PranaSleep Foam Top Layer

[phoenix]

Hi Mattress facts,

We have come to the conclusion that it would be impossible for us to buy a mattress without first laying on it which eliminates many companies that are located in other states.

You are in good company and there are many people who feel this way and are much more comfortable buying something they can test in person. the large majority of mattress purchases (over 80%) are a local purchase.

We have zeroed in on the PranaSleep mattress which we understand we would be purchasing at a premium. My question is regarding the 3" foam top layer. We have laid on other mattresses that do not have a quilted top layer and have come to the conclusion that this is one element that we like. Our concern is that the top layer will not hold up and in a sense defeats the benefit of choosing latex.

There are many people who prefer the feel of a quilting layer over latex (usually wool, other natural or synthetic fibers, or polyfoam) but it’s a matter of degree. If the quilting layer is lower quality foam or too thick then it can become a bigger part of what you feel on the mattress and can also become the weak link of the mattress because a mattress will tend to soften from the top down. If there is more than about an inch or so in the layers above the latex then this can lead to softening or impression issues much more quickly. While latex is more durable than even high quality polyfoam … lower quality polyfoam will soften much more quickly yet and with thicker quilting or top comfort layers it becomes more important to know the quality of the material so you can have more realistic expectations about the degree of foam softening and breakdown you can expect over the years.

You can read a little more about PranaSleep and my thoughts about the quilting layers they use in post #3 here but at the very least I would want to know the thickness and density of the polyfoam they are using (Note Jordans now lists them as a 3/4" layer of 2.5 lb polyfoam and then two 1" layers of 1.5 lb polyfoam which is lower than I would consider). A forum search on pranasleep (you can just click this) will also bring up more posts with comments and feedback about them.

While I can understand thinner quilting layers for the sake of a “hand feel” or “surface” feel that some people prefer … I am not a fan of this much lower density polyfoam over a latex mattress both because it diminishes the feel of the latex and because it will be less durable.

Phoenix