Ultimate Dreams vs. Sleep Essentials

Greetings Phoenix, I have been researching my purchase for a little over two weeks (currently sleeping on the floor, after realizing how much of a scam the mattress industry has turned out to be…and saved by the fact that Sam’s Club has a favorable return policy).

I am in the Roanoke, VA area and I visited nearly all of the locations you suggested. Interestingly, one of the most informative places turned out to be Mattress Outlet in Christiansburg, though the products themselves were not really what I was looking for. It was the first place that ever mentioned foam densities, layers of the mattress, and The Mattress Underground. I have subsequently visited at least 15 mattress locations, tried out many, and heard many different sales pitches (the majority of which were repetitive and included a whole lot about amazing warranties…enough said).

Anyway, I have decided I want a latex mattress. I am not quite at a point in my life where I can afford several thousand dollars if I do not have to (but am also at my wits end with regard to poor sleep, so am prepared to basically mortgage my financial future to get this purchase right).

I have currently narrowed my desired choices down to:

  1. Sleep Essentials Perfection 30 (perfectlatexmattress.com) - I am 6’2" 320 lbs and looking at a King Size. I have found I prefer a firm surface, which would likely work best with my large size. Lee (the owner) was very helpful and seems pretty darn trustworthy. I loved the feel of all three of his latex mattresses and the cost was not completely outrageous ($2500 for King, with foundation). However, I am not working the most well-paying job right now, so the investment may be a little steep for my family right now. But I would still pull the trigger if I did not com across a better option. I like the fact that the mattresses are completely made of latex and the feel incredibly supportive and responsive.

  2. Ultimate Dreams - I am planning on talking to Chuck tomorrow to decide if the 100% Latex mattress (@ $1799, without foundation), or the Eurotop or Ultra plush mattresses are the best option for me, considering comfort AND cost.

My question to you is this…I have seen where you stated that Ultimate Dreams is a quality option, even comparing it to 100% Latex mattresses, despite the presence of several inches of polyfoam (which I know is of higher quality in the Ultimate Dreams compared to most manufacturers). Are you basing your opinions of Ultimate Dreams on the overall value? I am scared to death of buying anything with memory foam right now (obviously my Sams Club failure was memory foam) based solely on durability/support concerns. I enjoyed my memory foam mattress for about 4-6 months before things went rapidly downhill. I am not worried about sleeping hot, off-gassing/smells etc. but am extremely concerned about softening, body impressions, and weakening support. I do not expect a mattress to last more than 10 years, but I expect it to work VERY WELL for those 10 years.

Obviously, the prices are far more attractive for the Ultimate Dreams product compared to Sleep Essentials and I understand enough (thanks to this site) about the reason for difference in price based on materials. I feel like I am sacrificing a lot in quality by going with a mattress that contains 5+ inches of polyfoam, even if it is in the support layer. Is this not a pretty significant weak link in the longevity of the mattress? I am not trying to question or doubt your advice, but mostly hoping for some education on what I am sacrificing if I go with the Ultimate Dreams mattress (at a cost between $750 to $1800 depending on which option I go with) compared to the Sleep Essentials at $2500. Again, I understand the difference in material, but do not understand if I am sacrificing longevity and overall comfort significantly.

I realize I am probably leaving out many pertinent details but hope for a reply from you at some point in the future. This site is amazing and I am grateful for the resource you have provided. I never would have found some of the mattress places I have tracked down without this site and I certainly would not have been an even remotely informed consumer. I now know who to politely roll my eyes at and walk away from when they start talking, so for that alone, I thank you.

Hi sleepyvet,

The Ultimate Dreams latex hybrid is a great quality/value mattress for it’s budget range but I wouldn’t compare it or put it in the same performance or even durability category as an all latex mattress for someone in your weight range.

With your higher weight especially … you will be compressing more of the layers below the latex as well and with a latex core you would see a greater difference in durability than someone who was lighter where most of the weight and compression was taken up by the comfort layers. While the weak link of a mattress is generally in the upper layers … in your case the depth of compression would go a little deeper than most and the feel, performance and durability of the middle and even deeper layers would likely be more important. In these cases it would be more important to make sure that the support layers are higher density or a more durable material or that the latex on top of the mattress is thicker or has two layers of latex instead of one (see post #2 here which talks about the Brooklyn Bedding Aloe Alexis which has two layers of latex).

A latex support core is more durable, more resilient, more elastic, more adaptable to different weights and shapes and sleeping positions, more supportive (it has a higher compression modulus so it gets firmer faster with compression), more “natural”, and has a different more “springy” and responsive feel than polyfoam. It is a higher performance material. Of course it is also more expensive than a polyfoam core and for some people … a latex hybrid which has the benefits and “feel” of latex in the upper layers (the top 3" - 6" which are the most subject to wear and tear and contribute more to the overall “feel” of a mattress) is worth the cost tradeoff. For others it isn’t. All of this though is to make clear that they are not comparable in overall performance terms even though a hybrid like the Ultimate Dreams is great value.

There are several latex manufacturers that are members of the site and that sell online in post #21 here and they have a range of different options, designs, types of latex available, and prices. This includes Ultimate Dreams Total Latex of course as well as others with different designs and choices and benefits. I would encourage you to talk with the ones that attract you and see what they have to say. You will get a much clearer sense of whether the extra cost is worth it to you.

If I could comfortably afford it there is no doubt I would go in the direction of all latex as long as the design and thickness of the mattress (see post #14 here) was a good “match” for your weight range in terms of PPP) because all around it is a superior mattress but if the most important part of my “value equation” was cost … then a latex/polyfoam hybrid could certainly be a good “budget” compromise. Some of these also have a wool quilting layer which also adds to temperature regulation (although I know that’s not a big issue for you) and of course is used as the fire barrier in the mattress.

You have some very good choices available to you in a range of budget choices (including of course Sleep Essentials which is more costly than some of your other choices but you have the benefit of having tested it in person which adds to its value) and I would suggest looking through the many options offered in terms of layering, cost, flexibility of design, which layers are exchangeable, exchange options if you choose the wrong layer, any refund policy if that is important to you, and I would specifically talk with each about the benefits of their mattress with your weight. You also may also want to consider the differences between Dunlop and Talalay with Dunlop having a higher support factor but a less lively feel.

I wish I could give you more specific suggestions but there are too many personal preferences involved and of course you know best about your circumstances and the importance of your budget restrictions vs the benefits of an all latex mattress. Both can make great choices but one is definitely “better” than the other … even if they have similar “value”.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

I appreciate the fast response. I have a few more quick questions.

  1. Based on my size, do you suspect I would need a thicker mattress to meet my long-term needs? I am looking at a latex mattress in the 9" range. Do you feel like I would get significantly greater return with regard to longevity and immediate comfort if I went with a thicker mattress, based SOLELY on my size? (Example - SleepEZ Sleep 7000 compared to Sleep 13000).

  2. I have ruled out getting anything with memory foam in it. Thanks so much for the re-post of the manufacturers as it forced me to focus on all of them and make a list of what I’m looking for. I am still considering the Ultimate Dreams all latex mattress, but mostly, I need your thoughts on thickness of the mattress. If going thicker than a 9", than I would consider the mygreenmattress.com Evergreen 12" mattress. Do you think I am gaining a significant amount of longevity with the double-sided design when considering latex mattresses?

  3. I have seen your thoughts on foundation versus platform bed. Is there any reason NOT to just buy a platform bed and not have to worry about foundations ever again (speaking from a strictly mattress functional standpoint, and not caring about appearance or any other reason aside from the mattress). Basically, I can’t shake the feeling that not having a foundation underneath my mattress will reduce the support and longevity of the mattress. If you tell me my thoughts are irrational, I’m perfectly willing to listen :).

No huge rush on response, but I value your feedback immensely. I have narrow choices down immensely, but will likely have at least one more set of questions before making the final choice. Thanks so much for your help!

Hi sleepyvet,

You can red more about some of the benefits of a thicker mattress in post #14 here. With your greater weight… you may find that a thinner mattress (such as the 7000) may not have the range to adapt as comfortably to all your sleeping positions and may be firmer than you prefer (as it would be closer to its maximum compression). I would suggest that 8 - 9" of latex would be better and you are in the weight range that 12" of latex may also benefit you (especially if you sleep in multiple positions).

In terms of durability … the thinner mattress would compress more to a greater percentage of its thickness and this would be less durable yes. Durability is also affected by the firmness of the layers with firmer foam being more durable than softer foam. With a thicker mattress … the top layer may be less durable than the others but this can be easily replaced and the others can be kept.

This would depend on the various durability factors which includes the type of latex, the softness of the layers, and any other materials in the mattress but if all else was equal … then a two sided mattress will be more durable than the same layers in a single sided mattress yes … even with latex. It won’t be “twice as much” because all the layers compress in use whether they are on the top or bottom of the mattress but it would make a significant difference IMO. There are always tradeoffs involved though because a two sided mattress has some design tradeoffs because it can’t use thicker softer layers in the comfort layers to the same degree because when they are on the bottom it could affect alignment (it would have the softer layer on one side for comfort and also on the other side which would be part of the support and this can result in higher amounts of softer latex in the mattress).

A platform bed performs exactly the same function as a foundation so from the perspective of support it would be identical as long as both the platform bed and the foundation had the same type of support surface and were equally well supported to the floor. The platform would need center legs and midbeam or center support to the floor.

Just like with a foundation … my preference would be to have a slatted non flexing surface with no more than 3" in between the slats (preferably less) with an all latex mattress because this allows for greater ventilation of the mattress.

The biggest reason that a foundation may be needed on a platform bed (that had a suitable surface) would be to add height … not for any extra support.

Feel free to post your questions whenever the come up :0

Phoenix

Thank you Phoenix and fellow MU’s for all of the helpful info on this site. I bought the bullet and bought the Dream Foam Bedding Eurotop Latex today. I will post once I’ve had a chance to try it out!

Hi mattressconfusion,

I switched your post to another topic with a more closely related title.

I’m glad the site could help you … and congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

As you probably know from your reading here I think you made a great quality/value choice and the Eurotop also has the advantage of being able to change the firmness level of the latex comfort layer if your experience indicates that you need a softer or firmer sleeping surface either initially or if your needs and preferences change over time.

I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback once you’ve received it.

Phoenix