Hi,
I bought a mattress from Arizona Premium Mattress, all natural dunlop latex. I really the like support as I opted for a zoned core, with 2x3" layers one medium and the other medium firm. I am finding that I get a bit of hip and shoulder pain as is with the medium firm layer. I tried a 3" soft layer instead and it dipped in the middle too much which caused me to have neck and back pain. I am hoping maybe using a thin plush talalay layer say 1-1.5" will soften things up enough to alleviate the hip pain ( I am a side sleeper) but wont dip as much in the center to cause mis alignment of the spine and the neck and back pain that goes along with it. Any experiences using a thin plush layer would be greatly appreciated.
Hi diamondshopper,
You already have some experience using a softer layer of latex (you didn’t state if it was Dunlop or Talalay), but this would have been in substitution of a layer of your current mattress as opposed to on top of the product, so you can relate a bit of what you experienced to getting a new topper, but it will be a slightly different experience upon your current mattress.
As you tried out 3" of a plush layer and it allowed you to sink in too much, I think you are on a good path considering a 1" or 2" topper. If the mattress needs just a “touch to a little” extra softness or a softer “surface feel”, then a 1" topper is usually enough. If you need a little to a fair bit of extra softness and pressure relief, then a 2" topper would be in the average range.
There is more information about choosing a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to in post #8 here which along with a conversation with a reliable and knowledgeable 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.
The topper and component reference post here includes the better online sources I’m aware of for latex toppers and components. Because of the uncertainty involved with purchasing a topper where you can’t test the combination in person, a good exchange/return policy can also reduce the risk of an online topper purchase so I would also make sure you are comfortable with the options you have available after a purchase to exchange or return the topper and any costs involved just in case a topper you choose also doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for. While not a complete list, here are some toppers that can be returned of which I am aware.
Phoenix
Thank you very much for the additional info. We are just trying to make the mattress work. It seems that no matter what we do we both end up in with pain. To Soft = pack pain from mis aliment and to stiff = hip, shoulder and thoracic pain.
Another quick question, what would be the benefit to putting a soft layer in between say a medium and a firm layer. We currently have, medium firm (top 3"), firm (middle 3") Medium firm (core 6") all dunlop natural latex. I guess what I am asking is how would replacing the middle firm layer with a medium/soft layer impact the feel of the mattress. In hindsight I wish I had purchased 4 or 5, 3" layers so that I could play around to find the perfect fit as we just cant seem to get it right with the current configuration.
Hi diamondshopper,
What you’re describing is placing a dominant “firmer” layer as the uppermost layer of a mattress. Dominant layering can have a very different “feel” to a more traditional progressive layering where the softest layers are on top. It provides a firmer sleeping surface and the surface foam compresses less than it would if it was a softer layer and tends to “bend” more into the softer layer below it so it can still provide good pressure relief and “give” under the pressure points (as long as the dominant layer isn’t too thick and prevents the softer layer below it from “coming through” or compressing enough).
It is a good solution for people who prefer a firmer, “crisper”, or less “mushy” surface feel or greater freedom of movement and don’t like the feeling of sinking in directly to the top foam layer as much but still need good pressure relief that comes from underneath.
The “feel” and performance of dominant layering can be “nuanced” or changed a lot depending on the thickness of the dominant layer and it’s firmness relative to the ILD of the layers below it and the thickness of the softer layers underneath. It can reduce the amount that the heavier parts of the body sink down into the softer layers of the mattress (especially if the softer layers underneath aren’t too thick) but still provide good pressure relief under the pressure points (again depending on the thickness of the firmer layer). So it can be a way to increase some surface plushness without the product allowing you to sink in too deeply initially.
In some ways it’s similar to an innerspring that has a variable spring rate that is softer with initial compression and firmer once the soft section of the spring is compressed and that has one or more layers of foam above the spring that are firmer than the softer part of the spring. It would be fair to say that it’s a different kind of softness with firmer overtones.
Some examples of other posts that talk about dominant (or dominating) layers in one form or another are here and here and here.
Phoenix