Looking for Advice - Latex Mattress or Topper

Ah - gotcha. Anyway, I appreciate the information about them.

One thing I’ve noticed is that almost all the online stores I check use quilted covers, with a wool lining. I’m having a hard time finding places that offer a stretchy knit cover of some type, instead of putting a lot of wool/quilting between the sleeper and the latex.
I have a very bad allergy to wool and need to stay away from it, and heavy quilting isn’t very appealing to me.

I did send a query note to Spindle Mattress today since they had said to request further details if desired, and I asked about their poly top over their latex - their response was that “The soy based foam adds to the comfort of the mattress. It is a comfort layer above the latex which gives the mattress a more traditional feel while still giving you all the benefits of latex.”.

I suppose they’re discounting the fact that some might not be looking for that specific feel of a mattress. Unless personal experience over the next week or so reveals I’m sadly mistaken, one of the benefits of latex - at least in my mind - would be the feel of the latex as opposed to the “traditional feel” of a mattress.

Then again, I don’t quite understand the construction of a soy based foam, so I could be mistaken (happens quite often). I do like their prices, but this one thing makes me wonder if that is really the material I want to be sleeping closest to in a mattress.

I did speak with Lee at Sleep Essentials today, who assured me he had the models of his dunlop mattresses on his showroom floor and I made plans to see him about 3 pm on Friday - I’m really excited about seeing his products. He was also good enough to email me the prescription form for a non flame retardant mattress after I told him I couldn’t find it available for download from his website.

Hi Clawdia,

Some people prefer the “feel” of a thin layer of polyfoam vs the “feel” of sleeping directly on latex which is a much more resilient material. Others prefer a natural fiber quilting and some prefer sleeping directly on the latex. These are all personal preference. There are many manufacturers that use a thin layer of polyfoam in their quilting for this reason among the others I mentioned earlier. I don’t think they’re discounting the fact that there are some that prefer sleeping directly on the latex as much as making what they believe more people would prefer.

Soy foam is just another name for polyfoam that has replaced a small percentage of one of the two main petrochemicals used to make it (the polyol) with a polyol that is derived from soy oil. you can read more about so called “plant based” foams in post #2 here.

Several of the online manufacturers on the list either carry or can make a mattress with a stretch knit unquilted cover including …

https://www.sleepez.com/latex-mattress-sale.htm

and possibly https://www.flobeds.com/

Phoenix

Phoenix - I had some observations/questions after I visited Sleep Essentials in Roanoke yesterday - wasn’t sure whether to tack that onto my original thread, or start a new thread since I can’t quite tell what proper protocol is around here, but ultimately decided to add it here and hope you’ll see it - I suspect you read everything that’s posted regardless of where it is.

I had spoken with Lee earlier in the week and he’d asked what time Friday we’d be there to see the mattresses, and I gave him an accurate time. When we got there, he apparently had totally forgotten that I’d told him we’d be making a trip of more than 60 miles, had a limited amount of time that trip - in other words, he seemed to have never heard of me before, even though only 2 days prior he’d gone to the trouble to email me a copy of the prescription needed to buy one of his mattresses. He’d forgotten that as well, and went into how I’d need a prescription to buy a mattress.

When I gave up on reminding him that we’d talked (“I talk to so many people I never remember them” was what he finally said), I told him again that I wanted to look at his latex mattresses, and he pointed to the section where the latex mattresses were and went back to talking to a couple who were already there. He talked to them about religion for the first half hour we were in the store, and ignored us completely.

I did like two of the mattresses - the 16-18 top over a 19-23 core, and the 19-24 over a 23-27 core - but couldn’t decide which I liked “more”. He finally did come over and ask if we had any questions, so I asked if his Dunlop was made by continuous pour or molded, and he said all latex was molded. I again stressed the “continuous pour method”, and he said then that he would never use that. He kept repeating that his latex was 98% natural, made from “the sap of the rubber tree”. Now, I know I’ve seen several places, including at least one article here at MU, that the material used is NOT the “sap” of the rubber tree. He also repeated several times that he would never use Talalay latex because 98% of the Talalay latex sold is synthetic. Apparently he’s fond of the 98% number, but even though I know most Talalay is a blend, I didn’t know such a high percentage is blended. So - I was left questioning both his business practices and his degree of knowledge.

That being said, I really liked the mattresses. They come with a very nice, soft bamboo cover that is removable and washable. I don’t think I’m dissuaded beyond the point of making a second, longer trip to his store again to check out these mattresses but I was concerned about the whole situation, and don’t really know if I should be concerned enough to simply end up purchasing elsewhere. I mentioned your website, and he acknowledged that he had spoken with you one time and that he had had perhaps a half dozen customers who had come into his store and mentioned the website as being the reason why.

I guess I just thought he was rude, and of no help. I told him I would have trouble deciding which of those two mattresses I liked better, and he just looked at me and walked off. He came back a few minutes later, said something else and then his phone rang, and he walked off again and then went back to the other couple. Truthfully, I’d expected someone who was the business owner to be more informative, and more interested in finding out exactly what I was looking for, and help me decide what might be best suited for my needs.

My husband did ask if the mattress would become more soft with time, wondering if perhaps the softest one might end up being too soft, and Lee’s response was that the feel of the mattress wouldn’t change at all after it had been used for years. I was under the impression that there would be some change in the feel of a latex mattress after a “breaking in” period, altho I could certainly be wrong about that and so would like your opinion.

We didn’t really have chance to inquire about things such as his warranty, his willingness to work with us after purchase if we weren’t happy with the initial configuration, or several other things. When we left after about an hour, he was still sitting and talking with the other couple who were buying pillows - we couldn’t tell if they were also interested in a mattress, but it didn’t really matter.

I guess I’m wondering if I was simply being over-sensitive, or if this is the way business is done in a specialty store such as this. I certainly can’t accuse him of being over zealous in his salesmanship techniques, rather the opposite to the point where I wonder if his product is good enough to keep him in business long-term since I know several people who would never walk back in that store again after being paid so little attention. I certainly wouldn’t go back without a written list of very specific questions.

I have trouble imagining that I’d prefer Talalay over the feel of the Dunlop, having heard more than once the analogy between Talalay seeming more like angel food cake while Dunlop is more like pound cake. I really liked the feel - my problem in deciding between the two was that while I preferred the softer (his softest) mattress, I wonder if over time it would provide adequate support with such a soft inner core. My husband and I were having difficulty determining if both provided adequate spinal alignment, but there was no question about pressure point relief and that I was quite comfortable when lying on mattresses for 15 or so minutes.

I’d said I would let you know what I thought after visiting this store, so there it is.
I still really don’t know what to think - it did bother me that after leaving I realized I felt bad about the whole experience, which is just complicated by the fact that I liked the product itself. I wanted to give my business to a local seller because I know I’d be more comfortable buying a mattress I’d actually tested, but I just can’t help the rather sour taste left by the visit.

Hi Clawdia,

thanks for the detailed feedbck about your visit.

I think that it would be rare that you would find a retailer or manufacturer that had all the information that was available on this site and in most cases that level of detail would do more to confuse people than help them and could result in people becoming overwhelmed in “specs” or details.

Most of the information they provide is far more accurate than you would find in most stores and they do use good quality materials in their mattresses but it’s also true that some of the information on their videos is not completely accurate. They just may not know some of the more specific details of the many types of latex or other materials that are available. I would say his degree of knowledge is well above average but in some cases where someone feels strongly about what they do it’s easy to make “blanket” or “overly broad” statements that are mostly true even though they are not completely true. For example there is some continuous pour Dunlop being made by Mountaintop that is 100% natural latex and has no synthetic at all that is also a very high quality material. Synthetic latex is also a high quality material and is “safe” according to Oeko-Tex standards. I would also doubt that most of the Dunlop latex being made is 98% rubber although the exact percentages are usually not available. While it’s also not technically correct to say that latex is the “sap” of the rubber tree … it’s certainly “close enough” to give people the idea of where it comes from so this is a commonly used description that for most people would be “good enough”.

None of this would cause me to question someone’s sincerity, integrity, or business practices because I believe you would be throwing the baby out with the bath water in most cases. There are few enough people who are trying to provide accurate and meaningful information to their customers and most of them won’t be 100% accurate in what they know or believe.

All mattresses will go through an initial break in period where the cover stretches a bit and loses its initial stiffness, and the foams lose some of their initial fimness but with latex this will be less than other materials and some people wouldn’t notice it at all. Most people will also go through an adjustment period with any new sleeping surface and this can also change how a mattress “feels” in the first few weeks even though it’s not because of the mattress itself. Either way … latex maintains more of it’s initial qualities for longer than any other foam but I don’t think it’s quite accurate to say there are no changes at all.

There are many business owners that tend to leave their customers alone because they prefer it after being “hovered over” in a chain store. They will tend to be available when needed but not interfere with their customers choices. Each person has their own approach and what works best for different people can vary. I think it’s safe to say that most people prefer to be left alone until they ask specific questions or need specific help but of course anything can go too far in one direction or another.

I would probably visit again with more detailed questions for him once you are clear about how you feel about your first experience. Some people just have a 'less is better" approach to customer service and in cases like this I would take the initiative to engage them in a conversation with the specific questions you have rather than waiting for them to volunteer information that some people may see as “intrusive” or “pressure”.

I think it’s like some personality types that don’t “interact” easily with some others and in cases like these it’s easy to jump to conclusions about someone’s approach to customer service that may not be accurate.

Thanks again for your feedback :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Thanks, Phoenix (yet again!).

You’re the epitome of diplomacy, without question.

I do understand the “less is more” concept of sales, and in most cases I appreciate it. I would, in this case, not have been nearly so irritated if Lee had been talking to another customer about a mattress as I was about a lengthy conversation concerning religion when I thought I seemed obviously in need of a bit of help - or at least, an “I’ll be over here, but if you have a question I’d be happy to help you”.

Then again, I’m not a people person myself, so I’m sure I should be more tolerant.

I will go back. After all, it is the product I’d be buying, and not a personality. At this point, I’m a bit puzzled as to exactly what questions to ask, and how to ask them in such a way that they generate as accurate an answer as possible.

I’m honestly at a loss when it comes to deciding between the two mattresses, the relatively soft and the softest. I know what I think I’d want if I could afford it - what he calls the Perfection 20 - 19-24 over a 23-27 core - but with the addition of the Perfection 16 top layer, a 16-18 top, making it a 12" mattress. I think that would give me the softness I crave but with a secondary soft layer and a firmer core.

Then again, if wishes were horses, I’m afraid I’d need a stable to house them all, which is a step beyond beggars riding.

Any suggestions you could give about what my further questions should be, and if there’s a best way to ask them in order to get the best possible answers, I’d appreciate your input. I know I need to ask about warranty, possibility of exchange if I’m unhappy with what I buy after getting it home. I also know there’s no changing his mind on some topics, such as the fact that I’m convinced the mattress will undergo some changes after I sleep on it at home for a while, though he insists that what I felt yesterday is what I’d feel a year from tomorrow, so I’ll steer clear of battles I know I can’t win.

All I really want to “win” in this case is to find the best possible sleeping solution at the best possible price. I didn’t have chance to ask if his published prices are at all negotiable, but I learned at my Daddy’s knee that it never hurts to ask, as long as one asks politely.

My husband was unable to help me figure out if my spine seemed to be in alignment, and that’s a very difficult determination to make when no one is being of any help. Is there a subjective feeling or an objective measurement that it’s possible to make to help figure that out? My husband did say I seemed to be lying more “in” the softest mattress, but “on” the next grade firmer.

Oh - and the cover he uses is not tight, so I would hope it wouldn’t stretch too much, and there is no initial stiffness on that cover - it is the softest bamboo I’ve ever felt, and since I have bamboo sheets and bamboo nightgowns, I’m pretty familiar with bamboo. To me, that cover is everything I could want in a cover for a latex mattress - just perfect.

Also, one last thing. On the softest mattress, I felt as though the middle of my body might be sinking so far into the mattress that I was feeling, just barely, the support layer underneath. Is this a bad thing?

I hate it when my ignorance shows, but sometimes learning requires putting it out there.

Hi Clawdia,

Part of this is of course because I wasn’t there but part of it is also because there are so many retailers that have so little knowledge and provide so little accurate information in the industry that I’m actually happy when I see one that is say 80% accurate and can easily overlook the 20% where they aren’t because 80% is so much better than what most people are given.

There really aren’t too many questions left to ask except about their policies for exchanging or fine tuning the mattress if it turns out that your testing didn’t “predict” your longer term experience on the mattress. You already know the materials that are in the mattress and they are good quality and besides testing for PPP that’s really all that you need to know to make an informed decision and make good comparisons to other options that may be available to you.

If you are undecided between two different comfort levels that are fairly close I would tend to go with the firmer because it’s much easier to make a mattress that is too firm softer with a topper than it is to make a mattress that is too soft any firmer (unless you remove and replace layers). Of course this would also depend on any exchange policies they offered. You can always add a topper as a second step as well.

I completely agree that it never hurts to ask and it can also help if you have a couple of other similar options to compare them to. Many local manufacturers offer their best price every day and don’t have sales but “value” is always relative to what other similar mattresses that are also available to you. There is more about “negotiating” in post #6 here.

I’m not sure if you’ve seen these but the links to the testing guidelines in post #1 here should be helpful and includes some of the objective and subjective signs and cues to look for.

It sounds like a great cover and it’s unlikely that it will need “breaking in” although it may stretch a bit over time.

If it leads to pressure issues then possibly but I can’t feel what you feel so you would need to use your “best judgement”. I would remember that more subtle “cues” that you feel when you are testing can be amplified when you sleep on the mattress over the course of the night. I would also remember that in many cases people tend to choose a little softer than they really need or that is best for them.

I would keep in mind that you probably know more meaningful information about mattresses than the majority of people who sell them in mainstream stores across the country :slight_smile:

Phoenix

When I got down to my final choices I went to the store dressed as close to being in my pj’s as possible. I also brought my ipad and tried using that while on each of the mattresses I had been considering. The sample pillows were different types so I rearranged those until I found a combo I liked for both laying down and reading and watching tv in bed. I ended up spending nearly three hours in the store. My husband noticed that when I layed on one of them I would gravitate to sitting while talking much faster than i did while on the other.I wish I had thought to bring my pillows to the store. I ended up buying latex pillows because I knew I was comfy on the bed in the store and am very happy with them. It is such a hard decision. I hope that you end up as happy as we did.

Hi Wavycat,

That’s great advice … and I only wish that more people did the kind of testing that you did to “simulate” your sleeping environment instead of spending just a few minutes on a mattress :slight_smile:

I know it can seem “odd” to spend that much time in a store relaxing (or even taking a nap) on a mattress but the choice people make will affect how they sleep and how they feel for the next decade or so and it’s well worth taking all the time needed to make the final choice the best one possible.

Phoenix

I intend to follow every bit of Wavycat’s advice - it all makes good sense! I had on a pair of pants that interferred somewhat with how the Sleep Essentials mattresses felt last week, and I won’t make that mistake again.

I think I will make the effort to go down to Greensboro to try out a PLB, although I probably wouldn’t want to buy from that store. They have a pretty bad reputation locally, but since I’ve never had the opportunity to lie down on a talalay mattress, it seems like a good idea in spite of how much I like the feel of the dunlop. At this point, I guess it is just hard for me to imagine that I’d like anything better, but you never know until you try.

I’ve yet to see anyone say anything positive online about the store in Greensboro that sells the PLB, but if they have one on display (I’d call before going) I think I would like to see what the difference feels like.

Phoenix - is roughly $2000 within what you’d think a reasonable price range for an all natural dunlop 9" mattress of the quality like I’ve looked at in Roanoke? I know it’s higher than some online retailers, and I know it’s a lot on a personal level for me to spend, but I also know that a good mattress is one thing that can prove to be well worth the price, within reason.

Hi Clawdia,

I would always be cautious when I see that most of the mattresses that a store carries is major manufacturers but if you keep focused on why you are there and “ignore” some of the “help” that may come your way you should be fine :slight_smile:

“Value” always depends on each person’s personal value equation and on what a mattress is being compared to but overall I would say this is good local value yes and is much better value than the vast majority of mattresses that most consumers end up purchasing.

Phoenix

I thought that price range as good as I’d be likely to get for natural Dunlop latex of good quality in a great cover. Found the listed price of $2100 includes foundation, which I don’t need as I intend to use the foundation I use with my waterbed. Actual price out the door for 100% Dunlop, queen, is $1800. Even better.
Tax free and tax deductible since I have a doctor’s signed script for a bed with no flame retardant.

His comfort exchange concession is that if I buy a bed that’s too hard after trying it for up to 30 days, he’ll sell me a softer topper for half price. For my particular needs/wants, that’s good enough for serious consideration since what I really think I most want is a 12" mattress, ranging from softest on top, soft in the middle, medium on the bottom, and that’s exactly what this deal would get me, for very close to the $2100 total out the door that I thought I’d be paying for just the 9" mattress, with no obligation to go that route until after I try the next to softest bed. I do think I want to end up lying more in the bed than on the bed, but the ability to add the topper would fix that, I’m pretty sure, now that I’ve tested the beds.

I was having a problem deciding between those 2 beds, even knowing I could always add a topper, but the problem was I sure I couldn’t afford a $2100 bed and a $600(±?) topper . . . but if the whole set up ended costing me less than $100 more than what I’d planned to spend, well, seems too good to be true that I could perhaps have my cake and eat it, too.

At that level, I can’t even beat it online by enough to matter versus the benefit of a local dealer with a product I’ve actually tried and liked, who delivers it right to the bedroom. Unless I misunderstood Lee, the bed is delivered already assembled and ready to go.

His warranty is 12 years. I know too much about warranties, anyway. It’s fine.

That’s the plan right now, anyway; and whereas a small part of me says I should go try the PLB , I also know that no matter how good a price I could get on one, it would still be several hundred dollars more than what I know the good quality Dunlop costs. Dunlop was what I loved years ago, and lying down on both the beds I seriously tested was a comfortable and comforting experience, validation that what I remember from years ago as feeling wonderfully comfortable really is true, latex really is wonderfully comfortable to me - not just a nostalgic fondness.

If there were ever someone with the “princess and the pea syndrome”, I confess it’s
me. I’m a hedonist, and that extends particularly to physical comfort.

When I stop and think about whether I should buy the first mattress I’ve seen up close and personal, I hesitate; then, I think why should I drive myself nuts, spending lots of money on gas not to mention time and fatigue, when I think I’ve already found just what I was looking for, from a nearby seller with a product with which I can find no fault? As the hours go by, more and more I think I should just go back to Roanoke tomorrow and buy the 20 Perfection mattress, knowing I’ll have the option of adding a softer topper if I need it, and be happy with the whole experience.

That just might make this one of the least painful mattress buying experiences I’ve read about, providing what I think might well be the perfect mattress for me really is as great as I think it will be.

I hope I can at least get a free pillow. I love pillows. :wink:

Hi Clawdia,

All your “logic” makes perfect sense to me and all the factors that you are considering are part of what I encourage people to consider when they are putting together their “personal value equation” and assessing the “value” of a purchase.

Based on all your feedback … it certainly seems to me that the Perfection 20 would be a great choice and have great value as well based on your criteria (which certainly all make sense to me).

You would have a high quality chemical free mattress that you have tested for PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) that has good options after a purchase at a good price. To me that’s the definition of “good value”.

I’m looking forward to your feedback on your visit and when you decide to “pull the trigger”.

I hope you get a free pillow as well :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Phoenix - will try to make long story short here, because at the end I’m in search of a little advice/help . . .

I decided to go with the Perfection 16 from Sleep Essentials, after spending all Tuesday afternoon there. Every time I tried the Perfection 20 for more than 10 minutes or so, I found myself gravitating back to the 16, where I couldn’t deny I was more comfortable. My spine did seem to be in alignment even on the softer Dunlop mattress.
Lee recommended I go with the 16, and also recommended that I not add a mattress cover to the bed, but sleep on the cover that was provided around the bed, with the simple addition of a sheet.

It was delivered Thursday night, and the delivery guys set the bed up completely. Best I could get on the pillows was that I bought 4 pillows at half price (never saw my husband light up over a pillow before, so he got a pair). All well and good so far - great, even.

I was exhausted that night after a frantic four hour’s notice of when the bed would be delivered, and having to take down a queen waterbed in that length of time, so I noticed I slept well but did feel a couple of places in the new mattress that didn’t feel right. Spent all day yesterday at a doctor’s appointment, and didn’t have chance to check the mattress out further until last night. I still love the way it feels . . . but - except - there’s a space of
about 4" wide down the vertical middle of the mattress where there are several of what I think must be defects. About a half dozen very hard raised pieces of latex can obviously be felt thru the mattress cover, and unzipped the “real” cover holding the mattress together and had a good look - you can obviously see the hard pieces of raised Dunlop, not really in a straight line, but in that 4" or so wide section of the comfort layer of latex. In addition to the raised pieces , which are about 1/2" of latex, there are also two areas roughly 2"X3" big where the latex is obviously a much firmer density than the vast majority of the mattress - hard enough those are that I rolled over on one and it woke me up. You can run your hand across the latex itself and feel the distinct variation in density in those two small areas - wouldn’t be a problem if they weren’t where I like to sleep, perhaps.

We tried to get in touch with Lee at Sleep Essentials today, since he lists Saturday hours, but perhaps he wasn’t in as we never got an answer. When I lifted the cover off and looked at this piece of latex, the first thing that came to my mind was that it looked like I might expect a second quality piece to look like - but I’ve never seen what I should be looking at, I guess - I do know I felt all over the mattress in his display room and it was just as smooth as smooth could be, no raised hunks of latex or firm areas, or else I’d have questioned what I felt on the display. You can see the hard raised
areas of latex in that one area, and definitely feel the small denser areas of the bed in a couple of places. The latex on one bottom corner is a bit roughed up, slightly torn, but that in itself isn’t anything I’d bother about, but added to the other just makes that pieces of latex look even worse.

So - is this “normal” for a new mattress I just paid $1800 for? Does it sound defective, or is this what people expect from Dunlop latex? I’d never even have looked at it except it has places that feel bad to me. Do you think it would be unreasonable for me to simply explain why I am unhappy with it, and expect him to replace that comfort layer free of charge?

I’m upset that I was too busy with a doctor yesterday to deal with this, and I thought the mattress store was open today - and while it’s no problem for me to sleep on it for a few more days, I’d like to feel better knowing just how what I now see as a problem is going to be resolved so I can stop worrying about it, because right now, I’m really worried about it.

Hi Clawdia,

It certainly sounds “odd” to me as well. I don’t know what the explanation is but I would certainly talk to Lee and bring it to his attention to see what he says and possibly bring in the layer so he can see it as well.

Small tears and defects in appearance are normal with natural Dunlop latex but it doesn’t sound like what you are describing is “normal”. It’s possible that there were larger voids in the latex that were repaired (which is also not unusual) but that the repairs weren’t done well…

The only other possibility I can think of is that it may be connected to your foundation (which may have a raised center piece in the middle that makes the center feel firmer) but you could test this by putting the mattress on the floor and seeing if the same issue exists. It doesn’t sound to me like this is what you’re describing though.

From the sounds of it (and bearing in mind that I can’t see or feel it) it sounds like it’s something outside the “norm”.

If there is something wrong or defective with the layer then it’s not unreasonable at all to ask him to replace it.

Phoenix

Thanks, Phoenix. I really do think there’s something wrong with the piece of latex.

Lee did return the phone call yesterday, but had a bad connection. I think he’d probably decided not to work in the store yesterday and was up at the lake, which he’d mentioned liking to do on weekends. He said he’d need to come and look at the bed, which is fine with me, altho I’d have preferred a bit of reassurance that, as you say, it didn’t really sound “normal”, and if there was a problem he’d take care of it. He told my husband he’d call today or Monday, and we’ve not heard from him today; hopefully, he’ll call tomorrow without having to be reminded. The whole thing’s making me nervous.

Definitely has nothing to do with the foundation - just pressing my hand very lightly over the areas in question reveals the difference in density. The problem is in that top piece of latex.

I’ve just been worrying myself half sick all weekend. I’d have actually felt better if he’d just said he’d bring down another top piece, and swap them out if he saw there was a problem (hard to believe anyone could feel one of those half dozen knots of hard latex and think there was no problem, altho I could see someone who knew what they were doing being able to very gently shave those flat - it’s the 2-3" in diameter places that just feel a much harder density that bother me more, since I can’t see an easy fix for those without swapping out the top piece of latex.

I do love the feel of the dunlop mattress (with those exceptions). It’s supportive and yet has just the right amount of sinking in sensation for me. Every time I’m tempted to 2nd guess myself for not at least looking at Talalay, I remind myself that I’m pretty sure which of the PLB models I’d have liked, it would have been the Beautiful, and I’d have spent $1000 more than I did spend. I even have brief moments of missing my previous waterbed with the feather topper - but then I snuggle down into the new bed and can’t help but feel I made the right choice in firmness for me.

I’d be perfectly happy with the whole experience, except for what I perceive as defects in that top piece of latex, and the worry that I may just end up being told I bought it - I live with it, unless I want to pay $375 to replace it, which is what half price for one of his queen sized toppers turned out to cost. For what I paid for this bed, I just think I deserve to get something as close to perfect as there is - and from all I’ve read here and elsewhere, without seeing anyone say a word about a Dunlop mattress that seems to have these problems, I just don’t think it’s what I should have expected.

Did I mention Murphy’s Law has haunted me all my life? :frowning:

Hi Clawdia,

I’m looking forward to hearing what Lee has to say and the outcome of the “mystery bumps” when you have the chance to talk with him.

Phoenix

Don’t know at this point if the mystery, such as it is, will ever be solved. My husband called Lee again today when we hadn’t heard from him by late afternoon. At first, he asked if we could take pictures of the raised bumps and email them to him. Sure, we could do that - but no way to take a picture of the two smallish areas that feel too dense and hard to me.

Then he suggested I just turn the top piece of latex over and just use it that way. No - I don’t want to do that, just on principle. The bottom of the comfort layer isn’t the same as the top - doesn’t look the same, doesn’t feel the same. Don’t know how it should look - it’s more solid, the air holes don’t go all the way through to the other side.
I should be able to sleep on the side that was meant to be used for sleeping, even if it would feel almost the same. (Should the reverse side look so different on a piece of Dunlop?)

At that point, he said he’d just switch out the top for another piece of latex, which was all I’d wanted in the first place. He said that his delivery guys would come down and switch out the layers Wednesday evening, their first opening. I don’t know how many delivery guys he has, the two who came down and brought the bed were just as nice as could be, but dead-dog tired - this is their evening job after they work all day at another job.

I’ll be sure and check the new latex piece before they leave - need to make sure I don’t end up worse off than I start out being - and I wasn’t clear if he planned to ride down here with them. Fine with me, if he does. I’m obviously not trying to get anything I didn’t pay for, and I really hope that what I got isn’t the gold standard for the comfort layer of Dunlop latex. I don’t see how it could be, since I got poked by one of those raised pieces of latex through the mattress cover and two bottom sheets last night.

I love my bed - I just hope I can love it unconditionally by Wednesday night. I sleep much better, toss and turn much less, and wake up without any hip or shoulder pain, and with no numbness in any of my extremities such as I was having before. I’m so glad I listened to Lee when he suggested going ahead with the 16 Perfection model, since I don’t think I’d have been happy at all with anything firmer than this, whereas I feel like this is just right. (And we love the pillows, which doesn’t really make a hill of beans.) :slight_smile:

Hi Clawdia,

I’m glad to hear that things are about to be resolved.

Most Dunlop has some defects or even repairs and you can see some examples here … but not to the degree that it would affect how it feels or performs.

Let us know how it goes :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Lee from Sleep Essentials sent one of his great delivery guys down yesterday to swap out the top layer of latex for a new piece - he looked at what I considered a problem and said that no, it shouldn’t have those denser areas in the mattress, altho the raised bumps were the result of the manufacturing and could be shaved. Pretty much what we figured. He put what seems a much nicer piece of 3" Dunlop in the top of the mattress to replace the problematic piece.

I tried the bed with a mattress pad I already had - didn’t like it. Returned to just putting a soft bamboo bottom sheet on top of the mattress cover, then adding my regular Tencel bottom sheet - a little extra protection, but nothing that interferes with the feel of the latex. Might add a St. Dormeir pad at some point - might not. Guess it depends on how paranoid I get about protecting the mattress. I sure don’t want anything to happen to it, but I also want to be able to feel the latex when I lie down.

The whole bed seemed to sleep better last night. I love it, and love knowing that if at some point in the future the Dunlop seems too firm for my old bones, I can add a 2-3" soft Talalay topper. Then again, I know I’m still in the adjustment period for a new bed, especially since getting basically a 2nd new bed last night, so it’ll take a while for me to know if this is as perfect long term as it seems short term. As it is, I’m very happy to have chosen the Perfection 16 model, and think it was the right decision from several different directions. I’m not in the least concerned that it may be too firm for me.

I did have chance to see that the mattress tags say Latex Green, Sri Lanka. I hate I had to spend $1800 to get what I think is a great mattress, but glad that I was able to do it. I think I managed to get great value for my money with a wonderful feeling Dunlop latex mattress that has a cover on it that I love.

I appreciate having been able to deal with a local company, especially one that provided good customer service with free delivery and set up, and ensured after the fact that I was satisfied with my purchase. I bought the bed a week ago this past Tuesday, had it delivered two days later, and even though there was a problem with the mattress initially, within less than a week it was resolved to my satisfaction. I’d certainly recommend buying a mattress from this source without hesitation.

I’m the happy owner of a new mattress - thanks for all the help here. I’ll be back in a while to say how this works out long term, or sooner if I need help/advice with any problems that might arise.

Hi Clawdia,

I’m glad to see that you didn’t need to worry and that everything worked out great. Better manufacturers will usually give you an honest assessment if something is “not right” with the mattress although it’s natural to worry that they won’t see things the way you do.

I have a 'feeling" that after the adjustment and initial break in period that you will be sleeping just as well as you are now but I’m looking forward to your comments after you’ve slept on it for a while.

Thanks for all your comments, questions, and feedback along the way. I love happy endings :slight_smile:

Phoenix