i did some searching on this website related to ultimate dreams but still had the following questions.
in terms of value, why is there such a difference in price between ud and ud eurotop when the difference on their site is only a 2" base and layer is exchangeable. is that really worth an extra $300
why is it that they can sell the ud freedom so cheaply when in essence it is a 9" dunlop full latex mattress. i went to one of the stores and their 9" dunlop was more like $1500 in full size rather than the $600. i have always been told when it is too good to be true watch out. is it because it is 100% synthetic?
in doing local testing i have not found one place in orange county that has a polyfoam core and latex. any ideas where i may find so i can see if this combination works for me. alternatively, will a latex core of a certain type be a close equivalent for a polyfoam codre so i can get an idea of how it feels like?
There is more about the most important parts of the value of a mattress purchase in post #13 here but the price of a mattress is only one part of it’s value (and in many cases not the most important part).
The price of a mattress is set by the manufacturer and generally reflects the cost of manufacturing and selling the mattress and of course their margins. It would include the cost of the raw materials, the cost of manufacturing, and the cost of all the options (such as a layer exchange) that are part of the mattress purchase. In most cases the mattresses that are made by the same manufacturer would be in a similar value range in terms of their “raw material” value although the margins are often a little higher in higher price ranges.
The “value” of a mattress purchase on the other hand is something that only a consumer can decide for themselves and would depend on all the parts on all the many parts of their personal value equation that are most important to them. For example if you ended up making the wrong firmness choice and need either a firmer or a softer comfort layer then for you there would be real “value” in having the option to exchange your comfort layer but if your initial choice was a “perfect” match for you in terms of PPP then there would be less value in having the ability to exchange it.
There is more about some of the pros and cons of the mattresses you are considering in post #8 here.
There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here but outside of some of the other factors that are part of the pricing of a mattress that I mentioned in my previous comments … synthetic Dunlop is a lower cost version of latex than 100% natural Dunlop so it would be a reasonable expectation that the price of a mattress that used it would be lower.
You can read more about the difference between a latex/polyfoam hybrid and an all latex mattress in post #2 here but it’s unlikely that you would find a “close equivalent” with a latex core compared to a polyfoam core. I would also keep in mind that even if the materials in a mattress are the same that two mattresses can be very different if the type and blend of latex, the thickness of the layers, the firmness of the layers, or the types of cover are different.
I don’t keep a record of the mattresses that each of the retailers in the hundreds of lists across the country keep on their floor (it would be more than anyone could keep up with in a constantly changing market) so you will need to either check websites or make some phone calls to see if any of them have any latex/polyfoam hybrids on their floor.
I would also keep in mind that the top 3" to 6" of a mattress (depending on weight, sleeping positions, and sensitivity) will have the biggest effect on how two mattresses compare in terms of how they “feel”.
i am confused on one item. in reading that i have done you have indicated that polyfoam should be at least 1.8lb yet 2 of the ud mattresses are 1.5lb. can you help clarify this for me. is it because it is in the core versus comfort layer.
also do you know if the Synthetic Dunlop they use is the continuous pour method?
i assume on the ud freedom i do not have a choice on the 3 layers from what i have read? is that correct?
as to finding a dealer with polyfoam core i have searched high and low and come up empty
You can see the foam quality guidelines I would suggest using in post #4 here.
The upper layers of a mattress are generally the weakest link of the mattress and are the layers where the durability of the materials will play the biggest role. The deeper layers will have much less effect on the durability and useful life of a mattress if there are thicker layers of material above it so if you are in a lower budget range and aren’t in a higher weight range that would tend to compress the deeper support layers “through” the comfort layers more than more average weight ranges then 1.5 lb polyfoam would generally be fine.
Yes they use continuous pour synthetic Dunlop made by Mountaintop Foam.
These are normally questions that it’s best to ask directly when you are talking with them on the phone so that you always have the benefit of the most up to date information but yes … the Freedom mattress comes with soft, medium, and firm layers and the cover is also a different firmness on each side so you would have a total of 12 possible layering and firmness configurations.
Unfortunately the range of mattresses that are available at retailers or manufacturers in each area can be very different and mattresses that are available in some areas are often not available in others. I would make sure that you have called each of them that are reasonably close to you and asked them specifically if they have a latex/polyfoam hybrid available to test because websites often don’t have complete or up to date information.
I’m not sure what you mean by “work” but if you are asking whether it would be a good match for you in terms of PPP then the best way to know this would be based on your own personal testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post).
As you hopefully know from your reading here I would generally avoid the major brands (see this article) because of the lower quality materials they often use, their lack of transparency, and because even their better quality mattresses where you are able to find out the quality of the materials inside the mattress generally aren’t in the best “value” range compared to many of the other options that you have available.
I’m not sure which of the Sealy Optimum mattresses you are considering but if you can find out the specs (see here) and list them on the forum I’d be happy to make some comments about the quality of the materials inside it.
