Hello everyone,

Great forum - learned alot, but boy is this a painful process. I'm not super picky, but important mattress qualities for me are long lasting, supportive for lower back, comfortable and as few chemicals as possible.

For some reason, I keep thinking an all latex mattress can't match the sort of "even, all over" support of springs. We tried a 100% natural latex mattress from SleepEZ for 90 days and I experienced intermittant low back pain. it just didnt feel like it was holding my mid section (hips/butt/stomach) up properly. the layers i had from top to bottom were Soft/Medium/Firm/Firm.

I have some questions if anyone is kind enough to give their advice:

1.  Can an all latex mattress give you the sort of "even, all over" support of an innerspring mattress? Yes, there is Vzone, but its more expensive, so it seems like I could buy a basic innerspring and just add toppers for half the price of a Vzone bed from Flobeds

2. What latex firmness layers would give me a very supportive base layer with slightly "cushiony" top?

3. Some people mention adding 1" of memory foam but with all the chemicals in memory foam doesn't that defeat one advantage of natural latex being made with fewer chemicals?

4. Just how "natural" is natural latex? flobeds claims no harmful chemicals as do others, but is it really chemical free?

5. Latex is dust mite resitant, but what about mattress covers? arent they still subject to dust mites?

Thanks to any help!

 

 

I have been doing some research and trials and this is what I found

the very best /high end beds seem to be made of Pocked springs and Nautral materials in the comfort layers

Examples

A) Pocketed springs and Horsehair/cotton ( Hastens)

B) Adjustable Pocketed springs and latex layers ( Duxiana 12:12 )

C) Adjustable Pocketed springs with various firmness in  Latex layers ( Carpe diem ) 

The dr breus beds( latex and polyfoam and expensive )  that I tried at home were vastly inferior to my simmons worldclass with a layer of latex and ployfoam in the comfort layers, this breus bed is very inconsistent in feel and have soft spots on the mattress

 I am sure a few layers of Talalay latex from Sleepez or flo beds can make a comfortable bed but will it  be as good as A, B or C above, I am not sure. Someone who had both can answer more accurately perhaps

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not an expert since I only have my own experience but based on the fact I used to sleep on a rock hard Seal Posturpedic mattress with no pillow top and no foam on top since I though that was what my back needed and if I slept on anything soft I thought my Scoliosis could cause pain, I was so surprised when clients told me about FloBeds and then on the decorating forum, I asked about latex beds. I was surprised how many people slept on them.  Then I bought a 1"  latex topper and slept on the floor and found out what hard was!  I then added another 1" exercise mat under the latex layer and slept like that until my busy season ended since I already wasted enough time buying a bed from Rockaway Bedding that I was allergic to and sent it back.  Since they took my old bed away and my platform with drawers had fallen apart, this is what I had to do for surivival in the year 2007.  After my busy season, I lied on various latex beds and realized from my experience with a little bit of cushion over a very firm surface, that I toss and turn less when my pressure points have a little cushion.

My bed had hardly any bounch since I have Super Firm latex layers on the bottom and then two layers of XFirm over this with a 1" topper.  I feel my bed is a lot firmer with more support than may spring mattresses. I also do not wake up with back pain and if I go to bed with back pain from a car accident I had, my bed takes it away or lessens it greatly. I love my bed but I almost gave up initially since I started out too soft because I was told to go softer due to my not quite 5 feet petite size but I got back pain from the bed when it was too soft.

Also the right pillow that supports the neck and shoulders and gives the right amount of cushion really helps with getting a good night's sleep. I sleep on a Talalay Latex pillow in the standard size since the Queen was too big for me and it really helps my neck pain that I also got from the car accident. 

I am allergic to dust mites and used to have such bad post nasal drip and a stuffy nose on the conventional mattress. I don't anymore. I used to wash my sheets a few times a week and it never helped enough and now I still wash my sheets and blankets very often and I do not wake up with a stuffy nose.

I feel many people make the mistake on going too soft with their latex layers instead of going firm for support and putting the right thickness latex topper over the bed or whatever topper works best for that individual based on weight, height, sleeping postion, and firmness preference for cushioning the pressure points and making the bed feel wonderful.

Just my two cents....

Reading through the past forum postings, I found this from someone who decided to go that route or putting a latex topper above springs.

http://www.whatsthebest-mattress.com/forum/long-ordeal---call-me-spring-man/2827-A-1.html

I'm sure there's more, but HTH!

not trying to be nitpicky but Duxiana does not use pocket coils, they are offset springs. 

Again thank you Budgy for sharing your knowledge.