Naturepedic - affordable alternatives?

[alfie]

Tested out the Naturepedic Halycon Azure mattress today, and absolutely adored it. Unfortunately it’s over $6k for a king, and I really can’t justify that price.

The configuration that I loved was the firm coils with the soft 3" dunlop latex layer on top, and the fact that it had a wool/cashmere/alpaca blend topper.
I also tried the Naturepedic EOS, which I liked, but I found that it had more motion transfer than the Azure, and my wife felt like the wool/cashmere/aplaca topper on the Azure made a big difference.

It seems like the winning formula for both me and my wife is:

• hybrid mattress
• firm springs
• soft latex layer
• wool topper on top

A few questions:

1. Does anyone know the primary differences between these two models? The salesperson in the store told us that the chief difference between the EOS and the Azure was a) the quality of the springs was higher on the Azure, and b) the wool topper. It seems like the 3" Dunlop latex layer is the same between the two models.

2. It really felt like there was much less motion transfer on the Azure than on other hybrids we tried (both vs other brands and vs the EOS) - is this down to the difference in coils? The wool topper layer? Our imagination? Motion isolation is very important to us as we are both very light sleepers.

3. Would we be able to replicate the feel of this mattress with another brand or with a DIY option? I don’t know how much variability there is between Naturepedic’s springs and other brands’ springs, I’ve read on this forum that Naturepedic’s definition of “soft” dunlop latex might significantly softer than options offered through SleepEZ for example. I don’t know how true that is, but it makes me a little nervous because if the softest from a DIY brand is too firm, there’s not really much room to go softer.

4. Given that my wife and I seem to know what we want (firm base, soft latex layer, and natural topper) is there something/somewhere else we should be looking? I think we’d be willing to spend up to $3.5k, but $6k+ plus taxes is crazy.

Thanks in advance!

[Basilio]

Hi alfie and welcome to The Mattress Underground glad to have you here.

Tested out the Naturepedic Halycon Azure mattress today, and absolutely adored it. Unfortunately it’s over $6k for a king, and I really can’t justify that price.

The configuration that I loved was the firm coils with the soft 3" dunlop latex layer on top, and the fact that it had a wool/cashmere/alpaca blend topper.
I also tried the Naturepedic EOS, which I liked, but I found that it had more motion transfer than the Azure, and my wife felt like the wool/cashmere/aplaca topper on the Azure made a big difference.

It seems like the winning formula for both me and my wife is:

• hybrid mattress
• firm springs
• soft latex layer
• wool topper on top[/Quote]
  Glad to hear you and your wife have ‘zeroed in’ on a mattress type you both find comfortable. As you likely know, any mattress is unique to those sleeping on it, combining their stats (height, BMI, sleeping position(s) and any underlying health issues) and their PPP (posture and alignment, pressure relief and personal preferences). It looks like you’ve read the Mattress Shopping Tutorialas well as the Mattress Specifications You Need To Know and the Mattress Durability Guidelines to become more familiar with the materials and components you are looking at.

1. Does anyone know the primary differences between these two models? The salesperson in the store told us that the chief difference between the EOS and the Azure was a) the quality of the springs was higher on the Azure, and b) the wool topper. It seems like the 3" Dunlop latex layer is the same between the two models.
2. It really felt like there was much less motion transfer on the Azure than on other hybrids we tried (both vs other brands and vs the EOS) - is this down to the difference in coils? The wool topper layer? Our imagination? Motion isolation is very important to us as we are both very light sleepers.

While they are both handcrafted the main differences between the two Naturepedic are in the support coil layer and quilting in the cover, though details are a bit scant. The lack of motion transfer should reside in the coils (which for Azure are 2,096 for the Queen) encased in organic cotton and handcrafted by Amish craftsmen, with a perimeter rail which adds to the edge support as in above photo. Also, the quilting layer in Azure has alpaca wool instead of regular sheep wool and an extra pla layer (sugar cane) which could be responsible for more firmness. Also, I’d keep in mind that previously they used Talalay for the top comfort layer. So, what you tried in the shop may have been the Talalay version which is springier and has a more enveloping feeling. They recently started to use Dunlop for the comfort layer so if you decide to go for this model it may feel different than your experience in the shop.

3. Would we be able to replicate the feel of this mattress with another brand or with a DIY option? I don’t know how much variability there is between Naturepedic’s springs and other brands’ springs, I’ve read on this forum that Naturepedic’s definition of “soft” dunlop latex might significantly softer than options offered through SleepEZ for example. I don’t know how true that is, but it makes me a little nervous because if the softest from a DIY brand is too firm, there’s not really much room to go softer.

It’s wonderful that you found a mattress that you really like and that you are “adoring” it, but unfortunately recreating the same feel and experience you had on Azure is next to impossible unless all materials, design, manufacturing process are exactly the same. If you wish to just approximate this feel this may be very difficult but doable, however, your level of sensitivity to different variables involved in this mattress will also play a major role. You should definitely try out some other hybrids in person, to see if anything comes closer to Azur and what configuration seems best for you both. With an online purchase it would be quite a feat to find a mattress that closely approximates your experience in the shop. .

4. Given that my wife and I seem to know what we want (firm base, soft latex layer, and natural topper) is there something/somewhere else we should be looking? I think we’d be willing to spend up to $3.5k, but $6k+ plus taxes is crazy.

A 3.5K is a generous budget for a Hybrid Latex mattress. As stated above it would be impossible to replicate (or even to approximate) the Azure due to the materials and manufacturing involved but it would be much easier to come “close enough” to approximating the EOS depending on your level of sensitivity/tolerance (which is different for different people) to all the criteria you mentioned you like. Its main components – wrapped coil layer, latex layer and wool topper are all available through many companies and the of theTrusted Members of the site likeDIY mattress, Arizona SleepEZ ,andMattress To Go. By providing them a small bit of information, and telling them you want to replicate the feel of the Naturepedic, they will be able to give you options to match you with a perfect solution within your ballpark budget.

Some points -The Alpaca/cashmere on the Naturepedic, as well as handcrafting, individual wrapped coils in organic cotton, spring perimeter rail support, sowing coil encasement instead of gluing it, organic materials used etc …. would all contribute to the high cost; other details like the latex softness are determined by the density (ILD/IFD) of the latex as well as type - Talalay(springier) or Dunlop(more settled) Naturepedic are now using Dunlop latex for their mattresses. Also Azure ships freight EOS ships ground which also adds to the cost of the mattress.

I hope this helps,

~ Basilio

[deuxcv]

spend the money on the mattress you love. don’t try and recreate it, only to spend 3k+ and realize you don’t love it. i have an eos and 6 years in still love it. no sagging or compression. and sleeps super cool. that said, i have the microcoils, not the latex, so less opportunistic for compression and degradation that foam will encounter. fully expect it to be a 20 year mattress. was 3x what i went in planning on paying, but in the long run, it’s cheaper than buying a lesser mattress. the fact that you were even in a naturepedic store testing their top of the line series, tells me that you can afford it. buy it! celebrate sleep!