Latex Cal King under $1000?

I’m looking for Cal King mattress (10" or more) which is going to be on slats, no box spring.
I am terrible sleeper - everything has to be just right. We are 5’4" 120 lbs and 5’8" 145 lbs…mostly side/stomach sleepers, occasionally back. Every few months I have hot flashes (menopause) and for this reason I think memory foam is out of the question. During months when I don’t experience the heat, I tend to sleep cool and have a twin heated mattress pad under my side which probably also leaves memory foam off list. Husband can sleep on anything and really does not care. I also prefer somewhat soft /firm (maybe a 5?) but not firm as in “painful”. Edge support would be nice. Tall order, I know! Looked briefly at inner spring hybrids but reviewers mostly complained about longevity. So maybe that only leaves me with latex?

What do you think of Ultimate Dreams Latex Mattress for our needs? I know they’re on your list. Anything else? Not too many under $1000 latex medium/soft ones out there. Also, we live quite a ways from any showroom, thus online options, free trial, delivery & return are a plus.

Hi aija,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

A slatted network is fine for placement under a latex mattress. There’s a bit more information about these foundations, should you need it, in the foundation thread here.

In very general terms, the materials, layers, and components of a sleeping system that are closer to your skin will have a bigger effect on airflow, moisture transport, and temperature regulation than materials, layers, and components that are further away from your skin and softer mattresses or foam toppers will tend to be more “insulating” and for some people can sleep warmer than firmer versions of the same material. Many memory foams can have quite an insulating effect and sleep warmer for many people. There is much more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range.

Latex certainly could be something that you may prefer, as it is more breathable and has good support characteristics while still maintaining good point elasticity. You may also prefer a product using good quality polyfoams as well.

To help you through this process, I would start by reading the mattress shopping tutorial here. Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for, and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase 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 all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

Outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new, so I would always make sure that you find out theinformation listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

You are correct that Dreamfoam Bedding is a member here, which means that I think highly of them. As for the Ultimate Dreams Latex, this mattress does use good quality materials with 3" of Talalay latex and a 6" polyfoam 1.8 lb core, and a small amount of polyfoam (1.5") quilted to the cover. There would be no “weak links” in terms of componentry for your BMIs. This mattress is not a component style (layers can not be exchanged) and by also using a polyfoam core (instead of being all latex) these are two methods of helping keep the cost of a mattress using latex lower.

As far as if that mattress would be appropriate for you, I can certainly help with “how” to choose, but not “what” to choose, as it’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components, because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress (and as you mentioned you are a “terrible sleeper and everything has to be just right” which is something only you can determine) and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

If you provide your zip code I can see if I am aware of any better retailers in your area.

If you want to look online, a good place to start would be to use the 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 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. Their detailed knowledge of their mattresses and how they fit with different body types and sleeping positions along with your feedback from local testing, a customer base of many people that they can use as reference points, and any exchange, return, or any options they have available to customize a mattress after a purchase can help lower the risk of an online purchase. These online retailers or manufacturers can also be a good “value reference” for local purchases to make sure that if you are paying a “premium” for a local purchase (in exchange for the kind of “in person” guidance, service, and value that comes with dealing with a local retailer that can help you make more “accurate” choices that you have tested in person) is not too high.

In the end, choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to FIRST finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers (either locally or online) that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in that are in a budget range you are comfortable with and that you have confirmed will provide you with the all the information you need about the materials and components inside the mattresses they sell so you will be able to make informed choices and meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …

  1. Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.

  2. Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight/BMI range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.

  3. Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Phoenix