Hi Kathleen,
[quote]I tried the Pure Talalay Latex Bliss “Beautiful” and “Worlds Best” models at a chain store called Bed Pros. I liked the feel and they didn’t seem to hammock, at least in the 10 minutes I was in the store. They are terribly expensive, near $4,000.
Do you have advice regarding latex mattresses in general?[/quote]
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
I’m not sure what you’ve read since you found the site but just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
Again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress but outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the materials and components to the quality/durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.
Assuming that the materials in a mattress you are considering are durable enough for your body type and meet the quality/durability guidelines I linked earlier relative to your weight range … the choice between different types and combinations of materials and components or different types of mattresses are more of a preference and a budget choice than a “better/worse” choice (see this article).
Yes I am familiar with them. The Pure Talalay Bliss mattresses use blended Talalay latex which is a very high quality and durable material so there are no lower quality materials or weak links in any of the Pure Talalay Bliss mattresses that would compromise the durability or useful life of any of their mattresses (unlike Serta or other major brand mattresses such as Sealy/Stearns & Foster, and Simmons which all tend to use lower quality and less durable materials in their mattresses). There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here.
There is also more information about the specs of the Pure Talalay Bliss mattresses in post #2 here. The two mattresses you mentioned are the two softest mattresses in their lineup which can be more risky in terms of alignment (particularly in higher weight ranges) so I would especially make sure that you do some good testing to confirm that you are in good alignment in all your sleeping positions when you are testing these two mattresses.
Pure Talalay Bliss mattresses have MAP pricing (minimum advertised pricing) but there are some dealers that sell them for for less than this but they can’t advertise the lower prices. If you do decide on one of their mattresses there are some PTB dealers that may be able to ship across the country listed in post #32 here that you can call to use as a pricing reference point.
There are many latex mattresses in the industry that also use blended Talalay latex but off the top of my head I don’t know of any that have the exact same design with the same layer thicknesses and layer firmnesses and the same cover so they could have a different “feel” and a different firmness level.
If you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know about the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area so you could check to see if any of them sell similar mattresses.
If you are considering online options then the mattress shopping tutorial includes a link to a list of the members here that sell mattresses online (in the optional online step) and many of them sell latex and latex hybrid mattresses that use different types and blends of latex that have a wide range of different designs, options, features, return and exchange policies, and prices that would be well worth considering.
Many of these are component mattresses with loose layers and zip covers that allow you to fine tune the comfort and/or support of a mattress after a purchase by rearranging or exchanging individual layers and some of them are finished" mattresses with glued layers (like the Pure Talalay Bliss mattresses). There is more about the pros and cons of a component latex mattress with a zip cover and loose layers vs a finished mattress with glued layers in post #15 here and post #2 here.
Post #3 here includes a list of many of the online manufacturers that sell component latex mattresses as well (with some overlap with the members list).
When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
Phoenix