Hi cindy,
Even though Symbol does use better quality materials in some of their mattresses and they can be better than average quality/value … I would tend not to deal with a retailer or at least consider any of their mattresses where they can’t provide you with the information you will need to make meaningful comparisons.
This includes the density of any polyfoam and memory foam in a mattress and the type and blend of any latex and this isn’t on the symbol website or most other manufacturer’s websites either.
It is the retailers responsibility and “job” to provide this to you if you ask. If they can’t or won’t or try to tell you that “nobody asks me about that” or something similar and aren’t willing to find out the information that you need to know … I would pass them by. The only other option is to take the time to either call the manufacturer yourself or to do the online research that will find the information that they should be providing in the first place. This is why I suggest to call and “interview” a retailer first before you visit them. The size of a retailer doesn’t indicate how good they may be. It’s their experience and their knowledge and willingness to inform and educate you about the materials in their mattresses that makes the biggest difference.
Dutch Craft is a good company that is quite transparent and can have some good quality and value mattresses (you can see more comments in the forum about them here). Once again though … if the retailer has a mattress with a different name they would need to provide you with the information you need to make meaningful comparisons.
Dutch Craft uses G-flex in their mattresses (Symbol does as well) which is a high quality “swirl gel memory foam” made by flexible foam which is mixed as a liquid. The 100% infused refers to this layer yes.
If the other layers in the mattress you are looking at are the same as the Silverthorne then they are all good quality materials. If Xtreme Discount Mattress did provide you with this information (and it would be great if you can confirm this) and they are authorized retailers for Dutch Craft (their dealer locator isn’t functioning at the moment) then along with this post it would indicate that they do provide good information about their Dutch Craft mattresses and I will include them in the Buffalo thread with some comments so that others can include them in their research as well.
Yes … these materials are better quality/value than the iComfort and don’t have any obvious weak links but of course it’s also very important to make sure you test the mattress carefully and objectively for PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) to make sure it is suitable for both or your body types and sleeping positions. The materials are better quality but the design of both mattresses is quite different and no matter how good the quality and value of a mattress may be … if it isn’t suitable for you it would have little value to you.
If your testing indicates that they “work” for you and the layering is the same as the Silverthorne then depending on the size you are looking at, the price, and what is included with your purchase, this could be a good quality/value option IMO.
Phoenix