The Serta iComfort mattress ... what's the buzz

[phoenix]

Hi msanchez,

I was a bit confused with some information I read on the original mattress factory website. It said that they use a combination of 40% natural latex and 60% synthetic latex, because a blend is best as it creates the most consistent and comfortable product. Is this true or should you only have natural latex.

I tend to avoid “best and worst” when making comparisons between latex because each person may have their own reasons for preferring one over another but the blend is more consistent, a little more durable (in softer ILD’s especially) and a little more pressure relieving than the all natural as well as less costly. I think it would probably be fair to say that for most (but not all) people the blended Talalay would be better value than the all natural Talalay. with dunlop it’s the other way around. There is much more information about the different types of latex in this article and in post #6 here.

I also wanted to ask you for some suggestions as to what layers we should have in the mattress. I am 5’1 125 pounds and my husband is 5’7 195 pounds

This is probably among the most commonly asked questions on the forum but unfortunately there is no “theory at a distance” or formula that can translate someone’s body type and sleeping style and turn it into the “best” mattress design out of the thousands of designs that are possible. There is some fairly detailed information in the mattresses section that can give some insights into how different types of layering and designs be used to can match different body types, sleeping styles, and preferences but these are generic and not specific to any individual. The best way to know which mattress is “best” for you is either to test as objectively as possible for PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment, and Personal preferences) hopefully with the help of some good local guidance or if you are working with an online manufacturer to give them good feedback on your local testing results so they can suggest which of their mattresses they believe would have the best chance of matching what you need and prefer based on their knowledge and experience and the 'averages" of their customers that are similar to you. There are too many variables and personal preferences involved and there are usually many different layering combinations that can work equally well for people even though they may have differences in their performance and ‘feel’.

I was thinking of getting the latex and memory foam combination, which I think was suggested here as the best thing to do for people interested in a foam mattress

I would be very wary of any advice that suggested that there is a “better or worse” choice concerning something that is strictly a matter of personal preference. While a memory foam and latex combination can feel and perform very well for people who like it (and there are some combinations like this that I personally like as well although it’s still not my first choice) … there would also be many others who didn’t like it at all.

As far as the latex would the talalay or the Dunlop work best?

As you will read in the previous links … this is another choice that is strictly a matter of personal preference and one isn’t any better than another. They are just different. It’s like asking what is the best type of apple.

Phoenix