Hi Walruse,
I’m glad the information I provided was helpful to you.
The last specifications I have for the PTB Pamper are:
2" 21 ILD blended Talalay
6" 40 ILD blended Talalay
FR fiber barrier (fitted “mattress pad” style)
98% Polyester, 2% Elastin cover
SleepEZ is very familiar with the PTB line and if you are attempting to approximate the Pamper they would be able to tell you the closest equivalent they would be able to put together for you in their line. While changing anything within a product, even the covering or FR barrier, will change the overall feel, they would have an offering that would be quite comparable.
You seem to be consistent that you enjoy what most would consider a comfort in the “medium-firm to firmer” end of the spectrum.
This is an example of how small differences can have noticeable impacts upon comfort perceptions, especially in the uppermost layers of a mattress. If this was still the Savvy Rest you were comparing, this would approximately 15-20 ILD soft Talalay on top of two 40+ ILD layers of Dunlop. In essence, the uppermost layer in this example would be softer than the Pamper (and an extra 1") and the base layers would be firmer than the Pamper, and as they are Dunlop they would tend to “firm up faster” (have a higher compression modulus) than the Talalay in the Pamper, so the top layer would not “bend into” the layers beneath it the same as the Pamper.
You’re correct that for most people these would be considered “supportive enough” (I don’t recall us ever discussing your particular somatotype/BMI). I can provide some general thoughts on why one may be feeling a bit different than the other to you. Sample 1 uses more “medium” in the upper 6" than sample 2, and this can allow you to “sink in” just a bit more deeply and perhaps contour just a bit more, which can create a sensation of a bit more “push back” in the areas where there is more deep conformation, which many people interpret as “more supportive”. Sample 2, which using Talalay on top that is “medium” but overall would probably feel just a bit softer than the “medium” Dunlop in sample 1, is underpinned by two “firm” Dunlop layers, and the deeper contouring might not be felt quite as readily as sample 2. You are correct that both of these options should provide reasonable support for most individuals.
This can give you an idea of the surface firmness feel of a 40 ILD blended Talalay, but remember that there would be 2" of 21 blended ILD Talalay beneath it, which would impact (soften) the overall comfort a little bit.
If you’re looking to recreate the Pamper, contacting a knowledgeable manufacturer, such as SleepEZ as you mentioned previously, would be a good start.
The thickness of a mattress is just a side effect of the design and by itself isn’t particularly meaningful because whether a thicker or thinner mattress would be better or worse for any particular person will depend on the specifics of the materials (type, firmness, etc.) and on all the other layers in the mattress. Thickness is only one of many specs that are used to make different mattresses that perform and feel differently and that makes a mattress suitable for one person and not another. There is more about the effect of thickness in post #14 here. Regardless of how thick or thin a mattress may be, the most important part of the “value” of a mattress is how suitable it is “as a whole” for your particular body type, sleeping positions, and preferences in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) regardless of how thick it may be.
The main benefit of a thicker latex mattress (or any mattress that uses similar materials) is that it can be more adaptable for heavier weights and multiple sleeping positions. It will compress from softer to firmer more gradually which means that there is more “range” of compression without the mattress becoming too firm for heavier weights (or parts of the body).
While all of the layers of a mattress work together to create your overall comfort, adding a fourth “firm” layer to the bottom of any of the samples you mentioned would make a difference, but it wouldn’t generally be as noticeable as adding a “medium” or “plush” layer to the uppermost layer of any of these samples.
The latex adhesive used is quite flexible, and while in theory gluing the layers together can “stiffen up” things a bit, it generally would be a small difference.
Phoenix