Have been looking at various mattresses for a few months now - Presently sleeping on a futon for the last 6 months. Decided I definitely wanted to give latex a try; but have yet to find any in stores locally. Spotted the Ultimate Dreams mattress on Amazon and have been seriously considering it (the high reviews and bang for the buck factor are definitely there); but have also been looking at the Brooklyn Bedding web site and see thereās the Tri-Comfort all latex mattress for a bit more money. Didnāt want to get up into the thou$and$ for an all latex mattress; but that one looks do-able. Still trying to sort things out - This site has been a Godsendā¦ 
Hi IronMan,
Iām glad you found us ā¦ and welcome :).
Youāre certainly looking at some good options and Iām looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding.
Post #2 here may be helpful as well.
Phoenix
I have been following this forum a lot and have read through this post but still have some questions. I am very overwhelmed by all of this, but I love this forum. Please let me know of a way to donate to the site, I love supporting websites like this.
Anyways, Iām pretty interested in the āUltimate Dreams Natural Latex Mattressā and was wondering, does anyone know if this uses the 2.35lb foam or the 1.5lb foam? Is there much of a difference?
Me and my partner really liked the feeling of the Tempurpedic Contour Allour when we went to the mattress store down the road but cannot really stomach the $4500 price point. Will the Ultimate Dreams provide the same kind of feel? I suppose that the Contour Allour is hard to measure up against the Ultimate Dreams because of the different layers of HD & ES foam that work together, but nonetheless any input would be appreciated. If we take the firmest mattress that Tempurpedic has to offer, how would that mattress correlate on the Ultimate Dreams 1-10 scale?
We wish there was a place around here in St. Louis, MO to test out this mattress.
If we like the Contour Allour, what ILD or firmness level (1-10) do you think would work best when ordering the Ultimate Dreams? Does the Eurotop model make a difference? Is that the equivalent of a plush pillow top? Is it better to error on the side of getting a firmer bed than a softer one because of break-in and whatnot?
Would we notice much of a difference between the Ultimate Dreams Latex vs the Ultimate Dreams Natural Latex vs the Ultimate Dreams Full Latex models?
Overall we like it medium-firm, not mushy but bed that feels nice a solid but still be able to sink into a little and feel like weāre cradled into place. We sleep on our backs and sides equally it seems like, but never on the stomach.
Would this bed work with an adjustable base as well?
Our apartment is also set-up to where we couldnāt move a queen boxspring upstairs so we had to buy split boxes. For this bed we were thinking about getting a king sized since it comes in such a compact form. When we move and the bed is at itās fullest, would we be able to compress it again to move it back down? I was thinking that we could use a bunch of those ratchet-action tie-down straps that you could buy from any hardware store.
Thanks in advance for the help.
-Ray
Hi rayz2k2,
On the description here it says they are using a 2 lb base layer. It would be a little more durable than 1.5 lb polyfoam but it would make more of a difference in higher weight ranges (once you start getting past around 200 lbs or so) than it would for those who are lighter because the base layers are usually a less important factor in the durability of a mattress unless you are heavy enough to āgo throughā the comfort layers and compress the base layers more.
They would be very different because the UD uses latex in the comfort layers which is very different from memory foam. There is more information about how latex and memory foam compare in terms of how they feel in post #2 here but they are about as different as two different types of foam can be.
They would be a much more reliable source of guidance about how their firmness scale may relate to the Tempurpedic mattresses but they would be so different that firmness comparisons between memory foam and latex can be misleading. Latex responds instantly to pressure but memory foam responds to pressure, temperature, and humidity and can start of firmer, become softer when it warms up, and be firmer again when you move into a new position so some people may call one firmer or softer and someone else may call the other one firmer or softer depending on their perceptions.
While the Dreamfoam mattresses are only available online ā¦ the list of better options and possibilities in the St Louis area are in post #6 here and I would encourage you to test some latex (Dunlop if possible since the mattress you are looking at uses Dunlop latex in the comfort layers) so you have a better sense of the general feel and response of Dunlop latex even if the mattress you test is a different firmness or design.
Yes ā¦ foam mattresses generally work very well on an adjustable bed.
No ā¦ you would need a roll pack machine to compress it again the way its shipped although it would bend around corners quite easily and you could probably fold it over and secure it with straps as you are suggesting (I would check with them just to confirm this).
While itās certainly not necessary, there is a āsort of hiddenā PayPal donation button under the āour servicesā menu item on the main menu bar and a small donation is certainly appreciated ā¦ and I appreciate your kind words as well 
Phoenix
First I have to say, thank you so much for creating such an amazing resource, Phoenix. Without this website, I would almost certainly have ended up getting a very cheap, low quality mattress from Ikea or Samās Club, rather than a mattress that I can enjoy sleeping on for quite some time. This website has simply been amazing for learning about the mattress purchasing process.
My wife and I have just gotten married, and we need a cheap queen size mattress that will last us at least the next five years (we anticipate getting something substantially nicer within, at most, ten years). After a few days reading on this site, I have settled on the DreamFoam Mattress Ultimate Dreams Latex Mattress. I was a bit concerned about the Amazon comments about the switch from 2.35lb density foam to 1.5lb density foam, but given Phoenixās explanations, Iām not worried about it at all. So thank you, Phoenix, for the very extensive posts about that change! I probably wouldnāt have gotten this mattress without your comments about that.
I do still have a few questions. My wife and I are both decently light (weāre both around 5ā10", 150lbs). I am almost strictly a side sleeper (95+% of the time), and she is mostly a side sleeper (75+% of the time) although she moves around a fair amount. Given that, we will want to tend towards a less firm comfort layer, right? Aside from testing mattresses in a store, the best option for us is to communicate with the manufacturer directly (āAsk Chuckā)?
I also want to make sure I have the TMU discount information right. Since Iām ordering a mattress from DreamFoam (rather than the āsisterā company BrooklynBedding I canāt get a 5% discount, but I can get a free pillow if I select the option to have my order fulfilled by DreamFoam Bedding ($599.99 with free shipping right now) rather than Amazon and give them my TMU username? If I do that, do you (Phoenix) get a referral from that or do I need to do anything for you to get a referral?
We have a queen size Ikea HEMNES bed frame with the Luroy slatted bed base. I am wondering if that is sufficient, or will we need some kind of bed base? Is it reasonable for us to try the mattress initially without an additional bed base / bed frame underneath the mattress? Iām assuming it makes sense for us to try that first, at least, but I want to make sure.
Finally, Iām wondering about mattress protectors. I guess Iām wondering, do you have to have them? Since we donāt eat or drink anything other than water on our bed, do we still need a mattress protector? Iāll admit that I have not researched that element of the mattress purchasing decision hardly at all yet, so if Iām saying something particularly ignorant here (or even mildly ignorant!), please direct me to a good resource to learn more (I tried to check the articles, but there wasnāt one specifically directed to the issue of mattress protectors that I could find).
Thanks again for all the help.
Hi EJ43,
Iām glad you found us and welcome ā¦ and thanks for the kind comments
Yes ā¦ your body types and sleeping positions would point to comfort layers in the softer range āon averageā.
Yes ā¦ the better the information you can provide them about your body types, sleeping styles, preferences, and the mattresses that you have tested or slept on and liked the more you will help them to help you make the best possible comfort choice. While nobody else can āfeel what you feelā ā¦ like most good manufacturers they have more knowledge about and experience with their own mattresses and can draw from a much wider range of their customersā experiences and feedback to help you than anyone else. As youāve probably seen from their feedback they also have a great track record of helping their customers make good choices. I would personally have this type of conversation on the phone because itās more āinteractiveā and you can read ātonesā better than written communications so Iāve always believed that voice communications for this type of guidance are more effective than written communications but of course different people may have different preferences.
Yes ā¦ all you have to do is let them know you are a member here and you will receive the pillow bonus (as long as they are the ones fulfilling the order as you mentioned). They keep track of the forum members that have told them they are a member for the referral fees so there is nothing else that you need to do for this ā¦ but thanks for asking
Yes ā¦ the Hemnes and the Luroy combination should be fine (as long as you have the midbeam). You could try the mattress without your bedframe directly on the floor (in the short term) just to see if there is any difference between a completely non flexing support surface and the Luroy (since the Luroy has a little bit of flex) but it shouldnāt be necessary to use something else unless having the mattress directly on the floor is a clear improvement that makes a significant difference for you (which is unlikely).
I would always use a mattress protector on any mattress yes to protect your mattress from the the normal body fluids and skin cells that you release each night (that can contribute to dust mites as well), to protect against any accidents that may happen over time, and to keep your sleeping surface in a clean and hygienic condition. It will also protect your warranty which is normally voided if the mattress is stained. Itās much easier to clean a mattress protector than the mattress cover.
There is more about the different types of mattress protectors and the pros and cons of each in post #89 here. The one they sell (one of the thin membrane types of protectors) works well for most people.
Phoenix
[quote=āPhoenixā post=37710]
Yes ā¦ the better the information you can provide them about your body types, sleeping styles, preferences, and the mattresses that you have tested or slept on and liked the more you will help them to help you make the best possible comfort choice. While nobody else can āfeel what you feelā ā¦ like most good manufacturers they have more knowledge about and experience with their own mattresses and can draw from a much wider range of their customersā experiences and feedback to help you than anyone else. As youāve probably seen from their feedback they also have a great track record of helping their customers make good choices. I would personally have this type of conversation on the phone because itās more āinteractiveā and you can read ātonesā better than written communications so Iāve always believed that voice communications for this type of guidance are more effective than written communications but of course different people may have different preferences. [/quote]
Great, thanks for the advice. I had been thinking to email them, but your point about talking on the phone being better makes complete sense.
Yes ā¦ all you have to do is let them know you are a member here and you will receive the pillow bonus (as long as they are the ones fulfilling the order as you mentioned). They keep track of the forum members that have told them they are a member for the referral fees so there is nothing else that you need to do for this ā¦ but thanks for asking [/quote]
Excellent. , thatās nice to know
Yes ā¦ the Hemnes and the Luroy combination should be fine (as long as you have the midbeam). You could try the mattress without your bedframe directly on the floor (in the short term) just to see if there is any difference between a completely non flexing support surface and the Luroy (since the Luroy has a little bit of flex) but it shouldnāt be necessary to use something else unless having the mattress directly on the floor is a clear improvement that makes a significant difference for you (which is unlikely). [/quote]
Okay, thatās helpful to know. We do have the midbeam, so weāll try the mattress out on the bed directly.
I would always use a mattress protector on any mattress yes to protect your mattress from the the normal body fluids and skin cells that you release each night (that can contribute to dust mites as well), to protect against any accidents that may happen over time, and to keep your sleeping surface in a clean and hygienic condition. It will also protect your warranty which is normally voided if the mattress is stained. Itās much easier to clean a mattress protector than the mattress cover.
There is more about the different types of mattress protectors and the pros and cons of each in post #89 here. The one they sell (one of the thin membrane types of protectors) works well for most people. [/quote]
That makes sense. Iām glad I asked then. Iāll go look at the mattress protectors discussed in that thread. Thanks again for all of the help!
I have a question about a couple of mattress protectors Iām looking at currently. The two mattress protectors I was primarily trying to decide between are the mattress protector ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: protectabed.com/mattress_protectors/basic_mattress_protectors.asp. and the Luna Premium mattress protector. I assume the Luna is better quality?
I ask because I was leaning towards the Protect-A-Bed protector because of the price. Then I found this on Amazon. As far as I can tell, it is an identical product to what is offered on the Luna website, but for half the price. Is that right? If so, Iām thinking to get the Luna protector off of Amazon, but I want to make sure Iām not getting a different (lesser) product. Can you tell if it is the same, or should I try to contact the retailer?
Thanks!
Hi EJ43,
All the membranes perform a very similar function but there really isnāt any meaningful way to compare the membranes themselves because the manufacturers donāt provide the information you would need to compare them and it probably wouldnāt make sense for most people anyway (see the end of post #2 here).
Outside of technical information about the membranes you would need to compare them based on the rest of the information that is available, conversations with knowledgeable retailers or manufacturers, or through reviews and feedback.
The fabric in the Basic Protect-A-Bed is made from polyester which isnāt as effective at wicking moisture as natural fibers.
The Luna Premium protector uses a cotton terry fabric which would wick moisture better than polyester.
Itās the same product yes and is one of the better prices that were posted here based on some of the great research done by BobP that was linked in the mattress protector post.
Phoenix
Excellent, thanks for all the information. I have ordered the Luna mattress protector, and I am ordering the DreamFoam latex mattress at a firmness of 7 after talking with Chuck (who was very nice and helpful as well). I have put notes in my calender to remind myself to come back and comment on how they are performing in three and six months (since people who did that were very helpful to me).
Thank you again for all of your help. This has been an incredibly valuable resource for me, and I am amazed at how friendly, and knowledgeable, and quick to respond you are. You and this website have made shopping for a mattress almost fun, and I couldnāt be happier with the results.
Hi EJ43,
Thanks for the kind words ā¦ and congratulations on your new mattress
I think you made great choices and Iām looking forward to your comments and feedback once youāve received them and have had a chance to sleep on them for a while.
Phoenix
Iāve been reading about these beds for a couple days now and it wasnāt until I read this personās comment I finally understood there is a āpillow topā type feel to these beds, which unfortunately might not be what Iām looking for either. I tried a 6" latex (no layers, just 6" of latex) in a store and it felt greatā¦ I was really hoping these Ultimate Dreams beds had the same feel.
Iām also in Canada and it seems the only way to get these beds is through Amazon.ca, which may not provide me with the customization options you mentioned. Maybe Iāll try calling brooklyn beds directly and see if they have any advice.
Iāve also noticed that the prices for these beds is significantly higher on Amazon.ca (Canada) compared to Amazon.com. After taxes itās a $1,000 bedā¦ doesnāt really seem very ābudgetā to me, although I canāt say Iāve found anything better for the price 
I do have one question thoughā¦ is a 6" 100% latex bed (no layers) suitable for a 6ā0 160 pound adult? I havenāt been able to find much of an answer to this question. I just find it a bit confusing because 6" seems to be very thin for a mattress.
What would the advantage of an 8" or 9" mattress of the same construction be over a 6" one?
Also the type of latex in these beds is Arpico Talalay or Dunlop (choice available). I also read that Arpico is generally known for having high quality Dunlop latex - is their Talalay latex also good quality?
Thanks
[quote=āoveractive imaginationā post=37801][quote=āPhoenixā post=21144]Hi suffolk,
It actually is listed in their descriptions (see the product description here) and is also mentioned in many threads around the forum. There have even been threads that talked about how they changed the quilting pattern for some of their customers to create a firmer or softer surface that was āin betweenā their regular comfort choices. Their description couldnāt be more clear that they use 1.5" of soft reflex foam in their quilting.
Phoenix[/quote]
Iāve been reading about these beds for a couple days now and it wasnāt until I read this personās comment I finally understood there is a āpillow topā type feel to these beds, which unfortunately might not be what Iām looking for either. I tried a 6" latex (no layers, just 6" of latex) in a store and it felt greatā¦ I was really hoping these Ultimate Dreams beds had the same feel.
Iām also in Canada and it seems the only way to get these beds is through Amazon.ca, which may not provide me with the customization options you mentioned. Maybe Iāll try calling brooklyn beds directly and see if they have any advice.
Iāve also noticed that the prices for these beds is significantly higher on Amazon.ca (Canada) compared to Amazon.com. After taxes itās a $1,000 bedā¦ doesnāt really seem very ābudgetā to me, although I canāt say Iāve found anything better for the price
I do have one question thoughā¦ is a 6" 100% latex bed (no layers) suitable for a 6ā0 160 pound adult? I havenāt been able to find much of an answer to this question. I just find it a bit confusing because 6" seems to be very thin for a mattress.
What would the advantage of an 8" or 9" mattress of the same construction be over a 6" one?
Also the type of latex in these beds is Arpico Talalay or Dunlop (choice available). Iāve read that Arpico is good quality for Dunlop, but Arpico Talalay was not mentionedā¦ is it safe to assume it would be very good quality as well?
Thanks :)[/quote]
Small update - was talking to Chuck from Dreamfoam on the phone and he said that for all of their āfirmā (level 3) beds on Amazon they do a firmer top quilt layer with tighter stitching as well compared to their softer mattresses. (In Canada there is no ātalk to chuckā option or anything like thatā¦ you just have to choose āfirmā)
He also said that top layer is closer to an inch than an inch and a half.
Price is higher on Amazon.ca because they have to ship it to Amazon Canada first.
Hi overactive imagination,
While there is no standard āpillowtop feelā because there are an endless amount of different types of pillowtop mattresses that feel very differently from each other depending on the thickness and type of materials in the pillowtop and the rest of the layers and components of the mattress mattress (and this mattress has many options to choose the firmness of the latex) ā¦ this certainly isnāt a pillowtop which is a different mattress design completely. Itās what is known in the industry as a tight top and there are many tight tops that use a quilted cover. There is more about the pros and cons of quilted covers in post #12 here and the posts it links to.
As you mentioned ā¦ they also have two different types of quilting pattern in their cover that can give āhalf stepsā in firmness because one would feel softer and one would feel firmer with the same ILD of latex but of course the āstandardā with the firm would be the firmer cover version.
I would suggest calling Dreamfoam Bedding not Brooklyn Bedding (which I see youāve done) because each of their sister companies has their own customer service staff that deal with the different mattresses that each of them make.
Just to confirm for other customers in Canada though they ship all their Canadian mattresses to the Canadian fulfillment center and there are four firmness options available in Canada. They will also ship to a destination close to the border for those Canadian customers that are able to go across the border and take the mattress home themselves across the border and for these customers any of their US firmness options would be available.
The Canadian dollar is lower than the US dollar and there are also costs involved in shipping across the border of course so prices in Canada tend to be higher but if you were to compare these to most other similar mattresses available in Canada they are still a great value. Latex is a more premium material than the types of foam that you will usually find in most ābudgetā mattresses and they are usually in much higher price ranges. Even in the US you can see one of the Sealy Optimum mattresses here ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint:us-mattress.com/sealy-optimum-latex-dreams.html.
as an example that uses a less costly version of latex (mostly synthetic continuous pour Dunlop) with a 7" polyfoam base layer that sells for considerably more even than the Dreamfoam mattress in Canada.
It would really depend on the person and their sleeping position, their personal preferences and sensitivities, and the specifics of the 6" latex mattress in terms of the type of latex, the firmness of the latex, and the specifics of the cover (including the quilting). A thinner mattress will tend to feel firmer than a thicker mattress if all the other factors in the design are the same but it also depends on the specifics of both. A thicker mattress has more āroomā to add a softer comfort layer which would be a preference for many people ā¦ especially if they sleep on their side which typically needs softer comfort layers. There is more about the pros and cons of a thicker mattress or thicker layers in post #14 here.
There are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved to use specs (either of a mattress or a person) or ātheory at a distanceā to know which mattress will be the best āmatchā for someone in terms of PPP (see post #2 here).
Arpico doesnāt make Talalay ā¦ only 100% natural Dunlop. The Dunlop they make is good quality yes. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here.
Phoenix
After perusing the DreamFoam website and watching their video at the top of the page, Iām confused as to why theyāre not a virtual all-in-one solution for PPP concerns. I mean, my wife and I are both stomach sleepers, and based on the mattress buying suggestions from Phoenix that I have been reading, we should be looking for a thinner, firmer comfort layer, correct? If that is the case, then it looks like I could simply rearrange the layers in the 12-in-1 mattress and be set for years to come!
Iām sure Iām oversimplifying this, but can someone help me understand why DreamFoam isnāt the best choice for EVERYBODY?
āJoel
Hi DJJazzyJoel22,
I switched your first post to the 12 in 1 customizable topic because it was posted in a topic about a different mattress.
The short answer is that there is no such thing as a mattress that is ābest for everybodyā. Different people prefer the feel and response of different materials (such as memory foam, latex, innersprings etc) or different designs and there are also more than 12 different types of mattresses or designs in the market that people may prefer that can accommodate the needs and preferences of different people which is why Dreamfoam and most other manufacturers make a wide range of different mattresses with many different designs and combinations of materials and components.
Having said that ā¦ IMO the Dreamfoam 12 in 1 is certainly a unique and great quality/value choice for those who are looking for a highly customizable mattress in a lower budget range that uses high quality polyfoam (normally found in higher priced mattresses) and where the odds a very high that one of the configurations will be very suitable for them in terms of PPP.
While it may not be for everyone ā¦ they certainly did a great job with the design of the mattress, the quality of the polyfoam, and options that the design makes available to customize the mattress after a purchase and itās a combination of benefits that would be very difficult to find in this budget range.
Phoenix
Hi DJJazzyJoel22,
While the mattress itself is new ā¦ the materials that it uses arenāt and they have been used for many years in the industry so its properties and durability are well known and in terms of durability a mattress is only as good as the quality of the materials inside it regardless of the specific mattress they are used in.
There is more about the many variables (including the person and the mattress) that can affect the durability and useful life of a mattress in post #4 here and the posts it links to and while there are too many variables for anyone to know how long a mattress will maintain its comfort and support for any specific individual ā¦ it would be a very reasonable to expect that it will maintain reasonable comfort and support for the length of the warranty. The top layers of a mattress are generally the limiting factor in the useful life of a mattress because they are subject to the most wear and tear from constant compression and if you happen to be one of the exceptions either because of your body type or because you are more sensitive to the normal changes and softening in a mattress over time ā¦ it also has the additional benefit that goes with a component mattress that you can just replace a single layer if you need to (or if your needs and preferences change) without having to replace the complete mattress.
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix,
I was reading your reply/post #108 under this topic. I am considering a latex mattress.
I live in zip code 86001, and if you can point me to a nearby retailer who might have a floor model for me to try out (say, in comparison to Tempur-Pedic), Iād appreciate it.
Thanks,
Michael
Hi MIMEWA,
There are very few good options that Iām aware of in the Flagstaff area (see post #2 here) and if I was in your shoes I would probably take a day trip to Phoenix where there are many great options available in the area including 3 of the members of this site which all make some great quality/value latex mattresses.
A trip there will give you the chance to compare the feel and performance of various latex mattresses with Tempurpedic memory foam mattresses but latex and memory foam are very different and arenāt directly comparable to each other (see post #2 here)
Phoenix