Latex Mattress Reviews

Latex seems to be the hot material now for mattress manufacturers. This is especially true in the organic or natural lines but even the old time firms such as Sealy Serta and Simmons are jumping on the latex bandwagon.

If this is news to you, just search online for latex mattress reviews and you will find reading material that never ends.

And there is good reason for this. Latex mattresses are already  popular in Europe and are picking up steam in the U.S. also.

I trust that this article will help you make and educated decision if you are considering buying a latex mattress.

There is no doubt that latex is a good, durable product. It is quite dense and gives comfortable support. By varying the size on number of pincor holes in the mattress core they can be made softer or firmer. The larger the holes, the softer the latex mattress will feel.

Most latex mattresses are made with only one size of hole throughout the mattress. This gives the mattress a uniform feel throughout. In order to provide zone comfort, some mattress cores are made with different size hole for different zones. This provides more firmness under heavy body areas and softer support under lighter areas such as the shoulders.

You can also find latex mattress with a latex core overlayed with softer latex or memory foam. Some people find this and ideal combination. It gives the mattress a softer, more yielding feel and still provides the bouncy support of latex.

Either with or without an overlayment, latex mattresses are a big improvement over coil spring mattresses.

Natural latex comes from the sap of the Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). During Word War II scientists also discovered how to create synthetic latex. Although synthetic, this man made latex has the same properties of the natural product.

Some latex manufacturers combine natural and synthetic to produce a product they claim is more resilient. I know of no studies that actually document this.

Whether you opt for synthetic or natural latex mattress or a combination, you will be getting essentially the same material and both are subject to chemical and mechanical processing. Natural latex will cost a little more but many people do prefer a "natural product" rather than one made from petrochemicals.

Latex mattresses can also be different in the manner in which the cores are made. There are two ways they are manufactured:

1 - In the Dunlop method the liquid latex is whipped into a foam and poured into a mold where it is heated and cured.

2 - The Talalay method utilizes a vacuum mold and other processes which advocates claim produces a foam that is more consistent in cell structure.

In either process the foam is then washed to clean it of excess soaps and proteins that shorten the life span of the foam latex. this washing also minimizes the rubbery smell some people find objectionable.

If you want to stay as natural and as organic as possible, look for natural latex mattresses. You can find many online and some at your local shopping center.

You may find that the latex mattress does not give you the pressure relief you need and opt to go with a memory foam mattress instead. Or you can do what more people are tending toward. Go with a natural latex mattress with a memory foam bed topper. This just may be the ideal combination for you.

Tagged with: foam • latex • mattress

Filed under: Latex Foam Mattress

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!