Hi beth819,
Once the mattress is zipped up … they look like a “regular” mattress and not “cheap” at all. The ticking/quilting fits tightly around the latex and most of the look of a mattress comes from the cover which in this case is much higher quality than most of the"mainstream" mattresses. They are also functional with none of the polyfoam (or synthetic fiber) that is used in so many mattress quilting layers which softens and breaks down.
Putting them together is also not difficult at all for two people and can actually be kind of fun. You do need to be a little careful not to pull and tug at the latex to align it (wave it into place instead) but it’s also kind of fun to put your mattress together and know exactly what you are sleeping on. The layers also come compressed in separate boxes so you aren’t carrying a whole mattress up stairs. I think Shawn may have a video that he could send you but if not here is a video from mattresss.net showing him putting together a DIY mattress.
Wool is a great natural fiber that is great for temperature regulation. It is especially helpful for those who sleep hot because it is so breathable and wicks moisture away and holds it in the core of the fiber and gradually releases it. this is also one of the reasons it is so popular as a mattress protector because it will help to “cool down” a mattress (like memory foam) that sleeps too hot.
Some of the pros and cons of different types of quilting are here and of different types of ticking are here.
A recent post that includes information about some of the pros and cons and “tradeoffs” of different types of mattress protectors is post #2 here. A “title search” (choosing the option to search forum titles only) on “Protect” or “cover” will bring up lots more information.
Phoenix