Hi Alan P
Sorry to hear your current Saatva is “breaking down and there is a definite divot on both sides”. It’s definitely time to get out of this vicious loop of replacing the topper on a mattress that is clearly deteriorating. It looks like latex is your preferred choice, so durability won’t be an issue unless your BMI gets past 30 in which case a latex topper or comfort layer in plush (19 ILD or less) would undergo more mechanical stress and may need to be changed overtime.
Thanks for providing your stats and history with the current mattress – I’ve read the recommendation SleepEZ made and they are well thought and sound for both you and your wife.
A 10" mattress/topper is thick enough to accommodate the weight differential and would be suitable for someone transitioning from a pillowtop or another mattress/topper as SleepEZ explained. The topper they recommend, however, is a new Talalay and not your current 3" Dunlop, (SOL sells only Dunlop) additionally because of the weight differential they recommend different firmness for each sleeper. This is what they say.
"As such, my advice is to order the 7" natural latex mattress and order a separate 3" Talalay topper to go on top of that. I recommend medium Talalay glued to soft Talalay for the topper (medium for your side and soft for her side)."
This makes sense too as the difference between Dunlop and Talalay feel can be quite noticeable as Phoenix explains:
"Talalay is considered to be more “springy” or “lively” than Dunlop because you will generally sink in deeper which means there is more up and down “movement” or “ride” with Talalay and it springs back more strongly and quickly. This creates a different “feel” between the two materials and is also why Talalay is often considered to be more pressure relieving than Dunlop because it allows for a deeper cradle in the same ILD … while Dunlop is considered to be more supportive because it doesn’t compress as deeply with greater weight … all else (including ILD) being equal of course. "
It’s all depending on your needs and personal preferences but from what you described I’d guess that Talalay would better suit your need for more plushness.
I also like the idea of the toper having two firmness levels as it can be more adaptable. At your BMI a medium firmness is a good recommendation as Talalay feels softer than Dunlop in the same ILD and will hold better in terms of durability over time. You are lucky that your wife can sleep on almost everything as you have some room for experimenting with what build best suits you if it turns out that the medium is still not plush enough for you it’s easy enough to rotate the topper and have the soft on your side.
They know their materials and designs better than anyone else and their recommendations are based on averages of their experience with customers that are similar to you.
Could you confirm that this is what they recommend for the 7" Natural Latex mattress?
https://mattressunderground.com/media/kunena/attachments/49786/(7) Natural Latex Split 2022-05-13_.jpg
I am thinking that at your BMI and side sleeping you’ll go through the 3" Talalay topper and feel the Extra-Firm second layer which may create some pressure points for you. Either way, this can be easily fixed by switching the bottom and middle layer to your side.
So I’d make sure to ask for clarification from Arizona SleepEZ Factory They are very experienced at mattress matching consumers and the 7" Latex Mattress with a 3" topper has very good odds of working for you.
Keep in mind that the cooling pad / Eight Sleep will modify the surface tension of the mattress and the comfort level you settle on. Also, softer mattresses will “sleep warmer” than harder mattresses as you’ll sink in more, and the more, you’ll be insulated, regardless of the materials within the mattress. Also, less surface area of your body is exposed for heat exchange.
More breathable comfort materials can flow more air and help with both humidity and temperature regulation. There is more about tracking mattress temperature regulation issues potential causes ~ Post #2 here
Sounds like you are on the right track.
Basilio