need help comparing

:blink: trying to decide between brooklyn bedding Queen Aloe Alexis with 2) 3" Layers of Talalay Latex , and 7" of 2.17lb HD Omalon Foam Core or Sleep EZ Queen Size Natural Latex Mattress 8 inch Dunlop built from 6" Natural dunlop latex core + 2" 100% natural soft latex + cotton zipper . how do i compare? Both sound good

Just found Arizona Mattress Queen Adjustable Ultra Plush Latex Sleep System to add to the mix! All three seem to have something different

Hi mrmusic,

Yes … all of these are among the best quality/value in the country but they are also different in terms of the cost, the options they have available for re-arranging and exchanging layers, and some of the other features and benefits that are either part of each design or part of dealing with each manufacturer.

As you can see in post #2 here (and many other similar posts in the forum that ask how to make final choices) … the only way to choose between “good and good” final choices would be by talking to each manufacturer and deciding based on your own personal value equation and which of the differences between them are most important to you. There is no “right or wrong” or “better and worse” any more … just different and which one is best for YOU.

Phoenix

Thanks for your quick reply. I guess i should be more specific . As far as price, they are all pretty much the same. AA from BB 6 inches of talalay with a foam core vs two inches of talalay with Dunlop core . I thought you wrote somewhere that all latex ( including dunlop?) is preferable to foam core, but two inches of taladay compared to six inches seems like a deal changer. Arizona being able to adjust is not important to me. Iguess i am asking for your personal prefences. I understand every one is different but you are the expert with experience and i value your opinion.

Hi mmusic88,

Yes … as you can see in an earlier reply today here latex or all types is generally a higher quality, cost, and performance material than most polyfoam and all other things being equal I would personally choose more latex and less polyfoam over a mattress that was the other way around. Of course any benefit is limited to what each person is able to notice and feel in their own personal experience and there is little “value” in paying for something that makes little difference for someone in their own “real life experience” but it would be my choice if I could comfortably afford it.

This is more about the commodity value of a mattress though which is connected to the relative cost of all the foam and other materials and components in a mattress (including the cover and quilting) which of course is an important part of “value” but there may also be other preferences and tradeoffs that are part of each person’s personal value equation that are just as important to them as the “commodity value” of a mattress.

If you mean 2" of latex vs 6" of latex (not necessarily Talalay which is just one type of latex) and everything else was “equal”, then it would be a “deal changer” for me yes. You can read more about the different types of latex and their approximate relative “value” in post #6 here

Phoenix

Thanks again for your feedback. The two inches of talalay sits on six inches of dunlop ( from sleepez) and the AA ( from) BB is two three inch layers of talalay sitting on 7" of 2.17 lb HD Omalon Foam Core. I was told that you " sink" half an inch into the top layer. The price is the same for both mattresses. As i already stated both sound good and i read your “personal value equation”. Is the foam core at BB high quality in your opinion? If so the differences in your “personal value equation” make it a equal score. I guess my question to you is which is a better bang for the buck since they score evenly to me? Hoping i am not missing something without being able to “test” either one.Once again, thanks for your patience with my lack of knowledge.

Hi mrmusic88,

Yes … 2.17 lb polyfoam is a high quality polyfoam.

This is for each person to decide for themselves. Each person may have a different method of “scoring” based on all the objective, subjective, and intangible factors that are involved in any final decision. My role is to help you reach a point where you have eliminated all the worst options and are choosing between “good and good” which you’ve done. At this point it would be difficult to make a “mistake” in terms of quality or value. As I mentioned … “commodity value” is just part of the picture and like buying a car or even ordering a meal at a restaurant it may not be possible or even meaningful to narrow down the "cost’ of every component to decide which one has the best “commodity value” or “raw material” value and make a decision based on that alone. This just isn’t a practical way to decide which one you would be happiest with.

I can’t answer this for someone else. When you are purchasing online part of the risk that you are taking on is that you can’t test the mattress ahead of time but part of the benefits are that you often have the ability to exchange layers and can also test similar materials locally so that you have a sense of what you are buying. As you can see in post #2 here it took me two weeks of “agonizing” over smaller and smaller (and probably meaningless) details to make a final choice. This is a good sign that you have great final choices available. One of the benefits of a site like this is that you have access to a large number of great choices and can eliminate the worst ones so you have no “bad” choices left. This puts you in an enviable position compared to most other consumers that are shopping for a mattress who often end up choosing between “bad and worse”.

The challenge of a site like this is that having so many choices can make it more difficult to decide which one is “best for YOU” and narrow your options down to one. Only you though, in combination with your conversations with each manufacturer and looking carefully at all the options that each one makes available before, during, and after the purchase can help you decide which of the objective, subjective, an intangible factors and tradeoffs are most important to you.

Phoenix

Once again i appreciate your feedback. Our difficulty is that this mattress is for a condo my wife and i purchased in Florida and we only be there for a week at the end of april. We will not be back until sometime this summer so our experience of sleeping will only last a week. This limits our options of exchanging during and after. Your responses have been welcome and insightful.Having said this i hope i can make a decision.

Just finished speaking with Sean at sleepez. I think that i am leaning towards their 8" queen size special all latex. On one of the posts somebody mentioned St. Dormier covers. What is your thoughts on this cover? Thanks for all your info so far.

Hi mrmusic88,

Their “Special” is certainly good value :).

You can see my thoughts about the St Dormier protector and a link to the best price I know of in post #89 here. They are very good quality.

Phoenix

Besides being a good value,along with the St Dormier,do you think 8 inches is enough? Would 3" talaway be preferable on the top or am I good with 2"? Btw you certainly have been a great help in guiding us .

Hi mrmusic,

There is no way for me to know this because I don’t know anything about your body type, sleeping style, or personal preferences but for the large majority of people 8" - 9" of latex is easily enough. The key though is not just the thickness but the design and layer choices.

There is no “theory” that can predict how a mattress may feel of perform for you without a baseline of specific mattresses you have tested. There is much more detailed but generic information in the “Putting the layers together” section along with the Sleeping style, preferences, and statistics section and in the tips and tricks page here but these are only generic and not specific to any person.

The most accurate way to know is your own personal experience testing or sleeping on a specific mattress. The next best way would be a more detailed conversation with the manufacturer. Using “theory at a distance” to make your choices would come in a poor third :slight_smile:

Phoenix

Me, 5 foot eight inches two hundred ten on the way to (hopefully) one hundred eighty. my wife five foot two and one hundred forty. I start on my side and sometimes wake up on my stomach. My wife is a side sleeper. I prefer a soft plusher top and my wife is flexible.

Hi mrmusic,

This information and any local testing you have done is exactly the information you need to provide when you talk to them. They are the experts with their own mattresses and are the best at helping you choose between the mattresses and options they offer :slight_smile:

Phoenix

finally pulled the trigger and ordered from Shawn. he was super patient and informational.now for a mattress protector. I called for the St. Dormeir and the person who answered was not very helpful. I guess he woke up on the wrong side of bed this morning(lol)My wife’s concern was water resistant. Shawn had told us any protector with wool in it was preferable. Luna looked interesting as did Protect a bed, but alas no wool. this mattress will be used in Florida and we hope you can continue to educate us with your suggestions .

Hi mrmusic,

You can see some of my thoughts and some sources for various mattress protectors (including the St Dormeir) in post #89 here.

And congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

Phoenix

eagerly waiting delivery! I found a site http://www.snuggledown.com/, that sells St. Dormeir mattress protectors at the same price as your lowest find. Sandra has them in stock and I ordered from her. She was extremely helpful with a very pleasant personality.

Hi mrmusic,

I also like Snuggledown and they are listed as one of the resources in the sheets and bedding post here.

I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to deal with them either :slight_smile:

Phoenix