Hi Phoenix,
Great site, very educational.
I asked Dreamfoam and was told that there is no difference in the core height in terms of feel, just profile.
In your response below, you note that 3" of latex is not enough and recommend at least 6".
https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/finding-best-value-in-3q-of-talalay
Why do you consider the 3" used in the Ultimate Dreams mattresses to be adequate?
Thanks,
Brian
Hi tinman,
I think you may have misread the thread you linked. It was talking about using a 3" topper by itself with an inch of wool on each side with no support layers as a complete mattress. For most people this by itself would be too thin and firm to be used as a mattress regardless of the material.
As you probably know … Dreamfoam is a member of this site which means that I think very highly of them and the quality and value of their mattresses. The fact that they also provide a bonus or discount to the members of the site is a nice perk as well (in their case a free shredded latex pillow). Thickness by itself is not the only “variable” in a mattress (it works with layer softness and many other factors). There are many pathways to the same outcome and because they make the mattresses … they would the “expert” in it’s feel and performance.
The Ultimate Dreams mattress you are looking at has 1.5" of quilting foam over 3" of latex over 8" of high quality polyfoam so a total of 12". This would easily be thick enough for most people … regardless of the types of material that are used in the layers. The comfort layers are about 4" (the quilting reduces the thickness of the material) and it has an 8" support core. The firmness of the comfort layer can be customized for each person which is one of the values of this mattress. It’s very rare that you will find a mattress in this budget range where you can customize it to your needs and preferences and also have the option to exchange the 3" latex layer to a different firmness (for a small charge) if for any reason you make the wrong choice.
All the layers work together in other words. Layer thickness and firmness also work together so that a firmer thicker layer will have some similarities to a softer thinner layer of the same material. A mattress could have 2" or even 1" of latex in the comfort layers and still make a good choice depending on the budget and the rest of the mattress. Because the goal is good pressure relief and good alignment rather than a “certain amount” of a particular material, there are many combinations of materials that will do the job. Of course latex is one of the most expensive and durable mattress materials and has many advantages over polyfoam in a comfort layer so more latex “in the mix” would usually mean a greater price but there is no specific thickness of any material that is “required” to make a good mattress that can fit the needs and preferences of a particular individual. It’s how all the layers work together that is important, not the specifics of any one of them by themselves.
Hope this helps.
Phoenix
Phoenix,
Sorry about that, I see that I did misread your message.
I am very interested in your take on a 3" blended Talalay versus a 3" natural Dunlop as the comfort layer.
FYI, I am 6’2", 210lbs back and side-sleeper.
Thanks
Hi tinman,
The choice between Dunlop and Talalay is strictly a personal preference between the different feel of each material … assuming that both are comparable in terms of ILD and the ability to relieve pressure for you. There is no right or wrong here although the choice sometimes brings out some passionate opinions. Both are high quality materials. There is more about the different types of latex here. Dunlop gets firmer faster with compression than Talalay so even in the same ILD it can “feel” firmer in a comfort layer and it has a less “springy” feel. A common analogy is angel food cake vs pound cake although this may be overdoing the comparison 
My personal preference is the “feel” of a Talalay comfort layer but that in no way should affect anyone else’s choice because it really is a preference and not a “better or worse” issue. There are many others who prefer Dunlop.
Phoenix