Ok so I’ve done a bit more shopping around and tested a few mattresses since I last posted. I feel I’ve narrowed it down to a few possibilities.
A)Naturpedic two sided mattress
B)White Lotus latex
C)White Lotus Foam with latex topper
C)Natura Starlight
Honestly I liked the Starlight the most but at $1599 it’s too pricey for me. The White Lotus would be too, but I can get a discount so it’s more in my price range. I wanted something firm for my son so I even tried the White Lotus foam mattress with latex topper. That was pretty good too. My only reservation is that the White Lotus latex isn’t as firm as I’d like. It isn’t terrible either but the Starlight was better. Any throughts Phoenix?
Hi bermannyc,
Assuming that you are referring to the Quilted Organic Cotton Deluxe Mattress … you can see my comments about it in my previous reply here.
If you are referring to the Latex sleep system here (I’m guessing without the topper which you wouldn’t need for a child) then there would certainly be no lower quality materials or weak links in this mattress although it’s significantly more costly than other similar mattresses that would be available to you.
I don’t know the density of the foam they are using so if you can find out and let me know then I can make some comments about the quality and durability of the polyfoam. Again though you probably wouldn’t need the topper for a child (unless you would prefer it for them to sleep on latex rather than polyfoam).
This mattress also uses high quality materials (6" of 100% natural Dunlop latex with a cotton cover quilted with wool) and it doesn’t have any lower quality materials or weak links either but is also in a higher budget range than other similar mattresses as well.
Overall I think that there are similar mattresses available to you in much lower budget ranges than any of the options you mentioned but outside of the White Lotus Foam with latex topper (which I can’t make any comments on without knowing the density of the foam) if all of these are in a medium firmness range or firmer then they would make a suitable choice for a child.
I would keep in mind that you really don’t need to test a mattress for a child because as long as you are comfortable with the type and quality of the material and it’s in a medium firmness range or firmer then it would make a suitable choice for a child regardless of how it may feel to you and there are certainly some similar mattresses that are available both locally or online in much lower budget ranges than any of these mattresses that would also be well worth considering.
Phoenix
@ Phoenix
I guess that’s what I was asking. Are there other lower cost options to either the White Lotus Latex or Natura Starlight that you could suggest? Right now I can get a deal on the White Lotus for $875 for the latex mattress without topper which seems like a good deal to me. I also liked both of those because I was able to go and test both of those (I live in NYC near the White Lotus showroom).
Hi bermannyc,
The posts and topics that are mentioned in the children’s reference post I linked in my previous reply includes many options for children including many latex mattresses that are in very reasonable budget ranges.
Outside of any other options that may be available locally … some of the better online latex and latex hybrid options I’m aware of that are lower budget ranges listed in posts #3 and #4 here.
Phoenix
@Phoenix
I called Natura and explained to them that I liked the Starlight but it was way too pricey for me. The woman on the phone suggested the Sunshine. She explained that it’s basically the same mattress but with out the 100% organic element. It’s $899 (compared to $1500 for the Starlight) whereas the Naturepedic is $799. I’m leaning towards the Naturepedic. Part of me feels it’ll be better with little kids jumping on it etc. But what do you think of the Sunshine? Here are the features:
Product page:
http://www.naturaworld.com/products/sunshine-kids-mattress/
NATURA SUNSHINE TWIN MATTRESS
- Flat, Euro-top design
- 100% latex core provides whole body support with a firmer feel
- Luxuriously soft terry cotton cover; removable for easy care
- Natura Smart Wool™ lining wicks away moisture for a clean, allergen-free sleep
- Promotes proper spinal alignment & provides needed support for growing body
- Antimicrobial, hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant
- Mirrors body contours to buffer pressure points and reduce tossing & turning
- No need to flip or turn, resists compression
- Available 6" height only
Interesting no?
Hi bermannyc,
The Natura Starlight contains 100% natural Dunlop and an organic cotton cover quilted with 8 oz/sq yd of their organic Natura Grow Wool.
The description on their site about the Sunshine says that it contains Talalay latex (they don’t mention whether it’s blended or 100% natural but I would assume that it’s blended) and has a cotton cover quilted with 6 oz/sq yd of their Smart Wool (neither of which is organic). The description also mentions that the latex is “granulated” which would seem to imply that it uses shredded latex instead of a solid latex core which would be very unusual. It’s also possible that the shredded latex is bonded together with some type of resin. If this is accurate then it would certainly explain why it was a lower cost. Their description also says that the cover is non removable.
There is more about the differences between Talalay and Dunlop latex in post #7 here.
The Starlight would certainly make a suitable choice for a child but if I was in your shoes I would want some clarification about the specifics of the Sunshine. Some other sites that list it don’t say anything about granulated latex so I’m not sure if it’s just a mistake in their description or whether it’s accurate.
The innersprings in the Naturepedic would be more “bouncy” than latex but both of them would be a durable choice. There is more about an innerspring support core vs latex in post #28 here.
Phoenix
I couldn’t find much specific information about the Sunshine Mattress unfortunately. Even on the Natura website. I only know what the woman told me over the phone. Maybe I’ll call back tomorrow and ask her a few questions about the latex etc.
Hi bermannyc,
I’ll be interested to find out what they say when you ask them what they mean by “granulated” latex.
Phoenix
ok so I spoke with Natura and this is what the woman told me. The Sunshine has a 6" Talalay solid core. The cover is wool quilted into cotton and polyester. Does that make sense? I don’t think any of it organic which is why it’s so much cheaper than the Starlight.
I also managed to check out Dixie Foam today. They’re local here in Brooklyn so I could try out their latex mattresses. The owner was very nice and apparently they have a new Talalay model available in Firm and Medium firm both of which I liked… They didn’t have their Dunlop model out yet since they just moved in. Do you know about the latex they use? Also their cover is a cotton/polyester blend. He said he could switch it out for a cotton muslin if I liked. Without the wool as a fire barrier he implements a Ventex barrier. What are your thoughts on Ventex? Is it safe and still effective?
Hi bermannyc,
I’m not sure their reply answered why the description on their site says “granulated latex” but if the mattress contains 6" of Talalay latex that isn’t “granulated” (most likely blended talalay rather than 100% natural Talalay) and it’s in a medium or firmner firmness level then it would certainly make a suitable choice for a child.
They would be the most reliable source of information about the type and blend of latex they use in each of their mattresses. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here but any type or blend of latex would be a durable material that would make a good choice for a child in a suitable firmness level.
I have known Mark and Dixie Foam for several years and they are also about to become one of the members of this site over the next few days which means that I think very highly of them and I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terns of their quality, value, service, and transparency. (UPDATE : They are now a member of this site as well)
Ventex makes inherent fire barriers that don’t have any added chemicals so I would consider them to be “safe enough” yes. All their mattresses (like all the mattresses that are legally sold in the US) have passed 1633 fire regulations so they are also an effective fire barrier.
Phoenix
The Talalay latex Dixie uses is from Latex International and Mark says it’s 97%natural. The Dunlop they use is blended at 60 natural/40 synthetic.
In terms of the covers, do you think the cotton /poly blend cover is sufficient? Or would the cotton muslin preferable? I guess the poly blend is better for kids?
Also, the Ventex versus wool. What are your thoughts on this? I haven’t seen Ventex at all so it’s somewhat worrisome. Although it seems to have gotten certain certifications etc.
Again, thanks for all of your help.
Hi bermannyc,
This would be a preference choice and either one would be suitable unless you have a preference for more natural materials or fabrics. Mark will be able to provide you with more reliable guidance about any meaningful differences between the two covers and will know more about the specifics of each of his covers than I would.
Again this would be a preference and budget choice. Wool is a more costly material and would have an advantage in terms of temperature regulation vs a non quilted cover but can also have a bigger effect on the feel and performance of the latex underneath it. There is more about wool quilted covers vs thinner more “stretchy” non quilted covers in post #6 here. I would have no issues with the “safety” of either of them as a fire barrier.
Phoenix