Latex Mattress Variability

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

Hello.

I posted a few days ago, when I went to Magic Sleeper, a store recommended by Phoenix near my home, and tested an all-latex mattress but found I preferred a latex/gel hybrid mattress. I have slept on latex pillows since infancy, but I found the Magic Sleeper all- latex mattresses to be hard and not terribly comfortable.

Today I was in Ikea, for reasons unrelated to mattresses, and I decided, just for the heck of it, to try their Sultan Edsele 7" “natural” latex mattress. Much to my surprise, I found that this mattress had the springy, cool quality I had always enjoyed in my latex pillows, in contrast to the all-latex mattresses at Magic Sleeper.

Originally, before I went to Magic Sleeper, I was thinking of ordering an all-latex mattress from Arizona Premium Mattresses. Then I reconsidered upon being uncomfortable on the one at Magic Sleeper. Now my experience at Ikea is making me reconsider the all-latex mattress again. I’m wondering what might account for the differences in the mattresses. Is it possible that Magic Sleeper just uses an especially uncomfortable type of latex? If I ordered from Arizona Premium Mattresses, would I be likely to end up with latex that felt like the stuff from Magic Sleeper?

Thanks,
Todd

2

Hi toddking2,

Latex comes in a wide range of softness levels and mattresses that use them have many different designs and can be just as varied as an “innerspring mattress” which can range from one extreme of comfort and support to another.

There are only two ways of making latex (the Talalay method and the Dunlop method) and each can be made from either natural or synthetic latex or a blend of the two. Talalay has a lighter more “springy” feel while Dunlop has a denser less responsive feel. they have been compared to the difference between angel food cake and pound cake. Other than this … it’s a matter of different softness levels of latex in different layers and different mattress designs that accounts for the many different “feels” of a latex mattress. You can read more about the different types of latex in this article and in post #6 here.

Arizona Premium sells both Dunlop and Talalay latex that use both blended and all natural rubber in several different designs and combinations of firmness levels.

Phoenix

3

Thanks for the fast reply and the feedback.
Todd