latex mattress topper

[phoenix]

Hi kirstys21,

We have now looked at outlet stores, an amazing difference, tested our spinal alignment on the beds, as well as asking proper questions (what’s in the comfort layer? - latex. Sure it is. What else? - it’s a latex comfort top. mm…? - And some foam. How much foam? - mostly foam…).

It’s great to see you’re asking the right questions

Anyway, long story and many hours of looking short, rather than losing all of our money trying to resell and then spending more again to rebuy, we are looking into a latex mattress topper, just a basic one that I can add a wool overlay to if it works and stops our back pain. I literally can’t get up in the morning from the mattress due to locking up - never come across this before and have previously had futons!

There are many causes for back pain on a mattress but by far the most common is a mattress that either has support layers that are too soft or comfort layers that are too thick and soft. This would be especially true for someone who was used to sleeping on a firmer futon.

A topper can be a great way to soften a mattress that is too firm but it is not an effective way to improve the support of a mattress that is too soft because this would typically require replacing softer layers in your mattress for firmer support layers or thinner/firmer comfort layers. In some cases adding a topper to a mattress that is already too soft can make the issues worse because soft top layers in your sleeping system would be deeper and would become transition or support layers and would likely be to soft for either role… Post #4 here has more about some ways that may help improve the support of your mattress to the degree it may be possible.

A mattress that is too firm can also cause alignment issues (in addition to pressure point issues) and in these cases a topper can be a good idea. There is no “formula” that can help choose a topper because of all the preferences, variables, and unknowns involved but post #2 here and the posts it links to can provide some guidelines if you need to make your mattress softer.

My question is, looking at the different hole size and placing, and the lack of info about the latex type (natural yes, but made how?) what should I be looking for in a latex layer? I had a dig through the forum but didn’t find exactly this topic, although happy to be directed if missed something. An outlet nearby sells a double sided topper with 5cm latex covered with 2cm foam and 1cm wool, but $699, ouch!!!

If a latex topper doesn’t specify that it is made of Talalay then the odds are over whelming that it’s Dunlop which is a good quality material that is less “springy” than Talalay. There really isn’t any way to know the firmness of latex from its appearance and most Dunlop either would have an ILD range or a density range that the retailer or manufacturer would normally “translate” into word ratings such as firm, medium, or soft. You can see a rough guideline here but I would keep in mind that these would not be exact and are only approximations and “soft, medium, and firm” is somewhat subject and varies based on each person’s body type, perceptions, and what they are used to.

While I haven’t done much research in Australia … there is a list of Australian forum threads in post #2 here which also includes a link to a list of some Australian manufacturers and retailers with a few comments that may be useful as well.

Phoenix