Synthetic & latex mix in "100% talalay latex" toppers....where's the beef?

[phoenix]

Hi Abraxus,

I’ve been researching talalay latex mattresses from what seems a hundred sources. It’s difficult to find out what’s in the latex talalay blends. Seems that Latex Intl. TalaTech is a 30% pure latex/70% synthetic blend. I understand it’s much easier, takes less labor and such, to do SBR/latex blends rather than 100% pure natural latex, but doesn’t 70% on the synthetic seem a bit high? Durability aside, how would that affect comfort? I’m 5’11", 210 lbs. with my wife being 5’6" and about 130. Am shopping for a 2" latex blend topper that has a soft ILD rating of 18-22. It will go on a brand new queen Cantwell mattress that kind to my hip and shoulder pressure points.

Post #6 here and [url=https://mattressunderground.com/our-articles/latex-pros-and-cons.html]this article[/url] have more information about the different types and blends of latex in the market and some of the pros and cons of each. There is certainly a lot of information and misinformation in the industry about the differences between them so hopefully this will help you make better comparisons. You can also read more about blended talalay vs 100% natural Talalay in post #2 here and post #2 here. I tend to look at them based on their relative performance, feel, and durability and their suitability and cost relative to a particular use and preference rather than a “better worse” choice. Since there are only two versions of Talalay (30%/70% NR/SBR blends and 100% natural) the amount of natural rubber in each isn’t as big an issue as how they compare in “real life” terms. There is also more about the differences in “feel” between Talalay and Dunlop in post #7 here.

Mattress.net sells Radium and Latex International, the latter being a 60 synthetic/40 latex blend according to Ken, which doesn’t jive with the 70/30 ratio I got from another source. It too is a TalaTech I believe.

Radium used to make their blended Talalay in a 60/40 blend (when they were competing with Dunlopillo which has since gone bankrupt) but they have since changed to a blend that is about 70/30 (I have confirmed this with them directly). Talatech is a brand name that is owned by Latex International not Radium and isn’t a “type” of latex. Radium makes Vita Talalay (which is also called Talalux by Latexco which is a US distributor of Radium’s Vita Talalay).

And then you have this blog that quotes a LI source that there’s no synthetics in TalaTech:

Latex International makes two types of Talalay latex. Their blended talalay is about a 70/30 blend and their 100% natural blend only contains natural rubber and no synthetics which is what the sources you were linking are referring to. Talatech is a brand name for their blended Talalay (AKA Classic Talalay) which they have manufactured for much longer than the 100% natural version which was only introduced in 2005.

While I’m at it, does anyone know the constituents of LatexCo Tatalux or the Netherland’s Radium toppers?

All I know is I want a high quality blend latex/synthetic blend for a topper and I’m picky if it’s from LatexCo, LI, or Radium as they’re all supposed to be excellent products.

There are only two Talalay manufacturers (Radium and Latex International) and both of them make blended Talalay (with a blend that is about 30%/70% NR/SBR) and 100% natural Talalay. There is more about Radium and Latexco’s Talalux (which are the same thing) in post #4 here.

There are also some guidelines for choosing a topper in post #2 here and the posts it links to that may be helpful.

I hope that help you sort things out a bit as far as the different types and blends of latex

Phoenix