Does anyone own a latex mattress??

[Jas12]

I am desperately in need of a new mattress and I''ve started doing my homework. I really like the feel of the memory foam models. I have a hip/pelvis injury that has been giving me grief and the memory foam seems to help those pressure points.
The problem is I have read that foam produces a lot of off-gassing. DH is a bit of a health nut and so he''s really concerned with this. We are now looking at Latex mattresses but i can''t find a retailer around here, nor do i know anyone who owns one.

If you have one, do you like it? Was it really expensive? If so, do you think it is worth it.

Any other mattress brand recommendations??

 

[somethingshiny]

We bought a high quality but low "extras" mattress and then bought a 2" latex topper for it. The latex was REALLY smelly at first. We unrolled it in another room and closed the door and opened the window for a few days. It was still a bit noxious when we put it on the bed, but out mattress protector is water resistant so that reduced the odor immediately. We''ve had it for about 1.5 yrs and the smell was completely gone in probably 2 months. I would assume a thick mattress would take longer to get rid of the odor. I love the pad because I can turn it and flip it easily and if/when it wears out, it''ll only cost $200 to replace the pad. (which is why we got a high quality mattress that should last years)

At first the latex was a bit hard for my liking so we topped it with a regular filled mattress pad. Now, it''s very comfortable.

 

[ladypirate]

We have a 100% latex foam mattress and we LOVE it. Seriously, greatest mattress I've ever owned. It was expensive (I think around $1500 for a Cal King), but totally worth it. On spring mattresses, I always used to roll into the dip created by FI and that never happens anymore--there isn't even a dip where he sleeps.

We got ours from a local mattress manufacturer (Mulligan Mattress), but I know that there are some online manufacturers as well. One thing to keep in mind is that you will need a prescription from your doctor for most of them because they are not treated with many of the fire retardants that standard mattresses are treated with. Good for health, but you need a doctor's (or naturopath's) note for legal reasons.

ETA: We didn't have a problem with fumes/smell from ours...maybe because it wasn't treated with any chemicals?

 

[DivaDiamond007]

We have a combo latex/spring mattress and it''s the best money we''ve ever spent. We got it from our local Denver Mattress and it cost around $1200 for a Queen. I didn''t notice any funky smell from it when it was new

The only issue we''ve had with it though is that the actual mattress is heavy and is really hard to move. There''s also a dip on DH''s side of the bed; I think it''s from him but he thinks it "broke" when we moved in with his parents last year since it was never there before. Either way, we tried turning the mattress around (you don''t flip these kind) and I was always almost falling off the bed because of it so we had to move it back to DH''s side. My parents have the same mattress and theirs is fine so who knows.

We both find the mattress to be very comfy and I''d def. buy one again.

 

[somethingshiny]

Now that I have a few more minutes I wanted to link my thread from a while back. I got great advice and real life experiences. linky We bought from US-Mattress.com We got the best deal (first we went online to find the different proprietary names of the beds we liked in the stores) It was delivered within a week. I don''t remember where we got out pad, another online vendor, I think we found the vendor from a link of one of the posters links in that thread.

When I was researching, I found lots of info that suggested to get a good innerspring mattress and then get toppers instead of spending tons of money on the mattress. Also, if one of us NEEDS the firmer mattress, we can pull off the topper if necessary. But, the latex seems to have lots of support. It''s not squishy like memory foam.

 

[Jas12]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.
I looked into a canadian company that sells ultra environmentally-sound mattresses so the cost is pretty high (over 2K for a queen) but i think that if you spend 1/3 of your life sleeping it should be on something comfortable & safe.

Ladypirate--interesting about the fire reg. I''ll look into that

Diva--i''ve never heard of the latex warping so maybe it was a fluke with yours. Good to know you would still buy one. I think the price you paid sounds pretty darn good. An average coil mattress costs about that much around here.

Somethingshiny--i was thinking about the topper idea too. I might do that for my son. We have a twin mattress for his bed, so i am thinking i may just buy the topper instead of a whole new mattress. I have read that there is no need for a thick latex mattress--it is just wasted material.

 

[shimmer]

I saw that canadian co on Dragon''s Den recently! Let us know how it is, I just got a mattress but I think my next will be one of those.

 

[October2008bride]

Hey Jas - Sealy makes a latex mattress that they sell in Canada at the Brick. Do you have one near you? It isn''t 100% latex though, like their ones in the states.

Some more independent stores have a bigger selection though.

If you can get to the states, I''ve heard they are much better.

Check this site out for info: http://blog.pennlive.com/mattress/

That place will deliver to a depot in Buffalo if you want to cross the border.

 

[Jas12]

Octoberbride--i went to the brick on my lunch hour and they told me about the model you are talking about. I'' am going to keep it in mind--thanks for the tip-off

Shimmer--oh cool, i didn''t know it was on the dragon''s den. The fact that it is a canadian made product, and there is a showroom in T.O really appeals to me. They have free shipping, but for $2500, i want to test out that sucker.

Somethingshiny--i''ll read thru your thread. Thanks! Looks like a have a few good options to consider!

 

[movie zombie]

we''ve been sleeping on a latex mattress for 9 years now and love it. if we get another mattress, it will be latex.

mz

 

[pinkflamingo]

We bought a Cal King from SleepEZ and it is amazing. I highly recommend ;atex!

 

[CJ2008]

By latex, you guys mean those foam mattresses right?

If so, I''ve been wanting one for a long time...but they''re so expensive...

I know someone who has one, but they paid way over $1500...I think it was closer to $4000...are we talking about the same thing here?

 

[Jas12]

CJ-- you are probably thinking of 'memory foam' which is the stuff that the Tempurpedic mattresses (the one that references NASA in the ads) uses. It is made of polyurethane. Although amazingly comfortable to many ppl (including myself) --they have some health and environmental concerns associated with them.
Latex mattresses have a similar feel, but they are made of rubber and apparently are more environmentally friendly (biodegrade, more natural.) do not emit gases, and are apparently more hypoallergenic.
ETA--yes, they are expensive--but vary greatly. You can get latex mattress toppers for your bed for well under 1000, and these are reportedly just as beneficial. but beds made with latex as the main feature can get well above the 3K range.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have also been researching mattresses and definitely hope to find a latex one! We plan to look at The Original Mattress Factory (they have 2 latex mattresses) and we may try to find a Jamison to look at. I definitely am not interested in those that you order the components and put together your own mattress! I''ll only buy one that I can lay on in the store before buying! A lot of the "S" brands only have a little layer of latex, so be careful to ask the contents of the mattress.

 

[CJ2008]

Date: 9/12/2009 8:49:31 PM
Author: Jas12
CJ-- you are probably thinking of ''memory foam'' which is the stuff that the Tempurpedic mattresses (the one that references NASA in the ads) uses. It is made of polyurethane. Although amazingly comfortable to many ppl (including myself) --they have some health and environmental concerns associated with them.
Latex mattresses have a similar feel, but they are made of rubber and apparently are more environmentally friendly (biodegrade, more natural.) do not emit gases, and are apparently more hypoallergenic.
ETA--yes, they are expensive--but vary greatly. You can get latex mattress toppers for your bed for well under 1000, and these are reportedly just as beneficial. but beds made with latex as the main feature can get well above the 3K range.

Jas, right, that''s exactly what I was thinking of, Tempurpedic. I didn''t know about the health and environmental issues...

I''ve been bugging DH about getting a Tempurpedic but of course we keep putting if off because of the $. But a topper might be doable...

 

[ksinger]

www.flobeds.com

I've slept on latex since I was a child, and I just love the stuff. It can be hard, or soft, doesn't get body impressions for almost EVER and unlike Temperpedic foam, does not make hot indentations.

I need a softer bed, while my husband needs something the would be classified as "sacrifical altar firm". The bed we got from flobeds is latex layers customized for each side. Two layers of either soft, medium, firm, and a layer that has various zones of different density for different areas - like softer under the hips or firmer, whatever you need. Then the entire top is covered with a very soft thin layer of egg-crate latex, then zipped into an organic wool cover. With this bed, we can sleep in the same bed and actually like each other in the morning. And unlike the Sleepnumber bed, it requires no motors or electricity.

We bought the highest end bed, organic and all, but the lower end ones would undoubtedly be wonderful too. The one I slept on as a child was of course just a single layer. I WILL warn you though, they are not inexpensive. But they will last a long long time, (I know from experience with this foam) and I have such a bad back that I'm willing to pay for a quality product that delivers.

ETA: OK....I didn't read the part where you aren't interested in "component" beds. I DID have the advantage of knowing what latex was and how it felt already. Please disregard the suggestion then. I will warn you though, regardless of which route you go, if the latex is Talalay, it WILL differ in density somewhat from slab to slab. Each density is given a range, because it is a natural product, and isn't as precise as say, springs. The thing I DON'T like about pre-made latex mattresses is the fact that the boxing can obscure the feel of the latex; you can't get ON the foam due to overstuffed pillowtops and all. If you've never actually lain on the foam itself, you'll never get the full effect of the stuff.

Good luck!

 

[ksinger]

Well shucks Jas12....I mixed up Diamondseeker''s post with yours. It was late and I need new glasses?

Anyway, to ALL: best of luck finding a great bed, be it latex, spring, component, pre-boxed, or slab of basalt. Life is too short to end up feeling like you''ve been run over by a truck, right??

 

[Jas12]

ksinger--no worries, great info. I intened to get a mattress with latex on the top layer. I agree, i want to feel the stuff.

I am looking at THIS company. Would you mind taking a quick look and providing your input? You seem to know your stuff. i am hoping to go try them out in the coming weeks... that will be the real test i think

 

[ksinger]

Date: 9/14/2009 10:09:10 AM
Author: Jas12
ksinger--no worries, great info. I intened to get a mattress with latex on the top layer. I agree, i want to feel the stuff.

I am looking at THIS company. Would you mind taking a quick look and providing your input? You seem to know your stuff. i am hoping to go try them out in the coming weeks... that will be the real test i think

Well, I checked it out. Sounds interesting, although I will confess that I''m not as "up" on memory foams, since I dismissed them in favor of latex a while back. I have been on a Tempurpedic bed before, and they are quite comfy, as touted. I just was more familiar with latex, and quite frankly, didn''t want to crawl out of a hole every time I needed to shift, you know? Latex bounces back instantly without being bouncy. I''ve also heard anecdotally, that memory foams can be very HOT. I had a Tempurpedic memory foam neck pillow that lost its oomph within about 4 years, and I worried that the supportive qualities of memory foam would break down sooner than they do with latex, which even the Essentia site says can be anywhere from 10-30 years. (At 30 it IS breaking down a bit, but still so comfy that the mattress my mom had was coveted by family members who slept on it) So I went with the latex. Naturally, that site is also going to be biased for its own product - emphasizing the cost of natural latex, which is no lie: it ain''t cheap, but honestly, I can''t imagine anything more comfortable than a slab of latex that has been selected for your preference and weight.
I noticed on that site that they tell the difference between Talalay and Dunlop latex. I''ve always slept on Talalay, because as they mentioned, the really firm stuff is either blended or purely synthetic. Several years ago, after sleeping to my detriment on a spring mattress I went HEY! I need to get back on latex. Well, at that time it was easier said than done, as the single latex plant in the US had burned to the ground. A local mattress company ordered a slab for me from France, as I recall. Yeah, I was on a mission, clearly. It was great, but turned out to be a bit too soft (I gained some weight) and then I gained even MORE weight (about 185lbs with a mustache) and he REALLY couldn''t stand how soft it was. Hence our customized side thing...

All I can say, is with the pros and cons in mind, try the foams out. It does sound like the Essentia foam addresses most of the problems I mentioned though, and has a good return policy. I''d give it a try. It sounds like a good product, certainly better than Tempurpedic. But given the price points which are quite similar, do consider Flobeds too. I had a good experience with them and they have good customer service. Being able to actually adjust the firmess by quite small degrees has been such a great thing for me. I know that the layering of the foam is just amazing. The difference to be had from a 3.5 inch slab of medium over firm, versus the other way, is hard to credit. What feels OK for 10 minutes can leave you feeling like you''ve been beaten with a chain the next morning. I firmed up my side last week as an experiment, and BOY did I UNexperiment it right back!

Let us know how it all pans out!

signed,

The Princess, formerly of The Pea

 

[jstarfireb]

I don''t have a fully latex mattress, but I have memory foam mattress toppers on both my bed and my futon, and they''re SO comfortable! It''s transformed my futon from a hard, uncomfortable, lumpy mess to a great place for guests to sleep (and for me to fall asleep while watching TV). My bed was pretty comfortable to begin with, but I think the topper makes a difference. I also use the memory foam pillows, and I have a lot less neck and back pain than what I used to wake up with. I''m a back/side sleeper, and those pillows with the weird-looking divot in the middle work wonders for me.

 

[rainwood]

We slept on a regular foam mattress (don''t remember if it was latex) for probably 15 years. We bought a memory foam topper probably 6 or 7 years ago and loved it although we had to air it out for weeks before we used it. It smelled really toxic. About 2 years, ago we bought a memory foam mattress for our bed from Costco and it had very little smell to it. The same was true with more recent memory toppers for our guest room. They''ve clearly modified their manufacturing process because there''s a huge difference now.

And memory foam comes in different firmness and thicknesses. We don''t have the ''sleeping in a hole'' issue with our memory foam mattress. If anything, it''s a little too firm. And it came with a great mattress cover so it doesn''t get too hot. Plus we put a cotton mattress pad on our beds anyway so that we''re sleeping on cotton. The Costco mattress was only around $1000 for a king so was a great value too. We like it a lot and our guests love the memory foam topper on a regular box spring mattress in the guest room. Everyone ends up buying a topper for themselves once they try ours.

 

[Jas12]

ksinger--i will certinaly look at the flo beds. I am in canada so the link i posted is for a canadian company (always better for me b/c shipping costs over the border can be horrendous since iam very far north and not to mention i can''t go and try them out )
I ''ve read all good things about Talalay, so good to hear you like it too. I am also okay with a bed sleeping ''warm''. It''s winter nearly 6 mos of the year here and from Nov--March i use a heated blanket so i welcome a warmer mattress!
Thanks so much for your input--much appreciated!

rainwood--yes, i am hearing that many of the new memory foams have really reduced the emissions. They are so comfortable so if the latex doesn''t feel as nice when i go to test it out, i am back to the memory foam!

jstar--nice! i am going to get a topper for my son. You''ve sold me He''s still in his crib but i want him sleeping on something high quality when he does graduate to a reg. bed!

 

[Jas12]

ksinger --i contacted flobeds yesterday and for around $250 they will ship to canada. I''ll have to see what the final price would be on one of their beds (including taxes, shipping, etc. etc. ) before i can determin if it''s in the budget, but i really do like the idea of customizing each side.
Do you know if they go lower than the advertised price? Around here there is a huge markup on home goods and typically room to negotiate...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 9/14/2009 6:12:20 AM
Author: ksinger
Well shucks Jas12....I mixed up Diamondseeker''s post with yours. It was late and I need new glasses?

Anyway, to ALL: best of luck finding a great bed, be it latex, spring, component, pre-boxed, or slab of basalt. Life is too short to end up feeling like you''ve been run over by a truck, right??

I really appreciated your post, K! I guess the only reason I didn''t want a component bed is that we wouldn''t have a clue what to order!!! But you are SO right that you can''t buy a latex matress with a lot of polyurethane foam on top...that totally defeats the purpose!!!

The ones at Original Matress Factory have:

6" Talatech Talalay Latex Foam Core ~ 32 ILD
Convoluted Talatech Talalay Latex Foam Topper ~ 19 ILD

I guess I can try that and see what that feels like! Those ILD numbers mean nothing to me! But my hubby also likes a very firm bed and I like one that doesn''t cause me pain! Lol! So we might need flobeds!!!

 

[Gailey]

Hey Jas

I have a Tempur-pedic. I love it. I got it on sale, I think I paid C$1600, but I don''t remember exactly - it''s a queen.

 

[partgypsy]

Let me tell you my story. We have a no padded relatively firm either sealy or serta mattress. After having it for 6, 7 years (and after 2 kids) it was getting uncomfortable to me. First a quilted cotton pad. Not enough cushion. Then I bought a 2" memory foam topper. To me it felt very soft and luxurious, but I would wake up with backaches. And my husband literally loathed it (did not like the sinking soft sensation). With some trepidation I replaced it out with a 1 1/2" latex topper. Both my husband (who also is of the sacrificial altar firmness type) and I LOVE it. So it works for people who like firm beds and people who need more cushioning.

What I would suggest is getting a quality but lower end firm (no padded) mattress, and getting a 1-2" latex topper to put on top. We've had it for a few months and haven't noticed any sagging or indentations, but I imagine it would be easier to replace (and move) a latex topper than the entire bed.

 

[Jas12]

gypsy--thanks for the input. It is hard to find someone who does *not* like the latex. A very good sign! And actually, i went to a local matress shop (that does not sell latex b/c apparently it is a lower socio-economic demographic in our area and thus no a market for it) and even the sales women admitted that she only sleeps on Latex (followed by "but shhh don''t tell anyone") and she also said that hands-down it is best environmentally and for durability.

So, i am going to Toronto in a couple of weeks, hopefully will test one, buy it, and then report back to y''all....

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 9/14/2009 1:24:54 PM
Author: Jas12
jstar--nice! i am going to get a topper for my son. You''ve sold me He''s still in his crib but i want him sleeping on something high quality when he does graduate to a reg. bed!

You and your son won''t be disappointed!

 

[packrat]

This thread is so interesting to me. JD''s planning on making us a king size bed similar to the twin he made for Trapper, and I had planned on forking over the money for a Tempurpedic, but now I''m thinking I''m gonna have to look into latex instead! I need to check out the links from above.