I’m looking at purchasing a latex mattress for the first time. I currently have a 10" innerspring mattress, and I was planning to buy a 10" latex mattress. Reading the FSF website, they say that many of their customers prefer a 13" mattress vs. the 10". I’m 5’4" and about 125 lbs. I’ve been having back pain, so part of the reason for this purchase is to alleviate pain. Would the 13" latex mattress (4 3" layers) be more comfortable than a 10" latex mattress (3 3" layers) for someone my size or would I not feel the difference?
I had planned to purchase all Talalay. I tested some latex mattresses this weekend, and the two I kept going back to were all Talalay. I spoke with FSF today, and they recommended that I choose Talalay for the top two layers and Dunlop for the lower layer(s), whether I choose the 10" or 13". She said the Dunlop would provide more support for the base layers and it would be less expensive. Given that the mattresses I tried and liked were all Talalay, I’m a little bit hesitant to go with any Dunlop. Are there any pros or cons to going with all Talalay?
Latex is a very durable material that many people find quite comfortable, so congratulations on making a decision of componentry.
The first thing I would tell you is to not judge a mattress based upon thickness, as that is mostly a by-product of design. There is more about the effect of thickness in post #14 here. Regardless of how thick or thin a mattress may be … the most important part of the “value” of a mattress is how suitable it is “as a whole” for your particular body type, sleeping positions, and preferences in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) regardless of how thick it may be. There is certainly no reason that at your weight you would “need” more thickness than the 10" mattress you are considering, but you may still “prefer” a mattress that is thicker depending on the design.
I wouldn’t put too much stock in reading what other people prefer or don’t prefer, as what’s most important is what is appropriate for your individual needs. And the best advice I can offer you is to have a detailed phone conversation with any manufacturer you’re considering, speaking with them about your body somatotype, BMI, needs, specific health issues, etc., and they will offer their best suggestions as to what they think will offer you the best chance at success with the options they have available for you.
Regarding the alleviation of pain, there unfortunately is no one product that can guarantee this for you. Pain can come from many different sources, many of them environmental and not affiliated with the mattress. Hopefully any mattress that you choose will not exacerbate any existing issues that you have and will provide a sanctuary for good restoration. If you have specific pain issues, this again would be good information to share with any manufacturer you’re considering. A very good resource I would tell you to read would be this article about the two basic functions of a mattress.
I can’t predict what you might feel on one mattress versus another, as it depends upon the actual layers used within a mattress (all of the layers of a mattress work in unison) and each person’s sensitivities, but with all things being equal, most people can tell the difference between a three-layer and four-layer latex components system that you described. Whether or not this is beneficial again comes down to the individual.
I’m glad you took the time to place an introductory phone call with Foam Sweet Foam (FSF). As I think you may be aware, they are a site member here, which means that I think very highly of them and that I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge, and transparency. They are extremely knowledgeable about different latex configurations, and I do trust the advice they offer.
Both Talalay and Dunlop are good quality and durable materials. It is a common practice for people who enjoy the feel of Talalay to choose Dunlop for the deeper support layers, as it is the uppermost layers of a mattress than most dramatically impact comfort. Dunlop has a bit more of a “dense” feel than Talalay, and as such it is very popular for use deeper in the mattress, and it can also be less expensive than Talalay to produce, but this also depends upon the blend/style/brand of Dunlop and Talalay being compared. Of course, if you want to approximate as closely as possible what you’ve tested locally and have an all-Talalay product, there would be nothing wrong with that – that would be a “pro”. A possible “con” would be the slight extra cost going with all-Talalay, and a bit of uncertainty not knowing if you’d be able to notice the difference using a Dunlop core.
I think you’re doing a really good job already through some local testing. I’d suggest as a next step a second phone call with the relation of the exact specifications of the models you’ve tested locally and liked, and then ask FSF for their best approximations of those models. If you do decide to place an order, the good news is that FSF does have a comfort layer exchange program just in case your initial configuration doesn’t turn out as well as you would have hoped.
I’ll be interested in learning what you ultimately decide to do.
Thank you very much for such a thorough reply! I think I’m going to do a bit more testing this weekend before placing an order. I’ll let you know what I decide on. I appreciate all your help!
