Hi JMB,
I think more than anything … one of the most important goals of this site is to help people find an outlet that has good quality, good value, and that you can trust to do exactly this. This is one of the reasons I focus so much on where to buy more than what to buy because it is certainly less time consuming and confusing than learning all about mattress specs and how they work together which can take years. The more the person guiding you knows about their mattresses and the more they are willing to help you … the less you have to know.
There is a list of some of the better options in the San Diego area in post #2 here. There are also some height/weight/body shape guidelines here and some sleeping position guidelines here but I would use these as a starting point only. With a knowledgeable person who knows how to fit you to a mattress … you won’t need these and “in person guidance” is always much more accurate than “averages” or “theory at a distance”.
While Tempurpedic is certainly good quality … I agree with you that is is not great value. Memory foam can be quite tricky because there are so many different formulations which each have slightly or sometimes significantly different properties but there are many high quality choices for those who prefer memory foam over other materials and they all share a “slow response” and some degree of temperature sensitivity in common. While I personally prefer more “fast response” materials or higher quality polyfoam (and so do the majority of long term mattress manufacturers) for those who prefer the slow response of memory foam … then at least there are good quality choices available that are equivalent quality and much better value than Tempurpedic. My personal opinion is that memory foam in thinner layers or in combination with other materials is a much “safer” construction. Again … local factory direct outlets or better sleep shops that sell alternative brands are the best sources and tend to have much better levels of knowledge, quality, and value and most importantly of all can help you make much better choices that are suitable for your own unique needs and preferences.
Many local manufacturers will not have a huge array of different layering and firmness levels set up on their showroom because a few basic models are generally enough for most people to make good choices … especially with specialty mattresses. These basic models will usually provide a good guideline for any adjustments that you may want for those manufacturers who will make mattresses that are different from their showroom models. Euro Flex has some good quality mattresses but their value is not in the same range as some other local manufacturers. I usually include all the local manufacturers on the lists I post though (unless there is a specific reason not to) because some may provide options that are different from others and each person’s “value equation” (the list of things that are more or less important including price of course) can be very different. In general though, they would not be the first choice on the list for most people in terms of value. A few calls along the lines of this article can help you narrow down your choices and help you get a sense of the outlets that “fit” what you are looking for the best, and have the knowledge, service, selection, and overall approach you are most comfortable with.
There are actually two companies that sell Talalay latex in North America. One is made here (Latex International) and the other is imported from Holland (Radium). Both are high quality materials and different manufacturers will have different preferences as to their supplier for many different reasons … but I wouldn’t hesitate to use either.
This is true to some degree although there are many different layering combinations that can be used in combination with other materials, manufacturing techniques, foam fabrication methods and different types of ticking and quilting that can make a big difference in the performance and feel of a mattress and how it fits each individual. It’s also true though that all the different mattress manufacturers (with few exceptions) also use common foam manufacturers and there are not many “proprietary” materials used in mattresses. The biggest reason that polyfoam or memory foam mattresses or more complex constructions are more difficult to “duplicate” is not because they can’t be or that the same materials (or the equivalent) aren’t available to anyone but because the larger manufacturers don’t like to release the information about what is in their mattresses. Their sales are based more on marketing techniques used in the subjective and highly managed environment of most showroom floors than on accurate information about the type or quality of materials they use in their mattresses that can be used for meaningful comparisons (which they do everything in their power to discourage). Again … local manufacturers or better sleep shops that deal with better local or independent manufacturers are much more open about their materials and can often “translate” a mattress into something similar that they make or sell that has much better quality and value.
In essence … the two main functions of a mattress are pressure relief and spinal alignment in all your sleeping positions and these can be achieved in any budget and with many combinations of material. The different materials have a lot to do with preferences (things like temperature regulation, breathability, motion transfer, overall feel, adaptability, and others) and of course with the durability of a mattress.
The most common layering with latex mattresses (in terms of the latex only not the other components that are part of most latex mattresses) are either 2 or 3 layers. There is a wide degree of differences though because the thickness of each layer and the mattress itself and the ILD (softness/firmness) of the layers as well as the type of latex, hw the layers are combined, and many other factors (and other materials or layers in the mix) can make a big difference in how the mattress feels and performs. The actual latex foam inside the mattress is just part of the puzzle.
In general … the most effective first step is to choose two or three local manufacturers or outlets and focus your attention on them. Talking to them on the phone first will give you a good picture of who carries the best value (as you define it) and has the best knowledge and service. Their advice and your personal experience is more important than “specs”. Things like Talalay and Dunlop and different ILD’s are more about preferences than whether one is better or worse. Your body will tell you which you prefer. The best direction and first step is always to first find the best outlets … then find the best mattress. The more they know … the less you have to know (although having some basic information from reading through the overviews in the mattresses section so you can ask better questions and have a sense of who really has good knowledge is always a good idea).
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To be honest, I couldn’t really tell the difference between their medium/firm and medium/soft. It seems to be very difficult for me to notice the difference between a ILD 32 and 36
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Most people will not notice a difference that is less than about 4 ILD and quite frankly there is likely about 4 ILD difference in different parts of the mattress or layer surface anyway (Dunlop may be even more). The upper layers that have lower ILD’s will affect the pressure relief and feel of the mattress more than the lower layers (for most but not all people) although the lower layers are primarily responsible for alignment and support so slightly firmer is usually better than slightly softer if two different mattresses seem to feel about the same.
To recap …
Step 1. Find the two or three best outlets that are close enough to visit that carry the types of mattresses (materials) you want to test and have the knowledge to help you understand and feel the difference between different types of materials they carry that are used in both the comfort layers and support layers of a mattress. The more they know and the more you can test different materials … the less you have to know ahead of time. If you are unsure you can call and “interview” them along the lines of this article.
Step 2. Go to these outlets and test the different combinations to find the general type of mattress that you prefer. While you may start out “wanting” to like certain combinations of materials … you may find that you “actually” prefer something different. Listen to your body and use the knowledge of the person you are working with to help you know the advantages and disadvantages of each material. Decide on the materials you want to focus on.
Step 3. Once you know the basic combinations you prefer … you can start to narrow down the specifics of each mattress with that general combination to find the ones that are the most suitable for your needs and preferences. Carefully test mattresses at these outlets (and spend at least 15 completely relaxed minutes on each good candidate) for PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and Alignment, and Preferences) with the guidance of the people that are helping you. Decide on your top 2 or 3 mattresses.
Step 4. Assuming that your choices in #3 are roughly equal … look carefully at the materials in each mattress and note which ones best meet your different criteria and have the best combination of quality, value, and durability. Decide which of any tradeoffs are most important to you. Pay particular attention to any possible “weak links” in any mattress (the part of the mattress that will wear out first). I would also take into account the after sales service of the outlet in terms of what they are able to do if your choices aren’t quite right after you have slept on your mattress for a few weeks (although I would shop as if you only had one chance to get it right). All this depends of course on knowing what is in each mattress and may involve a couple of hours at home deciding on the pros and cons of each of your final candidates. While this can be the most fun (because you are usually down to all good choices) … it can also be fairly difficult to make the final “tough” choices. Avoid the tendency to get down to the level of fine detail that is mostly meaningless and make good choices impossible.
Step 5. Close your eyes, grit your teeth, and choose the one that best fits your “value equation” (all the tradeoffs that make a mattress “best” for you).
Phoenix