Mattress Comparisons

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

A little about me: I am a back sleeper. I move around from stomach/side before I fall asleep but usually end up on my back. I’m 5’6" ~200 lbs.

I took the your advice and checked out the two local dealers of all latex mattresses in my area:

I was able to try a Savvy Rest Serentity configured with (from bottom to top layer) Firm, Medium, Soft.
I tried it with the Soft top layer being either Dunlop or Talalay. To be honest the difference was very subtle. The store person said that I appeared to be a fit for both versions but that I looked like I may have sunk in a little more than ideal on the Talalay than on the Dunlop.

At another store I was able to try Pure Latex Bliss.
I tried the Nature, World’s Best Bed, and hybrid Celebrate. The Nature felt comfortable, a little firmer than the Savvy Rest bed, but not uncomfortable. The World’s Best Bed and Celebrate felt too plush for me. I think I like the firmer Latex models a bit better.

I’m now looking at beds from your members sites trying to find something that would be similar to the Savvy Rest Serenity. I would like to have some flexibility in changing layers if the initial setup doesn’t suit me. I don’t want something too plush. From browsing the online selections from the members list the Spindle Abscond appears to be a very good value. It is cheaper than the Arizona Mattress Company all Latex mattress that I was originally looking at for price/value. It appears to have three layers of 3" Latex as opposed to the 2 layer, 6", and 2" of the Arizona. Could you help me choose a mattress based on my real world experience? Something that would be similar to the Savvy Rest Serenity?

2

Hi Shazb0t,

To make a more “exact” apples to apples comparison you would need to look at a mattress that used the same type of latex (Dunlop or Talalay in the same blend) in the same layer thicknesses and with the same firmness level for each layer. Outside of this you would be looking at “translating” one design to another.

Spindle Mattress has a 3 x 3" design similar to the Savvy Rest but the type of latex is different. They have an option for either synthetic Dunlop or 100% natural Dunlop that uses a slightly different method of producing the Dunlop (continuous pour vs Dunlop made in a mold) (Note: Spindle is now only using 100% natural continuous pour Dunlop in their mattresses).

SleepEz also has a 3 x 3" design with your choice of either 100% natural Dunlop or blended or 100% natural Talalay in each layer very similar to the Savvy Rest (except they have more options and a better exchange and return policy).

There are also other manufacturers that have different designs (such as a 6" core and a 3" comfort layer) that may be similar in terms of the type of latex and PPP (posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and personal preferences) but don’t have 3 individual layers that can each be re-arranged or exchanged.

I’m happy to help with how to choose or how to make meaningful comparisons and narrow down final choices to “good vs good” but the specifics of what to choose is up to each person’s personal value equation and this would be based either on local testing or on more detailed conversations with each manufacturer who have much more knowledge and experience about their mattresses than anyone else (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). If you know the specific details of the mattress you tested with Savvy Rest then any of the online manufacturers that sell latex mattress listed in post #21 here can give you some good guidance about which of their mattresses would be the closest approximation to the one you tested so you can make the final choice that is best for you.

Phoenix

3

Phoenix,

Could you help me with information about the ILD of the current Savvy Rest Firm, Medium, Soft in Dunlop and Talalay ratings? This is what I was able to find with a web search:

ILD Ranges communicated by Savvy Rest:
Soft Dunlop: 22-30
Medium Dunlop: 31-39
Firm Dunlop: 40 and above

Soft Talalay: Soft 20-24
Medium Talalay: Medium 30-34
Firm Talalay: Firm 35-40+

Additionally, I went back to the store and tried out several more combinations on the Savvy Rest Serenity. I tried all dunlop
(Bottom to top)
Firm, Medium, Medium
Firm, Firm, Soft
Firm, Soft, Soft

I can rule out (Firm, Soft, Soft) right out of the gate, but (Firm, Medium, Medium) and (Firm, Firm, Soft) both felt good to me. I’m having a really hard time choosing what to go with between the three:
Firm, Medium, Soft
Firm, Medium, Medium
Firm, Firm, Soft

4

Hi Shazb0t,

You can see the ILD ranges of Savvy Rest in post #2 here but their Talalay range may be different since they have changed suppliers. They would be the most accurate source of this type of information (everything else originates from them and is just a repeat of the information they have received from either Savvy Rest or a Savvy Rest dealer so you may as well go right to “the horse’s mouth”)

[quote]I can rule out (Firm, Soft, Soft) right out of the gate, but (Firm, Medium, Medium) and (Firm, Firm, Soft) both felt good to me. I’m having a really hard time choosing what to go with between the three:
Firm, Medium, Soft
Firm, Medium, Medium
Firm, Firm, Soft [/quote]

I don’t think there is any way to be more accurate “in theory” than your own personal testing and “best judgement”. If two different combinations feel identical to you then I would pay careful attention to each combination and test each one specifically for support/alignment and pressure relief so you aren’t just going by “feel” alone. These are all quite different combinations so I would test them very carefully so that you can discern the differences between them in terms of comfort/pressure relief, support/alignment, and overall “feel”. If you really can’t tell any difference in any way then I would tend to go with the firmer of two choices. I noticed that you didn’t include F/M/S as a combination that felt good to you … was there something that caused you to exclude this from the “felt good” list?

I would also keep in mind that you can re-arrange or exchange layers (or even turn Dunlop layers over because one side or layers may be firmer than another) so if your longer term experience doesn’t quite “match” your testing and re-arranging layers can’t solve it then you can also exchange a layer for additional fine tuning and this is part of the “value” of this type of design.

Phoenix

5

[quote=“Phoenix” post=27374]Hi Shazb0t,

You can see the ILD ranges of Savvy Rest in post #2 here but their Talalay range may be different since they have changed suppliers. They would be the most accurate source of this type of information (everything else originates from them and is just a repeat of the information they have received from either Savvy Rest or a Savvy Rest dealer so you may as well go right to “the horse’s mouth”)

[quote]I can rule out (Firm, Soft, Soft) right out of the gate, but (Firm, Medium, Medium) and (Firm, Firm, Soft) both felt good to me. I’m having a really hard time choosing what to go with between the three:
Firm, Medium, Soft
Firm, Medium, Medium
Firm, Firm, Soft [/quote]

I don’t think there is any way to be more accurate “in theory” than your own personal testing and “best judgement”. If two different combinations feel identical to you then I would pay careful attention to each combination and test each one specifically for support/alignment and pressure relief so you aren’t just going by “feel” alone. These are all quite different combinations so I would test them very carefully so that you can discern the differences between them in terms of comfort/pressure relief, support/alignment, and overall “feel”. If you really can’t tell any difference in any way then I would tend to go with the firmer of two choices. I noticed that you didn’t include F/M/S as a combination that felt good to you … was there something that caused you to exclude this from the “felt good” list?

I would also keep in mind that you can re-arrange or exchange layers (or even turn Dunlop layers over because one side or layers may be firmer than another) so if your longer term experience doesn’t quite “match” your testing and re-arranging layers can’t solve it then you can also exchange a layer for additional fine tuning and this is part of the “value” of this type of design.

Phoenix[/quote]

Phoenix,

I did have F/M/S in there as well if you look again.

I’ve been focusing on Spindle Mattress because they had the lowest online pricing, which is a major consideration for me. I gave them a call and asked some questions about their Abscond model and their recommendations bases on my history, size, weight, preferences etc. were:

2 layers of Natural Dunlop Firm on the bottom and 1 layer of Synthetic Medium Dunlop on the top.

This came out to ~$1400 in King. I realize now they are priced considerably lower online because of the all synthetic latex pricing. However, for the firmer latex they recommended I go with the Natural for durability and keep the top medium synthetic to save some money. This puts their price more in line with other recommended vendors on the site, so now I am unsure of what to go with. Do you have any advice you can share with me? It would be much appreciated.

6

Hi Shazb0t,

I don’t know anything of the mattress companies you’re considering, but if cost is a factor, and looking at the combinations you’ve tried, you conceptually might get equal comfort and PPP in 6"… Maybe not. But assuming testing is easy…

Assuming you’re preferring natural rubber Dunlop, then:

Have you tried:
Med / med
Firm / med
Extra firm / med

Also, (and note Spindle would be the expert on their own mattresses), but I’ve more commonly seen mattresses with higher priced top layers, and lower priced materials deeper down (e.g. Latex over poly foam, memory foam over poly foam). Phoenix has often commented that mattresses typical break down top down, so I’ve got an academic curiousity why Spindle would suggest putting the pricier more durable NR at the bottom and lower price synthetic higher.

7

Hi Shazb0t,

I saw that you had mentioned it in another part of your post but it wasn’t one of the ones you mentioned in this sentence about two others that felt good to you …

… so I was thinking that you may have thought it was somehow a “lesser” choice than the two you mentioned here. Based on your comments though it seems that the F/M/S is a serious contender so your final choices are down to three. In either case your own personal testing and “best judgement” would be the only way to choose and as I mentioned if you can’t tell the difference between them then I would lean towards the firmer of two versions that feel the same to you.

Once you are down to final choices between “good and good” (which you are) and there are no clear winners then the only way to make a final choice (see post #2 here) between two mattresses would be based on all the objective, subjective, and intangible factors of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

@dn,

Based on my conversations with Neal I’m guessing that when they are suggesting firmer latex in the bottom two layers for reasons of weight or suitability then they normally suggest the 100% natural because the firmest versions of the synthetic aren’t as durable with higher weights (that would require firmer support layers) and don’t have the same “feel”. They don’t use the firmest versions of the 100% synthetic in their mattresses because it seems mountaintop hasn’t “perfected” it yet and they believe 100% natural is a better choice (Note: Spindle is now only using 100% natural continuous pour Dunlop in their mattresses).

Phoenix

8

Thanks Phoenix. Makes sense!