narrowing in on Latex purchase

[phoenix]

Hi needsleepMA,

[quote]Therapedic EcoGel Blue Heaven

2" layer 19 IDL Talalay Latex
2" layer Eco-based Gel Memory Foam
1 Layer Dyna Flow Cooling Fabric
2" - 5# Hi Support Memory Foam
1" FT 18200 2.0 Density 18 IFD Latex Enhanced Foam
6" - 1.8 High Density Foam[/quote]

The density of the 2" layer of Gel Memory foam is missing and I would want to know the specifics of all of the materials (other than “around an inch or so” which you may find in quilting layers). The specs you would need are in this article but if the 2" layer of Gel memory foam is 4 lbs or higher (which as you can see here I believe it is) then there would be no weak links in the mattress.

Once again I found myself gravitating to the softer of their Ecogel models, the other two were extremely firm. I noticed the 19 IDL, which you recommend a higher number for my size and weight – how is the support for the remaining layers?

I don’t “recommend” or “not recommend” any softness or firmness level or any specific material (outside of quality/durability considerations) because it depends on the specifics (softness/firmness, layer thickness, the materials above and below the layer and other variables) and how well the specific design and combination of all the materials in a mattress work together to provide you with good PPP. This why good testing (or a more detailed conversation with an online retailer or manufacturer) is so important.

Unfortunately, I can’t see you on a mattress or feel what you feel and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone to know how well a mattress will keep you in good alignment (provide the different levels of support you need under the different parts of your body) in all your sleeping positions based on specs or “theory at a distance” (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

[quote]Natures Rest 3-DZH Lux Plush

Silk/Wool & Cashmere
1" Plush Latex
1" Gel Infused Latex
2.5" Plush 3DZ Latex
7" NR Eco Core

On the site it lists this mattress as 13.5" deep, and the materials listed comes to 12.5", does this mean this mattress may have an inch of inferior materials somewhere in its design (hopefully not in the comfort layers level)?[/quote]

The layers you listed are 11.5" (not 12.5") so there are 2" missing and I would definitely want to know what they were. It’s possible they are part of any quilting in the cover and could include some polyfoam along with any natural or synthetic fibers in the quilting.

My other thought, since I loved the wool quilt layer on the Natura Eco Sanctuary Plush so much, maybe I should buy a firmer mattress like the PLB Nature and put a wool topper on it. Unfortunately I would dislike having to buy a combination I could never test beforehand, as I am finding out reputation and quality materials still cannot tell you anything about how it feels to you when you actually lay down on a product for a period of time. On the plus side, it would be a gamble of only a few hundred (topper), rather than a few thousand (Eco Sanctuary). I saw the thread on wool toppers and a lot of great options, I only worry that it may have been the layer of Dunlop with the wool that makes it so comfortable to me on the Eco Sanctuary, and wool alone may not be able to duplicate the feel.

I agree with your thinking here because a topper can be an extra variable that adds some additional risk to your choices and can feel and perform differently on different mattresses. A topper can also be different from the same material in a similar amount that is quilted inside a cover. Having said that … wool is a great material that is a strong preference for many people who are familiar with it and prefer sleeping on it over anything else and if a mattress you are considering is otherwise similar in design to a mattress that is “perfect” for you other than a thicker layer of wool in the quilting and there is a topper that is “close enough” to the amount of wool in the quilting that you have some confidence it would work well for you (or the topper has a good exchange or return policy) then it would be well worth considering for those who prefer to sleep on a layer of wool.

looking at the PLBB specs listed on this site, I see the comfort layers are a lower ILD than what you would recommend for my size. Is this something to be cautious about, or do the other more firmer ILD layers make up for it?

If lower ILD comfort layers are fairly thick then I would certainly be cautious at your weight yes and make make sure you did some very careful testing so that you are confident that the mattress provides good alignment in all your sleeping positions. I have seen many instances of members of the forum buying a mattress (including some of the softer PLB mattresses) that made their choice based more on “subjective comfort” in a showroom than on PPP (testing for subjective comfort alone can be very misleading) and ended up with discomfort or pain in their lower back after they slept on it for the entire night although others have also been very happy with their choice and sleep free of pain and discomfort. Thicker and softer layers of comfort materials can feel great in a showroom but they may not sleep as well over the course of the night … especially for those who are in heavier weight ranges or whose weight is distributed less evenly throughout their body.

I would keep in mind that if you buy a mattress that is a little too firm that you can add additional softness and pressure relief with a mattress pad or topper but if you buy a mattress that is too soft then there are no great options to fix it without removing and replacing some of the softer layers.

Phoenix