Hello,
I was wondering if you had any recommendations that make a slow response latex mattress… Natural latex seems to rebound too fast for my comfort. If I could find a bed that had a slow response latex.?
Ben
Hi bernerlandson,
I can’t think of any specific mattresses that use a layer of slow response latex off the top of my head (although I’m pretty sure there are some) but you can buy slow response Dunlop as a topper or as part of a DIY component mattress from Arizona Premium here.
Phoenix
I was looking at essentia and read a thread were people said it was basically a slow response latex. What mattress’s are similar to essentia that you know of?
Ben
Hi benerlandson,
There are some comments about Essentia and some of the misleading claims they make and some forum discussions with them (as well as some of the FTC issues they have had about their claims) in this thread and this thread and posts #3 and #4 here). Some of the discussion in this topic may be helpful as well. I certainly wouldn’t treat the information on their website (or on some of the other websites I’ve seen that write about them either) as a reliable source of “fact based” information and I would also make some very careful “value” comparisons before considering any Essentia mattress because they do tend to be in a higher budget range than other mattresses that use similar materials.
There is more information in post #9 here about the different ways that one mattress can “match” or “approximate” another one. Every layer and component in a mattress (including the cover and any quilting materials) will affect the feel and performance of every other layer and component and the mattress “as a whole” so unless you are able to find another mattress that uses exactly the same type of materials, components, cover and quilting, layer thicknesses, layer firmnesses, and overall design (which would be very unlikely) then there really isn’t a reliable way to match one mattress to another one in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) based on the specifications of the mattresses (even assuming that you can find out all the specifications you would need for both mattresses you are comparing in the first place).
Mattress manufacturers generally try to differentiate their mattress from the mattresses made by other manufacturers and don’t normally try to “match” another mattress that is made by a different manufacturer so unless a manufacturer specifically says in their description of a mattress that one of their mattresses in the same general category is specifically designed to “match” or “approximate” another one in terms of firmness or “feel” and PPP and/or they are very familiar with both mattresses and can provide reliable guidance about how they compare based on the “averages” of a larger group of people that have compared them (different people may have very different opinions about how two mattresses compare) … the only reliable way to know for certain how two mattresses would compare for you in terms of how they “feel” or in terms of firmness or PPP (regardless of anyone else’s opinions of how they compare which may be different from your own) would be based on your own careful testing or actual sleeping experience on both of them.
I don’t know of any other manufacturer that makes a mattress that they specifically describe as being similar to any of the Essentia mattresses although there may be some mattresses that use various types or layers of memory foam on top of Dunlop latex that may be “somewhat similar” but again … the only way to know for certain whether another mattress will feel similar to you (regardless of whether it feels similar to someone else) will be based on your own careful testing or your own personal experience.
I would also be very cautious about using a specific mattress as a “target” or “reference point” unless you are open to buying that specific mattress because it may not be the “best” match for you in the first place in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP compared to other mattresses that you haven’t tried yet and you could end up excluding many other mattresses that may be similar (or even quite different) but may be a better choice for you in terms of PPP. In other words … I would rate every mattress you consider against a common set of criteria based on suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you rather than rating them based on how similar they may be to another mattress.
Phoenix
Does anyone know what is in the slow response latex? I am trying to avoid introducing petroleum based mattress products into our bed. We really like the feel of slow response latex, but no one can tell me if or what chemicals are in it. I have emailed with Ken at mattresses.net, spoken with a local mattress manufacturer, and even emailed Talalay International. None of these avenues have given me any information on potential chemical exposure via the product. I cannot find any info about it on the internet either.
We are looking at natural mattress options. My wife is 5’7" 135lbs - back and side sleeper and I am 6’ 178lbs side sleeper. She wants a plush top layer because otherwise nothing feels “soft to her” because she is so light and I need a softer top layer or my shoulders and hips hurt in the morning. Slow response latex seems like a good option, but I am not putting a topper on my mattress when I have no idea what is in it. Any info into this would be very helpful! Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi Warrior372,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :).
The slow recovery latex is essentially a blended SBR latex…but with a chemical package added, I think in a final mixing stage, which works with essentially the same Talalay blended formula but gives it slow response characteristics. I do not know the exact chemicals (slow recovery) used, not sure anyone does on this forum.
Here is a good post from Phoenix regarding natural and sbr latex.
And similar information in this post.
Thanks,
Sensei
Warrior372…I’ll add that while it won’t give you the slow response, you can at least get that feeling of cradling and point elasticity by taking the cover off a light talalay latex topper and using stretchier sheets. It all feels very different once it’s “wrapped up” in the mattress casing and/or topper cover.
Thank you for the info and links to similar topic posts in other forum threads.
So what do you make of this then - if you search Puralux (which is one of the slow response latex options) what you will find is that it states that it is 100% latex with no filler. If this is true then they are just introducing chemicals somewhere in the process to alter the characteristics of the Talalay then? Or are they mixing natural latex with synthetic so that technically it is all “latex”? I would think that the ingredients in synthetic latex would be considered “filler”.
There seems to be a cloak of secrecy over these items. Thank you for helping me wade through this.
Thank you for the tip! It makes sense that the mattress encasement itself would compress the top comfort layer making it harder then it was otherwise intended to feel. It seems like the lowest ILD for 100% Talalay is 14-19. It looks like that is what most sites consider to be “plush”.
Hey Warrior372,
I am sorry to say “cloak of secrecy” and mattress industry go hand in hand. That said, regarding latex TMU has quite detailed information to help with this, as smaller more independent companies like our members do a better job with latex mattresses.
All of the latex is 100% latex, and all of them refer to the NR and SBR as being the latex. The filler in the latex industry. The most common “filler” used in latex processing is Silica, also known as silicon dioxide or SiO2, is a colorless, white, chemical compound. Silica is made of the most common elements on earth, silicon (Si) and oxygen (O2). It’s also the most abundant compound in the earth’s crust, where it makes up 59% of the total composition. Silica is used everywhere, from industrial applications to the food and beverage industry.
Also, all latex manufacturing technically uses some chemicals so the vulcanization process can take place, even if the formula is 100% natural. Talalay latex uses carbon dioxide gas as a gelling agent while Dunlop latex uses sodium fluorosilicate. Additionally, all latex formulas use zinc oxide as a gelling agent. Way too much chemistry…sorry!!!
To conclude a latex foam rubber would be called 100% NR if the liquid latex used to make the foam was all from the Hevea tree. If the liquid latex in the process that was all man-made, it would be called 100% SBR latex. If the latex foam rubber used a portion of liquid latex from the Hevea tree and a portion of man-made liquid latex, it would be termed SBR/NR (blended) latex rubber foam.
Thanks,
Sensei