Hi Rob G,
There are probably two directions you could go to answer this. One of course is any individual experiences that others have had. Talking to manufacturers such as SleepEz and others though who actually make mattresses with split layering will probably be the best source of the whole range of opinions that many different people would have about split layering. Their focus is much more on informing people than it is “selling” people so they would have a large “database” of feedback all along the spectrum of opinion and individual “reactions” to split layering and what they tell you can be trusted and would give you a much wider range of responses and possibilities that may affect you.
While I don’t have lots of personal experience with the many different possible types of split layering … I do have lots of feedback from different people and manufacturers so I can give you some of the variables that will help to account for the wide range of different opinions people have about this so you can see where in the range you may fit.
If the layering on each side is the same and there is a suitable quilted cover … most people would not feel the split in even the top layer or be able to tell the difference between a split layer and a solid layer unless they were unusually sensitive and sleeping in the exact right position to make it the most obvious (right on the edge of their side) and/or the cover was a type that didn’t “even out” the split as well. In practical terms it would not be an issue for most people with an appropriate tight fitting quilted cover. Latex is so “squishy” and “sticky” that the actual split in the layers inside a suitable good quality tight quilted cover won’t be felt and also wouldn’t be an issue with shifting or durability.
The bigger the difference between the sides though … the more noticeable the transition area in the middle will be not so much because of the split itself but because of the difference in firmness levels. Of course this also depends on where on the mattress each person sleeps.
The quilting/ticking will also make a difference. More stretchy covers that are unquilted will allow someone to feel more of the foam underneath than a quilted cover which will “even out” the split layer. The quilting and type of cover used will even out the differences or at least make the transition between them more gradual. With a thin stretchy unquilted cover it would be a good idea to have an unsplit layer of latex on the top.
A layer of solid latex on top will also make a difference and of course the thicker this layer is the more it will moderate the feeling of the different firmness levels of each side below it. Some manufacturers will use an inch or two of foam for this purpose while a comfort layer that is unsplit and several inches thick would moderate any differences or the transition between the split layers even more. In other words a split construction can be used to provide different levels of “comfort/pressure relief” in the top layers, different levels of “support alignment” in the deeper layers, or a combination of both depending on the design and the individual preferences of each couple.
Where and how a couple sleeps can also make a difference and different people are also more or less sensitive to any variance between the sides. I do know from my own personal experience though that some people sleep sprawled all over a mattress while some tend to stay in “their own” narrow area that is “left over” :). Couples who sleep “cuddled” very close together in the middle of the mattress would probably notice a bigger difference in the transition area than those who sleep more on their own side.
For a minority of people and depending on weight and sleeping positions … the “edge effect” of foam layers can result in the split layers feeling a little softer in the middle of the mattress if you are in higher weight ranges relative to the firmness of your layers or if a couple sleeps in a “spoon” position very close together right in the middle of the mattress and there are also a few people have mentioned that in these cases they can experience “roll together” in the middle of the mattress.
Overall … a side to side split can have significant benefits for some couples that have different needs and preferences because each side of the mattress can have a different design and firmness level but with all things “mattresses” it also has a tradeoff and each person may choose what is best for them in different ways and with different preferences.
In practical terms though … and based on the large majority of feedback I’ve had from manufacturers and consumers … most people who choose split layers that are not “radically different” from each other would likely tell you that it was well worth it and any slight difference between sides was not an issue and that they don’t feel the actual split at all with an appropriate tight fitting cover that is designed for it.
Hope this helps
Phoenix
