Hi macymom,
If you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know about any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.
The glue that is used by most latex mattress manufacturers is water based and non toxic.
Latex is very “sticky” and doesn’t slide easily on top of other latex layers and Issues with layer shifting with loose latex layers inside a suitable tight fitting zip cover are very unlikely. If for some reason the layers do shift over the longer term then it’s a simple matter to unzip the cover and “wave” the layers back into position again.
There is also more about the pros and cons of a component latex mattress with a zip cover and loose layers vs a finished mattress with glued layers in post #15 here and post #2 here.
There is more about the 3 most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels and the options they have available to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
Every good online retailer or manufacturer will generally make suggestions that they honestly believe have the best chance of success based on the information you provide them when you talk to them on the phone because this is in both your own and their best interests but again … at the end of the day the only way to know for certain whether any specific mattress is a good match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own careful testing in a store and/or your own personal experience so if you can’t test a specific mattress in person then the options you have available after a purchase to either exchange the mattress or individual layers or components or return the mattress for a refund (and any costs involved) would generally become a more important part of your personal value equation just in case a mattress you purchase doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.
You can see some comments about Plushbeds in post #2 here and a forum search on Plushbeds (you can just click the link) will bring up much more information and comments/feedback about them as well. They use good quality and durable materials in their mattresses (natural or organic Dunlop and Talalay latex) and they would certainly be a “better than average” choice compared to most of the mainstream mattresses that most people end up buying. They do a lot of internet advertising so they do attract a lot of online attention for those that are looking for a latex mattress. They are also in a higher budget range than other similar mattresses and have less options available to customize their mattress so I would make some careful “value comparisons” with some of the other component latex options that are also available to you (including some of the members of this site).
You can also see some of my thoughts about Habitat latex mattresses in post #3 here and a forum search on Habitat (you can just click the link) will also bring up more information and feedback about them. Their latex mattresses use good quality materials but they are also more costly than other similar mattresses and have more limited options to “fit” their mattresses to different people, body types, and sleeping positions. They are also an “all or nothing” choice that don’t provide any options after a purchase to fine tune the mattress other than adding a topper (if it’s too firm) or returning the mattress for a refund.
SleepEZ and Flexus Comfort are both members of this site which means that I think highly of them and that I believe they both compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge, and transparency. Both of them also have more options available to customize the mattress after a purchase by rearranging layers or exchanging a layer because the the bottom 6" of the mattress includes two 3" layers rather than a single 6" layer (see post #2 here). Forum searches on SleepEZ and on Flexus (you can just click the links) will bring up many more comments and feedback about both of them as well.
The mattress shopping tutorial also includes a link to a list of the members here that sell mattresses online (in the optional online step) and many of them sell latex and latex hybrid mattresses that use different types and blends of latex that have a wide range of different designs, options, features, return and exchange policies, and prices that may be worth including in your research as well.
Post #3 here also includes a list of many of the online manufacturers that sell component latex mattresses with loose layers and zip covers as well (with some overlap with the members list).
Once you have narrowed down your options to a list of finalists that are all choices between “good and good” and you have confirmed that none of them have any lower quality materials or “weak links” in their design relative to your weight/BMI range and you have talked with each of them there are no clear winners between them (which is usually a good indication that you have done some good research) then you are in the fortunate position that any of them would likely be a reasonable choice and post #2 here can help you make a final choice based on any local testing you have done, your more detailed conversations with each of the online options you are considering, your personal preferences, your confidence about PPP and the suitability of each one, their prices, the options you have after a purchase to fine tune the mattress or exchange or return the mattress (or individual layers in some cases) and any costs involved, any additional extras that are part of each purchase, and on “informed best judgement” based on all the other objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
Phoenix