About ready to give up on my latex mattress and rebuy a Lucid mattress

Mattress Talk General Mattresses Questions
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After sleeping on my new hybrid “plush” no-refund mattress(no more coils for me) for a very uncomfortable few weeks I received my order of a latex mattress consisting of three 3-inch layers from bottom up Firm Dunlop, Medium Dunlop, Medium Talalay, which was the recommendation for my 5’6"/215lb size. Despite my size I had suffered with what I had tried being too firm, so I craved softness.

Right away I didn’t like the too-firm feel against my shoulder and hip joint. I removed the cover as suggested by the company and have been sleeping on the latex with thinner coverings over it.

From suggestions from the company I have tried multiple configurations by switching the order of the layers; i.e. the medium dunlop on top, and even the firm dunlop as the middle layer with medium talalay over it. That was the least comfortable - way too firm, so much that I was afraid I might not be able to last on it the entire night.
I went back to the original arrangement of the talalay on top and firm on bottom. Even though I still would like more cushion, a feeling of support was lacking, and there was quite a deep dip at the fold where I sit, when the head is inclined (on the adjustable base). And when side sleeping with knees pulled up, there’s the sensation of the knees sloping downward.

I switched again to the medium dunlop as the top layer, which feels more supportive, but each morning I have increasing soreness overall. Last night was night #14.

Would adding a 4th layer help give me the feel of better support/solidness by adding more bulk? I’m used to a 14" thickness/height; so this 9" seems like I’m sleeping on just the foundation. And if so - a medium or soft layer?

Or, since I remember fondly the comfort of my failed memory foam mattress, should I add a MF layer? Would the latex layers be as good a foundation as any if I found my perfect comfort in a MF layer/topper? And if so, how can I tell if it is a quality MF topper?

Otherwise if I give up and return my latex mattress, where do I go from there? I do like the feel of memory foam. But I know now it takes sleeping on a mattress to know, and how can I keep returning mattresses?! (I had no return/refund option for the first mistake. And I don’t know how difficult a return of the latex mattress will be).
And I am truly tired from not resting and dealing with soreness; and from searching, reading reviews, and confusion of it all! I just want to enjoy my bed again and be able to live life beyond mattress chaos! I have learned from this site and appreciate advice.

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Hey seldel.

Sorry to hear your plush mattress is feeling too firm. Sometimes, when someone has a heavier profile, the default is to (wrongly) assume they’ll appreciate a medium comfort layer because heavier sleepers sink more deeply into their comfort layers.

According to my sleeping stats and profile medium-soft is what everything under the sun would recommend. I want to sleep in something that feels like I’m sleeping in powder snow lol so I wholly understand the frustration you’re experiencing.

It could, yes.

This isn’t a crime, you know :slight_smile: A LOT of people really enjoy a memory foam + latex combo! I think starting here could be a good idea. I would try it with the full set up, and also with the talalay as your transition layer (as opposed to the dunlop)

I’ll be really interested to see how it goes.

NikkiTMU

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It was explained to me by one of the experts on here that when layers are encased in a cover there is a “drum” effect and the top layer feels more firm because of it. I found that to be true when using my 2" soft Dunlop topper as the top layer within my new DIY latex mattress. Try pulling the Talalay layer out and just having it loose on top. If that is good, then adding a separate “topper” (not enclosed with the mattress) might be your solution. I also have mine on an adjustable base and have found that my quilted organic cotton mattress protector changes the feel of the latex (feels more firm) and also bunches up at the “bend” when I put the base in the zero-gravity position. (I have a thinner bamboo protector on order to solve that).

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:grin: Yes, but I sense that it’s almost a sacrilege to some :smile: So I guess I committed it if so. I added a MF topper with the talalay latex on top. When I first lay down the feel overall was more solid/substantial which I like. I woke this morning actually thinking it was a tad too soft. So I will reverse and put the dunlop medium on top.

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Hi BLK56,
Thanks for your input.
Yes, I had that advice also, and have been sleeping without the cover that came with the mattress. It surely does make a difference - more firm w/cover.
I am using a zippered mattress enclosure from my former well-loved MF mattress. It has more of a silky, smooth, nylon/rayon feel which I love rather than the rougher cotton cover quilted with wool. I worry about ruining the zipper on it with all this opening and rearranging of layers.
I added a MF topper, leaving the talalay layer on top. It was a little too soft, so I will now try the dunlop medium on top.

Isn’t that zero-gravity position just the bomb!!

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How did this go? Any better?

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I have slept 2 nights with it arranged from bottom - F/Mtalalay/MFtopper/MDunlop. I don’t know why, but I get up with sore back.
I like that adding the topper gives the latex more “body” overall and increases the height/thickness. But I’m not finding the comfort I had hoped for. I’m going to take the whole thing apart - again :face_with_spiral_eyes: - and put the topper on the very bottom under the firm; or under the talalay and Mdunlop layers. Thanks for asking

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This is scaring me away from latex lol. I’m in the same boat as Nikki, I want to feel like I’m lying on a huge bag of marshmallows! I’m 330lbs but absolutely hate firm mattresses.

I currently have a 16" Lucid memory foam mattress that I love but I need to upgrade from a full size to a queen and they don’t sell it anymore.

I’ve been extremely interested in a 15" latex build. I was looking at:

3" Memory foam
3" talalay soft
3" talalay medium
3" Dunlap medium
3" Dunlap firm

I’m just afraid it’s still going to be too firm. I wish I didn’t live in the boonies and I could test out a latex mattress.

My 16" memory foam bed has 2" of latex in the middle. Maybe that’s why I don’t feel like I sink in all that far, just far enough so when lying on my back it feels like the dip in my lower back is supported. Some people make it sound like they’re sleeping in a hole with memory foam and like it’s hard for them to move–I luckily haven’t had that issue, even with me being 300+ lbs. :smiley:

I was going to stick with memory foam but nobody makes a 16" model anymore. Plus, manufacturers seem to have cheapened the foam they use while swapping out a breathable cover like tencel with polyester. :angry:

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From night one on the latex, I have been as deliberate as I can think how to be in judging and assessing the feel of everything…starting with rearranging layers right away. Keeping in mind that when I had to begin a search for a new mattress I had no clue where to start; did not even realize until a nightmare night spent on my purchase-mistake that I don’t want anything resembling “firm” in a mattress.

I had to think back to the mattress I slept on for 5-1/2 years - and loved - that it was all memory foam. Memory foam seems to be a dirty word, but aside from that - how to find the right memory foam! I too want soft and cradling even though based on my 215 weight, it is not recommended.

I had already ordered the latex mattress with the 100-night-trial in mind. In giving it more thought I wish I had pursued an all memory foam mattress with a trial - and left the latex as the last if that didn’t work out.
I’m not completely sure about the latex as of now, but it is a more sure thing than searching for the right density, etc. of memory foam. Because I don’t have the pressure point pain in my shoulders, and numb fingertips from sleeping on that hybrid mistake. Because with the latex the layers are adjustable, I’m not stuck with an unbearable mattress situation. And at any point I could choose to simply add memory foam as a top layer.

I yearn for the feel of my beloved MF mattress, but how would I ever find it again! And even if the 100-night-trials are as easy as online sellers promise, I find swapping and trying a new mattress to be nightmarish! So unsettling and exhausting.

BTW I know now to research all the seller’s policies/promises thoroughly. I was so exhausted I pulled the trigger on that mistake-mattress from a storefront and signed without reading their no exchange/no refund under any circumstance policy. And even though they ‘stretched themselves’ to allow me a “one-time comfort exchange”, they talk to me like I’m some kind of wacko flake who gets my jollies from asking for mattress exchanges. The money I gave them is just down the drain. Too late - I saw that most online sellers have a trial with refund.

I don’t know where you live or if FedEx, etc delivers there. But many of the sellers have on their sites that returns can be picked up. I honestly wonder how that works myself if I decide not to keep the latex. It is very heavy.
I wish you good luck finding your ‘marshmallow’ (that’s the way I described my beloved mattress - ‘marshmallow with support’). And restful nights soon!

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Hi seldel, thanks for the reply! I was just planning on re-buying the Lucid 16" in a queen size and was heartbroken when I saw they didn’t make it anymore. This led me down a rabbit hole of DIY mattresses, latex options, foam densities, etc. It’s exhausting lol!

Even the Lucid memory foam model I see they still sell is only 14" but there’s a polyester cover, no latex, and the biggest thing is it only weighs 60lbs, my current full size is almost 100lbs! They have to be using cheaper less dense foam now.

So then I checked out DIY latex mattresses and was pretty excited to find a place that could make a 15" model which includes a 3" gel memory foam layer . Then it started getting confusing with Talalay vs dunlap and all the different densities. They insist on a firm type because of my weight but I hate firmness. It wouldn’t be a problem to try but these latex places don’t have a return policy, only swapping out latex layers for a fee. Being I never slept on latex that’s a big gamble on a 2k+ mattress.

Then I found a place that does custom foam/latex builds. They use 5lb memory foam which is great! But when I priced a queen memory foam model, no latex, it was like 4k! And that was just a 10" slab of heavy foam with a softer 6" slab on top! And again, like you noticed, these smaller places don’t have good return policies. No refunds on custom mattresses.

I’m really kind of shocked that nobody makes thicker 16" foam models anymore. I literally only found 1 foam bed at 16" and it was a cheap/lightweight model. The only other 16" models are foam hybrids with a spring base. I wanted to stay away from springs. And I really want to avoid loose toppers.

I don’t mind rearranging layers as long as they’re all encased but I’m not a fan of having a loose layer on top. I tried that once and it would move around/hang off the edges sometimes. It’s also made changing the sheets a chore.

So yes, it sounds like we’re in the same boat. Both want a plush bed and flip flopping between latex and foam. If you don’t mind, let me know how you like your latex build and which model it was!

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As for how I like the latex - the most definitive thing I can say at this point is (as mentioned) I’m not getting up in the morning with the kind of nightmarish-body-migraine-pain I experienced on the mistake-purchase(hybrid). Just minimal stiffness in places. I can actually lay awake without being forced to get up from discomfort. The latex does provide some “contouring” type comfort; not the same as my memory foam mattress did. (I think I’m still somewhat holding out for that feel.)

The cons for me - I’m not sure I understand/or can articulate. First of course I want a thicker/taller mattress format. That comes after the comfort factor.

As I said I’m not really understanding what to do to fix what I don’t like. I most often sleep with my head inclined. In that position I feel like there is too much dip in the fold; maybe not enough support. I will see if replacing the softer talalay with the medium dunlop makes up that difference. And that’s the other issue - making the mattress feel more solid/substantial.