Hello, I’m wondering if anyone with stretch covers could help answer some questions. I’m referring to the stretchy encasement covers like the PLB for putting latex pieces into. Most all the information have been people examining the feel difference between stretch and quilted covers. It was hard to tell how thick or substantial the PLB cover is, it seemed substantial enough and offered a nicer surface feel than a quilted type. Of course the PLB floor models looked great, however a lot of pics I’ve seen online of other stretch covers don’t look all that wonderful. Looks like a twisted floppy sock in some instances. Like putting a fitted sheet on a bed with lines or patterns that are all skewed. I’m not sure if this is due to cheapy versions, using the wrong size or just a caveat of a diy stretch cover. They just don’t seem to fit ‘snug’, the mattress ends up looking misshapen with excessive bagging of the cover here and there and I personally wouldn’t want to feel it bunched up under my sheets.
There are some well fitting looking examples like Mark in Texas posted I think it was of his SleepEz cover. Do these type of stretch covers end up losing their ‘stretch’ and bag out over time? All new things tend to look fantastic, but elastic things tend to wear and stretch and no longer snug back up to the way they were. Many people here move their layers around in their zip covers and hoped maybe they could give some insight after having a stretch cover for some time how they hold up in that regard. (just like old socks I have where they become ‘baggy’ and fall down…obviously they’re old and need replaced, but a pair of socks isn’t a $200+ cover)
Also I’m having trouble understanding what constitutes a ‘proper’ encasement or ticking for latex. I’ve read that latex requires something thicker, more protective to block uv rays (sunlight) and ozone (which I’m guessing is just slowed down since O3 is in the air and all covers breath to an extent). In the case of a thicker cover or ticking like a quilted version this makes sense since there’s multiple layers. Outer surface cloth, inner cloth and usually some sort of foam, wool, cotton or other fibers in varying thickness. For anyone who’s used one of the stretch knit type covers, are they a single layer? Double? The one from SleepEz looks fairly thick but people have pointed out it’s a matelasse type fabric (woven to include 3d texture, rather than true quilting). My concern is it’s not all that thick, just appears thicker. What makes one thinner (non quilted) cover suitable for protecting latex while other less expensive stretch covers are considered lacking protection?
I guess in my head, I can see the difference between a quilted cover @ $220ish - a thin jersey sheet type cover around $40ish. But then some stretch knit covers are also around $200 while others are $80 and that’s a big leap comparing thin to thin… Is the stretch cover from SleepEz (or similar) really that much more protective/suitable than other zippered covers?
So far the quilted seems the most durable, likely to last with least amount of wear. The stretch cover feels a bit nicer since it doesn’t interfere as much with the latex but my concern is before long it will lose its’ ‘stretch’ and become loose and baggy. In the $200+ range, it’s more of an investment and longevity is important to me. If a thinner stretch cover is just as protective, then wouldn’t something like this also be thick enough to protect the latex? Granted it’s not ‘stretchy’ but it does appear thinner than a standard quilted wool or cotton cover and would have more ‘give’ to it. Much as I like the thinner stretch cover because it has more feel, the thinner quilted cover would also provide more feel of the latex than traditional quilted ticking and at half the price of a PLB type cover. Despite a nicer initial feel, I’m concerned with longevity of a stretch knit PLB type cover and problems down the road. Rather not be kicking myself in a year or two fighting a bagging bunching mattress cover (if that’s a problem) knowing the heavier ticking was the same price. I’ve also been avoiding cheapo encasements, but if the thinner ones are just as good for latex then I can’t see paying double for essentially the same thing. (referring to the thinness of the cover to allow the latex feel, regardless of ‘stretch’ properties).
Thanks for any input, hopefully some owners of stretch covers can chime in with their experience as to how it’s holding up or give a heads up to any pitfalls to be careful of.