Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Mar 9, 2012 1:02 AM
Joined: Jan 18, 2012
Points: 14
Have a latex bed that's 6" of 36 ILD + 2" waaaay too soft 14 ILD.  I can get a one-time comfort adjustment so I've been trying to decide what to swap the 14 ILD for. It can be any of the Latex international range, but its not possible for me to test out any of them before I make a decision.
 
All I know is the 14 is too soft and I sink down too far and hit the 36. The all-36 bed I tested (when I was in the store prior to puchase) was too hard. There was one with 2" of something in the 28-30 range over 6" of 36. That one actually felt pretty good on my back, but not so good on my side&shoulders.
 
So I've been thinking 24 might be a good bet midway between the 14 and 36 - but I'm confused by so many references to 24 as being "soft." Would I be sinking thru and ending up in a hole, like I do with the 14?.
 
I keep having this nagging feeling that a better route to take might be to go for the 28 instead, for my top 2" (since I know it was good for my back) and then if I need to, I can fine tune the softness with a one inch topper.
 
On the other hand - sure would be good to nail it, if 24 really is the better choice!
 
So my question for yall.... what makes sense for a F in the 135-145 lbs range? And, is there really all that much difference between 2 inches of 24 and 2 of 28?    If I could get the same or similar back support of the 28, but with slightly more cush for shoulder and other joints, that could be the way to go.
 
Another thing Im considering is adding a little bit of 44 or 50, something REALLY firm for underneath the 36 ILD, between the mattress and platform, but maybe that's a post for another time. Box spring sags too much, but platform makes the mattress definitely harder - can feel it under the mattress.
 
Thanks in advance for any and all input!!
Re: Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Reply #1 Mar 9, 2012 9:09 AM
Joined: Aug 1, 2009
Points: 175
Kashkakat wrote:

Have a latex bed that's 6" of 36 ILD + 2" waaaay too soft 14 ILD.  I can get a one-time comfort adjustment so I've been trying to decide what to swap the 14 ILD for. It can be any of the Latex international range, but its not possible for me to test out any of them before I make a decision.
 
All I know is the 14 is too soft and I sink down too far and hit the 36. The all-36 bed I tested (when I was in the store prior to puchase) was too hard. There was one with 2" of something in the 28-30 range over 6" of 36. That one actually felt pretty good on my back, but not so good on my side&shoulders.
 
So I've been thinking 24 might be a good bet midway between the 14 and 36 - but I'm confused by so many references to 24 as being "soft." Would I be sinking thru and ending up in a hole, like I do with the 14?.
 

Will you be exchanging the whole bed (are the layers glued together), or just the top 2" layer?

From my own experience (read: mistakes), I am not surprised that you are sinking through the 2" of 14 ILD. And I'd say that whoever sold you that mattress should not have.

Your hips might be OK on the 2" of 24 ILD, but your shoulders might not. I have found latex to be very difficult to get right (as you can see in my very long thread about topper tweaking and mattress surgery). And 2" of cushion is probably not enough for a side sleeper.

 

I keep having this nagging feeling that a better route to take might be to go for the 28 instead, for my top 2" (since I know it was good for my back) and then if I need to, I can fine tune the softness with a one inch topper.

I suggest that you go with your nagging feeling. (Generally a good policy, anyway, I think, unless your nagging feelings typically steer you the wrong way.smiley)

You will likely still need more cushioning on top of the 28 ILD, though, and you might have to zone it: firmer under the hips and softer under the shoulders. The 28 ILD could be a good transition layer between the comfort layers and the 36 ILD, but it won't be a good comfort layer for your shoulders.

If the layers are separate and you are swapping only the top 2", another way to go is get 2-3" of 19 ILD instead of the 24 or 28. Your shoulders are likely to be much happier with 2-3" of 19 ILD. Then, if you need to, you can get an inch or two of latex from FoamByMail as a transition layer between the 19 and the 36. I have an inch of the FBM 20 ILD, and it's more like 28-30 ILD. (FBM products can be a tad unpredictable, but they are a lot cheaper than LI [for a reason].)

Sorry; I don't think I'm helping much....

 

Another thing Im considering is adding a little bit of 44 or 50, something REALLY firm for underneath the 36 ILD, between the mattress and platform, but maybe that's a post for another time. Box spring sags too much, but platform makes the mattress definitely harder - can feel it under the mattress.

If your box spring sags, you might as well toss it. The 6" of 36 ILD should be a firm enough base for someone your size. I think you'll need to dial in your comfort layers before you add anything under the mattress.

Where did you buy your mattress?

 

This message was modified Mar 9, 2012 by Catherine
Re: Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Reply #2 Mar 10, 2012 10:33 AM
Joined: Aug 5, 2010
Points: 227
I would go for the 2 inches 28 ILD latex for your replacement and then if it isn't soft enough, add the 24 later as a topper.  Whose the seller?  You could go for the 24 ILD and then, replace it with a 28 later and use the 24 as a topper.  It's likely that you will need more than 2 inches if you are a side sleeper but maybe not.  You imply that you are a side sleeper, but maybe I missed it somewhere?

You also might search for prices on the 24 vs 28 (for later) to see which one you might buy later for cheaper if you need to add another 2 inches of something before deciding which to get with your switch.

This message was modified Mar 10, 2012 by Sall
Re: Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Reply #3 Mar 11, 2012 9:39 AM
Joined: Jan 18, 2012
Points: 14
thx for the input - its an 8" mattress case so Im limited to a 6" + 2" configuration (+ topper if needed).  Maybe24" would be a good happy medium allowing for more  softening by adding another inch of 19 (as a topper)..  Or more thickness by adding more 24.  (I am mostly side & back, occasionally stomach..)   I had thought of  doing 2" of 19  over the 36 but worried that it might be too similar to the 14.Catherine - yeah I read your mattress saga and found it quite interesting..  A year ago I wouldve said mattresses were about as interesting as watching paint dry.  But a few months without sleep changes everything - it's all i can think about!
This message was modified Mar 11, 2012 by Kashkakat
Re: Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Reply #4 Mar 13, 2012 12:08 AM
Joined: Sep 10, 2007
Points: 84
36 ILD is too hard of a support layer for an individual of your weight group.Consider 32, 24 or 32,19 if you're limited to 2 layers.

 

In general a 2 layer latex mattress will hardly yeild any ideal results.

Good luck.

This message was modified Mar 13, 2012 by canuck
Re: Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Reply #5 Mar 13, 2012 3:47 AM
Joined: Aug 28, 2010
Points: 24
Maybe you can order BOTH ILDs and pay the extra shipping that this entails, including return shipping?

It's hard to offer specific advice since we know so little about the parameters of what else you've gone through to get to where you are, and what sleeping systems you rejected in the past. That being said, there's the oft repeated adage that it's easier to make a firmer mattress softer, than it is to make a softer one firmer. With that in mind, and not wishing to place your future sleeping comfort on a roll of the dice, it may make sense to go with the firmer topper. It alone might solve your comfort problem. If it doesn't (and you cant return the entire mattress) all isn't lost as you'll still have a nice 8" mattress that needs a little more softness in the comfort layer and which can be further customized with an additional 1"-2" external topper, effectively transforming it into a three layer mattress. A separate cover for the additional topper will make the mattress resemble the ubiquitous pillowtops in all the mattress showrooms.

Re: Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Reply #6 Mar 13, 2012 10:18 AM
Joined: Jan 24, 2012
Points: 70
Hi..  I have nothing good to say about Latex anything.. beware.. this product does push up against your body.. it killed me and it wasn't until I finally read so much info on latex that I became aware of what it was doing to my hips, back and legs.. I felt wonderful from the immediate purchase and then over a 2 year period I was in so much pain thinking it was from arthritis (which I do have) but these pains all over my body were just getting worse by the day.. After much research I now know why everyone loves the memory foam beds instead of latex anything.. Latex does push back at you, some will say it doesn't that this is alot of BS.. but from experience I will tell you it comforts your pressure points because it is pushing back at every part of your body during your sleep.. eventually you will feel a nagging pain here or there and wonder what is happening to you.. Change your bed and you will see.  I am now in a memory foam which is a firmer one and the comfort level is 100% friendly to your body..  Why so many people think they need to layer all these toppers on their beds is just insane..it only means you didn't buy a proper bed to begin with..  I am not saying memory foam is the only great bed out there because everyone is different, but for those who question why their bodies are killing them and feel they need to add this or that to the top of their beds you are only spending many more dollars to try to fix a poor choice you made to begin with.. ..hope this helps some of you out there to think about what you are actually doing....Sick of the entire mattress industry.. Good luck to all..
Re: Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Reply #7 Mar 14, 2012 10:03 AM
Joined: Jan 18, 2012
Points: 14
Hmmm Ive read several of these anti-latex posts and to be honest, I dont quite understand why latex would "push back" more than any other foam or coils ... or any other solid three dimensional object for that matter. The idea as I understand it that the force of the latex pushing up should be in equilibrium with the weight of the person and force of gravity pulling them down. Should not be too much or too little... but just right.    Also the theory is that with the latex sufficiently "pushing up' uniformly, the pressure is distributed more evenly across the body and lessened at the pressure points.
 
That said, if I had it to do over again I'd probably get a firm coil mattress and latex & wool topper. I don't know if all latex is worth the cost.
 
You mention memory foam - actually, that what did MY joints in. Or it was one of the factors anyway. Because my shoulders could not lie flat when I was on my back (sinking into the foam scrunched my shoulders forward0 that threw everything out of whack to the point where I started having really bad pain in both shoulders (esp the right side). Interestingly, people (myself included) assumed that shoulder pain means I need MORE cushioning, more softness.. But now Im on a flatter surface, Im starting to see that,no, that's not the answer. It needs to be not more cushioning, but the right type of cushioning and in the right amount.
 
There's more to the story. Coincidentally at work, someone readjusted and messed up my ergonomic chair and keyboard tray back in October when I was on vacation. i knew it was messed up but I couldnt figure out just what was wrong,s o I finally had an ergonomic specialist come the other day. The difference was like night and day. Within hours I felt my shoulders relaxing and coming into better alignment and pain going away.  The chair had been tipped too far backwards like a recliner and I needed to be more tipped forward.  Also my RIGHT SHOULDER, the one with the worst pain, had been affected by my MOUSE TRAY being too high. When the mouse tray was lowered to not stress the shoulder - pain starts going away!!
 
YEAH!!!
 
So the moral of the story is, I think there can be many factors interconnected, and I have to look at the whole picture. By the way, it's curious to me that ergonomic specialists are not involved with bed design and consultation in the same way that they're involved with office furniture. I would pay for a consultant to advise me on the bed. The online advice Ive gotten has been helpful, but theres still more trial and error involved than seems necessary.
This message was modified Mar 14, 2012 by Kashkakat
Re: Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Reply #8 Mar 14, 2012 10:19 AM
Joined: Jan 18, 2012
Points: 14
Canuck, re 36 being too firm Im not sure about that. Im 140-150 but short not the tall willowy beauty you may be imagining (LOL).   So - more weight concentrated in a smaller space.
 
You may be right about 32 being better - do you think theres enough of a difference between 36 and 32 to make it worth the hassle of swapping that too?    Not sure about 28.  I do need a FIRM core, and good back support and minimal butt-sinking.
 
Thanks for the input, it validates my thinking that some sort of third layer will probably have to be found.  
Re: Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Reply #9 Mar 14, 2012 3:56 PM
Joined: Jan 24, 2012
Points: 70
In response to the latex.. it is truly a force to be reckoned with.. a very resiliant mass of substance.. it doesn't want to stay down.. when your body compresses it due to other softeners on top of the latex it really feels good.. for a short while but in reality.. this substance (latex) is so strong at wanting to come back up and you don't even realize what it is doing until pain eventually comes to your body.. and you are trying to figure out what you are doing in your life that is causing it.. and it is your bed.. pushing back against you all night long trying to come back up where your body is laying on it.  Other beds.. like memory foam conform due to the heat of your body and you sink in to a point and then get support it doesn't keep trying to get back up to a level surface until you get up and the tempurature allows it to raise.   Many coil beds have tons of cushioning on it.. be it latex and some memory foam thus people fall in love or hate with the topping of the mattress and make up their mind if the bed is a good fit or not.   it took me a long time to realize what was happening to me and tons of research about latex.. Now all memory foam is not created equal either.. a good quality one needs to be considered..   I am just sharing my story and what pain I was in for a few years until I realized the bed was the problem..  I have read other stories from others as well who had a shared experience..   Every BODY is different but it pays to be aware of the demons beneath you as you sleep.. Good luck once again..
Re: Comfort adjustment - to 24 or 28?
Reply #10 Mar 14, 2012 8:13 PM
Joined: Dec 22, 2011
Points: 15
My input:  I live close to Charlottesville, Va.  Savvy Rest is nearby.  They have a very cute boutique store and the warehouse is nearby, in Crozet, Va.  I bought a 3" "soft" dunlop topper.  It in itself is a beast.  As a topper it has caused pain in places I never dreamed of.  Abdomen, ribs mostly.

I am so fed up with mattresses and the entire scam of trying to buy (big$$) something that works.

I cannot imagine an entire latex bed.  But also I can't imagine an innerspring 'S' setup from the local furniture store.  Been there, done that.

So now, I lay on a FBM foam mattress.  It could be worse, but at least it is predictable.

I am not so sure that we are all seeking some magical dream place that sleep will take us.

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