Thanks for the update, and I understand your concern about the smell. Whether or not a latex is GOLS certified is not related to latex rubber smell. The primary factor to a latex producer âcontrollingâ smell or âlimitingâ a smell is done in the washing and secondarily the drying process. In theory, everything has âsome smellâ, and we all have our own sensitivities.
As you already know both natural and blended Talalay has a similar âsugar cookieâ or âvanillaâ type of smell, pass the same tests for VOCâs and offgassing, and both seem to be well tolerated by those who are very chemically sensitive.
I commend you for your knowledge, you are very well versed in many of these latex formulas, products, and companies. Good luck with your DIY mattress, I am looking forward to hearing how it goes.
I think itâs also possible that my talalay simply sat compressed in a box much longer than the dunlop and just needs airing out. Weâll see.
Any thoughts on 100% natural vs blended latexâs durability as a general rule? Iâm sure the actual manufacturing process of each has a big effect as well.
I have read many times that synthetic doesnât last as long, but Nest says theyâve gone to a 50/50 blend because itâs MORE durable. Of course itâs less expensive to make too, soâŚ
This is a good set of questions, and the âinternetâ has some myths on this. Overall for talalay the blendedâs durability data is better than the 100% natural, and for Dunlop the data is tilted the other way toward NR being more durableâŚbut this is really splitting hairs, as both of these âformulasâ have exceptional durability compared to polyurethane foam.
As you will see in some of the TMU links at the end, in the lower ildâs, especially in Talalay, the 100% natural may be a bit more durable (14-22 ranges). The process itself does not really affect the rule 100%Nat -vs- BlendedâŚfor the same manufacturer. What can be different is one manufacturerâs durability versus another manufacturerâs durability, both using the same âprocessâ and the same âformulaâ. Many times itâs about the overall curing process of washing/drying/heat (curing) that can be critical.
Why one changes to blends versus 100% natural are usually busniess reasons and itâs always cost, quality, efficiency, etc. Then of course people in sales like to tell consumers what sounds bestâŚbut you know its a combination of these basic factors.
Good point about the rolled talalayâŚtotally get it.
I donât think itâs appropriate to supply a direct link since theyâre not a forum member, but Iâve had only positive dealings with Mayerâs Bedding who offers 3" Talalay toppers in either 14 ILD blended or 14-19 ILD natural versions. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the info about Mayerâs. Their latex is probably good quality but just spoke to them and they offer no warranty for their toppers. Iâve seen a few other suppliers with little to no warranty as well.
Foamorder offers a 15 yr warranty @ 1/2" indentation. According to Sensei, itâs âpossibleâ their dunlop is that soft, but I donât want to make an expensive mistake if it isnât.
Hello,
Iâve researched mattresses quite a bit lately and am about to return a medium novosbed mattress because it is way too firm for me and too hot as well. Iâm 5â9" and about 145 lb.
Thereâs a mattress manufacturing store near where I live that assembles custom mattresses. After trying out all the materials they have, I decided to have them build a foam mattress with latex comfort layers for me which I tried and found quite comfortable. The details are: 5 inches of 2.2 lb medium polyfoam as a base, 2 inches of 28 ILD Talalay latex as a transition layer and 2 inches of 19 ILD Talalay latex as the final comfort layer (for a total of 9inches). Each latex layer is wrapped in some mesh that i believe is cotton and the whole mattress is inside a zippered organic cotton encasement. Whatâs also interesting is that the base is actually cut in 3 pieces so you can turn and swap them (see picture in attachment) for a more even wear (and maybe better durability). The mattress cost me 1700$ CAD taxes in which would be a bit over 1200$ USD. I will receive it in about 2 weeks.
I found it very comfortable when I tried it as I was floating on those 4 inches of latex, but if I were to sit on the bed or put my weight on a smaller area, I would reach the bottom of the latex and feel the very firm polyfoam base which I was afraid might be a concern, but it was still the most comfortable I tried and I figured it doesnât matter as long as my weight is distributed along my whole body which is always the case when Iâm sleeping.
I only wanted to share this and see what others think about this mattress to see if I made a correct choice and if thereâs anything I should be concerned about. I still havenât received it so Iâm a bit worried and hoping Iâll enjoy the choice I made because it cost quite a lot and Iâll have to live with it for a while.
Congratulations, and well done trying out the mattresses and materials at a local factory direct location. It helps a lot. I will add some comments, but you are the only one that will know if this is the right feel for you.
About the construction:
First off you are getting high-quality materials. Base core 2.2lb densityâŚexcellent well above TMU minimum recommendations, and the 2" 28 Talalay and 2" 19ILD Talalay, generally speaking, I canât think of a better combination of 4" that one could choose. I love that they have the Talalay in individually wrapped cotton mesh-like fabric, very professional.
When one sits on a mattress, at no time is any ever putting more pressure at one point then sitting down. Itâs very common to reach a âbottomâ on this type of construction, and with your BMI being so low, you wonât have an issue with bottoming out. I am not saying this means its perfect for you, you have to decide that but the 4" of Talalay is a very durable comfort layer combination.
With the zippered cover, I am sure you will have the opportunity to swap them if you needed to, not saying itâs free, you have to discuss with the store, but it allows you options if you need to adjust it a bit. And I love that unique way they configure the base core foam so one can turn it, rotate it, etc for better longevity. Very Interesting.
I am excited to see how it works out but feel confident that the materials used are very good, so please let us know when you have slept on it for a while. Remember to give it some time, your body has to adjust to a new feel also.
Thank you so much for the post and sleep better soon!!!
Hello Alex13,
We are also looking for a latex supplier who will build a multi level split mattress for us. You mentioned Cdn $ and a supplier near youâŚwhere/who is this supplier? Weâre in AlbertaâŚ
Thanks.
I second Mayers Bedding. Robert really helped me out deciding what topper I should get as well. I just ordered one after my post yesterday. I asked if they had any current coupon codes and they didnât but he offered to split the cost of a return if the topper didnât work out for me.
Iâm planning to use DIY Beddingâs cotton knit encasement for my build.
Considering putting a thin, breathable 360 degree encasement over that to slow oxidation/drying out. Mold could be a problem of course if the encasement isnât breathable enough. Anyone have experience with this?
Yes, I know the the encasement can be lined with wool, but Iâm not sure that would help as much with oxidation/drying out, though obviously mold shouldnât be an issue.
thank you very much for the quick reply and detailed review of all the elements included in my post! Itâs not common for me to receive an answer that addresses all of the points included in my initial message.
Itâs really reassuring to get the approval from an expert regarding the components I carefully selected and the construction overall. The waiting period before receiving the actual mattress can be quite worrisome when youâre not certain about the choices made especially considering I paid a much higher price than I was planning to spend on a mattress (Iâm replacing a 10 years old deformed spring mattress I purchased for barely 300$ CAD before going back to school). Thereâs also the fact I needed to rely on the information provided by the salesperson who sadly knew less about materials properties than I did despite working there for 20+ years.
I canât wait to sleep on my new mattress.
Thanks again, Iâll come by and let you know my thoughts once Iâve slept on it for a while (I should receive it either next Friday or the one after).
Regards,
Alex
EDIT Any thoughts about the price ? Is it normal to pay 555$ CAD taxes in or about 400$ USD for each 2" latex layer of latex? I know itâs an expensive material, but I thought it was quite alot.
I discovered this small mattress manufacturer named Matelas Prestige just next to the plant where I work nearby Montreal, Quebec. It only has one location and I donât know how common this type of place is.
Thank you for those kind words, and you are very welcome.
When I first read your post, and you mentioned $1200 USD, my initial thought was that sounded about right, and I did not think it was too high, or out of proportion. For example, a 19ild Queen size 2" Talalay topper will regularly cost $350-$400 even with many online retailers, who have a better opportunity to sell at lower prices. The 28ILD being denser will be more expensive. Plus there are added costs shipping into CA from US, so I think you are ok.
Good luck, and hopefully better sleep soon. Thanks again.
Info on pricingâŚ
Hello Alex13,
In November we purchased a split king latex mattress in Arizona.
Donât know the ILD numbers but comprised as followsâŚ
Bottom layer on both sides: 3" Dunlop Firm
Middle on side A: 3" Dunlop Medium, side B: Talalay Medium
Top on both sides: 3" Talalay (blended).
Comfort layer: 1" wool bonded to quilted cotton cover, not organic.
Total of 10". Individual pieces were not encased in thin coverâŚjust raw foam layered inside the quilted cover.
For this configuration we paid US$1895, less a 10% TMU discount, plus taxes⌠just under US$1850. Vendor offered 60 day exchange policy to trade out any layer for nominal fee, which we did not use.
Hope this info helps in your price comparison, although itâs not comparing apples to apples because I donât know the ILDs.
Other differences: your layers are individually encased in mesh, your 5" base layer is not latex, your total height is 9" vs 10", and your zippered cover is organic cotton, ours isnât. All these factors also affect the price of your mattress compared to ours. But at least you can decide if your pricing is close in value or not. I hope you will be as happy with your new mattress as we are with ours.
Finally enjoying good rest,
C.S.
Still researching latex options for my diy project (might need some Dramamine ^.~ ) and came across Vytex. Itâs attractive for several reasons, possibly less smell issues, price, free returns, and a broad range of ILDs.
Looks interesting but not much info on the web about it. Itâs almost as if the common review sites donât mention it because it almost sounds like itâs not latex. It is of course - their toppers are dunlop process done in Vietnam with the extra step to remove allergy causing proteins. Or perhaps the quality is low and so itâs ignored?
TMU only has a few references to it from 5 or 6 years ago. Like some reviewers on Amazon, grainy and crumbly has been used to describe it, though overall Amazon reviewers seem to like it. Anyone have more recent experience with it?
Iâd love to hear from anyone that has thoughts about using Vytex for my diy mattress.
Yes Vytex, it has been around for a few years, but the company that manages the distribution has done an inadequate job marketing their product, as well as sourcing there product. Vytex is actually a public company, so one can read about their technology, its really a penny stock at this time. I believe the listing is under VYST for Vystar Corporation.
They have struggled with finding the proper latex source, few years ago, they used a Dunlop process factory out of Guatemala, that factory closed, then they switched to one of the Italian mfgrs, something happened with that partnership, and now they have settled on Lien A out of Vietnam. Lien A is a good factory, makes very good quality 100% Natural Dunlop process material. Particularly high-quality Dunlop in softer densities, like 55 and 65 kg/m3. With or without Vytex, this factory is getting some placement. Regarding the quality of Vytex, there has not been a lot of public data that says the âqualityâ of the core for sleeping is better. I certainly believe that there will be fewer proteins in the finished product, as the technology states. I will be interested in hearing any feedback you have if you get a chance to try this material. Thanks for the inquiry, I think over time we will hear more about the Lien A product, not sure on the Vytex / Lien A as Vytex has had many starts and stops in the past 4 or 5 years.
Thanks Sensei, thatâs good to hear about Lien A making a good product, especially in the lower densities which is hard to do with dunlop. I read somewhere their ability to do this was a âgame-changer.â I also know there a few mattress and futon companies using Vytex, but still there isnât much to go on for durability except for Lien Aâs rep.
Vytex may get some much needed exposure since it slowly started getting traction on Amazon about a year ago. Amazon buyers are naturally hesitant on a big purchase that only has 20 reviews vs. Sleep On Latexâs 552.
âHi David,
We use density because we are all natural. Its hard to tell ILDâs because generally thatâs a blend or synthetic. I would say this gives a close range.
Super soft 55D = 12ILD+
Soft 65D = 14-19 ILD
Med 75D 23ILD - 26ILD
Firm 85D = 29ILD - 31ILDâ
I have no idea what they mean about ILDs not relevant to 100% natural latex.
I have even less of an idea of how to convert density to ILDs.
Does this make sense to you?