Need advice for my Latex over Foam configuration

My initial pick was to get a Dixiefoam Dreambed Deluxe mattress with a super-firm support layer. I liked the fact that the support layer was super-firm and yet the comfort layer was soft.

In general, I prefer a firmer mattress because of my background with lower-back pain.

However, after much research on this site and elsewhere, I’m inclined to to go with the Dixiefoam Dreambed (not the deluxe) and add 2 inches of a dunlop or talalay latex topper.

The rationale for not going with Dixiefoam DreabBed Deluxe is that the comfort layer will age faster than the support layer, and once it degrades, I’ll be compelled to throw away the entire mattress.

With the configuration of latex over foam, I’ll be able to replace out the comfort layer if and when it degrades.

Also, it gives me the added flexibility of swapping out or adding to the comfort layer as my preferences change over time. For example, if my budget allows, I could get a higher quality of latex. I could also add a soft 2 inch memory foam between the PU foam and latex.

Also, about the support layer – what’s the difference between getting a HD Foam 1.9 lbs mattress from www.foamonline.com and the DixieFoam DreabBed? Isn’t it fundamentally the same thing?

Thanks in advance for reading this and for your help. :slight_smile:

Hi widey,

This can certainly be a good strategy for the reasons you mentioned as long as you can test the mattress/topper combination in person before a purchase to make sure that it’s a good match for you in terms of PPP. If you can’t test the combination in person then choosing a topper that is suitable for you and the mattress you are using it on can be a little more uncertain and risky (see post #2 here). (NOTE ADDED: They are now a member of this site as well)

Different types of polyfoam have different properties in terms of firmness (ILD/IFD), resilience, compression modulus (the rate that a foam material gets firmer as you compress it more deeply), point elasticity, and density among others. Foam density is the single biggest factor in the durability of a polyfoam material and higher densities are more durable than lower densities. There is more about some of the different types and grades of polyfoam used in comfort layers here and used in support layers here and there are also some foam quality guidelines in post #4 here and more detailed information about the many variables that can affect the durability and useful life of a mattress in post #4 here.

There is also more about the different ways to choose a mattress (online or local) that can help you identify and minimize the risks involved in each of them in post #2 here and there is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix. Your response and linked posts helped a lot with my research.

I spoke with the good folks at DixieFoam to get the specifications of their mattress. I was quite impressed to know that they use a High Resilience 2.8 lbs foam. After reading your articles, I knew this was the best quality foam. Also I’m was looking for a firm mattress and this one had an ILD rating of 45, which is good.

I could’ve saved a some money getting the same configuration online, but I decided to get the Dixiefoam Dreambed mattress for a number of reasons: (1) I had tried the mattress at their NYC store; (2) The specs looked very impressive; (3) The mattress is a great value; (4) Supporting a local mattress store and an honestly-run no-gimmick business.

I can imagine that there are only very limited scenarios where one will be able to try a topper before purchase. One scenario I can think of is when one is buying the mattress and the topper at the same time from the same store (and the store has the topper you desire in stock for you to try it).

My un-scientific guess is that most people don’t get toppers when they’re buying a mattress.

Which leaves me feeling there’s a high probability I’ll be making a mistake when buying a topper for my mattress? That’s unfortunate.

In my situation, I don’t want to get the latex topper that DixieFoam sells because it is too soft for my taste (and my lower-back). It’s a 3 inch Talalay Latex rated at 13 ILD. I need something firmer and thinner. I’m looking for something that’s rated at > 25 ILD and is 2 inch thick.

Is it a good idea to add a thin 1 inch memory-foam between the DixieFoam DreamBed and the Latex topper to reduce the latex’s bounciness? I got this thought from the way the mattress on casper.com is configured (1.5 in. latex, over 1.5 in. memory foam, over 7 in. foam of unknown type).

Let me know if you have any suggestions for a good medium-firm to firm Latex topper (Dunlop or Talalay) for my mattress spec?

Hi widey,

[quote]I can imagine that there are only very limited scenarios where one will be able to try a topper before purchase. One scenario I can think of is when one is buying the mattress and the topper at the same time from the same store (and the store has the topper you desire in stock for you to try it).

My un-scientific guess is that most people don’t get toppers when they’re buying a mattress.[/quote]

There are a few manufacturers that have “sleeping systems” that provide the option of adding one or several toppers as part of the customizing options that are available when you are choosing a mattress. A few that come to mind off the top of my head are Pure Latex Bliss and Royal Bedding and Berkeley Ergonomics but there are certainly many others that carry a range of toppers that can be added to a mattress as a way to customize the mattress before a purchase. In most cases though … a topper would be a “backup strategy” that would be used by someone that chose a mattress that turned out to be too firm in spite of their “best efforts” to choose a mattress that was a good match for them in terms of PPP without an additional topper and where adding a topper was the best option available to them.
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[quote]Which leaves me feeling there’s a high probability I’ll be making a mistake when buying a topper for my mattress? That’s unfortunate.

In my situation, I don’t want to get the latex topper that DixieFoam sells because it is too soft for my taste (and my lower-back). It’s a 3 inch Talalay Latex rated at 13 ILD. I need something firmer and thinner. I’m looking for something that’s rated at > 25 ILD and is 2 inch thick.

Let me know if you have any suggestions for a good medium-firm to firm Latex topper (Dunlop or Talalay) for my mattress spec? [/quote]

If you can’t test a mattress/topper combination in person then I would sleep on the mattress first for a while so you can use your actual sleeping experience on the mattress and how it feels to you as a reference point along with the information in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to as a guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that would have the best chance of success. There are also several topper sources that have good exchange/return policies that can also help you lower the risk of making a topper choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for. The topper guidelines also includes a link to a list of the better online topper sources I’m aware of.

A memory foam layer under a relatively thin layer of latex or on top of the latex can both help lower the resilience or “springiness” of a latex top layer but memory foam on top will have a bigger effect than it will under a latex topper. This would be a preference choice and different people would have different preferences about using memory foam either under or over latex. My personal preference would be latex on top but this is because I prefer a more resilient sleeping surface that is less motion restricting and more resilient and others would prefer the same layers the other way around because they prefer the feel of memory foam more than latex. There is no “better or worse” in this … only preferences.

You certainly made a high quality/value mattress choice that would make a good “base mattress” for a topper … and congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

Phoenix

So, its been over a year that I’ve had the Dixie Foam mattress and I’m very happy with it. We bought a very firm mattress and its helped not having my lower back sink into the mattress. I decided to use the mattress as-is for the past year without adding any latex layers.

Now, I’m ready to add a high quality Talalay latex layer for several reasons:

  • My back is in better shape so I want to make the mattress slightly more comforting
  • My partner is a side-sleeper and she has been waking up with body pain – I’m assuming its because the mattress if too firm for her
  • I’ve always wanted to experience sleeping on latex

I definitely want to try getting a 100% natural latex layer. However, I’m not sure if I should first start with a 1-inch layer and see how we feel about it? I don’t want to buy a 2-inch layer and find out my back is sinking too much into the latex layer. Buying a 1-inch layer also means I can get a soft layer and then add another 1-inch layer with different firmness characteristics.

What do you think about this strategy?

Is 1-inch too less as a comfort layer?

I was considering going with Sleep Like a Bear’s – 100% Natural Talalay Latex Foam (Latex International)
sleeplikeabear.com/All_Natural_Latex_Mattress_Topper
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Are there any other better alternatives?

Hi widey,

If the only issue with a mattress is that it is too firm and there are no soft spots or sagging in the mattress then a good quality topper can certainly be an effective way to add some additional softness, “comfort” and pressure relief to your sleeping system but the only way to know for certain whether a specific mattress/topper combination is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) is based on your own careful testing or personal experience on the combination. If you can’t test the combination in person then there will always be always some risk and uncertainty involved in adding a topper because the specifics of the mattress itself along with your own body type, sleeping position, and preferences can affect which specific topper would be a suitable choice on any specific mattress.

There is more information about choosing a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to which along with a conversation with a reliable and knowledgeable supplier (that can provide you with good information about how their toppers compare to each other or to other toppers they are familiar with that are available on the market) can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success. It also includes a link to a list of some of the better online sources for toppers I’m aware of and a link to the online suppliers that have good exchange/return policies as well

A good exchange/return policy can also reduce the risk of an online topper purchase so I would make sure you are comfortable with the options you have available after a purchase just in case the topper you choose doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.

A 1" comfort layer would work well for someone that only wanted “a touch to a little” additional softness and pressure relief but it would be thinner than most people would need on top of a single layer of firm foam (2" - 3" would be a more typical thickness) but each person is unique so a combination that would be unsuitable for some people to sleep on may work perfectly for someone else.

Your strategy makes sense if you are still uncertain about what you are likely to need after talking with a few suppliers on the phone so you can decide to add an additional topper if your actual experience indicates than an inch isn’t enough for you. You can also purchase a dedicated cover once you have found the topper or combination of toppers that works best for you.

Phoenix