Hi there,
I realise this is all subjective but we could really do with some help at this hour! My partner needs to purchase a new bed in NYC as he is moving in a week, and we’ve been lost in the wormhole of research and so haven’t settled on anything. Unfortunately I can’t try anything as I"m in another country, moving to NYC in a month - and I’m the bedridden one with fibromyalgia pain. We like the sound of 100% natural latex as it’s durable, although I’m drawn to memory foam for the sound of it’s comfort.
I’d like to know anyones opinion on our idea of purchasing a latex bed like this, and adding a memory foam topper to add comfort. I don’t know if a layer of talalay latex underneath would be soft enough to help with pressure points?
Another bed i’m looking at is this one - if anyone has an opinion? They don’t give the specs for the bottom layer, but i"m wondering if we could eventually purchase another one, as the top layers sound quality.
Latex and memory foam are very different materials with very different properties and both of them come in a wide range of different versions that each have differences in their properties and a different “feel” or firmness level but the choice between them is more of a preference and budget choice than a “better/worse” choice. There is more about some of the general differences between memory foam and latex in post #2 here. Some people tend to prefer the faster response and more resilient and “on the mattress” feel of latex and some prefer the slower response and more “in the mattress” feel of memory foam and some people may prefer some combination of both of them but the only way to know which one you tend to prefer in general terms will be based on your own careful testing in a store or your own personal experience when you sleep on them.
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … 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 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).
I’m assuming that you’ve read the mattress shopping tutorial here but 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).
When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
A good online retailer or manufacturer will generally suggest a mattress that they honestly believe has the best chance of success based on the information you provide them when you talk to them on the phone because this is in both your own and their best interests but again at the end of the day the only way to know for certain whether any specific mattress is a good match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own careful testing and/or your own personal experience so if you can’t test a specific mattress in person then the options you have available after a purchase to either exchange the mattress or individual layers or components or return the mattress for a refund (and any costs involved) would generally become a more important part of your personal value equation just in case a mattress you purchase doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.
[quote]I’d like to know anyones opinion on our idea of purchasing a latex bed like this, and adding a memory foam topper to add comfort. I don’t know if a layer of talalay latex underneath would be soft enough to help with pressure points?
Another bed i’m looking at is this one - if anyone has an opinion? They don’t give the specs for the bottom layer, but i"m wondering if we could eventually purchase another one, as the top layers sound quality.
Both of these are certainly high quality choices and there are no lower quality materials or weak links in either of them that would be a reason for concern in terms of the durability and useful life of either mattress but if you decide to purchase a mattress that you believe may need a softer topper then I would purchase the mattress first so you can use your actual sleeping experience on the mattress as a reference point to help you decide on the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that would have the best chance of success.
If the only issue with a mattress is that it is too firm and there are no soft spots or sagging in the mattress and it’s still in good condition then a good quality topper can be an effective way to add some additional softness, “comfort” and pressure relief to your sleeping system but once again the only way to know for certain whether a specific mattress/topper combination (or any change to your sleeping system) is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP is based on your own careful testing or personal experience on the combination. If you can’t test the mattress/topper combination in person then there will always be always some risk and uncertainty involved in adding a topper because the specifics of the mattress itself along with your own body type, sleeping position, and preferences can affect which specific topper would be a suitable choice for any specific person on any specific mattress.
There is more information about choosing a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to which along with a conversation with a reliable and knowledgeable supplier (that can provide you with good information about how their toppers compare to each other or to other toppers they are familiar with that are available on the market) can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success.
Because of the uncertainty involved with purchasing a topper where you can’t test the combination in person … a good exchange/return policy can also reduce the risk of an online topper purchase so I would also make sure you are comfortable with the options you have available after a purchase to exchange or return the topper and any costs involved just in case a topper you choose also doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.
One other option that may be worth considering would be a local purchase if you think that your partner knows your specific needs and preferences well enough to make a choice for you based on their own testing in a store.
If you do decide to go in this direction then subject to first confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets your specific criteria and the quality/value guidelines here … the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the New York City region are listed in post #2 here.