Durability of SSF vs SMF mattress

Talk To The Experts Sleep EZ
1

Hello,

I’d like your recommendation on my particular situation below. I’m using Savvy Rest as a point of comparison as that is the only latex line that I’ve been able to lie on so far.

Statistics:
47 year female, 5’ 3", 185Ibs, BMI 33.
Shoulder width same as hip width.
Side sleeper but generally find myself turning onto my stomach to alleviate pressure on my hip and shoulder
Currently also have an issue with my arm going a little number after a few hours of side sleeping

I visited a Savvy Rest showroom and determined that:

  • I liked Soft Dunlop-Soft Dunlop-Firm Dunlop (SSF) the best because the top layer filled up all the spaces including my waist when lying on my side. No pressure on my shoulder or hips.
  • I was OK with the Soft Dunlop-Medium Dunlop-Firm Dunlop (SMF) but the foam didn’t quite reach my waist when lying on my side. I might have felt a touch of pressure on my shoulder although my hip felt fine.
  • I prefer Dunlop to Talalay on the top layer as I felt a little “unstable” when lying on Talalay. (Felt like I could roll off accidentally in the night…)

My Questions:

  1. Given the information above, would you recommend the SSF or the SMF as my starting point, given my BMI?
  2. Is the SSF going to be less supportive in the long run? Is it going to be less durable?
  3. Do you expect the feel of the mattress to change over the years (i.e. soften or harden)?
2

Having two soft layers in the mattress at 185 pounds will make the mattress less durable. However, I wouldn’t be able to say in advance how much the durability will be affected. You may get 5-8 years out of the top soft layer before it needs to be replaced. You may get more than 8 years, I really couldn’t say for sure.

Latex mattresses do soften as ages because latex is a natural product and it doesn’t have the same preservatives and other chemicals that man-made foams do. The general consensus in the industry is that the mattress will soften by 5% within the first 5-7 years. All-latex mattresses still typically last 20 years, but if 15 years go by and you find the mattress is a bit too soft for you, you could always unzip the cover and rearrange the layers to make it firmer.