Hi nowhisky,
You’re welcome!
The latex is Talalay, which is a high quality and durable material. You’d just want to confirm the density of the polyfoam base used (at a minimum above 1.8 lb.)
You can see some comments about the Nirvana design in post #7 here. All the materials are high quality and there are no weak links in the design so from a quality perspective the design is great. From a suitability perspective it uses a more unusual design approach that has firmer materials on top and then changes the firmness of the deeper layers to add additional “give” underneath the latex. This would be similar to a “dominating layer” (see post #33 here and the posts it links to) and would also be similar in a way to say a 6" firmer latex mattress that uses a box spring underneath it to provide some extra give under pressure points. These types of designs create a firmer sleeping surface with a much more “on the mattress” feel with some additional give and softness underneath the firmer layers. A forum search on Shovlin Nirvana (you can just click the link) will bring up more information and feedback from some of the forum members here about it as well.
The biggest issue in your choice will be deciding whether the “degree of difference” in terms of sleep quality and PPP and all the other parts of your personal value equation would justify the higher actual or material cost of the Nirvana. These are always “best judgement” choices which can be difficult to assess except in hindsight although neither mattress you are considering would have any weak links in terms of durability.
At the end of the day … when you look back on a mattress purchase a decade or more from now you will remember much more about how well you slept and how long you slept well than you will about the price you paid for a mattress and in either case the cost of a good quality/value mattress spread out over the time you use it would be well worth it and is very reasonable compared to other major purchases or even “regular expenses” that can have a significant effect on your overall wellbeing. Having said that of course … the price is usually paid up front and not over time so it would also be a significant factor in any mattress purchase … particularly if the design or materials of two mattresses are similar.
If you want to compare elsewhere, then I would look online and use the experience and expertise of the members listed in post #21 here who are all very experienced and knowledgeable and specialize in providing the type of help and guidance on the phone that can help you make good choices. There are a wide range of latex and memory foam and other options included in the choices there and I believe that all of them compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency (approximating the configuration used by Shovlin might be difficult, as it is unique).
Post #2 here and this topic have more about the pros and cons of a local vs an online purchase.
In a very general sense, and assuming the polyfoam base is still up to the last specifications I have, then it would be reasonable to expect a durable comfort life out of this product. While there are stories of latex mattresses lasting over 50 years, that is not the ordinary. It certainly wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect over ten years form a product like this, with anything over that what I consider to be “bonus time.” Unfortunately, we’re seeing shorter and shorter comfort life values in the industry for the “typical fare” innersprings sold at furniture and department stores, with many “premium” products failing after only 3-4 years. The mattress you’re considering certainly uses higher quality componentry that what you’d typically find.
I tend to be a fan of “keeping it simple” and not include the topper as part of the original equation, unless there was a truly compelling reason for its use with a new mattress system. It can often make the process more confusing, and you always have the ability to add a topper later.
As you’re aware, Shovlin Mattress Factory is a member of this site, which means I think highly of them. I wouldn’t hesitate to trust their advice with the specific configuration that they would recommend for you and your particular situation.
I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding.
Phoenix