This list is such a great resource, thanks so much. My wife and I stopped by Sleepy’s in Philadelphia yesterday and tried a few things out. We were getting the hard sell on a king-size Tempurpedic Rhapsody, with the adjustable base. It was actually really nice, and we’d like to get something like that, butI I am so glad we did not buy right then. It is so helpful to see how many dealers provide the same or better quality - at a much better value. Thank you for pulling all this together.
Hi CityBobby,
You’re very welcome … and I’m glad you found us 
Phoenix
So glad I came across this website, thank you for all of the insightful information Phoenix! It was so frustrating going into mattress stores and hearing the typical pitches at each place and never actually finding any reliable and consistent information about material thicknesses, densities, quality etc. Just ordered my dreamfoam Ultimate Dreams latex mattress and cannot wait to get it! Thanks again!
-Josh
Hi Kai_Guy,
I’m glad you found us and you certainly ended up making a great quality/value choice. I’m looking forward to your feedback when you receive it.
Congratulations on your new mattress
Phoenix
My husband and I are looking for a new mattress (hopefully in the next few days) and I would appreciate your help! We have a pillowtop mattress that we have had for about 8 years, but it is not comfortable and hasn’t been for some time due to body impressions and the break-down of the mattress that seems to be common. We don’t want to go out and spend $1000 on a mattress that is going to do the same. We don’t really want memory foam. I was thinking that the new Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid might be a good solution for us, but we laid on it the other day (the firmer one) and it didn’t seem supportive enough.
Unfortunately there are not any Underground Mattress members close to us in Charlotte, NC and I don’t feel comfortable buying a mattress on the internet without testing it first. Any recommendations you have would be very appreciated!
Hi nicole,
I switched your post to a separate topic to help me keep track of things a little more easily
The first place I would start is the mattress shopping “tutorial” in post #1 here which includes all the basic information and steps that can help you find the best possible choices (and avoid the worst ones including most of the major brands). It will help you avoid “brand” shopping and focus more instead on the materials and components inside a mattress regardless of the brand label that is on the mattress.
Unfortunately there are not any Underground Mattress members close to us in Charlotte, NC and I don’t feel comfortable buying a mattress on the internet without testing it first. Any recommendations you have would be very appreciated!
Some of the better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Charlotte, NC area are listed in post #2 here.
Phoenix
Newbie from Central Texas and there’s a wealth of info on this site!
My wife and I are in search of new mattress. We have a California King waterbed we converted in 97 to a spring mattress. We need a new one now.
I’m 6ft 210 lbs, side/stomach sleeper, and sleep hot; and my wife is 120lbs back/side sleeper, and sleeps cool. My budget is $1000-$1500. The other night I went into Denver Mattress and after 10 min of NO sales people I left and drove 1/2 mile to Mattress Liquidators. They had no Latex mattresses and only three Memory foam to try. I asked about the density of the memory foam and got a “Hell, I don’t know!” So, I said have a good day and walked out.
Last night went to Sears, noticed the Firm, Plush, Ultra Plush ratings and have figured should probably stay with the PLUSH (side/back/flip-flopper sleepers). They also have no Latex mattresses to test. Looked at the Sealy Fergus Falls Ti2 mattress, which they had marked down to like $2200 including the box springs, and I can get the mattress only for $782. It has a 20 year warranty, but this morning looked up on Sleepinglike the dead website and Sealy’s in general have poor reviews on longevity. I also do not like pillow top mattresses. I would prefer a straight mattress and buy a foam topper instead if need be.
So help please? My experiences so far are worse than buying a new car! I’m in zip code 76549/76522 area if that will help me find a repituable bedding store??
Hi rossn2,
I switched your post to a new thread so it doesn’t get mixed in with other topics.
The first place to start your research is the tutorial post here which includes most of the more important basic information on the forum along with the steps and guidelines that can help you find the best possible choices … and perhaps more importantly … avoid the worst ones (including the major brands such as Sealy or any other mattress where you aren’t able to find out the quality of the materials inside it).
If you follow all the steps in the tutorial post you will have much higher odds of making a good choice. Some of the better options and possibilities I’m aware of that are within reasonable driving distance are listed in post #2 here for Austin and in post #3 here for Waco.
Phoenix
Great thanks. I’ve sent an email to Sleepworld in Austin, which is about 80 miles from me.
I’ve read your tutorial post, and there’s way too much info for me to comprehend. I’ve read mutliple sites on internet with recommendations from buy the firmest inner spring bed, and put a Talalay Topper on it, to get two toppers and combine them…
Hopefully Bob at Sleepworld will be able to help! thanks
Hi rosn2,
The main goal of the tutorial is to “read it like a book” not study it like you would a textbook … and then just follow the steps one by one.
As long as you know “enough” to recognize when you are dealing with “experts” (such as Bob) that already know what you would otherwise need to learn then you will be fine. Too much information as well as too little can both lead to poor choices. It’s a lot easier to “find the experts” than it is to become one
I would avoid mattress/topper combinations unless you can test them together (or as a way to fine tune a mattress if you make a choice that is less than ideal). The type of mattress under a topper can have a significant effect how a topper feels and it can be almost as difficult choosing an ideal topper where you haven’t tested the combination as it can be choosing a mattress so it’s a “variable” I would tend to avoid unless it becomes necessary.
Phoenix
So I made it down to the store in Austin today. I’m a little confused in that I though Talalay Latex is more expensive than Dunlop and they told me it’s the other way around?
I looked at a 9inch mattress in the 1" of 14-18 Talalay, followed by 2"of 20’s Talalay, and 6"support in 30’s Talalay.
I can get same mattress made in a 12inch mattress, but 3"" of 14-18 Talalay, followed by 1"" of Talay, then 2"of 24-28 Talalay and 6"of 32-35 Talalay
I asked about 6"" of Dunlop for the support and they told me it would be a lot more expensive that way…
Hi rossn2,
It would generally depend on the blend of each type of latex or on whether the Dunlop had an organic certification and on each different manufacturer’s supplier, pricing policies, shipping costs, or any of the other factors that can affect any individual business’ prices for different products but you can see a “ballpark” comparison of the different types of latex in post #6 here although these may not hold true in every case or for every business.
Phoenix
Yes, the Dunlop is Organic certified (but I think this was in the HIgher priced mattresses) and they make the mattresses right there at the store, usually two week turn around…
Here is the mattress I’m interested in, but they didn’t have it on the showroom floor so we couldn’t try it out…
12 Inch Mattress Set With 6 Inch Dunlop Blended Core ( I don’t think this is the Organic/certified pure) with a 2 Inch Talalay Plush Topper and a 1 Inch Super-Plush Talalay Blended Topper and a 3 Inch Quilted Cover
The combination of Quilted Top and Blended Latex Dunlop and Talalay Foam Rubber makes for a high profile look with great support.
2 ½ Inch Plant Based Foam Quilted to a Comfortable Fabric Cover
1 Inch Super-Plush Talalay Blended Latex Foam Rubber Topper for Complete Healing Blood Flow
6 Inch Dunlop Blended Latex Foam Rubber Core
2 Inch Plush Talalay Blended Latex Foam Rubber Topper for Added Support and Comfort
But, instead of the topper they would put the foam on top(inside mattress) as part of the Comfort Layer. Think the salesman told me Talalay Support core, which is different than the spec’s on the website…
thanks for all the info
This 9inch mattress , we we able to try out: Ifelt like I was sinking into the mattress…
9 Inch Talalay Blended Latex Foam Rubber
The Talalay Latex Foam Rubber is freeze dried in the molding process to give it more softness and more support, for better blood flow and healthier body regeneration for a better lifestyle.
■Genuine Talalay Blended Latex 9 inch
■Natural Rayon Fiber Fire Retardant Layer
■Premium Quilted Cover
■Limited Deflection Foundation
We also looked at an Inner Spring/Hybrid mattress that my wife liked more than the straight latex based mattresses…
Quilted Plant Based Natural Foam and Superior Latex Foam Rubber Support
■460 Lura-Flex Springs (Queen) 14.5 Gauge Wire and 6 Gauge Border Rods
■Reinforced with Butterfly side supports
■Guaranteed No Side Sagging
■2 1/2 Inch Quilted Comfort Cover
■1 inch Latex Natural Blend Foam Rubber Cushion
■2 inches Super Firm Plant Based Foam Layer
■Solid Wood Foundation
Hi rossn2,
Once you have more than about an inch or so of polyfoam in a mattress (especially in the top layers) … I would want to know the density of any polyfoam layers in a mattress (“plant based foam” is polyfoam)
Phoenix
I just ordered this one:
12 Inch Mattress Set With 6 Inch Dunlop Blended Core ( I don’t think this is the Organic/certified pure) with a 2 Inch Talalay Plush Topper and a 1 Inch Super-Plush Talalay Blended Topper and a 3 Inch Quilted Cover
The combination of Quilted Top and Blended Latex Dunlop and Talalay Foam Rubber makes for a high profile look with great support.
2 ½ Inch Plant Based Foam Quilted to a Comfortable Fabric Cover
1 Inch Super-Plush Talalay Blended Latex Foam Rubber Topper for Complete Healing Blood Flow
6 Inch Dunlop Blended Latex Foam Rubber Core
2 Inch Plush Talalay Blended Latex Foam Rubber Topper for Added Support and Comfort
However instead of the outter topper…it will be made this way.
Quilted Cover
3" of 14-18 ILD Talalay
1" of 14-18 ILD Talalay
2" of 24-28 ILD Talalay
6" of 35 ILD Dunlop
Wood framed bottom.
Full 20 year warranty…
Hi rossn2,
You’re correct that blended Dunlop wouldn’t have an organic certification. Based on your specs it appears that your final design uses all high quality materials though and doesn’t have any obvious weak links in the mattress or any “missing” information (assuming you removed the polyfoam from the quilted cover).
You are also dealing with a knowledgeable and experienced manufacturer which can be one of the most important parts of a successful mattress purchase.
Overall … it looks like you made a great choice … and congratulations on your new mattress
I’m looking forward to your feedback when you receive it and have had the chance to sleep on it.
Phoenix
The 3ïnches of 14-18 Talalay will be part of the quilted cover as part of the mattress…not a separate pillow top.
So, I hope I made the right decisions based on your input and this website.
I will provide feedback after sleeping on it one or two nights and again after 30 days or so. Since I’m buying at the manufacturer site in Austin, I can also take it back if adjustments are needed to the softness or firmness. I based my decisions on side/back/flipflopper sleeping style.
thanks for all the suggestions…
Hi rossn2,
That sounds good to me
I just wanted to make sure that you had either eliminated the polyfoam in the quilting or knew the density if it wasn’t eliminated and was over about an inch or so.
As you mentioned … it’s always great when you are dealing with a manufacturer that can make changes to the mattress if it turns out you need them.
Phoenix
I pick up new mattress tonight… B)