Unfortunately there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone else to know which mattress would be the best match for someone else in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance”. The most reliable way to know whether any mattress is a good match for someone regardless of any health condition or injury would be their own careful and objective testing using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
When you can’t test a mattress in person then the options you have available to you after a purchase to either make changes to the mattress by rearranging or exchanging layers or to exchange or return the mattress itself would become a much more important part of the “value” of your purchase so that you can use your own sleeping experience to decide whether a mattress is a suitable match for you with less risk. A mattress that is “perfect” for one person that has a slipped disc may be completely unsuitable for someone else with the same condition to sleep on.
There is also more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful “value” comparisons between mattresses.
The Natura Tropical mattress at Costco is the same as the Twilight mattress listed on the Naturaworld site here. These are all high quality materials and there are no weak links in the mattress in terms of durability. Only your own testing or experience will be able to tell you though whether this would be a suitable choice in terms of PPP though and while Costco wouldn’t be a reliable source of guidance … they do have a good return policy so you can use your own sleeping experience to decide on whether it’s a good match for you and whether to keep it or return it.
This is a very different design and would be very much of an apples to oranges comparison with the Natura. There is more about comparing a latex support core with an innerspring support core in post #28 here but it will really come down to personal preference. They appear to provide a choice between a gel memory foam comfort layer and a Talalay latex comfort layer but if you were to choose the Talalay latex then there would be no obvious weak links in this mattress either as long as the polyfoam that is quilted to the cover is in the range of “about an inch or so”. If it’s two inches or more then I would want to know the density of the quilting layer (see the guidelines here). This also uses a polyfoam edge support so I would want to know the density of this as well … especially if you tend to regularly sit on the side of your mattress (see post #2 here about innerspring edge support).
This appears to be a two sided memory foam mattress which is unusual and it may have a firmer and a softer side so you can choose which side you would prefer to sleep on (they would be able to confirm this). They don’t list the quality/density of the layers though so I can’t make any meaningful comments about the quality of the materials or whether there are any obvious weak links in the mattress. There also appears to be a mistake in the description because the middle support layer would almost certainly be polyfoam not memory foam (which isn’t really a suitable support material in a mattress).
If you can find out the quality specs of this mattress (see this article) I’d be happy to make some comments about the quality of the materials and whether there are any obvious weak links in the mattress.
If the Flou gel memory foam turns out to use high quality materials and you can confirm that there are no weak links in the mattress then the choice between latex and memory foam comfort layers would also be a preference choice and there is more about the differences between them in post #6 here but it will really be a matter of which type of material your testing indicates you tend to prefer.
Once you have eliminated any mattresses that have any weak links in the design or materials and/or that you aren’t sure would be a good match for you in terms of PPP (or that don’t have a good return or exchange policy if you aren’t sure) and you are down to finalists that are choices between “good and good” and there are no clear winners between them, then your final choice (see post #2 here) will really be a matter of “best judgement” based on all the objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the prices of course and the options that you have available after a purchase if it doesn’t turn out to be as suitable for you as you hoped for).
Thanks for the quick and extremely detailed response
I am curious why you consider this latex/pocket coil hybrid to have no obvious weak links if I choose the latex comfort layer?
Should I worry about the pocket coils as possible weak links?
My assumption would be that a mattress like this would be less durable than an all latex mattress like the natura
[quote]I am curious why you consider this latex/pocket coil hybrid to have no obvious weak links if I choose the latex comfort layer?
Should I worry about the pocket coils as possible weak links?
My assumption would be that a mattress like this would be less durable than an all latex mattress like the natura[/quote]
There is more about the many variables that can affect durability and the useful life of a mattress relative to each person in post #4 here and the posts it links to but the upper layers of a mattress are generally the weakest link of the mattress because they are more subject to compression forces that can soften or break down a material and the support core will have much less effect on the durability and useful life of a mattress. In the case of both of these mattresses the upper layers are latex so while the Natura may have a slight edge (depending on the thickness of the latex in the Flou Latex Coil Hybrid and on how much you would be compressing the innerspring “through” the latex comfort layer), in practical “real life” terms they would be closely comparable in terms of durability.
I mentioned that this was subject to choosing the latex comfort layer vs the gel memory foam comfort layer because I don’t know the density of the gel memory foam so I couldn’t make any meaningful comments about it although even if it was a good quality/density memory foam a latex comfort layer would still have an edge in terms of durability.
[quote]After more research on this forum I realized I can be getting better value and something more geared towards my needs from some where like Dormio
I’ll keep you posted [/quote]
I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback after your visit. As you know I think highly of Dormio and John and they are also a member here so you will certainly get some accurate information and good guidance when you go there.
6" Medium or firm G.O.L.S. Certified Organic latex and 2" of medium organic latex encased in organic cotton cover, with a 3" soft latex topper provides excellent pressure point relieving support.
The core is extremely durable, flexible and resilient to mold and dust mites.
3" latex topper, consisting of 2" extra soft latex, with 1" of organic wool, 100% organic cotton four way stretch cover.
Naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic.
No movement is transferred from one sleeper to the next.
Removable washable organic cotton cover.
Available in: Medium or firm.
Do I need to worry about the wool being a weak component?
Also, do you have any recommendations for pillows? Should I go with latex as well?
No … the wool would improve temperature regulation and have a more “relaxed” and less resilient sleeping surface compared to sleeping more directly on latex which many people prefer but it wouldn’t be a weak link in the mattress.
While a pillow needs to keep your head and neck in good alignment in all your sleeping positions on a specific mattress … the type of materials in a pillow are strictly a matter of personal preference not a “better worse” choice. There is more about choosing a pillow in the pillow topic here and the other sources of information and the posts it links to that may be helpful.
We decided to go with this mattress as I felt it offered a good combination of support that was not too firm while providing pressure relief
6" firm G.O.L.S. Certified Organic latex and 2" of medium organic latex encased in organic cotton cover, with a 3" soft latex topper provides excellent pressure point relieving support.
The core is extremely durable, flexible and resilient to mold and dust mites.
3" latex topper, consisting of 2" extra soft latex, with 1" of organic wool, 100% organic cotton four way stretch cover.
Naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic.
No movement is transferred from one sleeper to the next.
Removable washable organic cotton cover.
My question for you is if I were to swap the bottom firm layer with the middle medium layer, would it make the mattress firmer or softer?
Moving a firmer layer closer to the sleeping surface would make your mattress feel firmer and it would be more “supportive” (your heavier parts wouldn’t sink into the mattress quite as far). With a 3" layer on top in both configurations … some people would notice the difference more or less than others depending on their body type, sleeping positions, and their sensitivity.
You certainly made a high quality choice … and congratulations on your new mattress
I hope you have the chance to share your feedback when you’ve received it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.
We originally were going to purchase one of their 2 layer models but realized that a 2 layer system would be very restrictive in terms of the flexibility of configurations.
Having a soft, medium, and firm layer seems like a safe way to go for someone who enjoys sleeping in various positions
After sleeping on the mattress for a few weeks, I noticed my hips and legs going numb after sleeping on my side. The mattress feels great when lying on my back but I prefer sleeping on my side.
I am approximately 5’9 and 165lbs with wide shoulders
I am still within my 90 day comfort exchange policy and debating whether or not to swap the 6" firm core with a 6" medium core.
My concern would be that a m/m/s layering would be too soft
[quote]After sleeping on the mattress for a few weeks, I noticed my hips and legs going numb after sleeping on my side. The mattress feels great when lying on my back but I prefer sleeping on my side.
I am approximately 5’9 and 165lbs with wide shoulders[/quote]
While I can’t feel what you feel on the mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved to make any specific suggestions based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory” in terms of PPP (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here) … there are some suggestions in post #2 here that may be helpful while you are still going through the initial adjustment and break in period for your mattress.
There is also more about primary or “deep” support and secondary or “surface” support and their relationship to firmness and pressure relief and the “roles” of different layers in a mattress in post #2 here and in post #4 here that may also be helpful in clarifying the difference between “support” and “pressure relief” that may help you identify the types of changes that might help you sleep better.
It would certainly be worthwhile to talk with Dormio about the options you have to make changes to the mattress but if you still notice the same “symptoms” after a little longer period of time (or after trying some of the other suggestions in the post I linked) then it would likely mean that the upper layers are a little to firm for you and it may be worth considering changing the firmness of the upper layers if that’s an option that you have available. Changing the firmness of the support core from firm to medium would also have “some effect” on the firmness of the sleeping surface (every layer affects the feel and performance of all the other layers and the mattress as a whole) and would likely still provide you with good primary support at your body weight but it may not be as effective as softening up the upper layers of your sleeping system if the “symptoms” you are experiencing are more related to pressure relief and “comfort” than with support/alignment.
A wool quilted cotton protector can have “some” effect on the feel and performance of the latex underneath it similar to wool quilting (see post #6 here) although the St Dormeir wool quilting is thinner and the cover has a little bit more stretch than many other similar protectors. You could test the effect by lying on the mattress without the protector to see how much difference you can feel.
Yes … a thicker less stretchy mattress protector can affect the ability of softer latex underneath it to some degree to contour to the shape of your body which generally “translates” into a “feel” that is a little firmer. There is more about the pros and cons of different types of mattress protectors in post #89 here. In general the thinner and more stretchy a topper is the less effect it will have on the feel of your mattress.
Other than the effect of any protector or a mattress pad you may be using … to make a mattress softer you would generally either need either a softer comfort layer or a soft topper.
I hope so too … but one of the advantages of having a sleeping system that includes a topper is that you can exchange a topper for a softer version (either initially or down the road if your needs and preferences change) without changing or replacing the entire mattress or adding another topper although any costs involved would depend on the retailer you are dealing with and the options they have available and their exchange policies.
