I have been searching this forum and others to find out more about it, such as the details of the additives they use with talalay. It is not a brand new product, but I do not believe that this information is available. Does anyone have this topper or has anyone tried it in a showroom? I would like to use it under my Snugfleece Elite wool fleece topper to provide extra pressure relief. I haven’t received it yet but I am anticipating the need for a 2" soft foam topper under the wool.
I don’t seem to like the feel of natural talalay at the very top of my mattress so I do not want a soft talalay topper. I think it is the springy quality, so I am looking for an alternative. I need to have more cushioning at the surface of my M, F, XF natural latex 3 x 3" mattress. I have also taken the stiff cotton/wool mattress cover off, from Foam Sweet Foam. It feels like the right support for us, but I am waking up all night with sore hips, legs, and sometimes shoulders. This slow response topper is expensive, so I am seeking advise from anyone with information or experience.
Their slow response Talalay has been OekoTex certified which along with other similar certifications is the only real way to know whether a material is “safe” in terms of harmful substances that can leach or migrate out of the layer or that produces harmful VOC’s. It’s a blend of synthetic and natural rubber (like their blended fast response latex) but foam manufacturers don’t disclose their specific compounding formula. Based on my discussions though … the slow response characteristics comes primarily from the blend of styrene and butadiene they use in the synthetic rubber which can alter the properties of the blend. More than this would probably need a degree in foam chemistry to make sense.
It has some of the “feel” of Talalay latex but with more of the slow response that is more typical of memory foam. I have heard comments and feedback from manufacturers which range from “why would they make this and change the feel of such a great material as Talalay latex … I don’t like it at all” to “it’s a great idea for people who like the slow response of memory foam but with some of the “feel” of latex … I think it’s great”. It really is a matter of personal preference based on your individual experience and each person’s experience on a material can be very different from the next.
When you are considering a material you are unfamiliar with it’s a good idea to test it in person whenever possible before you buy it so that you have a more clear sense of what it feels like to you because your experience may be very different from someone else. Pure Latex Bliss makes a range of hybrid mattresses that uses it in various different mattress designs and their slow response topper can also be tested on top of any mattress and I would try and test it on different mattresses before you make your purchase. PLB has a retail store finder here so you can call and find out which stores near you might carry their slow response topper.
Thanks Phoenix, your response is helpful. I am also looking at a 1" or 1 1/2 " Puralux topper in a soft 17-19 or so ILD from the ebay seller you have mentioned on this site. This is Dunlop, correct? It is softer than regular Dunlop soft ILD numbers. Do you know if this has a similar feel to traditional Dunlop, but softer? I would consider a Talalay topper but I really only want a thin layer and I do not see any this avaiable anywhere. I believe that I read that if you are fairly light, a thinner pressure relief layer is a better choice. I have tried just a thin cheap egg crate foam under my hips and it felt pretty good. There is not a store that carries PLB within an hours drive, so I may just go with either the GL slow or the less expensive Puralux.
Yes … it’s a continuous pour version of Dunlop and is typically either a 20% natural 80% synthetic or a 50 / 50 blend (they can tell you which it is).
It would have a “feel” and consistency somewhat in between molded Dunlop and Talalay in the same blend and with the same ILD but be closer to Dunlop than Talalay.
You can purchase 1" Talalay layers in any version or ILD made by Latex International here and here (where they charge by the board foot).
Yes … thinner and lighter body types generally do better with thinner and softer comfort layers than heavier body types. It will also depend on the specifics of the mattress that the topper is being used on because the topper will add to the comfort layers that are already part of the mattress. There are some topper guidelines in post #8 here that may be useful as a guide.