Hi Lulu,
I had the chance over the last couple of days to take a look in the Halifax/Dartmouth area (I’ve since looked at Cap[e Breton, Truro, and Yarmouth areas as well to include most of Nova Scotia) and make a few phone calls. I looked at about 15 different retailers and stores or chains in the area. The list includes the retailers and the brands they carry that I would include in my research there. Several of these indicated that they would call the manufacturer to find out any foam densities they didn’t know and disclose them to their customers that asked to the degree that their mattress suppliers makes possible (and some of them may not provide this information to their retailers in which case I would tend to pass the mattress by).
http://nurtured.ca/ Halifax, NS. They carry a range of SleepTek latex mattresses which are very high quality although they are in a higher budget range.
Mattresses – attica Halifax, NS. VI Springs, Hypnos. These are “super premium” manufacturers that make a range of natural fiber/innerspring mattresses that would not be good value by most people’s standards but for those that are in much higher budget ranges where cost isn’t as important a part of their mattress purchase they may be worth testing. NOTE; They used to carry EQ mattresses made by Natura which is the reason they were originally included on the list but they no longer carry these.
http://www.mattressmart.ca/ Halifax, NS. Galaxy Bedding, Endless Comfort. I talked with their head office and they confirmed they will call the manufacturers and disclose the layers and foam densities to the degree their manufacturers allow (NOTE: their website no longer lists Galaxy mattresses so I would call them first to see if they still carry them. I would avoid the major brand mattresses they also carry).
http://www.comfortfoam.ca/ Dartmouth, NS. They make “good, better, and best” quality polyfoam mattresses and because they are a foam supplier they will also supply foam quality and density information. Limited selection of mattresses but what they have would likely be better quality and value.
http://www.nothinfancy.ca Halifax, Lower Sackville, New Minas, Bridgewater, Newport, Yarmouth, NS. Springwall, Therapedic, and MacGregor (made in Moncton). I talked with Jason here and he understood the importance of foam density and said they would also make the calls to their manufacturers and supply the information you need to make good choices to the degree possible.
http://www.hometownfurnitureltd.com/ Halifax, NS. They are appointment only which can sometimes be a sign of “pressure” but they sell Springwall mattresses which are generally more transparent about the materials and components in their mattresses than many other manufacturers.
http://www.kelticfurniture.com/index.html Sydney River, NS. Springwall.
http://www.wlnelson.com/ Yarmouth, NS. Springwall.
If I was in the Nova Scotia area … these retailers and manufacturers are where I would focus my attention to the exclusion of the others (that I’m aware of) that are available in the area.
Phoenix