Hi Mightyh,
These mattresses are very new on their site so there may not be much feedback yet from forum members. Typically mattresses in this budget range would be much lower quality and for temporary use such as guests or for smaller children but Dreamfoam uses better quality materials and has better value in every budget range and they have said that it would also be suitable for an adult as well so based on my knowledge of them I would have to say yes they would probably be an appropriate choice for a budget mattress. Of course your tweens are about to become teens and they are on the way to having more “adult” needs in a mattress which also means that their own specific needs and personal comfort preferences will play a larger role so they will likely also have a lot to say about how they feel about the mattress when they sleep on it. For this part, your knowledge of them and their preferences along with a conversation with Dreamfoam would be the best way to decide.
You can read more about the difference between an all latex mattress and a latex/polyfoam hybrid in post #2 here. This is really an apples to oranges comparison of two completely different mattresses but if you are able to approximate the top 3 or 4 inches of the mattress then this would be about as close as you can get because the layers in the upper part of a mattress have a bigger effect on what most people “feel” and the pressure relief of the mattress.
As far as a comparison between the Original Mattress Factory all latex and the Total latex mattress … they are similar in that they both use all blended Talalay latex except for a thin quilting polyfoam quilting layer (although the Total Latex also has wool in the quilting and is a more flexible design because you can exchange your comfort layer after a purchase) but other than that they are a completely different design which will feel and perform differently. As you can see in post #14 here … trying to approximate one mattress with a different design that is very different can be difficult and would require some educated guesswork and intuition along with accurate information about the mattress you are trying to match. Once again though … the upper parts of the mattress will have a more obvious effect on how the mattress “feels” than the deeper layers which provide the support (and will have an effect on how your back feels in the morning depending on how well it keeps you in alignment).
Your best odds are to make sure you know as many details as possible about the mattress you are trying to approximate and then having a more detailed discussion with the manufacturer or retailer you are purchasing from to help them help you decide on which comfort level you believe would be the closest … keeping in mind that every difference in layering and design between them may make a difference and be more or less noticeable to you. I would keep my expectations of a “match” quite low when you are dealing with different designs even though the one you choose may feel and perform better than the one you tested … and has options to exchange layers if you need to as well.
No … this is really a preference choice not a “best or worse” choice. If anything I would choose a mattress that most people would call “medium / firm” which would be an “average” choice that would suit a larger number of people for temporary use which means a somewhat soft comfort layer (but not too soft or thick and no pillowtops or eurotops) and then a relatively firm support core as well. I would also tend to avoid memory foam and stick with more “neutral” materials because while some people have strong preferences for it … others have just as strong preferences against it. Another good option would be a firm mattress for those who prefer this and then a 2" to 3" topper (if you have room to store it) for those who prefer a softer sleeping surface then you can offer them a choice. Of course if you have a certain group of people that will be using it more than others and they have common preferences you may want to take this into account as well. Heavier people tend to need firmer and lighter people tend to need softer although there are no “rules” here either.
Phoenix