Mattress selection for low BMI's

[phoenix]

Hi Tali,

[quote]Here’s the post with the soft over firm suggestion:
www.themattressunderground.com/mattress-...mmendations.html#302[/quote]
Whoa! You went WAY back there – 2011. Thanks for the link.

Drilling down to the basics, taking out all of the terminology…

If you’re using a thick enough soft upper comfort layer to provide the majority of your comfort (let’s just say 3" for ease of comparing) and that would be enough to allow for your curves, then you can probably go with a bit firmer support core.

If you go with a thinner plush comfort layer, it may not allow for enough conformation to your curves, so you’ll have to match that up with a bit of a softer support core to allow it to “bend in” a bit more and help supply enough surface comfort.

These are two different ways to achieve a similar result. That’s the gist of it.

Would 3" of 14 ILD Talalay would not work over 3" of 32 ILD Talalay? Would 28 ILD layer under it work better? I was trying to extrapolate from your example of using 3" of 19 ILD over a 36 ILD core, trying to keep the proportions similar. But you’re right, I don’t want to feel the firm layer through the soft layer, so I want to make sure that they work together.

It could work, but you would only know after testing the combination in person. The examples I was giving from that old post were more illustrative and not meant to necessarily be taken as hard “standards”.

The reason I’m strongly considering the DIY approach is because, from my understanding, the feeling of the 14 ILD Talalay latex is unlike any other material - it’s significantly softer than the 19 ILD, and it’s bouncier (and more resilient) than a similarly soft memory foam (I never liked the feeling of memory foam…).

Latex is very resilient, versus memory foam, which is the opposite. You’d feel more of the resilience with Talalay versus Dunlop latex, and the 19 ILD will feel more resilient than the 14/15 ILD. Your own testing, in whatever combination, will tell you if you like the feel that much better than memory foam, or if you notice a significant difference between the 15 and 19 ILD.

Additionally, I’m not seeing ANY mattresses that use that level of softness for their comfort layer - they don’t even have that as an option, the lowest I can find is the 19 ILD.

Some finished products (like the Beautiful from Pure Talalay Bliss) will use 15 ILD latex in the upper layer, but many manufacturers have gone away from the ultra plush 15 ILD in favour of the 19 ILD for comfort and comparative durability increases.

Ideally, I’d like to source 3 3" layers from mattresses.net (the 14 ILD and 2 other ones), and their mattress cover too - I suppose I could ask them if they’d build that for me?

I would phone them (versus attempting to configure online) and tell them exactly what you are attempting to accomplish, and they’ll assist you with recommendations for their layers and the appropriate cover for your final finished thickness. They should be very easy to work with.

I do, however, want the expertise that comes from trying things and seeing how they work, and while I didn’t even know that “understanding mattresses” was even a thing until I discovered your website, now I absolutely must master that (not right away… but over time, I definitely want to). It’s not just because I really care about my own sleep (which I do), it’s also because I have to figure out appropriate mattresses for my kids as well, right now and as they grow.

As long as you’re comfortable with the potential learning curve with creating your own design, I agree that your own testing will be the most accurate guidance.

My 3-year-old girl has sleep trouble that seem very similar to mine, I’ve been suspecting that her mattress isn’t working for her for some time now, so I’m currently planning to try finding a source for a crib-sized (toddler bed) soft latex mattress for her - officially they only offer the crib size in extra firm (for the newborn babies), so that would have to be a custom order too…

You may have read this already but just in case you haven’t, there is more information in post #2 here and the topics it links to about mattresses and children and “suitable” and “safe” materials. There are some general guidelines for mattress styles and firmnesses for children in post #2 here. It also includes a number of links to the better forum posts and topics about mattress and children as well which have more information about many good options children which would be well worth considering.

Many of the site members listed in post #21 here will create custom sized latex mattresses, but you’ll have to phone them to get specifics for sizes like toddler.

[quote]But anyway… you are right, I definitely can’t predict how well a mattress would perform for me just by reading stuff (although I sure am going to try regardless!). So right now what I’m mostly hoping for is having as much knowledge and understanding as possible before going to the store, so that I’m clear on what exactly I’m testing, and what I expect it to be like, and can adjust my predictions based on what it’s actually like. And your input so far has been invaluable in helping me do just that

Thanks again for all your help![/quote]
I think you’re doing a great job and I’m looking forward to learning about your actual results once you get a chance to test out some of your configurations.

EDIT: I just discovered KTT enterprises from one of your threads. They happen to be located about 20 minutes from my husband’s family (whom we haven’t visited in a very long time). Do you have any idea if we could check out latex mattresses over there, rather than at a “regular store”? They basically carry what I was looking for, so if they’d be willing to let me test various configurations over there, that would be the most optimal solution for me, and would totally be worth the trip. Should I contact them to ask?

I would phone them and explain your situation. They are in an industrial park and I’m not sure what areas they night have to accommodate your request, but it would be worth asking.

Phoenix