (which adds another $500 to the total price for a king). Would it feel the same on their much cheaper Luroy ($80) or Laxeby ($200) slatted bases on a platform bed?
ADMIN NOTE: Removed Footprint to Discontinued Product | Archived Footprint 1: Products - IKEA | Archived Footprint 2: Products - IKEA Archived Footprint 3: Products - IKEA
Glad to have these as a point of reference as I begin my research, and to know that two of these could be reasonable budget options, but realizing from lurking on this site that there is better value to be had out there
Hi Yogimama,
Iām surprised that you found this as comfortable as you did considering its thickness and firmness. IMO ā¦ it would not be as durable as the more natural versions of Dunlop which are more elastic and more durable. It seems clear to me that you like firm mattresses though. Iād be curious to know which sleeping position you tested this with (and the others as well of course).
Based on the shipping weight ā¦ this would be about 85 kg/m3 or perhaps slightly less (because the cover and quilting would also be part of the weight) which would be in the medium/firm range. The seven zones (or at least some of them) would probably feel softer than an unzoned core but softness and firmness is so subjective that each person would have a different idea of what feels soft or firm. Firmer foam will also feel softer under heavier weights though so this could be part of it. Sometimes too latex can be deceptively soft but still supportive because it is so elastic it can āgiveā more than polyfoam even though it gets firmer faster so it can also be more supportive.
I havenāt tested these in person but it would make sense to me that the box spring would have more give to it than either the Luroy or the Laxeby and would feel a little softer.
Thanks for sharing your experiences on these mattresses
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix,
Yeah, it does look like Iām partial to a pretty firm mattress, though Iām also still getting used to what latex feels like as compared to an innerspring. I was testing all of these in a back sleeping positionāI usually start off on my side but end up on my back.
It canāt be said enough, thanks so much for this amazing site! Mattresses are my new obsession, and the information here is good for hours and hours of reading (and I actually come away having learned something:)
~Yogimama
Hi Yogimama,
Thanks for the comments ā¦ you made my night (and Iāll sleep with a smile having read your post)
When you are testing mattresses I would encourage you to spend time completely relaxed in all your sleeping positions and moving from one to the other like you would when you are sleeping. In many cases a mattress that feels good in one position may feel very different from what it does in another sleeping position. Side sleeping for example is much more prone to pressure issues that you may not notice when you are testing mattresses on your back which can be more comfortable on firmer mattresses because it is a 'flatter" sleeping position with less pressure points and not as prone to pressure issues.
It can be difficult to āduplicateā the sleeping environment when you are testing (fully relaxed in a āpre-sleepā state for at least 15 minutes on each serious candidate) but itās worth it in the end because good testing can be surprisingly successful in predicting which mattress will do best in āreal lifeā. Some suggestions for testing for pressure relief are in this article and for testing for support/alignment (which is more difficult) are in this article along with a simpler more āfeelā oriented version in post #11 here. Of course the overall 'feel" of each mattress and different materials and components is more subjective and a matter of personal preferences.
Phoenix
Hello Jayblackseal-
The IKEA Sultan Edsele is one I am considering, but also prefer a firm mattress. This one is listed as āfirmā yet you mention how soft it felt. Wondering what the best support is for this particular mattress? Iād like to add a box spring for height, but wonder if wood slats would give better support?
Also, Iām curious if you checked out Savvy Rest and American Foam Center? And can offer any opinion on either? I am in that area. I checked out Savvy Rest once, but did not really have much knowledge as to what to ask/look for.
Thanks for any feedback.
This forum has been so helpful! Thank you for the wealth of information. My husband and I are about to go ahead and order The Ultimate Dreams 10" mattress. So nervous, but so excited!!! Buying online is scary but I feel quite empowered after looking at this awesome site and hearing everyoneās experiences. Iām also quite sure that anything will be so much better than our super old, caving in mattress that we have now.
Anyhow, I just wanted to weigh in on the Ikea latex Mattresses. We tried those out this weekend.
The Ikea Edsele
This is the one that I pretty much was the most interested in because it was the most ānaturalā. Iām also in the same boat as the others who have weighed in thinking that it was pretty soft. I liked the way it felt laying on my side, but felt like while laying on my back I sunk in too much for my liking. Iām currently 7 months pregnant so maybe the extra weight had something to do with it. My husband also felt like there was not enough support while laying on his back as well.
The Ikea Elfsjord
Honestly I didnāt spend much time on this one because right away I could tell it was way too firm for me. Sleeping on my side in this thing would cause me serious discomfort. My husband on the other hand preferred this one. But I think he mostly tried it out while he was laying on his back. Plus I really didnāt like that it was completely synthetic and so thin.
Iām really interested to see what firmness level we end up getting with the Ultimate Dreams. From reading everyoneās feedback Iām leaning towards a 3.5 or 4. I figure if it does end up too firm we can always add some more talaly latex on top to soften it up. Which may not be such a bad thing. 
Iāll report back after we get it, so that there is a point of reference for those who have tried the Ikea mattresses that end up with the Ultimate Dreams as well.
Hi
I have an Ikea Sultan Edselle and like you I thought it felt soft at the store however itās not.
I actually find my so firm I have bought a topper to soften it, and thatās another topic.
IMO the Ikea Edselle is a very good mattress and it does not sag at all. You move and it pops back up to flat immediately unlike a very expensive talalay topper I purchased recently.
The warranty is also excellent, 25 years here in Canada.
Buy it you wonāt be disappointed especially if you want a firmer mattress.
Hi Gapeachk,
There are a lot of forum members here who know how nerve wracking it can be to buy a mattress online but when you are dealing with a better manufacturer that offers comfort options and you have done some good testing and have good feedback available it can certainly make it easier and improve the odds in your favor.
Iām looking forward to your feedback as well about the comparison between the Edsele and your comfort choice.
As you know from your testing ā¦ latex has an unusual combination of softness and firmness that that responds and adapts differently than other materials and in many cases different people have their own unique perception of what the same mattress feels like ā¦ but every little bit of information helps sometimes for others who follow.
Thanks for sharing your experiences ā¦ and congratulations on your new mattress
Phoenix
Hi,
I bought Ikea latex Elsfjord mattress, it felt good in store but turned out to be way too hard and my shoulders hurt terribly. I wanted firm since our previous expensive mattress (simmons Backcare) was too soft, didnāt provide good support and I had really bad back pain. Elsfjord has support (no lower back pain) but I need more cushion. I am 5ā2 and 130 lb, side sleeper (sometimes stomach). I cannot return the mattress but can exchange to less firm Edsele. Edsele is 85% natural latex and thicker than all synthetic Elsfjord.
Or I could keep Elsfjord and get soft talalay latex topper online. Which would be better option? If I choose topper, should I get 2" or 3"? I tried putting old comforter on Elsfjord, it is better for shoulders (still not good) but now my lower back starts to hurt so I think 3" would be too much sinking. Is Edsele a better option?
Hi Anna,
You seem to have gone from one extreme to another and somewhat āovercompensatedā for your experience with the Simmons
While I canāt tell you what would be ābestā for you because either of your choices may work and only you can know that ā¦ I can at least tell you the pros and cons of each of your options and how I would choose so that you can make the choice that is best for you.
Now that you have some experience sleeping on the Elsfjord ā¦ I think you would be in a good position to evaluate any difference in the Edsele with personal testing and the first thing I would do is test the Edsele carefully and as objectively as you can using the testing guidelines in post #1 here (and making sure that you spent at least 15 minutes on it after you have reached a āpre sleepā state of relaxation). I would make sure that you listen carefully to the more subtle cues from your body for any hint of āfamiliarityā about a mattress that is too firm for you in term of pressure relief.
If you are confident that the Edsele is suitable for you in terms of PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) then I would lean towards an exchange because the Edsele is a much higher quality and higher performance mattress than the Elsfjord and then you wouldnāt need a topper at all (although you would still have that option if it turned out to be too firm as well).
The other alternative as you mentioned is adding a topper to the Elsfjord and in this case I would use the topper guidelines that are in post #2 here and the posts it links to (especially post #8 here).
I donāt think a comforter would be a good indication of how a latex or foam topper would work for you (they would be completely different) but based on your description and on your body type I think a 2" topper would probably have the best odds for you (especially if this seems to agree with your experience about needing a ālittle to a fair bitā)
The advantage of this option is that if you choose a topper that doesnāt work well then you could just exchange the topper for another one (assuming that it can be returned) and the risk would be lower than if you exchanged for the Edsele and for some reason it turned out to be too soft for you (which isnāt likely) because itās not really possible to āfixā a mattress that is too soft because you would need to remove some of the excess softness rather than just adding a topper.
So I would make my decision based on your level of confidence in testing the Edsele. I would lean in that direction if you were confident it would work because you would end up with a much higher quality mattress which had about 1.5" more of a higher quality latex (roughly the thickness of a topper you would be adding anyway to the Elsfjord) and a higher quality cover that includes wool.
If you were still uncertain from your testing ā¦ then the topper direction would give you more options and making a change from your initial topper choice would only involve exchanging for another topper. You could choose the replacement topper based on your actual experiences on the Elsfjord / topper combination which would probably give you a very good indication of what a replacement topper should be if your first choice isnāt suitable. This way ā¦ if you buy a topper that can be exchanged ā¦ you would only be out the cost of returning it and would still have more options available.
Phoenix
Hi mattress shoppers. Latex specials today on aisle 3. Look for the flashing light. 
The IKEA experience.
I was near my local IKEA today and stopped in to look at this mattress, as after my bad luck with all foam mattresses I am curious about springs with latex. I am not a fan of IKEA. It took me 15 minutes wandering around that maze to find the mattresses. That being said, I found this one interesting. It is quite firm, but not what I would call hard. It was very supportive when I lay on my back , had good motion control and seemed nicely finished. After having two latex mattress break down quickly I am curious if a mattress like this, with very little foam in it, is going to soften less than an all foam mattress.
I donāt know what the durability is like on IKEA innerspring mattresses, but if it is good this might be a basis for a bed with topper.
I also got to see the Sultan Laxeby slats in person. If I remember, Phoenix said they wouldnāt work on a platform bed, but it looked to me like that is what it is designed for, as it has frame around it that would lift it off of the platform, allowing it to flex and also allowing the mattress to breath. Am I right on that?
IKEAās trade only policy is also limiting. You can use it for credit elsewhere in the store, but if they donāt have another mattress that works, you are stuck spending a bunch of money on cheap Swedish furnitureā¦ They do have some great dark chocolate at IKEA, but I donāt think I could eat a grandās worth of chocolate, even with my wifeās help. :lol:
I will be curious to see what feedback we get on this new IKEA design, as there seems to be a dearth of reasonably priced mattress with inner springs and latex. Lew
Hi Lew,
Based on the quality of the materials ā¦ especially in the comfort layers ā¦ the durability āshouldā be good but in your case I would be scared to say that anything would be durable based on your experiences :dry:
Itās designed to be used on any one of their their bedframes which all have a ledge on the side that it fits on and the side rails would prevent it from sliding. All their bedframes can use any of their slat systems (see page 15 here).
It would probably also work on a bedframe like this or something similar (either on the slats or as a replacement as long as it fits because standard dimensions can vary) but if you put it on a solid surface platform like this then it would probably be subject to sliding and you would need a way to attach it to the surface.
ADMIN NOTE: Removed Footprint to Discontinued Product | Archived Footprint: broadwayfurniture.net/bedroomfurnitureportland/about-the-platform-bed-frame/
Iāve also talked with some of the manufacturers of some of the KD foundations that are available and asked them to measure the dimensions of the Laxeby to see if it would fit and could be used with their foundations instead of slats but I havenāt heard from any of them to confirm this.
I have a Dutch heritage which means that I love dark chocolate ā¦ so if you ever need to exchange a mattress for dark chocolate Iād be happy to help you put it to good use
Phoenix