Latex Mattress questions

[phoenix]

Hi kds,

Just in case you haven’t read it yet … the tutorial post here has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choices.

SleepTek makes some very high quality latex mattresses that have many possible configurations but as you mentioned they are also in a more premium price range than some other mattresses that use similar materials that can also be customized but are not the same design.

First, I was wondering if anyone had some recommendations or experience on achieving a similar feel to this mattress through an online store such as SleepEZ.

You can read more about “matching” one mattress to another in post #9 here but in most cases the only reliable way to do this would be either with your own personal testing and experience on both mattresses or to use the same types of materials and components (including the cover) in the same softness level and the same layer thicknesses in both mattresses which may not be an option. To do this you would need all the specifics of all the layers and components in both mattresses (including the type and ILD or density of each latex layer).

Other than this … you would need to “translate” one mattress design into another which was a “rough equivalent” which is normally a “best guess” because every difference between two mattresses can have a significant effect in how they compare and how they compare can also depend on the body type, sleeping positions, and sensitivity of each person. There are other sources of latex mattresses in Toronto though that may be in a lower price range but you would need to use your own testing to see how close they were to the SleepTek in terms of PPP. Post #5 here has a link to the Toronto list which includes the better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the GTA area and also includes some links to some of the forum threads that have more Toronto feedback from some of the members here.

The second question I had was regarding mattress foundations. I’m wondering if I do an online purchase, is there significant value to purchasing a matching foundation that needs to be shipped out versus buying something locally produced? Are there any foundations people would recommend taking a look at that are produced locally that would be good for such a mattress?

That would depend on the specifics of the online foundation you were considering vs what was available locally. With an all latex mattress I would generally lean towards a non flexing slatted foundation with gaps in between the slats that were no more than 3" (and preferably less). There are some good sources of foundations in the foundation thread here which you could compare to foundations that were available locally. I don’t know the specific types of foundations that would be available in the Toronto area although the manufacturers or retailers that sell latex mattresses would also generally carry foundations (or slatted platform beds) that would be suitable for a latex mattress as well.

Phoenix