Some advice please

I am looking at getting a 6 inch firm dunlop latex mattress and adding my 3 inch soft dunlop latex topper to it. I like the feel of the latex topper. I guess I am just wondering if 6inches of firm dunlop is enough for support for two people in 200 lb range over the long term. I am looking at a Natures Embrace latex mattress sold by Memoryfoam Comfort in Canada. Thank you for any advice!

Hi KarenMarmstrong,

Durability-wise, you shouldn’t have issues using a firm 6" Dunlop latex core. In the large majority of cases, 8" - 9" of latex is easily enough to include the combination of softer layers (or sometimes sections) for pressure relief and firmer layers for support that most people of average or even higher weights would need.

In a two layer mattress where you can choose the firmness of the base layer, I would tend towards a 6" firm base. If you use a softer top layer (such as the 6" + 3" mattress you’re considering) then there is the potential to “feel through” the softer comfort layer more easily and the transition between the two layers might be a bit “sudden”. If you find this transition to be a bit “sudden”, you may end up investigating into a transition layer of 2"-3" of a medium feeling latex.

Overall, the thickness of a mattress that is either “needed” or “preferred” would depend on the combinations of the layers and components that are needed to achieve the design goal of the mattress and provide the PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) that can best match your unique body type, sleeping positions, and preferences.

[quote]
I am looking at a Natures Embrace latex mattress sold by Memoryfoam Comfort in Canada.[/quote]

From your description is sounds like you’re considering the Maoli, which uses a 6" 100% Natural Dunlop latex, a good quality material. As you may be aware, Memory Foam Comfort is a site member here, which means that I think highly of them, and before placing an order I would phone them with the type of topper that you have and explain your plans and see if they have any other suggestions for you.

I’ll be interested in learning what you decide to do.

Phoenix

I had a much longer reply but it disappeared so here goes again…
I still havent been able to decipher which mattress might be better for me. I have spoken with Mario at Memoryfoamcomfort but I am still somewhat confused.
The Maoli is a 6inch dunlop 40ILD but can be made 4inch 40ILD and 2 inch 30ILD. I thought the latter might be the answer but there seemed to be a concern that, with my 3inch 20ILD topper, the 5inches of soft and medium might be too much over the 4inches of firm, maybe not supportive enough. So, go with the 6inch at 40ILD BUT…
I explained that right now I do “feel through” my 3inch topper to my firm pocket coil mattress so then I was recommended back to the 4inch plus 2 inch.
Please?! I have no store nearby to try out any kind of latex mattress. I have to rely on educated advice. Which combination would you suggest starting with? I know with either I can get another softer or firmer layer as needed.

Hi Karenmarmstrong,

As I am not part of your phone conversations with MFC, in situations like this when you are dealing with experienced manufacturers, I’ll advise you to strongly consider the guidance they provide, as they have your best interests at heart and they are best able to help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs, options, and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

It sounds as if based upon the information you provided them they were a bit concerned about the firmer and thicker base layer and the transitions, hence the suggestion they made back to the more progressive design.

Phoenix