Opinions and help needed with latex build!

Mattress Talk
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Hey all, I hope the experts and community on here can help me! I’ve been reading all the research articles on here and still feeling a bit lost as far as what to choose for a mattress build and where to get it from. We have a 13 y/o coil mattress that has lost its structural integrity and need something new. Movement transfer has always been a big problem with it. Plus my wife has always hated it.

I’m 6’0 165lbs 38 y/o male. Predominantly a side sleeper, although sometimes I do end up on my stomach. I’m a veteran, so I’ve got sleep problems and no shortage of aches and pains from old injuries. :slight_smile: With my current mattress I’ve recently ended up with shoulder pain on one side from sleeping on it. I like to sleep cool.

My lovely wife is 5’7” 128lbs 29 y/o female. Predominantly a side sleeper, although she also sometimes sleeps on her back. Her hips and lower back tend to be problematic.

I’m thinking that I want to do a king-size full latex build, maybe 10” or so? From what I can gather it seems like we’d want a soft 3” talalay top layer with either Dunlop or talalay middle and bottom layers. We want to stick with natural and/or organic latex.

SleepEZ’s website recommended 3” inch soft talalay on top, 3” medium dunlop middle, and 3” firm dunlop bottom for organic. Is this recommendation any good? The natural suggested the same thing except with a dunlop top layer instead of talalay. Both are obviously over budget which is an issue.

We live in a more remote location and there are no stores in our area that carry a full latex mattress to test. I’ve never had the chance to try one which makes me nervous.

Our current bed frame has wooden slats that I now know are too far apart. I’m planning to add more so that gaps are 3” or less before we get the new mattress.

Trying to stay close to $1500. I’m a disabled Veteran and a first responder in case any retailers on here or elsewhere offer discounts for that to help with the price.

So what do you recommend and where should I get it from? Should we go with 9” or 10”? Am I an idiot for not considering coils?

I was originally thinking of going with a mattress from SOL, but recent posts on here have given me pause.

Thanks in advance for your help!

P.S. I’d also love to hear any pillow recommendations. We are currently using the most firm version of MyPillows.

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Hi Southie,

Welcome to the MattressUnderGround and now you are officially and affectionately know as a MUGster.

Thank you for your service! :us: :us: :us:

I just competed a response to another MUGster, so I am going to take the fast track here and link you to that post. Much of what was stated can be translated to your situation, but with their all latex models.

While your body types may differ slightly and your preference leans towards all-latex, it’s important not to overlook the fact that I was recommending a hybrid to this couple after their unsatisfactory experience with an all-foam mattress. Now, I’m inclined to suggest an all-foam mattress for you and your wife, taking into account your experience with your current hybrid mattress. Although, I would not discount a hybrid.

The reality is that most companies mentioned offer nearly identical mattress choices, with a shift towards their all-latex and natural fiber options. Some exclusively offer hybrids, which you would naturally eliminate given your current preference. However, it’s worth noting that these hybrids are of superior quality, and I believe your experience may differ from your previous hybrid mattress, should you choose to explore them again.

As I’ve mentioned before in the previous post, all my latex “friends” here on The MattressUnderGround staunchly advocate that all-latex mattresses, with the correct selection of support, comfort, and cover layers, can offer even the most discerning sleepers a nice, comfortable surprise. I recall a post from one of our Trusted Members who mentioned that when customers come into their showroom looking for a hybrid mattress, they often test the all-latex option and fall in love with it.

While SoL offers a nice mattress, the distinct advantage most all of the mattresses mentioned in the linked post have all latex options, with customizable features that can be augmented in your own home by simply swapping a layer, rather than returning an entire mattress. Many of these mattresses offer both manufacturing styles of latex, to that can target specific areas of customizable pressure relief and contouring.

You seem to have done your research regarding the slat spacing, for all latex and even most hybrids, 3" and under are most desirable. A sturdy foundation with appropriate center support is crucial for comfort and longevity of your mattress.

All of our Trusted Members deliver anywhere in the continental US, so rest assured with a bit of collaboration with them, they can guide to the specific combination to meet your needs. And you should feel confident that even though it may be a long distance assessment, they are successful more than 90% of the time on the first attempt.

The height of your mattress is an important consideration, but taller doesn’t necessarily mean more comfortable, firmer, or softer. In your case, it might be more about accessibility, depending on the challenges you face. I recently purchased a mattress and an adjustable base for my mother-in-law, who has various health issues. I chose an adjustable base with customizable height options, which was very helpful because it was difficult for her to get in and out of the mattress when it was at a taller height. Lowering it by 6 inches made a world of difference. Additionally, the adjustable base’s massaging feature and head and foot articulation provided much-needed relief for her swollen ankles and poor circulation.

I would encourage you to take a peek at that post and the pillow post to reinforce your search.

If you have any specific questions for any Trusted Member, you can always use the @ symbol as a prefix to their name and it will alert them to your question. Something like this @Sleep_EZ since you mentioned them in your post.

Please feel free to float further questions to any Trusted Member or me as we are always here to help guide you to a successful mattress match here at the MattressUnderGround.

All the best, and again, Thank you for your service!

Maverick

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Thank you for your thorough reply!

So are you suggesting a foam or hybrid might be a better option for us? If so, can you expound on why?

I had steered away from all foam mattresses because of my experience with Purple mattresses, which I found saggy and underwhelming. This very well could have been due to improper support from the bed frame. It wasn’t my bed and I never checked to see what the base was like.

I checked what our current mattress is and it’s a Sealy Posturepedic Spring Crossing Ultra Plush if that helps at all.

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@DLX @Arizona_Premium

Do you guys have any input on my original post?

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@My_Green_Mattress @Sleep_EZ

Any input would be appreciated!

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Occasionally, certain products appear promising initially but may not live up to expectations. Mattresses, often hyped up by marketing companies, can fall into this category. Rather than focusing solely on quality, these products sometimes rely heavily on exaggerated claims. This seems to be the case with the Purple mattress among others.

In 2022, we had to replace our Sealy Posturepedic Ultra Firm Pillow top after 11 years. The foam components, rather than the springs, had worn out. We decided against returning to any of the major S brands—The transition to what I see as marketing-driven brands like Purple, Nectar, DreamCloud, and even Tempurpedic—due to issues with transparency about materials, poor foam quality, and other concerns prompted me to look in another direction.

While S&F mattresses initially seemed promising, individual reviews and experiences, along with their lack of transparency on material specifics and past reputation issues, gave us pause.

Given your experience with a spring mattress failure, it’s understandable, and I took the position you may have lost confidence in them. Considering your weights falls within a range suitable for adequate support from an all-latex mattress, this is one viable option we’ve considered.

Personally, I’m cautious about recommending all-foam mattresses for individuals over 200 lbs. However, I acknowledge this is my own perspective, and Trusted Members you have prompted a response, will no doubt, have different views.

Latex mattresses can indeed be formulated to provide firm and stable support, such as suggested by @Sleep_EZ. I would simply not abandoned the idea of a hybrid, as I think in the long run, you will find a perfect match, that will provide the support you need, edge support you require, and comfort that both your bodies require.

Yes, indeed, a solid foundation is crucial for the overall performance of any mattress placed on top of it. You might often hear the saying,

“A mattress is only as good as its weakest layer/component.”

This rings very true, and it applies equally to the foundation. A subpar foundation—whether it’s due to wide slat spacing, inadequate center support legs, poorly constructed slats prone to sagging, or poorly designed modern box springs—can compromise even the highest-quality mattress.

What’s great about our Trusted Members is their wealth of practical and theoretical expertise. They not only draw from personal experiences but also from the valuable feedback of countless customers who purchase customized mattresses each month. Their attention to detail in matching sleepers with the right mattresses, day in and day out, offers a comprehensive perspective.

While preferences for comfort, firmness, and personal tastes vary widely, their insights provide a bird’s-eye view of what is likely to be most effective for individual needs.

Hopes this helps clear things up.

Maverick

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Hello,

Thank you for reaching out with your inquiry. I’d like to provide some recommendations based on the information you’ve shared.

Our best-selling mattress model, and the one we recommend the most, is our 10" Organic mattress. It consists of three 3" layers of latex, encased in an organic cotton and wool zippered cover. The default top comfort layer is 100% natural Talalay, with the bottom two layers being GOLS Dunlop. This combination of latex types offers the best of both worlds: Talalay latex is softer and more pressure-relieving, while Dunlop latex is heavier, denser, and provides excellent support.

To illustrate, think of Talalay latex like angel food cake—softer and lighter with very little density—while Dunlop latex is more like pound cake, much heavier and denser.

This mattress is our number one seller and the most popular because it can be customized when you place your order, and you can unzip the cover to rearrange the layers to change the overall feel at home. Additionally, it comes with a 90-day comfort exchange policy, allowing you to exchange comfort layers as many times as needed within 90 days, with just a shipping fee for each exchange. This model significantly reduces the risk of buying a mattress online, with the only potential cost being a flat $99 return fee if you can’t find a configuration that works for you.

Based on your information, if you choose the Organic model, I would recommend the Soft Talalay over Medium Dunlop over Firm Dunlop (S/M/F) configuration for both you and your wife. This setup is ideal for most people weighing 185 lbs or less who are primarily side and/or back sleepers. The soft Talalay provides the necessary pressure relief and body contouring, especially for side sleepers, while the medium over firm Dunlop layers offer gradual and adequate support. Even though we recommend the same configuration for both of you, we suggest splitting all three layers. This allows you to rearrange your individual layers without affecting your partner’s side, if needed.

Our Select Sleep Hybrid model is another option. It is an enclosed mattress (no zipper), composed of a 3" soft 100% natural Dunlop comfort layer over a 6" pocket coil unit, with a 2" layer of firm Dunlop at the bottom. The top is finished with a cotton and wool quilted cover. Based on customer feedback from those weighing 200 lbs or less, it provides a “medium-plush” feel. The combination of a 3" layer of soft latex over pocketed coils offers a comfortable, pressure-relieving sleep surface with a supportive feel below from the coils. However, unlike the all-latex model, it cannot be adjusted once it’s in your home due to its non-zippered encasement. The Hybrid also includes a 90-day return policy with a flat $99 return fee.

We have a very low return rate on both of these mattress configurations for folks weighing less than 200lbs. Based on the information you’ve shared, I believe you will find great comfort with either one of these options. Even if you decide to purchase elsewhere, I recommend a Hybrid model with a soft 3" comfort layer over either 6" or 8" pocket coils, or a mattress with three 3" layers—soft Talalay over medium and firm Dunlop. Both configurations should provide the comfort you and your wife are looking for.

Best regards,

SleepEZ

1 Like
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Thank you for the feedback and suggestions!