Mattress Forum

It is possible that a dunlop latex could be more "supportive" than a talalay latex. Talalay latex has the same density throughout whereas dunlop tends to be more dense toward the bottom because heavier particles settle during the process. The two products could have the same 25% ILD but the dunlop would have a higher 65% ILD and therefore a higher support factor. Support factor is sometimes referred to as "deep down support." This is one reason why dunlop latex is used in the support core of some mattresses, to provide that "deep down support."

Dunlop does also have a higher density, I believe in the 5.6 lb range vs about a pound lighter for talalay. Generally speaking though, density is not directly related to ILD or resilience.

If dunlop latex were less resilient than talalay, i.e. more "dead", more like memory foam, it could give the impression of not pushing back like talalay does. Talalay is very resilient - a ball dropped onto talalay latex will rebound to 60% of the drop height. I don't believe I have ever seen resilience numbers for dunlop vs. talalay. I always assumed they were similar.

That said, I don't think talalay is "hype" at all. It is everthing it's claimed to be - a very consistant, high quality product.

Latex does offer certain benefits to those with allergies or MCS that aren't easily found in innerspring mattresses also.

As for the Dunlop ... I actually wanted a mattress with a Dunlop core and perhaps a Talalay topper. Flobeds did not offer it however. SleepEZ didn't have a satisfactory comfort exchange policy considering this was my 1st venture into latex. The other companies just seemed to offer low quality and/or poor customer service records. So I took what was available.

Interesting info about the resilience factor. I never could understant why Talalay left me feeling beat up in the morning at the firmer ILDs but Dunlop was always so comfortable. Now I get it. Although I wouldn't say it feels anything like memory foam. Dunlop has a definate bounce to it but it waits until you get off it before it tries springing back. And unlike memory foam the recovery is immediate.

I still think Talalay is hyped. And just because it's Talalay doesn't mean it's consistant or high quality--unless you're talking specifically about LI's version.

You almost make out as if its a conspiracy. Of course any seller of any product is going to hype their own product as best they can and as often as they can. Tempurpedic hypes memory foam. Simmons hypes pocketed springs. Burger King hyped the Whopper.

Perhaps I'm missing the posts you're reading but I haven't seen one yet from a customer claiming latex is the ultimate and flawless bedding solution. It has its flaws just like everything else. We get it, you hate latex. I hate waterbeds, air mattresses and broccoli. Can we move on? :D

I think you're missing the point of what a forum is all about. And I'm with you on broccoli. But people use the feedback here to make informed decisions about their mattress purchase. They deserve to hear both sides of the issue. I'm glad you love your Talalay mattress, but is a very unforgiving sleep surface for people with certain back issues or inflammatory conditions.

Well I think you're missing the point of what I was saying.

I don't love my Talalay mattress. I haven't had enough time yet (with the Talatex) to love it or hate it. Should I decide I hate it though, I won't post repeatedly simply to state that I hate it and that it's impossible for anyone to sleep on. I am simply a firm believer that we all have different needs and different products will suit different people. Not to mention that your claim that springs don't push back is just ludicrous.

I have back problems that cause me a considerable amount of pain at times and can get bad enough that I can't stand upright for short periods of time. This year I also developed some strange MCS (I say strange because I never had this issue in my life until now) and pretty much any insecticide or other strong-smelling chemical makes it feel like a very large man is sitting on my chest. Dust mites and such seem to have begun to affect me more also - older bedding makes me sneeze and sniffle like I have a cold and by older I simply mean a few years. Well the latter issue really narrowed our mattress search. You simply cannot get an innerspring in a store like Sleepy's, JC Penney's, etc. without having the insecticide. Tempurpedics have a similar issue, not to mention they are near $4000, sleep hot and the lifespan of memory foam for the money is not promising. Water and air have always made my back scream so those were out also. Well that leaves latex or an innerspring from a company like McCroskey, who does not use the insecticides. Well a McRoskey is near $4000 also when all is said and done and if we could have afforded it, I probably have tried one. There are some cheaper options on the net like Beds By Design - but they aren't much cheaper (I was given a quote of about $3000) and what if it was crap? I can't very well ship back an innerspring at my own cost.

Well if you take all of that into account, there wasn't much direction for us to go in except latex or something new-age'ish like gel.  I think the generalization that all people in group X (let's say that's the group of people with "certain back issues") need to sleep on an innerspring if they want to avoid back pains is way off base.

Believe me, I am NOT a lobbiest for the innerspring mattress industry. Far from it. I bought a latex mattress to get away from innerspring mattresses that sag and produce pressure points, along with all the other health issues. And because I loved the idea of sleeping on something as wonderfully comfy as my old Dunlop mattress of yore. I just wish there had been someone on this forum to point out that Talalay was a completely different animal than Dunlop and came with its own set of issues, because if someone had been then I might have been able to make a more informed decision about whether this was a good fit for me--or at least I would have purchased it from a vendor with a better return policy. But everything I read made me wonder why I would ever want to return it it sounded so terrific. And remember, I'd slept on latex before and had no reason to think it would be any different. Only after I developed the most excruciating backache of my life and started poking way down deep into this forum did I discover that my experience was by no means unique. Too late then because I didn't have the information I really needed before I ordered.

I couldn't agree with you more. Everyone is different. Everyone has different preferences and requirements. But if all you hear about are the pros and none of the cons you can't make an informed decision. And like I said, if  it bugs you hearing it over and over, feel free to skip my posts. But someone else may be glad they saw it because it gave them a little more to consider before they made the decision to buy a latex mattress.

It looks like you've tried everything and have moved on to latex out of desperation, although it doesn't seem to be love at first lie down for you either. I hope it works out for you. A good night's sleep can do wonders for your disposition.