Other than the custom sleep center, which I am guessing is pretty expensive, where else could we go to try/purchase a latex mattress?
Thank you
Janina
Hi Janina,
I’m not sure exactly where in Connecticut you are but there are some very good choices in the state.
Post #2 and #4 here includes the Connecticut manufacturers that may be close by and may give you a few other options that may also be worth considering
Phoenix
Thank you for the response. I live in Coventry so the Ct ones you listed are all over an hour away. Is there anything in eastern Ct?
BTW, restopedic does have a website now
Hi paaschjc,
Thanks for the news that Restopedic now has a website. I’ll change my records.
There’s no factory direct manufacturers in Eastern CT that I’m aware of (the closest east is in MA) which means that the closest to you would be either about 50 miles north or south of you. While I realize that either way it would be quite a drive … in both directions you have several close to each other and IMO the value would likely be worth it. If you do decide to take a trip in either direction … I would of course call first to make sure they have latex or latex hybrid mattresses available for you to test and so you can get a sense of what to expect when you go there.
I also took a quick look for what was near you locally and I’ve listed a few along with the brands they carry that make latex mattresses (although the “value” may not be as good here). When you are looking at local retail outlets … it becomes especially important to make sure that they are willing to provide you with the layer by layer details of any mattresses you are interested in so that you can tell what the “weak link” of the mattress may be, make sure that it really is a “latex” mattress, and make meaningful value comparisons with other mattresses. I’ve also added some options or possibilities for the Hartford area for others that live there as well.
https://www.comfortss.com/ Comfort Sleep Systems. Branford, CT. They are a member here of the site (which means that I think highly of them) and a little bit of a drive but would be an excellent place to visit. Hand-made mattresses using high quality materials, including latex, innersprings and more “natural” choices.
http://www.allyouneedforsleep.com/ South Windham. Carries several Restopedic models (along with several other brands)
http://www.ctmattress.com/ South Windsor. Carries Gold bond and their own private label brand.
http://janices.com/ Hartford, CT. Carries Innerspring/natural fiber, innerspring/latex, and an all latex mattress.
http://www.puritanfurniture.com/index.html West Hartford, Wethersfield, CT. Gold Bond including Ecosense memory foam and futons.
http://www.beddingbarn.com/ Newington, Southington, Enfield, Cheshire, CT. Pure Latex Bliss, Jamison, Gold Bond, Symbol.
http://www.libertylagana.com/ Meriden, CT. Restopedic.
Outside of the larger Connecticut list that I linked earlier … there are also some good options in the post #4 here for the the Springfield, MA area that may also be well worth including in your research.
Phoenix
I actually stopped in at the CT mattress store today and tried out the Natura. So nice compared to my current inner spring mattress. I think the cost for a king was $2400 an the bottom layer was foam not latex. I told them I was looking for all latex and they told me they had one on the floor in Avon with the ability to customize each side and the cost was around $3400. Yikes. I think I was just reading a post that someone paid around that much for a king at custom design center. So definitely won’t be shopping at ct mattress store. Prices at sleepez are starting to sound very attractive. I’m just concerned that if I order online and then we don’t like it after sleeping on it, it will a pain to figure out how to change it to our liking. We are both side sleepers, similiar in height and not too different in weight and after doing the sleep analysis on the custom design website, it seems we would both be fine with soft, medium, firm layers. I guess I should be more specific. My husband is 5’11 and weighs 180-190 lbs. I am 5’9" and currently weigh 170lbs though I would expect that to eventually drop back to 140. Would the standard soft, medium, firm in a 10" mattress from sleepez work for us? Dunlop or talalay for the core layers?
I am still a bit confused about the difference between pure versus blended talalay. On sleepez website, the organic mattress is quite a bit more than the regular one. Is it better somehow to justify the additional cost or would the regular one be sufficient?
Thank for your advice and time.
Janina
Hi paaschjc,
Yes … tha Natura range is very good quality but as you mentioned I believe they are significantly overpriced and not great value. In their defense … they do use thicker layers of wool in their quilting which is an expensive material but this has some drawbacks as well compared to using wool in thinner layers which don’t affect the feel of the latex as much and then adding a wool mattress protector of a thicker mattress pad which can be replaced when the wool compresses. Even with the wool … they are still way more than I would consider as being good value because besides the quality (which is available in many places) there is nothing particularly unique about them.
This is of course always a concern with an online purchase but the risk is offset with the ability to either re-arrange or exchange the layers. If you are satisfied that you like the feel of latex and you have an approximate sense of the type of layering you like, then this can be a very good choice. Bear in mind that the large majority of people are very happy with their layering choices recommended by Shawn or based on local testing and believe they have ended up with a mattress that is much superior to what they could have otherwise bought either in terms of comfort or value. There are a minority of people though who do have some difficulty either because they haven’t really tested anything equivalent to a latex mattress with their configuration or have a much narrower range of “tolerance” and need a mattress that is more “fine tuned” to their exact needs and sometimes this can lead to difficulties in getting it “exactly” right. These are a small minority though … although they are more visible because of their ongoing efforts to “get it right”.
Blended talalay is a combination of synthetic and natural rubber which is made into a foam while the 100% natural uses only natural rubber in its manufacture. The blended is considered to be more durable … particularly in the lower ILD’s which uses less material … but the all natural is attractive to those who are willing to pay a higher price for a natural material. The natural is also denser and so would have a higher sag factor and be slightly more supportive but slightly less pressure relieving. It would also be more elastic because natural rubber is more elastic than synthetic. It would also be a little more variable across the sleeping surface because of the greater difficulty in making talalay latex foam using only natural materials. Latex International who makes both has a 10 year warranty on the natural and a 20 year warranty on the blended talalay to give you an idea of which they believe is more durable. Most people choose the blended because of it’s lower cost and very comparable feel (most people couldn’t tell the difference) but both make excellent choices. In Dunlop which is made differently … the natural rubber makes a much better product than a blend.
Post #2 here goes into more detail.
If I was in your shoes … I would definitely consider giving Restopedic a call and have a talk with them with an eye to paying them a visit. They can custom build a mattress, have latex options you can test locally, and have very good value.
Phoenix
Thank you for the info. For me the blended would be the preferred choice. How does the 100% Dunlop play into this equation. I see that sleepez offers the dunlop in the base layers. Is there an advantage or specific application that would make it preferable?
I’m going to check out allyouneedforsleep and look at the restopedic. They are only 15 minutes away versus over an hour for restopedic. I gather that restopedic are finished mattresses rather than the DIY type with the individual layers and a zippered cover. I like the DIY concept as I can imagine it would be a lot easier to get to a second floor as also move to a new location. King size mattresses tend to be a bear.
Hi Paaschjc,
This article should help explain the differences. In essence … Talalay is more “lively” than Dunlop. Dunlop will also be firmer feeling … even in the same ILD as talalay … because the ILD is only measured at 25% compression and as you sink in deeper it gets progressively firmer faster than talalay. This means you will be a little more “in” Talalay and a little more “on” Dunlop when used in a comfort layer. The difference is a preference of feel and in some cases heavier people may choose the Dunlop in a support core for it’s firmer support.
That sounds like a great idea although bear in mind you will be limited to the models that they carry (I don’t know if they carry them all) and the prices will likely be different (higher). Restopedic can also custom build a mattress using different layer thicknesses and ILD’s if one of their standard models don’t quite work for you.
As far as I know the Restopedic is a finished mattress and you’re also right that latex is very heavy and also “floppy” which means that it would definitely be a good two man (or more) job to get it up the stairs. The good news is that it’s bendability means it can bend around corners or under doorways much more easily than innerspring mattresses. Carrying single layers that are compressed would be easier though.
A DIY certainly has advantages in terms of re-arranging layers and being able to make changes after purchase through a layer exchange (although a local manufacturer will often also switch out a layer if you bring the mattress in). The only “down” side of this is that the layer thicknesses in a DIY are standardized and can only be exchanged for another ILD of the same thickness and layer thickness can play as big a role as layer softness/firmness in a mattress. A local manufacturer that also offers custom builds has much greater flexibility in tailoring a mattress to the individual as they can mix and match different layer ILD’s with different layer thicknesses and different support systems as well.
Having said that … both of them are much more flexible than the “all or nothing” approach that means a mattress is either right or the whole thing has to be exchanged.
Phoenix