Recommendations for a latex hybrid mattress

Beyond Mattresses
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Hello, I’ve been doing extensive research on this wonderfully educational and unbiased forum for a week now and I need some help in choosing the best mattress for my wife and me. We’ve been sleeping on a queen size Simmons Beautyrest Legend PL (not sure if it stands for Plush?) for 11 years. It’s time to replace it.

Some requirements:

  • Queen size
  • Latex hybrid
  • Medium to firm underlying support
  • Plush layer to sink into
  • Strong edge support
  • Excellent motion isolation (our sleep schedules are very different from one another)
  • Probably no zones (though an expert may want to suggest otherwise)
  • Budget – up to $2,000

Our sleep profiles:

Male, 5’8, 170 lbs

  • Mostly a side sleeper but up to 25% on back
  • I toss and turn a lot
  • Lower back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Often sleep hot and wake up in a sweat

My wife – female, 5’4”, 168 lbs

  • Mostly a side sleeper but up to 25% on back
  • Limited tossing and turning

Where to buy:

  • I’ve been extremely impressed reading the very thoughtful responses from the TMU Experts, especially @Arizona_Premium , @DLX and @Sleep_EZ. Though I am certainly open to other providers.
  • We live in Central New Jersey, so I’m also considering @ShovlinMattress.
  • We live close to a Sleep Loft store and they carry several of the online brands. I’ve been considering Brooklyn Bedding but not sure which model.
  • We can check out Avocado and Purple mattresses at a nearby Raymour and Flanagan furniture store.

Questions:

  • Would the experts please recommend a mattress from their respective companies?
  • Are there BB, Avocado or Purple mattresses that would have a roughly similar feel to products sold by the expert companies? That way we’d be able to approximate the feel of the mattresses from the Expert providers.
  • I was hoping that @Maverick would respond with thoughts on which mattress to choose and which ones to look at locally.

Thanks in advance for any and all help!

-Jay

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Thanks for considering DLX. In terms of the checklist, I believe we meet most of the criteria. Based on your preference for latex, I would recommend our 12" LatexLux in Medium. Latex provides better edge support than other foams because it is more buoyant and resilient. It also tends to sleep slightly cooler than mattresses with similar construction, as you sleep more on it rather than in it. Our coolest sleeping mattress would be the Essential, as it’s firmer with minimal upholstery materials, allowing for better airflow.

Please note that latex will have more motion transfer than memory foam, and a hybrid will have more motion transfer than an all-foam mattress. The best option for reducing motion transfer is typically an all-foam mattress with memory foam in the comfort layers and a super-stretch knit, non-quilted cover, though these are usually the warmest mattresses. With any decision, there will be trade-offs, and any mattress may not check every box.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any comparable models locally for you to test. However, if you share specific mattresses you’ve found comfortable in-store—along with the brand, model, and firmness rating—we can help determine if ours would be a good match. For instance, if you found a Tempur-Pedic (not a hybrid version) or an all-latex mattress most comfortable and didn’t prefer any with springs or hybrids, we’d let you know that our mattress may not be the best fit.

We always support local independent manufacturers, and we’ve heard good things about Shovlin. If you find something comfortable there, I’d say that’s the best option among anything mentioned here.

Something else to keep in mind is that mattress size can affect warmth when sleeping with a partner so king size sleeps cooler than a queen in general. Being closer together can raise body temperatures. While the mattress itself plays a role, other factors like sheets, mattress protectors, and blankets also influence warmth. For example, my wife bought a new comforter last year, and despite our nearly 10-year-old mattress never feeling warm before, I now wake up sweating every night. Environmental factors, such as room humidity (ideally between 30% and 50%), can also impact sleeping conditions. For those who always sleep hot, a mattress alone may not resolve the issue—you might consider a BedJet or Chilipad. While we don’t have firsthand experience with these, we’ve heard positive feedback from others who use them though your mileage may vary.

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Thank you very much for the really quick response, @DLX !

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Hi Jay,

It sounds like you’re describing the DLX LatexLux mattress. While it is a great match, it’s not the only option that could be a good match. It does offer the advantage of being customizable. You can modify the comfort layer at any time, whether you want to adjust for comfort preferences or switch to different materials, like HD foam or memory foam.

As for other brands like APM and Sleepez, they primarily specialize in latex mattresses and do an excellent job. Shovlin, on the other hand, combines traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. In fact, I not only purchased a DLX mattress for my mother-in-law, but a coworker in Monmouth County also had Shovlin custom-make an Olympic Queen mattress and foundation. As you can see, we don’t hesitate to recommend different manufacturers because they all produce high-quality products.

Personally, I’ve purchased three Brooklyn Bedding mattresses. We prefer super-firm options, and when the Plank Luxe was marketed as the firmest on the market, I decided to buy it online and have it shipped directly to my door. We’ve been really happy with it. That said, DLX later released their LatexLux with an extra-firm comfort layer, so we’ll likely try that next time, as I’ve found their products to be excellent.

Regarding Avocado and Purple, I think Avocado makes a solid mattress. I’m not one for gimmicks, though, and I feel that Purple tends to lean in that direction. I’ve seen too many videos highlighting issues with their grid design. While there are definitely people who love Purple, I prefer a simpler, more classic design—something that all the brands you mentioned seem to have in common.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

All the best,

Maverick

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Hi jkliegman and welcome to the forums! I know you didn’t mention Latex Mattress Factory specifically, but please note that we’re “sister companies” with Sleep EZ and everyone that works for Sleep EZ works for Latex Mattress Factory and vice versa, so I’m sure you’ll have just as good of an experience ordering from “us” as you would ordering from Sleep EZ. With that said, you might want to look at the Luxerion Hybrid - Luxerion Hybrid Latex Mattress | Buy Talalay Latex Hybrid Mattress - Latex Mattress Factory

It’s an outstanding value and has Talalay for the top layer. The top 3” of Talalay latex will ensure you get all the contour and pressure relief needed to avoid any hip pain or shoulder pain. This layer will also provide the secondary support needed to help avoid back pain. Secondary support is needed to fill in the gaps between your body and the mattress – back sleepers normally need secondary support to fill in the gaps between the small of their back and the mattress; side sleepers normally need secondary support to fill in the gaps between their mid-section and the mattress. If these parts of a person’s body aren’t supported by the mattress, their muscles will work throughout the night to hold these parts of the body up, and by the time they wake up they’ve got back pain. So the top 3” of soft latex will provide contour, pressure relief, and secondary support. The core of the mattress will provide all the primary support needed to maintain proper spinal alignment and avoid back pain. The Hybrid also has enhanced edge support, in case edge support is a concern of yours.

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If motion isolation is one of you main priorities I would go with a full latex rather than a hybrid. Even pocket coils have some motion transfer. If heat is also an issue our full Talalay latex mattress with Medium base cores and 3" Soft comfort layer would would be right in your wheelhouse for maximum comfort, motion isolation and breathability. #1 Selling Latex Mattress- Adjustable Ultra Plush, Latex Mattresses-Talalay and Dunlop, All Products, Let us know if you have any questions.

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Many thanks to all for the very timely and helpful responses so far. I really love this forum!!

Today we went to 3 local places to test mattresses. First we went to The Sleep Loft and tried the Helix Twilight Luxe and it was just ok, but not great. I thought it was a bit too bouncy. They only had one latex bed, the Bear Natural. That seemed too squishy for our liking.

We visited Raymour and Flanagan and, unfortunately, compared to the salesperson, I was a true expert. That’s scary :-). We tried a couple of the Avocado mattresses and preferred the firm one to the softer one. These definitely felt better than the ones at the Sleep Loft.

Lastly, we went to the Shovlin Mattress Factory and were totally blown away by the knowledge, patience and friendliness of the salesman, James, and the owner, Ron. Really wonderful and helpful people! We fell in love with the Nirvana Medium and now are feeling we really like a full latex mattress instead of a latex hybrid. The 2-inch topper was very comfortable and I like that it isn’t attached, so you can replace it easily once it inevitably wears out. There is virtually no motion transfer, excellent edge support and it provides excellent support. Only issue is that it’s way over our intended budget. Though I’m trying to rationalize spending the extra money. We’d also be buying the lower end adjustable base. They provide free white glove service and appear to really care about their customers.

Does all of this sound reasonable? Do you have any other suggestions from different trusted companies?

Thanks again,
Jay

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With all of your requirements and pain issues, I wouldn’t go with a standard mattress. Latex is great for hot sleepers and pain issues and works well on an adjustable base which is awesome for back problems, but you’d have to go to king for a split base so that one of you could have it adjusted for your back (including lumbar support on some models) and the other flat for side sleeping. If the edge support is just to avoid roll-off, then all latex is fine. If you’re looking for edge support for sitting on the edge of the bed, then not so much. You could use a coil base and then latex layers - micro-coils if going with an adjustable base. Talk to the experts (LMF, SleepEZ) for build based on heights, weights, sleeping positions and pain issues.

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Today we pulled the trigger on a new latex mattress, a removable 2" pillow top and an adjustable base from @ShovlinMattress in Fanwood, New Jersey. We opted for the Nirvana latex with Plush firmness. I can’t say enough positive things about our wonderful experience with the Shovlin Mattress company and particularly the salesman, James. There was no pressure at all to buy and he was super patient and informative. Plus, with all my reading on this fabulous website, I was able to ask a lot of the right questions. We went far past our intended budget but the pain was eased considerably by their financing offer through Wells Fargo for a zero-interest 24-month payment plan. Just a fantastic deal and the first payment won’t even be until February.

I want to give a big thank you to all who weighed in on this thread with really solid advice. This website is amazing and truly helped guide us through the darkness and confusion of buying a new mattress for the first time in 11 years.

Thank you!

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How is it a few months later?

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My wife and I really love this mattress. It has very low motion transfer and is very supportive. We’re also enjoying the adjustable bed frame. I highly recommend @ShovlinMattress.

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Good to know, I finally made it out there and to my surprise I loved it as well…. Will be ordering one sooner than later.

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Congratulations! I hope you like the mattress as much as we do.

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