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bjymd · 10-07-2016, 10:13

Anyone have experience with latex mattresses? I have been looking to replace the mattresses on my boat and Latex is way more expensive. Is it worth the price? Thanks , I am a newbie and really appreciate the information offered on these forums. Best wishes Burt

98blackbell · 10-07-2016, 17:48

New boat owners here, interested in comments!

We have had terrible reactions with foam mattresses in the home!

J Clark H356 · 10-07-2016, 18:42

We have spent 988 days on our 2003 Hunter 356 and when we commissioned the boat, we bought a 4 inch topper foam mattress pad from Walmart and put over the original queen size rear berth. We sleep more comfortably on the boat than we do at home. If you happen to be allergic to foam, it won't work for you. We maintain our temperature on the boat with either shore power at the dock or running our generator continuously when away from the dock, so humidity and temperature are always within our comfort range regardless of outside conditions.

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44'cruisingcat · 10-07-2016, 19:56

Nearly 6 years on a latex mattress. (At night anyway.) Very comfortable, still pretty much as good as new. Incredibly, inconceivably, almost unnaturally, heavy.

**JPA Cate** · 10-07-2016, 20:43

A good quality latex mattress should last you a very long time, and if you're not allergic to latex, it will just be purely comfortable. I slept on the same one for about 20 yrs., and it was still firm, hadn't gone all weird. But, it is expensive.

Polyfoam will only be good for 4 yrs. or so, but is about a quarter the cost (here in Oz), and also weighs less.

The choice is yours.

Ann

model 10 · 10-07-2016, 21:23

Where are you going to cruise? Latex is a heat magnet, so if in the tropics, you should beware! You can get poly foam in whatever density you want. The hot setup would be several layers of different weight foams. They are usually different colors, so you could have a red, yellow and blue mattress, for example.

Door Sail · 11-07-2016, 08:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjymd

Anyone have experience with latex mattresses? I have been looking to replace the mattresses on my boat and Latex is way more expensive. Is it worth the price? Thanks , I am a newbie and really appreciate the information offered on these forums. Best wishes Burt

As the owner of a sail and canvas shop, we offer our customers a wide range of foam. If you are just on board for the weekend, not a big deal, but livaboards come to see us for new foam after several nights on board.

Latex is definitely more expensive, but is naturally anti bacterial and anti microbial. It also will last much longer than polyurethane. It is what my wife and I have replaced our conventional spring mattress with at home, and we love it.

Cadence · 11-07-2016, 08:14

Pay the extra bock if you plan on sleeping aboard much or plan on keeping the boat for a period of time. Latex doesn't break down like foam.

FSMike · 11-07-2016, 09:00

I believe that there are two types of latex, natural and man made. The natural latex is reputed to be cooler to sleep on than the artificial.

Lambretta · 11-07-2016, 09:02

Re: Latex vs Foam mattresses ?
Nearly 6 years on a latex mattress. (At night anyway.) Very comfortable, still pretty much as good as new. Incredibly, inconceivably, almost unnaturally, heavy.

I am intrigued .......... how much more (I realize this will be an estimate, aka a thumb suck) but how much more will it weigh over foam mattress - as a multiple- for a queen size mattress? That is, say three times the weight?

Are there only two choices to make ....... foam or latex?

I have seen many different qualities of "foam" mattresses on yachts

Thanks

darylat8750 · 11-07-2016, 09:13

We have friends who have had natural latex for many years. After trying their bed we put one on ours. We've had it 3 years now and both of us still love it. Ours is not Natural and heat is an issue. We use a "GoreTex" type mattress cover then a surplus sourced wool blanket then a regular mattress cover then sheet to mitigate the sweat issue. We are trying to convince ourselves to spend the money on one for our home. I say if we just stay on the boat we will save money.

Cadence · 11-07-2016, 09:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSMike

I believe that there are two types of latex, natural and man made. The natural latex is reputed to be cooler to sleep on than the artificial.

Re: natural and man made latex. You are probably correct one of those misrepresentations in advertising we allow. To me latex came out of a tree?

**a64pilot** · 11-07-2016, 09:21

I have one of those Memory foam mattresses at home, a Tempurpedic, and man let me tell you, that thing is HOT, comfortable in cool weather, but you had better have AC if it's not Winter.
On the boat we have the Walmart memory foam topper and its not so bad, we also have a Froli under the Mattress, don't know what to think about the Froli, it's supposed to prevent condensation, but with the topper, it just didn't make much difference, tried without the topper and it we like the topper so put it back.

CarinaPDX · 11-07-2016, 09:56

I have a 5" thick Dunlop latex foam mattress in the V-berth, which I have found to be very comfortable. If I were to do it again I would go for 6". It has a unique, luxurious feel. However I actually prefer (slightly) what I did for the 5" saloon settees: 1" latex on top, then 2" of foam for sleeping on top of 2" of firmer seating foam. They are covered with Alcantara synthetic suede, and I use a mattress pad beneath the sheets. I will likely replace with the same when the time comes (soon, as they are about 12 years old). Foam durability has a lot to do with the quality of foam, which is at least in part a function of density (not firmness, a different dimension). Avoid lightweight foam as it won't last long.

Greg