Hi mg517,
I certainly agree with this overall but I linked the one I did because it appeared to be a little higher in density and is “in the range” in terms of thickness so it would give you a good way to experiment with low risk before buying something that had better quality/density and performance.
Yes … there is a wide range of Dunlop densities available and some of them are softer. It’s a little more difficult to find Dunlop made in a mold in softer ILD or density ranges but Dunlop made with a continuous pour method are becoming more available in softer ILD’s that are roughly comparable to Talalay although most of them (but not all) are synthetic blends. I would also keep in mind that all the layers will contribute to how soft a mattress feels not just the firmness or thickness of the top layer. Density is usually the most reliable indicator of the firmness of Dunlop because Dunlop doesn’t really have an accurate ILD (it’s a range of ILD’s across the surface) and many manufacturers only make it to density not ILD and then ILD information is added afterwards and it’s not always accurate or specific. Some rough Dunlop ILD/Density guidelines are in post #2 here.
That’s because hips don’t “float” they only “sink” and they are the heaviest part of the body. The key (and challenge) is to have “just enough” pressure relieving layers so that the hips/pelvis is “stopped” quickly enough to prevent the pelvis from tilting (which in turn affects the natural curve of the Lumbar spine). In some cases with more challenging body types, zoning (with variable firmness levels under different parts of the body) can be effective (see post #11 here).
The goal is always to make sure that all parts of the body sink in evenly so that your alignment when you are lying down is very close to what it is when you are standing up straight with good posture. If you imagine your self floating in the air in a certain sleeping position with the spine in good alignment and then slowly being lowered onto a mattress then what you would want is to keep sinking into the surface until all parts of the body are “stopped” at the same time without one part of the body being stopped before the others. This sounds simple but it is also the basis of the art and science of all mattress design.
In most cases it’s best to work with a “bottom up” approach which means a support system that is firm enough for a certain body type and then adding “just enough” comfort layers on top so that you are as close to the support core as possible. In many cases people will make adjustments that “jumps over” the most likely solution and goes from one side of their ideal range to the other so slow and incremental steps can make a big difference for people who are more sensitive than others to either pressure or alignment issues.
Phoenix