Hello,
I’m certainly happy to have found this site! My husband and I are in the market for a new mattress and think Latex is the way to go. He was very much wanting the tempurpedic rhapsody, but I was otherwise convinced. We currently have a top of line S &F pillowtop… He detests it and while I find comfortable enough, it had def. worn and we’re sleeping in craters.
In a nutshell, he likes firm, I prefer plush(somewhat). I’m late 40s and concerned with ‘the change’ and sleeping hot. I also have some allergies and was told several years back following a surgery that I had a latex allergy/sensitivity. Huh.
From what I understand, this shouldn’t be a big issue with a natural latex mattress. ( or should it??)
Am looking at Flobeds, CozyPure, and Plushbeds. ( also looked at PLB but too $ at $4000 for 12"")
I like the flexibility with customizing that these vendors offer.
The question is… Flobeds is talalay, cozypure uses Dunlop and plushbeds both? I could be incorrect on this…
Is one better than another …Esp. with latex allergy?
Flobeds might have the best exchange program, but paying a premium for the product as well. Haven’t really figured out if worth a $500 diff or so on a king bed from plushbeds.
We live in Canada so any back and forth shipping could become costly. Haven’t tried out an all latex beds so am a little hesitant about all of this.
We did try a Sealy proback latex bed at sears, but it was latex layer over foam and I figured it would sag quite quickly.
Would prefer to spend more, for better quality in the long run and go with all latex.
Any insights on what direction might be best? Dunlop. Talalay??
There is no “better or worse” between Talalay and Dunlop and the choice is strictly a matter of preference. You can read more about the different types of latex in this article and in post #6 here). There is also a little more about the differences in how they “feel” in post #7 here but feel is subjective and your own testing on both materials is really the only way to know for sure which one you prefer.
I would be very cautious about ordering a mattress that used a material that you hadn’t tested in person so you are at least somewhat familiar with the general “feel” of latex. Mattresses with latex in the top few inches of latex in the comfort layers can give you a good sense of what latex feels like in general terms but I would make sure that the latex is in the top layer of the mattress and that there are no thicker layers of polyfoam above it.
With latex allergies it would depend on the type of allergy (see post #2 here). If it is a contact allergy then the latex will be covered and there will be no contact so this type of allergy (acutually a sensitivity not a true allergy) is not usually an issue. Contact allergies are generally to the ingredients that are used to make thelatex foam not to the latex itself although it’s also possible that some of the surface proteins of natural latex could be involved (which are mostly washed out with latex foam).
If the latex allergy is a type 1 allergy (which is very rare and much more serious) … then I would avoid natural latex in any form or in any blend completely.
You are choosing between “good and good” although there are significant differences between all of your final choices in terms of design, materials, price, and options before and after your purchase (and some of the other online manufacturers or retailers that you haven’t included). Post #2 here can help you make final choices when you are down to final options where there are no clear “winners” between them except based on the criteria that are the most important part of your personal value equation.
I would also verify that all of these can ship to Canada and make sure you know the cost of shipping and any charges across the border (taxes and brokerage fees) which may also play a role in your choice.
Hopefully you’ve read post #1 here which also has a link to a list of the members here who sell latex mattresses online.
I had some diffculty in finding a place in Toronto that sells all latex mattress, but just came across Foamite today.
This will at least allow us the opportunity to go to their showroom and test the product eliminating a little risk if we decide Latext it the answer and potentially a US vendor. We live just an hour from the border so could ship to a UPS store on the other side and pay only the taxes to come back across. No duty if made in the US. (of course the taxes on mattress and fdn would add on another $700…yikes.
Have you heard of Foamite (they do have natural latex options)
Or, perhaps any recommendations in the TOronto area?
The better options I’m aware of in the Toronto area are listed in post #1 here and there are many options there for latex mattresses. Post #2 here also includes some links to some forum threads with feedback from some of the forum members in the Toronto area.
A forum search on Foamite (you can just click this) will also bring up more information and feedback about them as well.
I went to a retailer in Toronto today (not foamite) that sells several brands of organic/latex mattresses inc. Sleeptec, savvy-rest.
Really liked a 10 " Sleeptec mattress ( euro line) made of nat. Dunlop. Owner was very knowledgable. I could choose firmness for 1 side ( of king) allowing my husband more firm options for his side. (broken down as 4/4/2…I actually liked a med base +soft/soft middle and top)
From my previous online reading, I was really looking for talalay over Dunlop…more plush?
I was leaning toward flobeds, but was concerned with$3200 price tag along with @ $300 to ship to Canada plus taxes on top.
This is for their 12" vetch.
Well…the Sleeptec is $4200! Ouch.
Not sure what to do…shop local with big price or take a risk with flobeds and talalay that we’ve not tried.
Of course there’s retailers like Plushbeds and Sleepez that are even less costly than Flobeds.
Do you think there would be a big difference from Flobeds 12" talalay vs Sleeptec Dunlop??
I’m torn…is $4200 crazy to spend for what could be comparable from online US retailer ( I was told no duty if made in US…pay Ontario taxes of 13%… Sure adds up!)
This would depend entirely on the firmness of each type of latex. A “plush” Dunlop mattress could be much softer than a firm Talalay latex mattress. both types of latex come in a wide range of ILD’s or firmness levels.
I agree with you that this is quite costly but besides the online options you have there are also many lower cost latex mattresses available in the Toronto area as well that would be well worth considering.
There is quite a difference in “feel” between Dunlop and Talalay for most people yes (regardless of which manufacturer uses either in their mattress) and the firmness of each mattress and any other design differences including the thickness of each layer would also make a significant difference in how any mattress feels and performs. You can read a little more about the difference in “feel” between Dunlop and Talalay in post #7 here but your own perceptions will be a much more accurate way of telling which you prefer.
My daughter for example was all set to buy a Talalay latex mattress because it’s my personal preference but I told her to test both and not to go by anyone else’s preferences and when she did she thought I was crazy and much prefers Dunlop which is what she sleeps on.