Phoenix,
Currently have a Serta ISeries Vantage plus.
The foams used in the comfort layers are 1.2 lb and the gel mem foam is around 3lbs. ( I know…not so durable!)
But if I were to put a latex topper over the mattress ie: 2" or 3" of 28-32 ILD Dunlop, or even a 3" 18ILD talalay over the Serta, would that keep the foam layers from compressing and forming indentations?
again…weight is 235 And, I am thinking that I would only have to replace the topper, in the future, Would the toppers idea work?
Hi BobinCA,
You can see some comments about the Serta iComfort Vantage in post #2 here and I would certainly agree with you that they use lower quality and less durable materials that would be a weak link in terms of the quality/durability and useful life of the mattress.
There are two considerations involved if you are adding a topper. The first (and most important) is how the topper would affect the feel and performance of the mattress in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences). If you add a topper to a mattress that is already a good match for you then you may find that the mattress/topper combination isn’t as good a match for you as the mattress by itself and the softer foam layers on top of the mattress would become transition layers that may be too soft for you and there would be little value to adding a topper to a mattress if you don’t sleep well on the combination regardless of how durable it may be.
If the only issue with a mattress is that it is too firm and there are no soft spots or sagging in the mattress then a good quality topper can certainly be an effective way to add some additional softness, “comfort” and pressure relief to your sleeping system but the only way to know for certain whether a specific mattress/topper combination 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 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 on any specific mattress.
There is more information about choosing a topper and a link to the better online sources I’m aware of 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. A good exchange/return policy can also reduce the risk of an online topper purchase so I would make sure you are comfortable with the options you have available after a purchase just in case the topper you choose doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.
The second issue is how a topper will affect the durability and useful life of the mattress. If a mattress/topper combination turns out to be a good “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP then having a separate topper also has the advantage of being able to replace just the topper without replacing the entire mattress if it softens or breaks down before the upper foam layers in the mattress (which is very likely because the upper layers of a sleeping system tend to soften or break down before the deeper layers) or if your needs or preferences change over time. A suitable topper can also help extend the useful life of the mattress underneath it to some degree because it will absorb some of the compression forces that can soften or break down the top layers of the mattress underneath it over time.
When you sleep on a mattress the upper layers of foam will compress and deflect more than the deeper layers or components partly because the comfort layers are usually made to be softer than the deeper transition and support layers or components of a mattress (and firmness/softness is also a factor in the durability of a material) and partly because they are closer to the sleeping surface and subject to direct compression without any layers above them absorbing some of the compression forces first. It’s this constant deflection of the materials in the upper layers of the mattress that softens and breaks down the foam and leads to the loss of comfort and support in the mattress. This will also happen more under the heavier parts of the body such as the hips/pelvis than the lighter parts of the body. This is why the quality/durability of the upper layers (the top 3" to 6" of the mattress) are especially important in the durability and useful life of the mattress as a whole because they will usually be the weakest link in the mattress in terms of durability.
Even with a good quality and durable topper you will still be compressing the lower quality materials in the mattress “through” a 2" or 3" topper (especially in your weight range) so they would still be likely to be a weak link in the “sleeping system” that would soften or break down faster than you may wish for even though the topper would have “some effect” on increasing the durability or useful life of the combination as a whole compared to the mattress by itself.
Phoenix