First of all, thank you for this site – amidst a sea of too much information, this is my favorite. Second of all, I have a question about the above mattress and latex mattresses in general. I’m considering the Cazenovia W. J. Southard model, which is 6 inches of latex (one layer of medium firmness I believe) topped with an inch or so of wool. They seem to be well-regarded on this site and elsewhere, and a freind of mine has one and loves it. I liked it based on briefly testing my friend’s (I’ll do more testing in the store before buying), but here’s my concern: the depth. I read somewhere (another seemingly decent site, I think) that one should really have a depth of at least 7 inches of latex (and/or foam?) for an every-day mattress. So, my questions/requests:
If I can’t “feel through” the mattress on testing, is that a good sign that its thickness would be sufficient?
Generally speaking does that depth of latex mattress seem okay?
Is there potential disadvantage to only having the only layer or “core”, rather than multiple layers?
Any feedback postive or negative about W.J. Southard in general but especially the Cazenovia would be appreciated.
WJ Southard is the premium side of the Sleepmaster lineup and is a manufacturer that makes some very high quality mattresses that use premium materials.
They also tend to disclose good information about the materials they use (including the Cazenovian here).
[quote]but here’s my concern: the depth. I read somewhere (another seemingly decent site, I think) that one should really have a depth of at least 7 inches of latex (and/or foam?) for an every-day mattress. So, my questions/requests:
If I can’t “feel through” the mattress on testing, is that a good sign that its thickness would be sufficient?[/quote]
The thickness of a mattress is not a relevant specification and would depend entirely on whether the mattress provided you with good PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). For some people a 6" mattress that uses high quality durable and very elastic materials like latex would work perfectly while for other a softer top layer may be their preference. It all depends on how the mattress interacts with each specific person. You can read more about the potential benefits of a thicker mattress or individual layers or a mattress in post # here but the thickness or design of a mattress that is most suitable for each person depends on their body type, sleeping positions, and personal preferences.
If the mattress provides you with good PPP then its thickness wouldn’t be an issue for me. Thickness is a side effect of the construction of a mattress … not a goal or a “target” in itself.
the benefit of having more layers is that there is more flexibility in designing the specific “feel” and performance of the mattress. If the layers are individual and can be re-arranged or exchanged then it also allows the consumer to make fine tuning adjustments after a purchase. If you have tested a one layer mattress and the specific design is “perfect” … then there would be no real benefit to having more layers since you wouldn’t need to do any fine tuning. you can read a little more about more vs less layers in post #2 here.
From a quality perspective they are certainly a good choice and they are also very knowledgeable about mattresses and materials and provide good information to their customers which is one of the most important parts of a successful mattress purchase. They are certainly well worth including as one of your better options IMO.