Latex all foam or hybrid

Hi there!

I’m new to TMU and I’m SO glad I found this site. It’s been super helpful understanding the industry and narrowing down all of the options to what we THINK we want. Some background before the questions:

I have suffered some minor sciatica flare ups starting during my second pregnancy in 2017. It flared up again not too long ago and after eliminating other factors it’s looking like it’s our very old (14 year old) bargain mattress that we’ve been sleeping on, My husband has been waking up with shoulder pain as well recently. The mattress we’re on was supposed to be temporary but it had been fine for us until now. It’s a no name brand, very traditional spring mattress with pillow top. It’s about a medium firm and pretty springy. We literally called 1-800-mattress and ordered it sight unseen. We purchased a part latex part coconut coir mattress for our crib mattress years later and in researching that we prefer a similar non toxic/less toxic/organic mattress. After quite a few days of research and then hours reading all of the info on TMU we think latex would be the best material for us. I’m having trouble figuring out the best configuration though. We are both pretty strict side sleepers but I do toss and turn a lot during the night typically from side to side, sometimes to my back though (unsure if it’s the mattress or just how I sleep). I sleep very hot and if I get hot it always wakes me up. I want something that’s going to be pretty durable as this is a high price item for us that requires saving up for. We want something that will last but at the same time something that will give us the support & comfort we need.

My questions are:
If I like the feeling of a softer mattress. Can I get away with a nice firm support core and then a medium soft comfort layer? Do I have to give up that soft feeling to get the support I need for my back?
Is a hybrid mattress going to sleep cooler than an all foam latex mattress?
Is an all latex foam mattress going to have poor edge support?
Has anyone had experience with Brentwood Home (not on trusted list)? Luma Sleep?

Stats:
Me - 5’9" 150lbs - mainly side sleeper - sleeps hot - sciatica
Husband 6’4" 180lbs - mainly side sleeper - sometimes shoulder pain - broad shoulders

Hope some folks can help point us in the direction of how best to find a good fit!

Hi LNZ.

Welcome to our Mattress Forum. :slight_smile:

It’s always nice to hear that the resources and information we make available on The Mattress Underground have been useful in helping propel your mattress shopping decisions.

Thank you for sharing your mattress story and your stats. I am sorry to hear of your sciatica but I am happy to answer your questions as you move forward in searching for a supportive new mattress.

First off, this post about innersprings vs latex support cores in post #2 may better help you decide between a hybrid or an all-latex bed.

One of the great benefits of latex is that even in the softer versions, it has a higher resilience and is more “supportive” than other foams, and will help support the more recessed areas of your body, such as the lumbar, that need “filling in” and are not in close contact with the firmer support layers underneath. So, in short, no! You do not have to sacrifice the softness/comfort and cradling effect to get the support you need to have a neutral spinal alignment.

Coils sleep cooler than an all-foam mattress as they allow for more airflow on all sides of the mattress than thick foam layers no matter how open-cell or breathable the comfort layers above the springs are. When air can move through a mattress, it traps less heat. This said the layers and components closer to the skin are the largest contributors responsible for the temperature build-up in any mattress. There is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range. Latex itself is quite breathable and the most temperature neutral of all foams (including the new generation of gel foams).

I’d keep in mind that the firmness of a mattress and how much you sink into it can also affect sleeping temperature as well. While it’s also not always possible to track down temperature regulation issues for any particular person on a specific mattress because there are so many variables involved (including your room temperature and humidity, your sheets and bedding and bedclothes, your mattress protector or any mattress pads you are using, and where you are in the “oven to iceberg” range) and some people can sleep warmer on mattresses that most people are generally fine with … there is more about tracking mattress temperature regulation issues potential causes ~ Post #2 here (at least to the degree possible for a specific mattress) and the posts it links to that may be helpful.

You are definitely on the right track and it’s good to see that durability is one of your main criteria for selecting a mattress. Latex is certainly a very durable material but I would keep in mind that generally there are some other factors involved in the durability or useful life of a mattress outside of just the material itself (see post #4 here ) so while it’s not realistic to expect every latex mattress to last 40 years for any specific person and it will depend on the specifics of the mattress, as a group they will certainly be more durable than any other foam materials… There is more about the 3 most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your Mattress buying personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price, of course, and the options you have available after purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

Because latex is so durable and also point elastic (conforms to the shape of the weight on top of it without having a significant effect on the area beside it) and because of its high compression modulus (the rate at which material gets firmer with deeper compression) … for most people it doesn’t normally require edge reinforcement for sleeping even for heavy people. This is particularly true if the support layers are firm enough for the person sleeping on the mattress.

Some design solutions for those where the perimeter support is an issue may include something called a “racetrack” perimeter where the outer few inches of the latex support core is surrounded with a much firmer latex. Which would be a very uncommon construction for latex) Typically “racetracks” are made of polyfoam which is a material prone to breaking down much faster than latex, especially in its lower density version. With latex because of its point elasticity though … those who sit on the very outside edge of the unit (instead of sitting with their body weight more towards the middle of the mattress) or those who sleep with more concentrated weight on the outside few inches of their mattress may find themselves sinking down more than they like even though this isn’t normally an issue when sleeping towards the mattress center.

As you already know, Luma Sleep is one of our Trusted members and I certainly think very highly of them and I believe they compete well with the best in the industry. They are very knowledgeable and skilled in finding a good comfort support match for most sleepers.

Brentwood Home has been discussed a few times in the forum. They tend to be relatively transparent with their mattress components. I would be sure that any mattress you are considering is within the Durability Guidelines. I recall this thread where I identified a few weak links in a specific Brentwood Home model. You may also find this Brentwood Home thread interesting. And, you can do a general forum search with the keyword “Brentwood Home” by clicking here.

I hope the above information helps you as you move forward. Please don’t hesitate to ask any additional questions that you may have.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix, This is all incredibly helpful! I’m digging into these links you supplied asap. Thank you so much! I’ll check back in if any other questions arise and if not I’ll let you know which we chose.

Ok, an update:

I scheduled a zoom showroom demo for the Brentwood Home Cedar mattress and they recommended the Avocado Green mattress in stead. It’s somewhat comparable to the Luma Sleep system we had been eyeing. The video demo went well and they were patient and answered all of my questions about the mattress. It seems like a great product but the price was at the tip top of our budget.

I got on a call with someone at Luma Sleep and again the person I spoke with was incredibly patient with all of my questions (and my children who decided to spaz out as soon as we started chatting). The Hybrid Slumber System seems to be what is best Luma Sleep mattress for us and it’s hundreds of dollars cheaper!! I’m wondering if the differences in the two mattresses make it worth the big jump in price between the two mattresses. I know a big part of this decision is personal preference but and info regarding these differences and if the price difference seems justifiable would be helpful.

Basically, here’s the difference between the two:

Avocado Green w/attached pillow top:
Organic cotton cover w/layer of organic wool
5" D65 Medium Plush latex (organic GOLS Certified dunlop)
1,414 Pocketed support coils 11" (5 zones)
1" Dunlop latex base

Luna Sleep Hybrid Slumber System:
Tencel fabric cover
3" Latex pillow top (Dunlop or Talalay) - can be exchanged for up to a year
2" HD NRG Foam
Not sure how many pocketed support coils 11" zoned (reinforced edge and lumbar region)
1" HD Base Foam
Oeko-Tex Certified
Eco Institute Certification

Hi LNZ,

I’m not a mattress expert, but did recently spend quite a bit of time researching what felt like every mattress in existence. I’ll offer some thoughts based on my experience.

It’s hard to advise on whether the increased cost of the Avocado mattress is “worth it”, as everyone’s perception of value for money is different based on what things are important to them. The Avocado mattress contains components that are more expensive when compared to those in the Luma mattress (Avocado contains organic cotton & organic wool, GOLS latex, and more latex instead of polyfoam). That’s not to imply that the materials in the Luma are unhealthy or inferior - they just aren’t organic or all natural. Only you can decide if that’s important enough to you to warrant the increased cost.

I was personally searching for a mattress on the organic/natural end of the scale, and Avocado is pretty much at the top of the Google search result list when one begins investigating mattresses in this realm. Avocado was very attractive to me initially because of their polished package, transparency about materials, and commitment to eco-friendly products. What ultimately made me start looking elsewhere was (a) on their Facebook page, there were a lot of consumer complaints about excessive delays in shipping without any communication from Avocado & general frustration with being able to get updates about mattress delays (b) the realization that I could buy or build a mattress of similar components for much less from a smaller company that didn’t spend as much money on advertising. Disclaimer: I know there are tons of totally happy Avocado customers so I’m not at all trying to disparage the company.

If you do decide to go with Avocado, consider going with the un-attached topper rather than the attached one. This will give you a little bit of an insurance policy on being able to tweak the feel of the mattress with relatively less effort/cost in case the feel turns out to be a bit to plush/firm. The downside of the attached topper is that it leaves you no remedy other than to return or junk the whole mattress if you find you need a more plush or firmer comfort layer. Buying a mattress w/o being able to try it first is always a gamble, but if the mattress has a zipper cover, you at least have some options to adjust the mattress to your liking short of returning the whole thing.

Several Trusted Members offer latex/coil hybrid mattresses with zipper covers that fall into the same general category as the Luma Latex Hybrid Slumber System mattress. For example, there’s:

I’m not trying to steer you away from the Luma by any means, just wanted to offer a few more comparables so that you can get a better idea of what options are out there for what price.

Best of luck, and keep us posted on your progress!
Emily