Hi Jester,
The ILD of memory foam can change with temperature, humidity, and the length of time that a topper is continuously compressed (memory foam tends to get softer over the course of the night) and ILD testing with memory foam also produces different results than ILD testing on more resilient materials so the ILD of memory foam can often be more misleading than helpful.
While the density of memory foam is the most important factor in its durability (up to about 6 lb density or so) … I would keep in mind that density isn’t directly related to the firmness or softness of memory foam and any density of memory foam can be formulated in softer or firmer versions and with other differences in its properties (slower or faster response, more or less breathable, more or less temperature sensitive etc) depending on the combination of chemicals that are used to formulate the memory foam. There is more about the different properties that can be formulated into of different types of memory foam in post #9 here and in post #8 here.
[quote]It’s been pretty hard to reputable options for those though…
Who makes 1.5 inch memory foam if I try thinner?
Is 5lb really much difference or do i need to go 5.5 or 6 if i try denser…?
Any advice / recommendations including websites or manufacturers would be greatly welcome.[/quote]
When you can’t test a mattress/topper combination in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specific options they have available based on the information you provide them about you and your mattress, any local testing you have done, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific toppers to different body types, sleeping positions, preferences, and different mattresses than anyone else.
Having said that … the only reliable way to know whether a specific mattress/topper combination will end up being a good “match” for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) is based on your own careful testing or personal experience on the mattress/topper combination. If you can’t test the combination in person then there will always be some risk and uncertainty involved in adding a topper (particularly if you are more sensitive to smaller differences in a sleeping system) because the specifics of the mattress itself along with your own body type, sleeping position, and preferences can affect which specific topper would be a suitable choice on any specific mattress.
There is more information about choosing a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to which along with a conversation with a reliable supplier that can provide you with good information about how their toppers compare to each other or to other toppers they are familiar with that are available on the market can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success. It also includes a link to a list of some of the better online sources for toppers I’m aware of and a link to some online suppliers that have good exchange/return policies as well which can also be an important part of the “value” of a topper purchase (just in case your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
The three most important parts of choosing a suitable topper and reducing the risks involved are …
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Using the topper guidelines and your own preferences between different materials that you are familiar with to give you a reference point for the type, thickness, and firmness that has the best chance of success.
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Talking to the suppliers you are considering (assuming that they are knowledgeable about their products) so they can describe the toppers they are selling to give you a sense of how they compare to others that they sell or that you are familiar with or that are available in the market.
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Making sure you are comfortable with the return or exchange policies and the costs involved so that you have some “insurance” to offset the uncertainty and risk involved in choosing a topper that you haven’t tried in person just in case you make a choice that doesn’t work as well as you hoped for.
Phoenix