First I want to say thanks to everyone contributing on this forum. While overwhelming, the information is certainly invaluable.
After doing a lot of reading and some local exploring, my fiance and I have decided the go with the Ultimate Dreams latex bed by Dreamfoam. They obviously do not have any local outlets for comparison, so I was wondering if anyone could provide some insight with regard to ordering the right level of firmness.
Of the mattresses we tried locally, the one we liked best was the Serenity Latex by the Original Mattress Factory. My understanding is that this mattress is only made in one level of firmness. In reading the forum, I believe the 3" talalay latex layer to be the primary factor in matching the comfort levels, but I’m not sure what the density and ILD are based on their site. It appears there are two listed… Any help in matching the firmness of the Serenity to the Dreamfoam when ordering would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
Hi tull2001,
You’re certainly heading in a great direction.
I would be very cautious about using other people’s experience on a mattress as a guideline for choosing the softness/firmness level that may be best for you. The most reliable source of guidance to help you choose a firmness level would be the manufacturer themselves who will have much more knowledge and experience with helping their many different customers choose a firmness level that has the best chance of success than anyone on the forum (who would only be familiar with what works for them). A mattress that is “way too firm” for one person may be “way too soft” for the next. The more information you can provide them in a more detailed conversation on the phone (or on their chat), the more you can help them to help you choose the firmness level that you believe will work best for you (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
If you are still uncertain after a more detailed conversation with Dreamfoam … then it may also be worth considering one of their customizable mattresses where you have the option of exchanging one firmness level for a different one after your purchase just in case your sleeping experience indicates that your original choice was either too firm or too soft for your specific needs or preferences.
For reference … there is more information about the OMF Serenity Latex in post #6 and #7 here. While they do list the ILD of the two latex layers on each side of the mattress … they don’t mention the thickness of each layer (NOTE ADDED: The top 19 ILD layer is apparently 1" and the second 24 ILD layer is apparently 2") but this isn’t important because your testing will tell you whether the combination is a good match for you in terms of PPP.
Phoenix
Hey Phoenix,
Thanks for the reply. I wasn’t so much looking for anyone’s thoughts on firmness so much as a direct comparison of the foam used in The Original Mattress Factory mattress and that in the DreamFoam mattress.
I’ll go with your suggestion and see if the manufacturer can help with a firmness suggestion based on the mattress we were able to test locally.
Thanks again for the great site and all the work you put in to answering everyone’s questions!
Hi tull2001,
The OMF Serenity uses two layers of blended Talalay latex on each side of a polyfoam core. The top layer of blended Talalay is about 19 ILD and the second layer is about 24 ILD. They don’t say what the thickness of each layer is or the total thickness of Talalay on each side (I’m not sure if the total thickness is 2.5" or 3" based on the differing descriptions in post #1 here and post #6 here). If I had to guess I would guess that each of the two layers are a total of 1.5" for a total of 3". If the latex layers on each side are 3" then the polyfoam in the middle would be about 4" - 4.5" and if the latex layers on each side are 2.5" then the polyfoam in the middle would be about 5" - 5.5". The density of the polyfoam support core is 2.5 lbs which is high quality polyfoam. The polyfoam is in the range of 26 - 34 IFD. The cover is a stretch knit. NOTE ADDED: The thickness of both layers combined has been confirmed at 3" and the top 19 ILD layer is apparently 1" and the second 24 ILD layer is apparently 2".
The Dreamfoam has a 3" layer of blended Talalay latex (the same as the OMF) and you can choose the firmness level. The base layer is 1.5 lb polyfoam but I don’t know the IFD (it’s probably in the same range). The cover is quilted with 1.5" of polyfoam.
As you can see … the design of each mattress is quite different and every layer in a mattress has some effect on the feel and performance of the other layers and the mattress as a whole but the 3" blended latex they both use is the same material.
Phoenix