Hi Clawdia,
Post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to in post #8 here which also links to the better online topper sources I’m aware of in post #4 here would be the posts I would focus on to help you decide what to choose.
Phoenix
Thanks for the links. I’m still having trouble determining what gel memory foam toppers would fall into that category of being among the newer gel memory foams that are faster responding and have a less “stuck in the mud” feeling than the old slower responding memory foams, with the benefit of being a bit more breathable, though.
For that matter, I’m so ignorant of memory foam in general that I don’t know how to tell soft from firm . . . and I’m using “soft” in the sense of that which provides the most pressure point relief, since I do realize how subjective that word “soft” can be.
Hi Clawdia,
[quote]Thanks for the links. I’m still having trouble determining what gel memory foam toppers would fall into that category of being among the newer gel memory foams that are faster responding and have a less “stuck in the mud” feeling than the old slower responding memory foams, with the benefit of being a bit more breathable, though.
For that matter, I’m so ignorant of memory foam in general that I don’t know how to tell soft from firm . . . and I’m using “soft” in the sense of that which provides the most pressure point relief, since I do realize how subjective that word “soft” can be. [/quote]
A knowledgeable, experienced, and reputable manufacturer or retailer will be in the best position to tell you about the specific properties of the memory foams that they sell compared to others on the market so the best approach to decide on which one may be best for you is always a more detailed phone conversation with a supplier you are considering.
It may also be worthwhile testing some different memory foam mattresses in local stores so you are more familiar with how they feel and some of the differences between different types of memory foam.
Phoenix
So here is an update with some first hand topper info on slow vs fast vs mem foam.
For the last seven days, I have had a slow response twin xl and a fast response twin xl talalay gl topper side-by-side on a king bed at home from a PLB topper display. Both are 3". After several nights sleeping, I no longer want the slow response; not even in the 2". The support of the more traditional latex just agrees with me and our sleeping style more than the sink-in of foam. On our bed, we snuggle. All that weight in one area on the slow response left cavity pockets which caused a “leaning”, for lack of a better term, that sooner or later led to discomfort and movement apart. With the faster response there were no hollow spots. We were both supported throughout our snuggles and often woke up still snuggled. The 15 ild added the plushness we desired over the previous 21 ild comfort layer without us feeling like we were on top of a bowl of jelly. You don’t really sink-in so to speak but after about ten minutes you just realize how cozy it is.
Now to add, if you sleep in your own space and prefer or have to have the mem foam feel, the slow response is great! It is, as mentioned somewhere between the mem foam and latex feel. More to Latex. There is a lot of support for one person. I was never hot when I tried that side of the bed. That is contrary to just returning from a 3 night work trip with a Tempurpedic bed in my room. Perfect timing. I was really excited to have 3 nights to spend on the “other” mattress. The first night in the hotel was fine. I was really tired after a day of travel and there was a generous cocktail reception in the evening By the third night, the foam was really soft and not nearly as supportive. I had to turn the AC down to 64, as low as it would go, and used only a top sheet. I woke up several times and had to air out my pajama shirt. Trying to be detailed, I pulled off the mattress protector and looked at the tag to see what model the Tempurpedic was but the tag did not say. Only confirmed it was a Tempurpedic.
I received mem foam samples from Rocky Mountain and the slow response seems similar to Sensus. The Energia seems to be the quickest response, the Aerus is in the middle. I don’t know/think any of those three have any gel. My hotel Tempur most likely did not. From what I have read on this forum the “swirled” gel seems to be favored over beaded. But like anything else YMMV.
I am so thankful I did not drop a bunch of dollars on the Cloud Luxe. I feel strongly, even though I could not confirm model/layers from the hotel, that after a few months use with a Tempurpedic, and based on our sleep style, we would not be happy. There would most likely be a crater, hollow spots and heat and we would be sleeping apart. I do not have that concern at all with my current set-up and can just drift off to sleep.
Hi Jippa,
Thanks for taking the time to share such detailed insights and feedback about your experiences … I appreciate them 
You’re right that none of these have gel in them. The Aerus is more breathable and cooler than most “non gel” memory foams (it was made specially to be more breathable) and the Energia is actually a very high density and high resilience polyfoam that was meant to be somewhat comparable to latex in terms of its “feel” and has very good contouring ability (like memory foam and latex).
Thanks again for your comments!
Phoenix
Jippa - that’s exactly the kind of analysis of the two types I was hoping to elicit if I kept asking often enough - but hopefully not so often as to be an irritant. 
My mattress is a soft Dunlop that after almost two months proved to be not soft enough for the multitude of problems I have in my 60s. I sleep alone - DH snores loud enough to wake the dead, even using a CPAP, so in our old age we’ve made some adjustments to our sleeping style. I’ve never once slept on a memory foam mattress, but the idea of latex with a bit of sinking-in feeling seems appealing to me - but apparently I’m more a day late rather than a dollar short, in this case.
I wish I could find a seller who still had one of the PLB slow response toppers in stock, but so far no luck - as Phoenix pointed out, I’d most likely need the softest one made, and the ones still available seem to have an ILD in the 21-24 range, which I’m not inclined to try. I’ve googled until my fingers are getting a bit raw, but can’t find any seller that admits to having one of the very soft PLB slow response toppers in a queen size.
I’m now considering a more traditional PLB topper just to get the Talalay feel (I did try one, but not on top of a Dunlop mattress), or looking for a gel/memory foam topper, although that would be a totally blind purchase as our little town has one mattress store and I can’t say much good about it, since it’s full of Sealy, Serta, and Tempurapedics.
Your experience with being able to try out both types of the PLB toppers was very interesting - thanks much for posting it!
KTT had some Talalay GL slow response in stock earlier this week if you are still looking for it. They are great people to work with.
You don’t happen to know what ILD they have in stock do you? Phoenix mentioned having seen someone who had them in stock, but only in the 21-24 ILD range but not the mid-teen range I’m looking for.
Hi Clawdia,
When I talked with them a few days ago they told me that they only had the firmer versions available. I don’t know of any sources that have the Talalay GL slow response in lower ILD’s than the 21/24.
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix -
Thanks - wasn’t sure it was KTT you’d referenced as not having the low ILD type, but I just had a feeling that it was.
Thanks for the confirmation.