TOPIC:

Hi Phoenix,

I am surprised to learn that with all Talalay, I like extra firm base with soft top layer. I'd like to spend less though. I found on Sleep EZ site they offer a special that is comprised of two 3" layers of Natural Dunlop with a 2" top layer of Blended Talalay. $1245. This does not include the better wool cover but only a simple knit but of course I would be using a mattress cover anyway.

My question is: would it make sense for me to look at this because I like that firm core...am thinking that Dunlop would be fine for me as opposed to the more expensive all Talalay?

Would 2" soft top layer be enough to create a "surface plush" experience? (I could always add a topper, I see BB has good prices for toppers). Still would seem rather decent pricing, no?

Does this seem a good price point for what it is?

in similar price range: I still have the Aloe Alexis/Aloe Adelle on my short list; How would 6" latex over poly compare to 2" latex over dunlop?

As usual, thank you for all you do for us mattress researchers/shoppers

Hi Janvee,

I am surprised to learn that with all Talalay, I like extra firm base with soft top layer. I'd like to spend less though. I found on Sleep EZ site they offer a special that is comprised of two 3" layers of Natural Dunlop with a 2" top layer of Blended Talalay. $1245. This does not include the better wool cover but only a simple knit but of course I would be using a mattress cover anyway.

Just to clarify ... the SleepEz special uses Dunlop for the base layers and 100% natural Talalay for the 2" comfort layer (not blended Talalay).

My question is: would it make sense for me to look at this because I like that firm core...am thinking that Dunlop would be fine for me as opposed to the more expensive all Talalay?

This would be a preference choice based on which type of latex you preferred (they have a different "feel") because both Dunlop and Talalay come in a range of firmness levels (including very firm) although Dunlop does tend to feel firmer than Talalay in the same ILD because it gets firmer faster as it compresses more deeply.

Blended Talalay and 100% natural Dunlop are typically in about the same price range. The 100% natural is generally more costly than both of these. You can read a little more about some of the different types of latex in this article and in post #6 here .

Would 2" soft top layer be enough to create a "surface plush" experience? (I could always add a topper, I see BB has good prices for toppers). Still would seem rather decent pricing, no?

This would depend entirely on the firmness of the 2" layer, the firmness of the layer below it, your body type, your sleeping positions, and your perceptions. The question is really too general for me to answer without a lot more information and specific feedback and reference points of latex mattresses you have tried.

Layer thickness is just as important a part of the surface "feel" of a mattress as the softness of the layer and if all the layers were identical then a 2" soft comfort layer over firmer layers below it would feel firmer for most people than an identical mattress with the same ILD in a 3" layer. The quilting and cover will also make a difference in how a mattress feels and the Alow Alexis has a quilted cover which would have a different affect on the feel of the mattress and the latex below it from the stretch knit cover in the SleepEz Special.

The pricing of the SleepEZ special is very good yes and they sell this as an introductory mattress at "special" pricing with lower margins (see post #2 here ).

in similar price range: I still have the Aloe Alexis/Aloe Adelle on my short list; How would 6" latex over poly compare to 2" latex over dunlop?

Most of what you initially "feel" on a mattress would be the top layers but the comparison between them would depend entirely on the specific firmness choices you made. Each different firmness choice either in a comfort layer or in the deeper layers is in effect a different mattress and only you can really know how they compare based on your own experience. You can also read a bit more about the difference in feel between Dunlop and Talalay in post #7 here but this is all very subjective and comparisons will vary widely between different people and individual perceptions.

In terms of quality, durability, and performance, latex is a superior material to polyfoam in any layer of a mattress although you will also "feel" the deepest layers less than the upper layers and latex is also more costly than even high quality polyfoam.

All of these choices really depend on your preferences and on the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

You are looking at some very good options which means that final choices can be difficult

No matter which direction you go it would be a good quality/value choice with good options for adjustment or exchange if you make the wrong comfort choice.

Phoenix

wow, Sunday afternoon and you're still at it, helping your mattress forum followers! Impressive

I forgot to mention...the bed I liked was all talalay. 8" comprised of 6" latex, ILD 36 with 1" ILD 24 on each side with quilted bamboo covering. Then we added a 3" soft latex topper, don't know the ILD but very soft.

What I liked was the very firm foundation with the luxurious feeling, plush topper. This is slightly above my preferred price point but not unaffordable.

The fact that I've not found a dunlop example to try out, or a comp to the Aloe, is what is making this difficult. (I think the PLB Entice would be similar to the Aloe, but even here in Pasadena (LA) I've not found one on a showroom floor). I don't know the responsiveness of either the dunlop or the polyfoam. I'm guessing with the Aloe, the core would not have huge effect comfort wise (?) because of 6" of latex above.

I guess we're fortunate to have many choices but it is also difficult to choose

Hi Janvee,

As you are discovering it can be very difficult to "match" one mattress to another because it is rare that one mattress will have exactly the same design and types and firmness of material. layers, and components as another one. Every layer will affect the feel and performance of a mattress to different degrees and even differences in the type of cover and quilting can make a difference that some people may be quite sensitive to while other may not notice at all.

Post #4 here and post #14 here will give you some sense of the challenges that can be involved in "matching" what you test locally to what you may be looking at with an online purchase. In most cases your local testing can be a useful "approximation" but the ability to adjust or exchange layers can also be an important part of fine tuning a mattress that you haven't tested in person. Generally the best approach is with a combination of local testing to give you a general sense of different combinations, discussions with the manufacturer or retailer of the mattress you are considering, and some "intuitive or educated guesswork" which together can usually get fairly close.

(I think the PLB Entice would be similar to the Aloe, but even here in Pasadena (LA) I've not found one on a showroom floor).

The Entice would be very different from the Aloe Alexis. It has 3" of slow response latex in the top layer which feels very different and more like memory foam than the more usual "fast response" latex that is used in the Alexis and most other latex mattresses. It also has only 2" of latex underneath this and the cover and quilting are also very different.

Entice:

3" ActiveFUSION Slow Natural Talalay
2" Natural Talalay
8" Bonded Foam/Latex (this is 90% polyfoam and 10% latex)

The top 5" or 6" of a mattress for most people are the most important parts of what they "feel" (the deeper layers are more connected to primary support and what you "feel" when you wake up in the morning) and the close you can get to approximating the top layers the more likely another mattress that uses similar layers on top will feel similar.

If you want to test Dunlop then besides some of the manufacturers or retailers in the Los Angeles list (and one of our members is quite close to you) there are a couple of retailers fairly close to you that carry Dunlop latex mattresses.

www.pjssleep.com

www.thecleanbedroom.com/Santa-Monica-Showroom.htm

Phoenix

Thank you for those shop links, will check them out, also for additional info links..

By the way, I actually was guessing that the Entice may feel similar to the Aloe Adelle-slow response sounds similar to the memory foam) but I get what you're saying about comparisons being part educated guesswork. The layer exchange is a very good thing as well.

Hi Janvee,

By the way, I actually was guessing that the Entice may feel similar to the Aloe Adelle-slow response sounds similar to the memory foam)

Ahh OK. I thought you were thinking it may compare to the Aloe Alexis.

Slow response latex is "somewhat" like memory foam but the "feel" is different and most people who have tried it say that it has similarities to memory foam but is not the same as memory foam either and they could easily tell the difference.

You may also be able to find some latex/memory foam hybrids to test with some searching (or phone calls) around your area. There are some larger national brand mattresses that have memory foam over latex including mattress such as the Therapedic Blue Heaven here or the Restonic Restorative . None of these are the same design but these (or others that are similar) could at least give you a general sense of a memory foam / latex hybrid comfort layer if you can find examples in your area.

Phoenix

I'll look for those, too. I rechecked the dr. breus "Reward2" ( that I tested initially and really liked) because I remember it had memory foam and latex. It is nearby so if any of theirs is similar to Adelle I thought I'd recheck that, now that I know more.. ( I know it is not a recommended brand) the amazing, or not really amazing thing is that the sales person assured me it was all natural latex! Seriously. It does have 2 1" layers of latex in it somewhere if I recall the spec sheet that I have in my file, but I was very clear about wanting to test latex. It's incredible that they will lie so shamelessly and so convincingly. This was at a very highly advertised chain that offers "or it's free".

So, I see that flexus has Dunlop so ill go there to check on that. Hopefully I'll find the Restronic or the Therapedic locally too.

Thank you.

I just feel the need to say that this post helped me finally make up my mind after about a week of research. Thanks for your effort and work on this site, Phoenix!

I'm going with the f/m/s 8" special from sleepez. Seems like a really, really great deal. Once I get set-up, I will definitely report back here how it is working out for me.

Hi willylomangetsdown,

The SleepEz special is certainly a great quality/value choice.

I'm glad the site could help and most importantly ... congratulations on your new mattress

I'm looking forward to your feedback when you receive it.

Phoenix