Wading through the latex info... (and avoiding a kit)
Sep 10, 2007 8:48 PM
Joined: Sep 10, 2007
Points: 12
Greetings..  I'm in the market for a new mattress and have been wading through all the thoughtful commentary on this board..  There's a lot of technical info within and a lot of folks with a far stronger need/desire to spend the time customizing and re-customizing their mattress for that perfect fit..  With that said, I'm wondering if anyone would take a moment to help answer a few basic questions:

1 - If possible, I'd prefer *not* to go the kit route.  If I can walk into a store (in NYC) and buy a quality latex mattress, I'd be thrilled.  I've seen the Serta (Vera Wang), Spring Free (Sealy) and Nature's Rest at Sleepy's. (I think I liked the Vera Wang best thus far).   I know I can check out the Stearns & Foster and at least a few Englanders and Naturas locally.  Given these options, does one brand/line stand out from the others in some meaningful way (e.g. quality of latex or other structural components, lack of PU, etc)?  Does one brand/line provide a better standard configuration of latex cores?  Or, should I just go with what feels best?

2 - I read somewhere that natural latex could possibly have more of an odor than synthetic.  Is this a legitimate concern?

3 - (I posted this seperately too) - I've read it's best to get a firm mattress and put on a topper.  Do toppers have a tendency to slide around since they are not sewn to the mattress?  I've been told this is the case..

Any help appreciated!
Re: Wading through the latex info... (and avoiding a kit)
Reply #31 Oct 3, 2007 11:35 AM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 132
Tammy99712 wrote:
Wading Through, I am in the same situation as you. The shipping for SleepEZ and FloBed may be really expensive so my option is Sealy or Costco a bed from Costco. I went and looked at teh Sealy Spring free Meadow Crest but the sales lady could not tell me if it was all latex or what kind of latex the matress had in it. If I am going to spend 2700.00 on a bed I really think they should have the information. I was all set to order from SleepEZ but when I called they had to find out if they could actually ship to Alaska. If any one has any info about Sealy beds let me know I  have had my spring bed for the last 10 years and it was a cheap 400 dollar bed and I DESERVE another bed.



Flobeds was $75-100 shipping to me so it wasn't unreasonable at all. They use UPS so I see no reason why they couldn't ship to Alaska. I get shipments from Canada even all the time via UPS.

Sealy uses Sapsa now which is a 100% synthetic latex which seems to come from LI. My biggest issue with Sealy and all of the other big-name store brands if the flame retardant chemicals (insecticides usually) they use. Secondly, many of the big-name latex mattresses contain a lot more than just latex (i.e. cheap PU foam). If neither of those issues bother you, then no harm in looking into them. :)

Re: Wading through the latex info... (and avoiding a kit)
Reply #32 Oct 4, 2007 11:30 AM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 132
haysdb wrote:
I was not aware there actually was such a thing as 100% synthetic latex.


Well Sealy claims it is anyway.
Re: Wading through the latex info... (and avoiding a kit)
Reply #33 Oct 4, 2007 12:15 PM
Joined: Aug 30, 2007
Points: 428
Sapsa is a French bedding manufacturer that Sealy acquired in 2001.  Sapsa is the number one producer of latex in Europe using a Dunlop process.  They built a new plant near Wilkes Barre, PA to produce latex foam using this process and renamed it the Sapsa process.  It is not 100% synthetic.

Carpenter makes Qualatex which is an HR foam that is marketed as a 100% synthetic latex.  Unfortunately the cost is almost as high as actual latex so it has not had great success in the bedding industry.

Re: Wading through the latex info... (and avoiding a kit)
Reply #34 Oct 4, 2007 3:11 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 132
kbell wrote:
Sapsa is a French bedding manufacturer that Sealy acquired in 2001.  Sapsa is the number one producer of latex in Europe using a Dunlop process.  They built a new plant near Wilkes Barre, PA to produce latex foam using this process and renamed it the Sapsa process.  It is not 100% synthetic.

Carpenter makes Qualatex which is an HR foam that is marketed as a 100% synthetic latex.  Unfortunately the cost is almost as high as actual latex so it has not had great success in the bedding industry.



According to Sapsa, that is incorrect. They claim: "SAPSA Latex offers products in natural latex, synthetic latex, or mixtures of both." Once again, Sealy claims theirs is the 100% synthetic Sapsa latex. Quote from another site: "All the Sealy and S&F latex are 100% SAPSA synthetic latex. There is no natural latex used."

Re: Wading through the latex info... (and avoiding a kit)
Reply #35 Oct 4, 2007 3:42 PM
Foam Nerd
Location: USA
Joined: Aug 30, 2007
Points: 605
Everything can be claimed to be an advantage.

Our latex is 100% natural!

Our latex is 100% synthetic!

Re: Wading through the latex info... (and avoiding a kit)
Reply #36 Oct 4, 2007 10:48 PM
Joined: Aug 30, 2007
Points: 428
D3Fi wrote:
According to Sapsa, that is incorrect. They claim: "SAPSA Latex offers products in natural latex, synthetic latex, or mixtures of both." Once again, Sealy claims theirs is the 100% synthetic Sapsa latex. Quote from another site: "All the Sealy and S&F latex are 100% SAPSA synthetic latex. There is no natural latex used."



Hmmm, perhaps you are correct.  They do state what you claim.  On the same website that I found the statement that you quote they state, "Latex is made from a rubber-based product versus memory or viscoelastic foam which is derived from plastics."

This information comes from the UK site.  I am not aware of any synthetic products that are currently available.  I could be wrong but I can't find any mention of these products other than this one obscure reference.  Please let us know if you find something to the contrary.

http://www.sapsalatex.com/uk/home.htm

This message was modified Oct 4, 2007 by kbell

Recent Posts