Hi paddyb,
[quote]The company also produce the Tweak mattress:
I don’t see any information on their site about the thickness and density of the foam layers or memory foam layers or the type and blend of the latex so I would certainly want to know this before I considered them.
The foam densities are all 1.8 lb density or higher which would be suitable in terms of durability for those that aren’t in higher weight ranges (more than the lower 200’s or so).
I don’t know the density of their memory foam so I can’t make any meaningful comments about it in terms of durability.
Latex and memory foam are very different materials with very different properties but the choice between them is more of a preference and budget choice than a “better/worse” choice. There is more about some of the differences between memory foam and latex in post #2 here but the best way to know which type of materials or mattresses you tend to prefer in more general terms would be based on your own careful testing and/or your own personal experience with each material in a range of different firmness levels.
Latex also tend to be more breathable and temperature neutral than memory foam.
Any type or blend of latex is a good quality and durable material but there are some differences between them as well. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here.
If the viscool is some kind of gel memory foam then the “hand feel” of most gel memory foams will be noticeably cooler than regular memory foam but temperatures will tend to equalize over time at which point the insulating properties of the memory foam will become dominant. The amount and type of gel in the foam can affect whether the temperature benefits will last longer or shorter and the cell structure and amount of airflow through foam will also play a very significant role in reducing heat buildup in the material. In other … while gel memory foam can sleep a little cooler when you are first going to sleep at night … in most cases the benefits of the gel tend to be temporary and don’t normally last over the course of the night.
So called “soy based” memory foam is just a memory foam that has replaced a small percentage of one of the two main chemicals used to make the foam (the polyol) with a polyol that is chemically derived from soy oil (see post #2 here). It is still memory foam and would be closely comparable in terms of durability to other types of memory foam that are in the same density range.
Phoenix