After 2 months of research, I’m finally ready to order our latex mattress from SleepEZ.
I’m 5 3/4" tall and 130 lbs. Measurements fairly balanced ( not pear-shaped etc.). Sleep position is mostly side sleeping. I may start out on my back for a short time, but after that, I end up on my side. I usually turn over onto back when shoulder pain needs relief or when I get too warm. Our bed finally ruined my right shoulder, so that leaves only the left side for sleeping.
Our local furniture store carries a very comfortable all natural Talalay latex mattress which I love! However, we do not love the 3,000 price tag or the “no trail period” policy. They called the manufacturer for me and sent me the specs. They are as follows…
All Talalay- not a blend… ( their softest ‘Euro-top’ mattress).
OVER:
6" Talalay 36 ILD CORE (I’ve tried their 2-1" layers of 19 ILD over the 36" core and that’s too firm).
I’m currently sleeping on a sagging innerspring mattress, tossing and turning all night long with neck, back, and top of shoulder pain which never seems to go away. My shoulders are very sensitive and I most likely fall into the "princess and the pea’ category.
I’ve learned that the comfort layers are critical…I must get them right (or as close as possible). Ok…we’re wanting to order a SleepEZ 10000 Talalay latex blend using Radium foam. SleepEZ thinks I can get the closest to the feel of the furniture store mattress by building the comfort layers with 1- 3" soft (19-20ILD) , which is actually 2.8" ( and according to my husband, aprox. 2 3/4" ) over 1- 3" firm (38-40ILD). I guess I’m really questioning how I can get the softness needed with a 2.8" top layer when the one in the store is 4’'of soft latex. If I were to try 2- 3" soft comfort layers from SleepEZ, then I would be at about 5 1/2" of soft (19-20ILD) comfort layers, which I suspect would be too soft…as did Shawn. I’m thinking that 1-3"(2.8") comfort layer may be too firm, but 2-3"(2.8") comfort layers may be too soft. Do you think I should consider adding another thin layer (such as a 1.5"soft ILD) to put on top of or underneath the SleepEZ 10000 3" (2.8") top comfort layer? The two together would equal 4 1/4"of soft comfort layers. I guess I’d have to ask if SleepEZ’s 100000 cover would hold an added 1.5" layer of latex. What do you think of all this?
I’m not sure which mattress this was but based on all the ILD’s you were given I would strongly suspect that this was blended Talalay made by Latex International (which is still 100% Talalay) … not 100% natural Talalay (which doesn’t have specific ILD’s and is normally rated from N1 - N5 rather than by specific ILD’s).
I would start with the combination that Shawn suggested which is the closest they believe they can come to the specs you listed based on the options they have available (without going too soft) and then use your actual sleeping experience to decide on any changes or additions to the mattress. Once you have decided on the initial combination that has the highest probability of success then beyond that your actual experience would be the most effective way to know what to add or change after that.
Do you think there would be less risk involved if I considered trying to duplicate the store mattress layer by layer, i.e., same thickness, ILD’s, etc. rather than experimenting with thicker layers and slightly different ILDs. as I’ve been doing.
In considering the SleepEZ 10000, with 3- 3" layers, it’s been explained to me that I’ll only really be sinking into the first two layers (at the most), so what role does the third layer play? If my particular comfort needs require a Soft layer on top and a Firm layer in the middle, then what 's best for the third layer? Should I choose another Firm for the support core since it seems that most of the cores sold online are 6"… S-F-F. We seriously considered the 13000 for more layering options, but I’m not sure we’d be gaining anything by doing this. (My husband is 5’8" and 160 lbs.) I’m wondering if it might be overkill. I
This can be a risky approach and can have some surprising outcomes. Trying to “match” another mattress can be tricky (see post #9 here) and depends on the accuracy of the information you have about the mattress you are trying to duplicate (including the cover) and your ability to find the exact same layers elsewhere (type of latex, layer thickness, ILD, and a very similar cover). There is more about a DIY approach and the risks and costs that can be involved in post #15 here. It can be fun and a great learning experience if a “spirit of adventure” and experimentation is more important to you than the cost savings that may not turn out to be what you are hoping for if you make any mistakes.
All the layers in a mattress will compress to some degree but the top layers will compress much more than the bottom layer. The middle layer is more of a transition layer that can “help” both the comfort/pressure relief and the alignment/support of the mattress. The thickness of individual layers or the mattress as a whole though can make a significant difference in the “feel” of a mattress and how well it adapts to each person’s body contours and in how good a match it is in terms of PPP. There is more in post #14 here about the effect of layer thickness and the thickness of a mattress.
Post #2 here has more about having more options vs less but it’s not likely that at your weight you would “need” them.
When you are dealing with an online manufacturer and you haven’t tested a specific mattress or design in person (or something very close to the same design in your local testing) then a knowledgeable and experienced manufacturer or retailer will know more about how well the different options they have will “match” different body types and sleeping styles “on average” than anyone else (including me) and I would make your choice based on more detailed conversations with them (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here) and then factor in the possibility of a layer exchange as part of the process that you may or may not need based on your actual experience.
I’ve reread the posts you recommended…we’ve found them most helpful. Well, as my husband (a true Texan) would say, we’ve “pulled the trigger”, so our SleepEZ 13000 should be arriving by next Wed. or Thurs.! I’m hoping that my ‘follow-up’ post will be full of good news.
The service you provide has been most valuable and appreciated …we thank you for your efforts on behalf of all of us “sleep-deprived” people!
Thanks for letting us know what you ended up deciding and as you know I think you made a great choice!
Congratulations on your new mattress
I’m looking forward to your feedback when you’ve receive it and have had the chance to sleep on it a bit … or of course about any “tweaking” you may decide to do with your layers.
