Without writing an essay let me try and summarize my problem as well as share my experience with Sleep EZ.
After pouring over this and other websites I decided that a latex mattress was the way to go. While spending last winter in Florida we went to City Mattress and tried out their Pranasleep 100% Latex Mattresses. Very nice mattresses with $8,000 - $10,000 price tag. Store literature stated that latex was 100% talalay from Latex International. Store was very tight lipped on construction and the best we could get out of them was that mattress was medium firm and about 13 inches thick.
Given that I knew enough about latex manufacturers by this time and the fact that their prices were out of the question, I knew that Sleep EZ and others used International Latex in their mattresses. So we purchased the Sleep EZ 13000 mattress with 100% talalay latex according to their recommendations after we provided them our height and weight measurements. Top two layers for my wife was soft over soft and mine was medium over medium with firmer layers below. After we assembled the mattress we were underwhelmed that what we had purchased was no where near what we had experienced in the store with the Pranasleep Mattresses. The cover was a cotton cover over a layer of wool. Unfortunately was no plush feeling for the top layer and after sleeping on it for a couple of weeks my wife was waking up with her extremities falling asleep. My side also lacked any plushness. Given that we were already soft over soft there was not any layer adjustments we could perform and she was not getting the pressure relief she needed. Given the price of the mattress we were not very happy and decided to return it.
Sleep EZ was very cooperative and readily agreed to accept our return and refund out purchase price when they received the return. Since the customer is responsible for return shipping I did the best I could to repackage and return the mattress sections in the boxes they were shipped in. When I asked Sleep Ez for advice on how to package all they said was that you have to roll the mattress sections tight. Unfortunately this was no small task. I had to roll each section and tie with cord and then insert in large trash bag. With the help of a shop vac I was able to suck the air out of the bags and shrink the mattress sections down to smaller size. Once it was shrunk I wrapped the bags with wrapping film to hold the shape and size. I only had to add one additional carton to get it all back into the original boxes for return.
Now we were back on our original old bed and it is now creating problems for my back and we have to get a new mattress soon I still believe that latex is the best mattress, but I do not know how to achieve the plush top layer that will provide more pressure relief. [/b]Admittedly we are getting older (68 and 72) and we like more softness but we still need support. I am hesitant to get a memory foam mattress as I think I would just get a different set of problems, smells, temperature effect, etc.
Upon reflection I think that the Pranasleep Mattresses must have had some additional layer of soft foam on top of the latex that provided the plush top feeling. Given the fancy embroidery pattern of the top layer I a suspecting it may have been poly foam so that it would go through the sewing machines. All I remember was that it felt very plush on top and supportive down below. I want to recreate this is another mattress.
I am now considering a Flobeds mattress given that the top layer of their mattresses consists of a 2.5 inch convoluted latex foam and an adjustable zone top layer. Unfortunately there is no way to know if this will work aside from getting advice and ultimately trying it out. Flobeds does has a good layer exchange program and return policy if that is necessary. Do you think this will get us what we want or is there something else we should try?
Flobeds also has a hybrid latex mattress with a 2.5 inch soy memory foam top layer and all latex layers below. Is this a good alternative in your opinion or is it a waste to buy talalay latex as a base and then add a memory foam top?
I’m sorry to hear your mattress didn’t work out as well as you hoped and I’m glad that you had the foresight to order a mattress with a good return policy.
You can see the layers in many of the Prana mattresses on the Jordans website here. As you can see, all or their “all latex” mattresses use at least 2" or more of polyfoam in the top layer of their mattresses so the surface feel would come from the polyfoam rather than latex. You can read more about the Pranasleep mattresses in post #3 here and in post #2 here and in post #3 here and a forum search on Prana (you can just click this) will also bring up more information and feedback about them as well.
Their “default” Talalay latex is actually from Radium not from Latex International but they are very similar and they will provide LI Talalay on request (although they “suggest” the Radium).
While your combination would certainly be “inside the averages” that would work well for the large majority of people … not everyone has the same needs or preferences or is “inside the averages” which is why a good return policy can be important for those few who don’t do well with an all latex mattress. Hopefully the previous comments will help explain why they were different from the Pranasleep (outside of any differences in the thickness and firmness of the layers inside each which can also make a significant difference between how two mattresses compare) because the surface layers are a very different material.
Most latex manufacturers would be very hesitant to put thicker layers of polyfoam in the top layers of their mattress because it could be a weak link in the mattress but you could also buy a latex mattress and add a 2" - 3" polyfoam topper that would “approximate” the polyfoam in the Prana although it wouldn’t be the same because it would be a separate topper rather than quilted into the cover and there would also be some differences in the firmness and density of the polyfoam as well … all of which would make a difference in how they compared.
There is more about the difference between their convoluted latex top layer and a non convoluted layer in post #2 here (in reply to question #4) and in post #12 here but it is still latex so it would “feel” different from a top layer of polyfoam. While different people can have a very different experience on the same mattress, when you can’t test a mattress in person then a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced manufacturer or retailer would be the best source of guidance about how their mattress would “feel” to most people based on the “averages” of their customers that are similar to you.
While the choice of materials is always a personal preference and there is no right or wrong in any combination of layers that any particular person may prefer … a 2.5" layer of memory foam on top of latex will feel very different from either sleeping more directly on latex or from sleeping on several inches of polyfoam quilted to a cover. The only way to really answer these questions about how any combination of layers will feel for you with any certainty would be based on your own testing and/or personal experience.
If you let me know your city or zip code there may also be some local options that may be worth considering that you could test in person and I’d be happy to let you know about any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.
Phoenix
I’m glad that you registered as a member of the forum as well because if you do decide to order a mattress from one of the members you will qualify for the bonus or discount that they provide to the members here that have posted on the forum.
I’m sorry to hear about your difficulty finding the right fit. I am currently working on fine tuning a 3 layer latex mattress, specifically trying to adjust the surface feel by experimenting with shredded latex and polyfoam toppers. I sleep in an unusual position, and find that the push back of latex isn’t quite right for me as the surface layer. I’ve been amazed at the difference that some minor configuration and topper modifications can make in the feel of a mattress. You can read about my experience here. Exploring some options that use a non-latex top layer seems like a good way to find the feel you are seeking. Of course figuring out which to buy if you can’t test in person is very difficult!
Phoenix,
Thank you for your quick and thorough reply! We live in the Detroit area with 48098 as our zip code. I’ve not had much luck locating latex beds in the area.
One last question about Pranasleep Mattresses. Jordan’s website describes top layers as 2 inches of poly foam. City Mattress website describes top layers as “ultra plush latex” and “comfort latex”. Is there some super soft latex that could be used as a top layer or is this just loose sales jargon and it is really just poly foam?
The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in the Detroit area are listed in post #2 here and there are a number of latex mattresses that you can test in the general area. Some of the Pure Latex Bliss mattresses have a softer comfort layer and they also make a topper that is very soft as well so you could see how the softest latex feels for you either in a mattress or as a topper.
The Jordan’s specs are correct and all their mattresses have layers of polyfoam on top of the latex. The City Mattress website omits the polyfoam in their descriptions. Just as an example, if you look at the City Mattress description of the Super Vinyasa super plush mattress you will see that the thickness of the mattress is 13" but they only mention 9" of latex and 1" of the “performance latex core” is also polyfoam on the bottom of a 6" latex core so there is only 8" of latex in the mattress. The Jordans website has a much more specific description here that includes the additional 3 3/4" of polyfoam in the mattress.