I have narrowed down our new mattress choices (after extensive research on your site and then trying various types of mattresses at local stores). I’m now wondering if one of these is clearly a smarter choice if the PPPs are quite similar. I’m considering an all-latex mattress or a hybrid model with a foam core and comfort layers made of latex.
My spouse and I are very different body weights. I’m 5’9", about 125 lbs; he is 6’3", but well over 300 lbs. I’m prefer a very soft mattress with proper spinal support. He likes soft, but not as soft as me. Clearly, his weight is the main issue concerning our choice of mattress.
Based on various models I tested in local stores, I’d loved something similar to Pure Latex Bliss Beautiful (but more in our budget). I also liked a hybrid model (about 6" foam core under two 3" layers of latex). Based on your site, I’m leaning toward Brooklyn Bedding’s 10" Total Latex mattress or their Aloe Alexis mattress. While the price of the Aloe Alexis is a bit better, it is a close enough difference that I don’t want price to be a determining factor.
Thanks to your site, I understand I can request a split king, trying to create a much softer side for me, and, for my husband, a somewhat soft but more durable and supportive side. My main question is whether the all-latex mattress or the Aloe Alexis with its foam core is better in our situation. Would a 10" mattress (9" of latex) be enough to support him long term?
Also, I have read your advice that, in general, a very soft ILD (I’m planning on 19 ILD for my top layer) would not be the best choice for someone of his weight. Is there a minimum ILD you would advise from BB (i.e., nothing less than 24/28/32)?
Thanks so very much for your help, and especially for all the work you do on your website!
[quote]My spouse and I are very different body weights. I’m 5’9", about 125 lbs; he is 6’3", but well over 300 lbs. I’m prefer a very soft mattress with proper spinal support. He likes soft, but not as soft as me. Clearly, his weight is the main issue concerning our choice of mattress.
Thanks to your site, I understand I can request a split king, trying to create a much softer side for me, and, for my husband, a somewhat soft but more durable and supportive side. My main question is whether the all-latex mattress or the Aloe Alexis with its foam core is better in our situation. Would a 10" mattress (9" of latex) be enough to support him long term?[/quote]
You’ve probably seen this but the first part of post #2 here has some information about choosing a mattress for a couple that have very different needs and preferences. As you mentioned … a side by side split construction can be an effective way to do this (if this is an option with a retailer or manufacturer you are considering) although there are also mattresses where the same layering on both sides can work well (where a more supportive transition layer for you would be part of the comfort layer for him and that had a very firm support core which he will need). The best way to choose would either be careful and objective testing using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post (with both of you on the mattress) or more detailed conversations with an online retailer or manufacturer.
Post #3 here also has more information about choosing a mattress for higher weight ranges where firmer layers and choosing more durable materials will be more important than it would for lighter weight ranges.
I would be quite cautious with his weight with a mattress that used upper layers that were as soft as the Beautiful because it could be more risky in terms of alignment.
Both the Total Latex Mattress or the Alexis could work well and both of them have the option of split layering in king size so you could each choose the side that was most suitable for you. There is more about latex hybrids vs all latex mattresses in post #2 here and as you can see I would lean towards all latex for someone that can comfortably afford it. The advantage of the total latex mattress of course is that is has the benefits of an all latex mattress and you can choose the type of latex and firmness of the support core and the firmness of the comfort layer. The Alexis has a standard firmness polyfoam support core but both of the latex layers on top can be customized or exchanged instead of only a single comfort layer.
While there are no minimums because it would depend on the specifics of the design and his own testing and experiences … I would hesitate to go below a medium firmness range with his weight or at least I would minimize the use of softer layers. A manufacturer will always be in the best position to give you more specific advice about their own mattresses though when you have a more detailed conversation with them on the phone about making your firmness choices (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding.
Thank you for such a detailed and informative response! I will take your advice and go with the all latex model. From your reply, I looked up any of the forum posts that I had not already read, and I am now wondering if you feel the 10" total latex on BB will be enough.
I’m sure that adding another 3" latex layer would provide some benefit, but is it enough to warrant the cost? I wish BB had a thicker, all latex mattress. I suppose I could add a 3" topper (approx $400 in King), but this is a pretty significant jump in price. Thoughts?
Another online option might be SleepEZ’s 13000. Again, the price is a big jump, but if you feel the extra 3" layer is important given my hubby’s size, then I will see if we can make it work. With current online specials and the fact that we need a foundation, it would end up costing me more to go with SleepEZ’s 13000 than BB’s 10" Total latex + 3" topper. Besides the return policy, is there an advantage to either option?
Your husband is in a weight range that he may well benefit from an extra 3" of latex not so much because he needs it (it’s unlikely he will actually bottom out on 9" of latex) but it may well be a preference because the thicker mattress will be more adaptable and have a wider range between soft and firm which can be useful with higher weights (see post #14 here). The only way to answer “is it worth it” would be based on his personal experience. I would encourage you to have a conversation with both manufacturers you mentioned on the phone so you can have a more detailed conversation with each of them. They will both have much more experience and customer feedback about their specific mattress designs from their customers in similar weight ranges than I do and they will be the best source of more specific and detailed guidance about their own designs.
You would always have the option of starting with 9" and then adding another 3" if you feel it’s necessary (making sure you give some careful thought to the firmness and position of the additional layer or topper).
It would depend on the specific configuration you choose but the biggest difference would be that the SleepEz design has more individual layers which can provide more options to customize the mattress (or in some cases add some additional complexity) before and after a purchase.
Thank you for your thoughtful answers to my additional questions! I will do as you recommend and speak with the companies’ customer service reps. Thanks to you and your website, I feel much more prepared to ask the specific questions that are most important to us.
I will come back with updates. I always appreciated when your members would write back with their experiences.
I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding and of course any ongoing comments or feedback you have the chance to share after your decision as well
They are a a Mattress Underground member. I bought a dual side comfort latex mattress through them. My husband is 230 lbs. & I am 150 lbs. We share a single layer of softer Talalay in our top layer. My husband’s side is firm, firm, med/soft. My side is firm, med, med/soft.
I am happy with the price, value for Latex Green dunlop & natural talalay toppper. Each layer is 3 inches. Henry helped us choose a dual comfort mattress. Good price, Free Shipping, No Tax, 90 day exchange at no charge, 30 yr. warranty.
I am a careful shopper because I don’t have much discretionary income.
They match competitors pricing every day, but from what I see beat most as the quality of materials is high. They have a sale through April which beats even the MU discount.
Thanks - I agree that they should put them on the website. I’ve been looking for a reasonably priced soft Talalay topper, but so far all I’ve found have been out of my price range for a queen size.
Hi Phoenix - most of the 3" Talalay toppers I’ve seen are close to the $500 range. I’m trying to find one closer to $300, but would want a cover for it as well - I don’t think an uncovered piece of N1 or 14-19 ILD would fare too well without a cover.
Ideally I initially wanted all natural Talalay, but have come around to the notion that I may well have to go with a blend to come anywhere near my price point, I’m waiting for a quote from KTT, and am going to request one from Flexus as well after seeing this thread.
I’m still having bilateral hip pain radiating downward whenever I take the feather bed topper off the dunlop mattress, even though the mattress is soft. Just went to see my doctor about the pain, who put me on a prednisone taper (which has helped the pain, although I don’t know why except that it always seems to help the joint/muscle pain caused by my auto-immune disease), and had back x-rays taken although I don’t yet know the results. He’s a DO and not an MD, for whatever that’s worth, and did say if it’s the mattress causing that type of pain he thinks it would be an indication that it’s too firm rather than too soft since I told him my spine was in good alignment on the mattress.
That all amounts to the fact that I’m still trying to find a good solution that doesn’t involve buying a rather expensive feather/down topper every 2-3 years, and a soft Talalay topper seems a logical option, and hopefully one that would last longer.
Unfortunately … it’s not too likely you will find an all natural Talalay topper with a good cover in that price range.
The lowest cost in blended Talalay will probably be closer to your target range with a good cover (perhaps still a little higher).
[quote]I’m still having bilateral hip pain radiating downward whenever I take the feather bed topper off the dunlop mattress, even though the mattress is soft. Just went to see my doctor about the pain, who put me on a prednisone taper (which has helped the pain, although I don’t know why except that it always seems to help the joint/muscle pain caused by my auto-immune disease), and had back x-rays taken although I don’t yet know the results. He’s a DO and not an MD, for whatever that’s worth, and did say if it’s the mattress causing that type of pain he thinks it would be an indication that it’s too firm rather than too soft since I told him my spine was in good alignment on the mattress.
That all amounts to the fact that I’m still trying to find a good solution that doesn’t involve buying a rather expensive feather/down topper every 2-3 years, and a soft Talalay topper seems a logical option, and hopefully one that would last longer. [/quote]
While of course all of this is just “best guess” information … given that your featherbed seems to work for you I would suspect that you may need a softer fiber material on top or at least a material that has a more “relaxed” surface with less shear forces (see my comments in post #8 here and in post #7 here).
If you do decide to try a Talalay topper I’ll certainly be interested in finding out how it works for you.
I’ve done some poking around on the internet, but still can’t seem to understand the concept of “shear forces” when it comes to a mattress. Could you explain it a bit more in the “shear forces for idiots” kind of approach, please?
I know I can live with a featherbed - but I also know that it’s been my experience that they need replacing every 2-3 years, or at least the ones I’ve had have been that way.
The baffling never seems to hold the contents where they should be for longer than that, and one reason for buying a latex bed, in my mind, is so one can stop spending money on a bed, except for linens, for many years.
I’m sure part of my problem is how picky I am, but for me a featherbed needs a bit more than 5% down mix, and it needs to be the pricier goose feathers because duck feathers never seem to lose their smell to me. The one I have now is the best The Company Store offered in 2011, and needs replacing. Pacific Coast doesn’t like to disclose whether they’re using duck or goose, or country of origin, and Downlite seems to have gone more to duck than anything else, and doesn’t have much of a selection these days. Those are the only ones I’ve looked into in the sub-$500 range, because I just can’t pay an exorbitant amount for one of the premium featherbeds, especially if even those might have a limited lifespan.
My back x-rays did show some scoliosis (don’t know if that’s new or a lifelong problem since I’ve never had my back x-rayed before) and some degenerative changes commonly seen with aging, and my doctor wants to refer me for some physical therapy. I’ll be interested in seeing if the physical therapist has any input as far as whether my back is contributing to the hip pain, if it could be mattress related, or whatever else I can learn from the experience.
I just keep thinking about trying a Talalay topper because I think it would be softer than the comfort layer on the dunlop mattress, and should certainly last more than the 2-3 years that a featherbed will last. Then again, I sure don’t want to be throwing more money away if this thing I don’t understand called “shear forces” is a problem that can’t be solved with a latex topper, no matter how it’s made.
Latex is a very resilient and elastic material so when you compress it the latex beside the point of compression wants to pull back up and return to its original position with more force than other materials which can pull on the skin so under the point of compression the forces are downward and beside the point of compression along the skin the forces are upward. A more extreme example of shear forces would be the old child’s game of giving someone an indian burn on the forearm where the skin is stretched in opposite directions. Shear forces are forces which act in different directions. Polyfoam and fiber quilting materials have less shear forces (they are less elastic and resilient) which is one of the reasons that some people prefer them with a latex mattress. Very low density or ILD latex would also have less shear forces than higher ILD latex but it’s still a more resilient material than fiber or other types of foam.
A wool topper (see post #8 here) may also work or even a lower cost down alternative (slick polyester) fiberbed may be helpful and it would be less costly to replace than a featherbed. A shredded latex or lanoodles topper may also be worth considering because the latex is in small pieces and the latex beside the point of compression isn’t connected to the latex that is being compressed and can “move” instead of “stretch”.
Thanks for the simplification - I think I’ve got a better handle on the concept now, altho it never would have occurred to me to apply that kind of thing to a mattress covered by a mattress protector and a sheet.
I do have one of the LaNoodle toppers, since sometime before last Christmas. It’s helped, and is certainly better than not having it on the mattress, but the hip pain returned two different times now after periods of a couple of weeks when I’ve slept on that without the featherbed.
I just took the featherbed back off the bed today to give the LaNoodle topper another try. I like the way it feels, when I lie down on it I feel very comfortable. The only problem is that deep burning, aching bilateral hip pain that radiates towards my knees that so far only seems to be avoided by the use of the featherbed.
A lot of the time I think I should just give up and resign myself to always needing a featherbed, but then I go thru these periods of frustration about the whole thing and return to trying to understand the problem and arrive at a different solution, even though I’m aware there may be no better solution for me.
I admire your tenacity and while you’re right that there may be no “perfect” solution when you are dealing with more challenging circumstances … there may be some combination that can improve things to some degree.
Shear forces may not be the only thing that changes with a featherbed. Paradoxically … while a featherbed can add some cushioning under the pressure points … it also increases the surface area that is in contact with the latex which can reduce the amount it compresses.
This won’t happen with the lanoodles so the layering that it works best on may be different from the layering that works best with the featherbed.
Can you remind me of the layering that works best for you with the featherbed and the layering that you used underneath the lanoodles topper?
