Latex - getting it right?
Sep 15, 2010 3:45 PM
Joined: Jun 12, 2010
Points: 51
Hello all,

Have read this forum for several months and have learned a lot. Recently took the plunge and bought a 3 layer zip cover 100% natural talalay configuration on a wood platform with slats about 2 1/2 inches apart. Have invested more than 2K so far in this setup.

The problem is that I can't find a layer arrangement that works. I've learned that I need a soft layer up top or I wake with muscle pain, but then it gives me back pain. The firmer configurations also cause back pain. I do not ordinarily suffer from back pain, so it is definitely from the mattress. I did not buy from flo beds so cannot try their zoned approach.  I weigh less than 120 lbs.

My last best bed was an old spring air back supporter. I believe they were made with extra springs in the middle, or a different spring configuration to support the middle of the body, lower back and hips. It was a wonderful bed and they just don't make them like that anymore, as you all know. I researched an enormous amount to find a modern equivalent to the old spring air but couldn't find anything that was the same or even similar.  Supposedly some of the innersprings now put extra reinforcement in the middle with extra foam instead of wiring, but I couldn't really confirm that.  Also, with the new innersprings, there are a lot of offgassing issues, in fact I bought an S brand and had to return it due to the horrible odor that it had, and I have spoken with others who had the same problems. I also tried a cotton innerspring which was very uncomfortable, my husband said it felt like sleeping on the ground outside.

So, I turned to latex, as they felt great in the mattress stores, but am not having much luck here with them at home.

So what I am wondering is, perhaps the problem with latex is that each slab is the same consistency throughout, in other words, there is no extra reinforcement in the back area. So,

1) For those of you that switched to a ZONED latex, did it greatly improve the comfort and support in the back area?

2) Or has anyone found the right combination of softness on top-firmness for the back that they would recommend in latex or other combinations?

3) Or has anyone been happy recently with a comfortable yet supportive innerspring?

thanks!

This message was modified Sep 17, 2010 by jasmine
Re: Latex - getting it right?
Reply #21 Sep 28, 2010 5:53 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 404
1.  Pillow.  If your shoulders are not sinking in as much as before you will need a thicker pillow now so that does make sense.

2.  Configuration.  If you want it a little firmer, did you try putting the firm in the middle with soft on top and using the medium as the base layer?

 

Re: Latex - getting it right?
Reply #22 Sep 28, 2010 6:21 PM
Joined: Oct 15, 2009
Points: 966
The neck problem most likely can be solved with the right pillow height.  Diane is right that less sinking in requires a thicker pillow.   I like down pillows, and I have made one of mine thicker by putting it in a pillow cover and making that cover a bit smaller with safety pins on one end (essentially shortening the cover by a few inches).  Smaller cover forces more to the middle, making it thicker.

 Some people don't like the feel of 100% latex, so you might prefer memory foam, some of type of foam or possibly even a featherbed for the top comfort layer.  You can buy memory foam from Costco or Sam's club to try instead of your S layer, and should be able to return if not happy.

If you really want it firmer, you may want to buy 3" of latex from sleeplikeabear to replace the medium.  Not sure what ILD, because I am not sure what exactly you have.  Probably something in the 30s though.  If that works it cost you something, but probably better than starting from scratch.  If it doesn't work, you can return within 30 days for a refund (less shipping costs both ways and a small handling fee).   Or you can buy a firm piece of quality firm HD foam for less money.  Probably won't last as long or be returnable though.

Good luck and keep trying.  Unfortunately, many of us have to go through trial and error to get it right.

 

p.s. not sure if you have read about Mark's success .  What you may need is a firmer level (maybe just 2") instead of the medium + 1" of memory foam on top of the soft.  Do you know the ILDS of your latex?

p.s.s.  You can also try just 6" S/F or S/M to see what a firmer configuation might feel like.  Probably not a long term solution, but you never know.

This message was modified Sep 28, 2010 by sandman
Re: Latex - getting it right?
Reply #23 Sep 29, 2010 6:52 PM
Joined: Jun 12, 2010
Points: 51
Diane,

S/F/M is what the mattress config is now. Seems so far to work better than S/M/F which caused pain everywhere.

Sandman,

Thank you for your excellent advice as well, Mark's post was thought provoking. I will try your suggestions.

Re: Latex - getting it right?
Reply #24 Sep 29, 2010 7:37 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 404
jasmine wrote:

Diane,

 

S/F/M is what the mattress config is now. Seems so far to work better than S/M/F which caused pain everywhere



Oops, sorry, missed that in your post!

Re: Latex - getting it right?
Reply #25 Sep 30, 2010 4:40 PM
Joined: Jun 12, 2010
Points: 51
diane, i appreciate your even taking the time to read it and comment...your experiences were very helpful. laugh
This message was modified Sep 30, 2010 by jasmine
Re: Latex - getting it right?
Reply #26 Oct 1, 2010 6:45 PM
Joined: Jun 12, 2010
Points: 51
Well, now the S/F/M has started to hurt my back.  I spoke too soon that it was a good configuration.  It seems it is hard to tell right away if a mattress will work. It's day 6 for this config and getting worse by the day. This is so darn frustrating.

Also, latex has this changeable quality. When one first gets in bed, it feels soft and cushy. By morning, it feels too firm.

 Went to a conventional mattress store today just to see if anything there felt better. Hard to tell with a sore back from the bed I've got.  frown Oh well, am going to continue to try to make the latex work though.

Re: Latex - getting it right?
Reply #27 Oct 16, 2010 9:12 PM
Joined: Jun 12, 2010
Points: 51
In case anyone is in the same situation, here is the conclusion of my foray into latex mattresses.

After trying numerous configurations, I finally concluded that the mattress was probably not firm enough, as it caused back pain, which I didn't suffer from til I purchased this mattress. The last config I tried was the best, but too late, my time was almost up, and the vendor did not wish to extend the time period to help me fine tune it. This was beyond frustrating, as I had diligently worked with the 3 layers in at least 7 combinations to try to make it work, I needed help to handle these 60 lb. pieces of rubber, and it took at least 4 days and more like 2 weeks with each config to tell if it would hurt or cause problems.  It was labor intensive to say the least. I feel like I have spent the last couple of months wrestling with my bed! So I had to return it even though I would have liked to make it work.

I am now back to sleeping on the floor until I can find something else. frown  The back pain is better, but of course, it is not comfortable.

Many on this forum seem to have been successful with latex, and I too might have gotten there with a little more time and a firmer layer. I think that latex isn't for everyone, or maybe it just takes a lot of tweaking, at this point I will never know.

What I have learned without a doubt is no matter what mattress is purchased, to go with a place that has a refund and return policy, and as long a trial period as possible. Also, if you have an old flippable innerspring, hang on to it and try mattress surgery, because they just don't make them like that anymore and likely never will. 

So I am back to square one, and starting this mattress nightmare search over again.  Today I went to Costco thinking I would just give up and try a cheap s brand again....but then I read the reviews on their site and saw the same old complaints: hurting peoples' backs, smell, too soft, too hard, sagging, etc. It just shouldn't be this hard to find an adequate bed. 

The search, unfortunately, goes on............................

This message was modified Oct 20, 2010 by jasmine
Re: Latex - getting it right?
Reply #28 Oct 17, 2010 12:58 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 404
Jasmine, so sorry to hear that you have experienced exactly what I did when I tried a Flo-beds.  I share your disappointment and frustration.  Keep us in the loop here with whatever your next experience is in the mattress world.
Re: Latex - getting it right?
Reply #29 Oct 18, 2010 4:51 AM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
You CAN try zoning.

Just get an electric carving knife at Target for $10-15 and measure your latex layer(s) into thirds, then - assuming you have at least 2 layers with different ILD's - just put them so that the firmer part is in the middle and the softer part is at the top. They stay together due to friction, that's not an issue.

That said, it may be that you are one of those people - like my wife and me - who need springs under you. If that's the case, you'll have to buy a spring bed and take the cheap foam out (that's what's off-gassing, most likely) and then take the layers you have and put them over the springs.

http://www.whatsthebest-mattress.com/forum/dissecting-my-sealy-fenway-mattress-bought-costco-4-years-ago-lousy-soft-foam-inside/1954-1-1.html

You can still zone it or not, with the springs.

Re: Latex - getting it right?
Reply #30 Oct 18, 2010 4:56 PM
Joined: Jun 12, 2010
Points: 51
Diane,

Thanks for the sympathyfrown. I hope you will keep posting as well when you are ready to move forward and try something new, sounds like we are in the same boat, or at least, a similar one. The last config I tried felt fantastic on the upper body, so it gave me some hope that with a little more time, it might have worked out.

Jim,

I would definitely have tried DIY zoning, but I had to return everything. If i was stuck with my purchase, I would try it as I had nothing to lose. Thanks for the link. As far as sealy innerspring, a reserve level is superior to preferred. I wish I had known to try mattress surgery on my old innerspring. Are you happy with your mattress now?

After I bought an "s" brand and couldn't handle the severe offgassing, i wrote to "s" brand, politely, more than once since no one responded, to let them know my negative experience with their product and to suggest that there was a huge market of people who would love to buy quality, flippable innerspring mattresses. Never heard back, of course. Changing their business strategy would be a great idea, at least to include a line of beds like they used to make, but guess they're not interested. For whoever does jump into the market and do that, I think they will be super profitable. How hard can it be? If I could buy a superior, flippable mattress 15 years ago for less than $200, and considering that the inflation index and wages since then have been relatively flat, such a bed could still be made amd sold economically.  So why the heck is no one doing it?????????? Or if anyone is, where are they?

At this point I would love to find some great springs and have a bed built, but still haven't decided what to do. I'm definitely not a princess, been sleeping on the floor for months now, it just shouldn't be this hard to find a decent mattress that doesn't cause pain or other problems.

This message was modified Oct 19, 2010 by jasmine

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