My husband and I are in desperate need of a new mattress. After reading for 2 days now, i am much more educated but still so confused. I’ve decided that latex seems the best way to go but not sure of what we need in the layers. My husband and I are both mostly side sleepers. He is 6’2 220 lbs and I am 5’'6 115 lbs. he is uncomfortable all night because he has neck upper back pain (our mattress is 18 yrs old) and gets too hot… I recently have been awakening with neck and shoulder discomfort. We live in Lafayette La and I have not found anyplace to even try a latex mattress out. I’ve read about several online but not sure what we need and don’t want to spend more than necessary if it won’t help. Help please! Liz
Hi Lizinia,
Pure Latex Bliss make talalay latex mattresses and have a retail outlet finder on their site with the outlets that carry them in your area.
Jamison Bedding also makes Talalay latex mattresses and also have a retail outlet finder on their site.
Hopefully both of these are up to date.
Post #10 here also lists the one factory direct manufacturer in Fayetteville, LA who makes all types of mattresses including latex and several more in Baton Rouge.
That should give you lots of latex options in the general area and some knowledgeable people as well to give you some in person guidance 
Phoenix
W.K. Smith in Lafayette, LA sells Pure Latex Bliss in 3 different models. They’re located on Ambassador Caffery Pkwy across from Rooms To Go. It was a great place to feel the differences of the different combinations of all Latex. Be warned that the sales people and even the owner are completely clueless about whats inside, but all of the mattresses have zipper covers and you can actually open them up and look inside. Also there is a thread on this site that lists the construction of the different PLB models so that you can relate how the mattress feels to what’s inside. I would suggest having that list with you when you go so that know what you’re laying on with each model. Also, when I looked inside the model that is supposed to have 2" comfort layer over the support layer, I only saw about 1" comfort layer. So, I’m not sure how dependable the PLB construction specs are. I’ve been in several times and stayed in the Beautiful model longer and longer on each visit and the sales guy isn’t very patient and just wants to make a $3500 sale, so be prepared and be firm with them about leaving you alone to relax in the bed for as long as you need.
Good luck.
Hi TiredinLaffy,
This is probably the difference between the old models and the new “active fusion” models (with the blue cover). The old versions had a 1" layer of very firm Talalay on the bottom of all the mattresses while the newer versions have removed this and added it to the second layer down (except the Pamper which adds it to the top layer making it 2" instead of 1").
If the model they carry is in fact the older version … then it may be available at reduced pricing.
The old specs are listed here along with a note about the changes.
Phoenix
Is the new 2" of Talalay GL in the Pamper any different in terms of feel or durability from the “regular” Talalay that is used in PLB? Is PLB using the GL in the other new models of beds or just the Pamper?
Hi hickoryboy,
The Active Fusion fast response (What latex International calls Talalay GL fast response) is the same as what they used to call Celsion latex and I would put it in the same durability range as blended Talalay in a similar ILD (softer ILD’s are less durable than firmer ILD’s).
The new Pure Latex Bliss natural lineup uses this in the top layer of all their mattresses. The Hybrid 3.0 lineup uses either Active Fusion fast response or slow response in the top layer of all the models. The thickness of the Active Fusion layer (either slow or fast response) varies from between 1" and 3" in the various different models.
The feel would be very similar to “regular” Talalay in the same ILD.
The feel of the slow response version is different from the fast response versions (more towards slow response memory foam) and IMO the durability may also be less (but it hasn’t been out for long enough to know for certain) but this too would also depend on the firmness of the particular layer (firmness is a secondary factor in the durability of a layer).
Phoenix
Pheonix,
I could use your help. I recently purchased the dreamfoam mattress through Amazon. I ordered with the 7 firmness level which I was told was a 24 ild. Before ordering, I had tried out a Pure Latex Bliss Beautiful at a local store and loved it. The PLB is supposed to have 19, 24 & 36 ild, so I thought I’d order the dreamfoam with 24 ild comfortlayer and if it was too firm, I’d top it with a 19 ild topper.
The problem is that I’m sinking through to the support layer. Chuck at Dreamfoam said he can’t think of anything to do to make a too soft mattress feel firmer. He offered to get me shipping rates to send the mattress back for exchange.
I can’t understand why I’m sinking in so much on this mattress.
Any thoughts on this dilemma?
Thanks,
Hi TiredinLaffy,
Unfortunately Chuck is right because if you add a firmer layer over a softer one it will compress into the softer layer below it and only put you further away from the support layers of the mattress. This means that you would be sleeping on a firmer surface but you could still be sinking too far into the mattress which won’t improve support … except perhaps slightly. the firmer layer on top would slightly reduce the amount the softer latex compressed but it would also give you more thickness to sink into before the support layers “stopped” the heavier parts of your body from sinking in more. There’s more about this in post #4 here.
The difficulty with a comparison between the Ultimate Dreams and the PLB is that the ultimate dreams has 1.5" of soft quilting foam on top which effectively makes the comfort layer softer and thicker than the ILD rating of the latex alone. I suspect though that you would have had similar issues on the Beautiful because this has even thicker/softer comfort layers before you get to the firmer latex on the bottom.
You could try a 2" - 3" firmer topper but this is unlikely to make a significant difference in support because it will put you even further away from the firmest support layers at the bottom of the mattress and if you did decide to try this then I would make sure the topper was refundable because it would be an experiment with low odds of success.
Another option would be to try a topper made of compressed natural fibers such as wool or silk (again making sure it was refundable) which could also slightly reduce the amount you sink into the softer layers. It will also get firmer as it compressed over time but once again you would be sleeping on a firmer surface (although some people love the feel of a wool or silk topper) and you wouldn’t really be improving the support of the mattress.
Just to be sure I am understanding you though … are you sinking into the mattress too far overall (leading to poor alignment) or are you “going through” the top layers and feeling the firmness of the support layers below it and causing pressure relief issues from feeling the firmer support layer (in which case a topper may help).
If it is a support issue … then I would consider taking Chuck up on his exchange offer which is very generous because he will likely end up losing money on the whole transaction.
If it is a pressure relief issue that needs more softness/thickness in the comfort layers (like the Beautiful) … then a topper would probably help.
Phoenix
Phoenix,
I’m “going through” the top layers and feeling the firmness of the support layers below it and causing pressure relief issues from feeling the firmer support layer (in which case a topper may help). If it is a pressure relief issue that needs more softness/thickness in the comfort layers (like the Beautiful) … then a topper would probably help.
When I tried the PLB, I’m guessing I was going through most of the 19 ild and I liked that plush soft feeling, but I wasn’t bottoming out and feeling the pressure points.
So, what kind of topper might help? Firmer or softer like the PLB?
Thanks
Hi TiredinLaffy,
That’s “good” news because it means that a topper will help and that the issue is not a support issue.
I’m glad I asked because at first it sounded like an issue of the mattress feeling too soft rather than too firm.
The old version of the Beautiful has 3" of 19 ILD and then 2" of 24 ILD over the base layer and the new active fusion version probably has 3" of 21 ILD Talalay GL and then 3" of 24 ILD.
Your mattress has the 1.5" soft quilting layer then 3" of 24 ILD talalay latex
There are some topper guidelines in post #8 here and in post #4 here for choosing a topper based on your own experience and body type because there isn’t really a way to know for sure when you can’t see or “feel’ what someone else feels on a mattress. It may also depend on which version of the Beautiful you tried. If I had to guess though based on your “Beautiful” experience I would guess 2” of 19 ILD would have the best odds of success (subject to modification based on the version of the Beautiful and your own “best estimate” after reading the guidelines).
Phoenix