We recently got a nice but very firm Talalay Mattress. We are looking to possibly add a thin pillow top layer. Are there soft Talaly options? Do you have any recommendations in general for shopping for a pillow top?
Hi sometown,
Talalay latex is available in ILDās (levels of siftness/firmness) ranging from 14 up to very firm. The range or Latex International (one of the two suppliers of Talalay latex in North America) is listed here.
They only sell wholesale of course but there are several good sources for Talalay toppers (which I believe is what you meant by āpillowtopā).
One good option would be a local manufacturer that sells talalay latex mattresses who would likely either sell toppers or be able to make you oneā¦
Some online options for talalay latex toppers include (and of course there are many more topper options with Dunlop latex or other materials as well) ā¦
https://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&me=AQP8JPVUX1TWD
https://sleeplikeabear.com/ (Have the widest range of choices available but are also more expensive)
Bear in mind as well that a good high quality protective cover is very important for a latex topper to keep it from degrading and oxidizing prematurely.
The outlets that have a range of toppers available (and of course a phone number) will usually give you good advice about which thickness and ILD may work best for you which would depend on your weight, height, sleeping positions, personal preferences, specific details of the mattress it was going on, the āidealā you were trying to achieve, and the specific āsymptomsā that you are experiencing with your current mattress.
In general ā¦ thinner toppers are āsaferā than thicker toppers which may affect support more and create a different issue if the comfort layers are too thick/soft.
Bear in mind as well that each outlet may have different shipping charges and return policies so you can take that into account as well.
Phoenix
Thanks for the response. So, those options, once a cover is included, are generally more than I was hoping to spend. Let me fully fill you in on the mattress we have, and maybe you can recommend some alternatives. Itās a 3 layer all-natural Talalay Mattress that is layered medium-firm-medium 32-40-32.
My wife has no complaints as she was in favor of a firm mattress. I, on the other hand, like it, but would like something with a little more give. And, she is cool with adding a softer topper, something we could sink in on just a bit.
So, maybe even 1 inch would be enough, no more than 2 for sure. Part of me wants to only adorn the already all-natural Talalay with the same, but maybe thatās foolish. So, maybe you can help me think about this a little more openly. Thanks again.
Hi sometown,
Your mattress would definitely be on the firm side but the good news is that it is two sided and an ideal candidate for a topper.
The choice of materials would be more about your preferences and needs than about what ws better or worse. Everyone can be very different. Specifics about exactly what your āidealā was in terms of changing the performance and feel of the mattress and more specific information about any āsymptomsā you were experiencing with the mattress as it is would be helpful along with your weight/height/body shape and sleeping position for me to be able to make some comments however.
As a general guideline ā¦ high quality polyfoam is closer to latex than memory foam (itās more resilient and a fast response foam). Memory foam would be an option for those who know they like the feel of a slow response foam (and are OK with the possibility that it may be warmer) while a wool mattress pad or topper can also provide some localized cushioning especially over firmer latex (it can make very soft latex feel firmer).
1" - 1.5" of a material that you like may be OK if you are already very close to your ideal and are only looking for very small changes (you will go through a thinner layer more and feel more of the layers below it than you would with a slightly thicker layer. 2" would be more typical but again this would depend on exactly what you were experiencing, your āstatsā and what you were trying to accomplish.
Phoenix
Phoenix
Iām investing into an Ultimate Dreams Latex Mattress along with the shredded pillow from Amazon. I noticed that Amazon also sells a shredded latex mattress pad. It was much cheaper than a āsolidā version but Iām wondering if itāll be as nice or if I should just save up for a āsolidā latex topper instead. Anyways, it looks interestingā¦ and soft. 
Hi Coventry,
You probably know this already but just to make sure ā¦ you get the pillow for free when you tell them you are a member here.
I havenāt seen a shredded latex topper on Amazon. There is an Oodles combination which has some shredded latex mixed in with polyester but itās only available in full or twin size. There also used to be the Oodles topper which had some issues with the latex moving and creating bare spots (it wasnāt well made in a way that would keep the latex pieces evenly distributed). If neither of these is the one you mean then a link may help me find it.
The LaNoodle here is a higher quality version and is made much better and works the way itās supposed to. The advantage would be that it is much softer than a solid latex topper and flows around you more. It would be a good option for someone that was looking for a latex topper that was as soft as possible.
There is a channel version here sold by Flobeds that uses talalay latex (in either a blended or natural version).
They would be softer than a solid version and this could be a plus or minus depending on what someone was looking for. I agree they are very interesting and at some point I may just try one. Iām an easy āmarkā for soft stuff
Phoenix
Wow, thanks for the quick in-depth reply Phoenix!
Yes, Iām going to be getting a free shredded latex pillow for joining here and thank you!
The shredded latex mattress top Iām looking at right now on Amazon is this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JO11NI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=A2R8R1QWKL67CV
Itās a Seven Comforts brand (Iāve never heard of them) and it looks baffled so I would assume the latex bits donāt shift too much. Iām looking for either a topper or pad of some kind to keep the new mattress looking good. My husband sweats really badly at night and Iām trying to avoid the plasticky waterproof ones since they seem to exacerbate the issue. Iād be open to other ideas like wool pads too. Iām just browsing for mattress accessories anyways.
Just saw the news about the free pillow. How does one go about getting that?
Thanks!
Hi Coventry,
I hadnāt seen this before and I was curious about a few things but regardless it seems to have good value. Nice catch
I sent them an email (itās the only way to contact them) which is at the end of the post.
Iāll post here with any replies
Phoenix
I was looking at your āPremium latex foam mattress padā and have some questions I hope you can answer.
Is the material inside shredded latex or solid latex (Iām assuming āmicro-rodā construction refers to latex ārodsā)?
What type of latex does it use (synthetic, blend, 100% natural and is it Dunlop or Talalay)?
Is it baffled or quilted?
Who is Seven Comfort?
Thanks for your help
PS: the product looks like it has very good value.
Hi Steve,
All the members of the site offer a bonus to the forum members of The Mattress Underground when they buy a mattress.
In most cases itās a 5% discount but in some cases for lower cost or lower margin items (such as the Dreamfoam mattress on Amazon (fulfilled by Dreamfoam only) the bonus is a product of equivalent value.
I also havenāt forgotten a reply I owe you but it is probably a several hour project and I have to find the time to do the āanalysisā
Phoenix
Phoenix, did you ever get a response from the āSeven Comfortsā people with answers to your questions? I went ahead and ordered the topper from them anyways and it should be here by the end of the week. Iāll do my best to review it accurately here in this forum when Iāve gotten it if you havenāt had your questions answered by then. I asked them several questions as well but never got a reply. Iām crossing my fingers that everything will turn out great.
Hi Coventry,
No ā¦ they never did reply unfortunately.
I would love to hear your review though and Iāll also send the same questions again with a "SECOND REQUEST added to the heading to see if they will respond.
I guess you are the āguinea pigā
Phoenix