Could someone describe the comfort of a Latex mattress compared to a Memory Foam?
To be more specific… If i had a memory foam and really loved the way it shaped to my body and relieved pressure points but was not crazy about the lumps left in the mattress when moving on it and also found that it slept hot… how does the Latex compare in comfort?
Is it what people are getting because its more natural or is it what people are getting because its extremely comfortable? how does it compare comfort wise the the most comfortable innerspring mattress.
Comfort is a very subjective thing and different people will have very different opinions about what is comfortable for them. Any comparison between memory foam ad latex is also very much of an apples to oranges comparison because they are both very different in terms of performance and feel.
I should mention as well that Tempur Foam is just viscoelastic polyurethane just like all the other memory foam formulations that are available.
For most people however … the ability of a material to relieve pressure is one of the biggest parts of “comfort” and in these terms they are very equivalent.
There are many other differences between then however that are also important parts of comfort for many people including the ease of movement on the surface, resilience and response rate, temperature regulation and ventilation and the overall “feel” and response of both which are very different. Memory foam tends to be a more “in the mattress” feel while latex tends to be a more “on the mattress” feel.
While testing or sleeping on both is really the only way for you to know which one is most comfortable for you (as opposed to someone else who may have different ideas) … you can read more about the pros and cons of memory foam in this article and the pros and cons of latex in this article which may help.
While I think that some people may buy latex because of it’s natural qualities and the lack of safety and offgassing issues (although the most popular latex isn’t even natural but blended) … I think the majority of people buy it because it’s very comfortable for them and they prefer its feel and performance over other materials including memory foam.
Innersprings are a support system (not a comfort system) and not usually used in the comfort layers (except for microcoils) so how an innerspring mattress feels in terms of comfort is primarily based on the foam that is used over the innerspring and its layering and only secondarily on the type of innerspring that is used as the support system and how it interacts with the comfort layers of the mattress.
Post #2 here has more information about how each may compare in terms of a support system. I have often mentioned on the forum that some of the most knowledgeable people I know that could sleep on any type of mattress that they wanted to have very different preferences. Some of them prefer an innerspring with latex comfort layers, others prefer all latex, others yet prefer memory foam over polyfoam (a typical memory foam mattress), and others yet prefer an innerspring with natural fibers layered on top of it. Once again they are more “different” than “better/worse” comparisons and each person will have their own preferences and the most reliable way to see which type of support system you prefer in your mattress in combination with which type of comfort layers is through personal testing.
With your weight … the firmness of whatever support system you choose (so that your heavier parts are “stopped” before they sink in too far) and the firmness and durability of the comfort layers which provide you with pressure relief and much of your “comfort” (which are also generally the first to soften and wear out) will also be very important.
Regarding the mattress and its air flow - Latex being able to breath etc. How does this get affected by a Legget and Platt base which is a solid slab vs slats…
Also does latex do on such base vs the manufacturers slat based base?
A solid surface can increase the odds of trapped moisture in the bottom of your mattress between the ticking and the surface or inside the bottom of the mattress and the increased risk involved with this in terms of mold, mildew, and dust mites will depend on your bedroom conditions (humidity levels, temperature etc) as well as the construction and materials in your mattress and the climate in which you live. It will also have some effect on the overall ventilation of the mattress but most of the temperature regulation will come from a combination of the effect of all the layers that are closer to you such as the top layers of foam, the quilting and ticking, any mattress protector, mattress pad, or topper, your sheets, your bedclothes, and your bedding.
In most cases and for most people (including me) who buy an adjustable bed … the benefits of the adjustable bed are enough to offset the additional risk of having a solid surface under the mattress. If I hadn’t bought an adjustable bed … I would have bought a foundation with a slatted surface for my mattress.
Both an adjustable bed and a suitable rigid non flexing slatted foundation with gaps less than 3" are a very solid surface and the feel and performance of a latex mattress would be the same on either. If a foundation that you buy or is included with your all latex mattress has wider gaps, then in some cases it can affect the long term durability of the mattress IMO.
Latex is very flexible and elastic and conforms well to the different positions of an adjustable bed. Once you get over about 12" or so then it may not conform quite as well (although it still will) depending on the firmness of the layers.
So thats another thing to clarify… If im going with the sleep ez 13000 how will it effect the adjustable bed experience? I have the LP Escape.