Plushbeds.com

[phoenix]

Hi Bedseeker,

Based on some websites, 100% all natural Talalay offers more resilience so therefore it won’t sag, but then other sites say combination Dunlop is best because a Dunlop core/lower layer is great for support and longevity (no sag) and Talalay as the top layer for comfort. Which is true?

Neither one is “true” and I would treat the choice between different types and blends of latex as a preference issue not a “better worse” issue. Each one has advantages and disadvantages in certain applications and based on the preferences of different people. The resilience of latex has nothing to do with its durability and is only a measurement of how high a ball bounces when it is dropped on the material. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in this article and in post #6 here and there is more about the difference in the “feel” and performance of Dunlop and Talalay in post #7 here but the most effective way to know which one you prefer would be based on your personal experience. They are just different from each other.

In your response below regarding comments and feedback on Plushbeds.com, you said to “you can just click this” but I didn’t see anything to click on. Unless I missed it…

The word “plushbeds” (before the bracket that says “you can just click this”) is a link that you can click that takes you to the results of a forum search.

Would you mind clarifying what you mean by ‘blended talalay’? Do you mean that it’s part natural and part synthetic?

Yes … blended Talalay is latex that is made using the Talalay production process and uses a blend of 30% natural rubber and 70% synthetic rubber. You will also find 100% natural Talalay that doesn’t use any synthetic rubber in the formula.

If so, our concern with synthetic is that it produces a lot of off-gassing whether this is a true fact, I’m not sure.

I personally would have no concerns with VOC’s or offgassing with any type of latex whether it’s Talalay or Dunlop and made from synthetic or natural rubber or a blend of the two. All the latex you are likely to encounter will have been certified by either Oeko-Tex or Eco-Institut for harmful substances or offgassing.

We aren’t wild about the cost of organic but we are concern about our health. We would consider all natural vs. organic but I think one of your posts said that synthetic latex has sand which does not provide a long lasting mattress. It is more prone to breaking down quicker. Is it true that the only difference between all natural latex and 100% organic is that the organic mattress has organic certifiications?

The only organic latex is Dunlop and it’s basically the same material with the same performance properties and durability as 100% natural Dunlop except it doesn’t have the certification. There are some types of latex that do contain fillers which in some cases and depending on the amount and type of filler can reduce durability. It’s not something you are likely to encounter in 100% natural Dunlop. Latex International uses some percentage of fillers in its Talalay but it’s still a very durable material and is used to add to the firmness of the Talalay and of course it can also reduce the cost of production.

You can read more about organic certifications and about organic Dunlop in post #2 here and the posts it links to.

Does it matter how thick a mattress is? Do the less thicker ones (8-9") last longer and won’t compress as quickly as the 10-12"?

The thickness of each layer and of the mattress itself is one of many factors that combine together that can affect the feel and performance of a mattress and which mattress may be a better match for someone in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). The type of materials, the firmness of the materials, and other specifics of a mattress design (including the cover) will have more effect on which one is a better match for you than thickness by itself. There is more about the effects of thickness in post #14 here. If the materials are exactly the same then outside of some small theoretical" advantage of a thicker mattress (because there is more material to absorb compression forces) in “real life” thickness wouldn’t be a durability issue.

We live in Irvine, CA.

Some of the better options and possibilities I’m aware of in the Greater Los Angeles area are listed in post #2 here.

Phoenix