Hi:

Very informative forum here, I saw quite a few negative responses looking at both S-Brands (Spring Air or what's left makes the Nature's Rest brand I gather) and Latex Foam mattresses. The one we looked at yesterday for $2400 (plush firm) and $2700 (pillow top firm) - I believe "Banyan" and Conservation are the brand names I dont know if they are specific to Jordans furniture or what? Lot of money to pay for a mattress, I personally like the tempur-pedic, but it's too firm for my wife. 

The sales lady said the only problem is the "canoeing" effect, you have to turn the bed a quarter turn every week for a few weeks to prevent the mattress getting indents and sags due to wear and tear.

Anyone have experience with this and with Jordan's buying this brand of mattress? Any other better suggestions of comparison?? Sleepys?? Mattress Discounters, etc.?

Thank you in advance!! I will post my results from going through here.

Tom

Hi There,

I'm not sure I'd go that route.  If you do a little reading around this forum, you'll find out that all the S companies are just putting cheap PU foam on top of springs, and that foam does not last.  No matter what you do you'll be fighting a sagging mattress in very short order.

If you are fixed on getting a traditional mattress, my personal suggestion is to look locally for a mattress company that makes custom mattresses.  When I started my shopping, I was surprised to find a few within drivable distance, and a small local company that builds mattresses are going to be using better quality materials - cotton and wool - rather than PU foam.

If you'd like to try a "real" latex mattress, I suggest you go to your local mattress shops and find a high end Vera Wang - the top of the line ones are all latex (not a combination of latex and foam) or so I am told.  That might give you a *feel* for a real latex mattress, althought the Vera Wang line is prohibitively expensive.  But, if you like what you feel, you might even start thinking about ordering one from an online company that builds latex mattresses.  Flobeds, Sleepez, Saavy Rest are three to start with.  Some of these online companies offer generous return policies if the mattress doesn't work out.

Or, if you like the Tempurpedic but your wife finds them too hard, maybe you weren't looking at the right model.  The Rhapsody feels quite hard, but the  . . . Deluxe I think it was, is quite a bit softer.  Go to the Tempurpedic store again and explain to the salesperson that you want a softer feel.  They might be able to set you up with a Tempurpedic you both like.

Having just gone through this, it's not as simple anymore as just going into the mattress store and lying on something and buying it.  That path leads to the dark side!  It took several of us 2-3 months of digging around and researching to find a quality mattress.

I'm not sure I'm even done!  I did buy a latex mattress, which I'm still tweaking, but my husband keeps complaining that he can't sleep and I don't think he's comfortable.  I'm starting to think I might have to suggest returning the latex bed for a Tempurpedic.

quote: The sales lady said the only problem is the "canoeing" effect, you have to turn the bed a quarter turn every week for a few weeks to prevent the mattress getting indents and sags due to wear and tear.:unquote



How can you give a mattress, "A quarter turn"? I've never heard of this.

Haha.... I was thinking the same thing Eagle, but since it's a King, I guess the dimensions are such it's only a 2-4 " overhang and will work on the foundation??? Something doesnt sit quite right as I'm thinking about this Nature's Rest or Latex Foam (or at least the cheap PU variety) offered by the S companies. Quick follow on question - what *IS* the better latex to use in these beds - i.e. what should we be looking for? Thank you all for thoughts on this...

TFitzpa619 wrote:
"Quick follow on question - what *IS* the better latex to use in these beds - i.e. what should we be looking for?"

As has been stated multiple times, the consensus is that Latex International makes the best Talalay latex foam. Many people, including myself, feel that 100% botanically grown natural is the best latex.

In about a week or so I am going to try out a layer of Talalay blended latex to compare to 100% botanically grown latex. In approximately a month from now, or possibly even less, I will report back my experiences.

Some people feel that Dunlop processed latex makes a better bed. I have never slept on a Dunlop processed latex bed so I cannot testify to this assertion. I only know that my Talalay process latex bed sleeps quite well.

Your biggest challenge will be trying to find out what actually is in the mattress your purchasing, unless you purchase from one of the companies that sell online such as FloBeds, SleepEZ, Savvy Rest, or Habitat. There are others of course, but most people find one of these four to be satisfactory.

The short answer is, the best latex mattress is a 100% latex mattress - not one that is layered with other PU foam.  You will not find this in any of the major "S" brand manufactured latex mattresses - they ALL have a relatively small layer of latex sandwiched between layers of PU foam.  The *possible* exception to this is the top of the line Vera Wang mattress, which one salesman told me was 100% latex - but I haven't independently confirmed this.  You get a 100% latex mattress by going to a company like sleeplikeabear, flobeds, sleepez, or saavyrest.

Latex comes processed by two methods - Dunlop and Talalay.  Dunlop was the first method developed over 50 years ago.  The Talalay method is more recently developed, it is a more complicated, and more expensive manufacturing process that produces a more uniform and consistent latex.  The two types have a slightly different feel.  Some people believe that Dunlop is "firmer" than Talalay, but Talalay actually comes in a much wider range of firmness levels, and can be quite firm.  I have tried both and found the Talalay vastly nicer than the Dunlop, although there are others on this forum who prefer the Dunlop over Talalay.  This is a matter of personal preference.

You can easily read up on Dunlop vs. Talalay by doing a google search "Dunlop vs. Talalay" and even see some videos on the processes.

Once you've decided whether you want your latex produced by the Dunlop vs. the Talalay method, the next choice you face is whether to get 100% natural botanically grown latex, such as Eagle2 is fond of (this is latex that is 100% made from rubber from a rubber tree), or a 100% synthetic latex (chemically identical to 100% natural but less expensive to produce), or a blended latex, which is typically 30% natural and 70% synthetic.  This is the type I have.  The reasoning behind the blended is that the introduction of synthetic latex produces an even more uniform, consistent latex that is both cost effective and more durable than 100% natural.  100% natural is sometimes, maybe usually, more expensive than blended.

Here's the important point: NO MATTER what ANYONE tells you, there is not one shred of real, scientific evidence, that 100% natural is better than blended or synthetic, and there is also not one shred of scientific evidence that synthetic or blended is any better than 100% natural.  What it comes down to is merely a matter of personal preference, and I think that preference is mostly a psychological one.  When you start looking at websites, some will just flat out assert that 100% natural is "the best," and when you go to the Latex International website, they assert that blended is "the best."  THE BEST is the one that makes you happiest - you might like the idea of a 100% natural product and chafe at the idea of having a synthetic product.  If so, blended is not for you.

You can also do a google search on natural vs blended latex and see what different websites say.

One last thing I believe is also true - if you go with Talalay latex, the best talalay latex is sourced from Latex International.  There have been various threads on this forum where LI latex has been compared side by side with cheaper sourced latex, such as that by foambymail, and there is a discernable difference in quality.  You get what you pay for and quality latex is expensive.  My queen size was I think $2200.

I have little personal experience with latex, but having researched it and read about it for years on this forum, I think the fact is that any latex will last a long time; so to me it's more a matter of price vs. longevity. The LI blended Talalay latex may last longest of all, but to my knowledge that has not been proven beyond a doubt.

Basically I agree with KimberlyH.

I would guess that LI latex is probably better than most other latex in terms of longevity. But I would buy whatever latex I liked the feel of and assume it will last a long time. I think the only latex that may be suspect for not lasting a long time is "jungle Latex" or latex made in the 3rd world without a lot of sophistication. However, my limited experience with latex included laying on a couple of "jungle latex" mattresses, and I felt that particular latex had a "better feel" than the Talalay latex. So if I were to buy latex and I could get the jungle latex substantially cheaper, I would try it. But if money were no object I'd buy Latex International latex. Just some thoughts from my own experience and research re latex.

I just wanted to post that I purchased a Natures Rest matress from Jordan's Furniture about 5 years ago.  I have Fibromyalgia and need something soft that doesn't put pressure against my body (I feel like I have bruises everywhere).  My husband is 6' 3" (about 200 lbs) and likes a firm mattress.  He also has insomnia.  As you can tell, this posed a slight problem when looking at matresses.  We went to Jordan's and tried many of their matresses (Tempurpedic, Latex, you name it).  We ultimately purchased the Natures Rest matress (they had different levels of firmness, we got one in the middle - can't remember the exact one).  For us, this was the right choice. Both of us have slept better than we ever have (and my husband actually sleeps).  We love it so much, we are going to buy one for our daughter's big girl bed (though I found Jordan's doesnt sell them anymore - drat!).  I know there are newer lines on the market now, but I am just too afriad of switching to something else because we are so happy with the comfort of this matress. 

As for the sagging, I do notice if I lay on my husbands side there is a slight dip.  They recommend turning the matress, but I like how we both like how the bed formed to our bodies so we haven't touched it :)  We have a king sized bed - not sure on the quarter turning, I would say you do a half turn or a flip.

I hope this helps,

Jayme

I live right near Jordans (Reading) and felt their sales people didn't have a clue about mattresses.  They put you on that stupid scale and basically weigh your body and tell you that you have 2 pressure points..your shoulders and your behind.... Such a stupid gimmick...

 

I asked the person if it worked and they said "of course it does"..

 

I think by 1/4 of a turn they meant a 76" East Coast King is 76X80 can be turned 1/4 on most frames... They told us the same thing...