After having been through 2 mattresses that off gassed me nearly to death, I have discovered organic mattresses and guess that is the route I have to go, albeit the expense, if I want a good nights sleep without headaches and illness.
The closest natural latex store to me is in Mt. Kisco, New York, and they only sell Talalay mattresses. I tried it, it was comfortable, but a little bouncy for me. They insist that Talalay is a better latex, last longer and is healthier.
Many of the sites sell a dunlop core and a talalay top for softness, and wondering if this is better for the health of my back in the long run.
Also, since budget is of a concern, can I get away with just a 6 inch latex mattress? I’ve read that is really one needs.
I’m also not adverse to a coil combo, if one exists that is pocket friendly.
It’s typical of many retailers to insist that the type of latex they sell is “better” than the others … although they usually don’t present any facts or evidence to support their opinions.
The reality is that it’s a preference issue because different types of latex have different characteristics and different people may prefer one over the other depending on what is most important to them. You can read more about the different types and blends of latex in this article along with post #2 here and post #2 here and post #6 here.
In terms of which is “healthier” … I would also question any claim like this and ask them what the basis for their claim is and how they define “healthier”.
In a word … no. All latex comes in a wide variety of softness and firmness levels and what is better for your back is a mattress that keeps you in neutral alignment in all your sleeping positions … regardless of the material used.
Only your own experience can really know this for certain and it would depend on the design of the 6" mattress, your body weight and sleeping style, and how well it provides you with the PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) that you need or prefer. People who are lighter tend to need thinner mattresses than people who are heavier and thicker mattresses also have more “room” to create more responsive and complex designs if that is needed. You can read more about the benefits of thicker layers and mattresses and when it may be needed in post #2 here.
Innerspring support layers are usually less costly than a latex core (although some may be comparable) and they can also be a great combination for some people. I know some people who are very knowledgeable and could choose any mattress they wanted where a pocket spring with latex comfort layers is their design of choice. All of this depends on preferences and on how each different person “interacts” with different mattresses. Post #2 here may also be of interest and it also includes links to other options that may be in reasonable driving distance