Latex Mattress Buying Guide

Latex mattresses are a luxury product known for offering a mix of support, comfort, breathability, and eco-friendly options. But as anyone who begins researching latex mattresses discovers quickly, there’s a lot of information to consider when selecting the best latex mattress for you.

The Mattress Experts™ at Texas Mattress Makers answer your questions and more in our latex mattress buying guide.

What is a Latex Mattress

How Latex Mattresses Feel

Pros and Cons

Types of Latex Mattresses

Latex Allergies: What You Need to Know

Need more basic information? Check out our guide on How to Choose a Mattress.

What is a latex mattress?

Latex begins as a liquid that is tapped from rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) in the same way that we tap syrup from maple trees. Once extracted, the liquid is whipped, poured into a mattress mold, and baked until it forms soft, bouncy mattress material. 

At Texas Mattress Makers, we sell mattresses that feature all-natural latex in the comfort layer, supported by individually wrapped coils in the support layer.

How do latex mattresses feel? 

Latex mattresses offer the comfort and contouring of a memory foam mattress but with a higher level of resiliency, making it easier to change sleeping positions or move from laying down to sitting up. Sleepers who enjoy the feel of a foam mattress but want a mattress that bounces back more quickly could benefit from a latex mattress. 100% latex mattresses and latex comfort layers are also perforated, which allows for better air circulation and cooling than foam mattresses.

However, keep in mind that not everyone’s body is suited for 100% foam or latex mattresses. In fact, most people tend to fare better on a hybrid mattress that includes individually wrapped coils as a base and a foam or latex comfort layer. 

Our mattresses with all-natural latex come in a range of firmness levels, from soft to firm, so you can find your preferred comfort level with ease.

The pros and cons of latex mattresses

Many sleepers love latex mattresses for their comfort and eco-friendly options. That said, latex mattresses may not be the perfect fit for every sleeper. These are the pros and cons of latex mattresses you should know before you start shopping.

Latex mattress pros:

• Eco-friendly (all-natural latex only)
• Durable
• Resilient with exceptional contouring
• Provides pressure point relief while bouncing back quicker compared to other foams
• Minimal motion transfer
• Multiple firmness options
• Great for humid climates
• Allergen-resistant

Potential latex mattress cons: 

• Price point can be high (although it is entirely possible to find reasonable options)
• Heavy, so potentially not ideal if you move frequently

Types of latex mattresses  

1. Hybrid latex mattresses

Recently, there has been an increase in hybrid latex mattresses. Unlike blended latex mattresses, our hybrid latex mattresses combine individually wrapped coils as a base with an all-natural latex comfort layer top. These hybrid mattresses offer the best of both mattress types: the resilient comfort of latex with the support of individually wrapped coils. 

Having all-natural latex in the comfort layer adds extra resiliency, helps it to back quickly when pressure is removed, helps sleepers avoid that “sunken in” feeling, and allows sleepers to shift positions easily without disturbing their partners. All-natural latex has cooling properties and can help with joint pain and arthritis relief, and more.

For more information on our hybrid mattresses, please visit our Hybrid Mattress Buyers Guide.

2. All-latex mattresses

Note: Texas Mattress Makers does not sell full-latex mattresses.

Just as the name suggests, both the comfort and support layers of these mattresses are made entirely from latex. All-latex mattresses may be all-natural or may feature a blend, so be sure to check with the seller if you have concerns. Many sleepers note that all-latex mattresses feel more dense than a hybrid mattress, but still offer adequate support and exceptional pain relief.

3. Synthetic latex mattresses and blended latex mattresses

Note: Texas Mattress Makers does not sell synthetic or blended latex mattresses.

While synthetic and blended latex mattresses may share many of the same properties and characteristics of natural latex, they do have some downsides to their natural counterparts. The most obvious of these is their impact on the environment. Additionally, synthetic mattresses are slightly less durable (more prone to tearing) and can produce strong off-gassing (the release of gasses, volatile organic compounds (VOCs)).

A quick note on latex allergies

If you have a latex allergy, you may be concerned about whether or not it is safe for you to sleep on a latex mattress. Ultimately, you will want to speak with your doctor, but it’s generally considered safe for those with latex allergies to sleep on an all-natural latex mattress for two reasons:

1. Your all-natural latex mattress will be washed as part of the manufacturing process, removing the proteins that cause allergic reactions.
2. Most latex mattresses come with a protective cover that puts a barrier between you and the latex.

Your Best Latex Mattress Buying Guide. Shop with The Mattress Experts™ at Texas Mattress Makers.

Texas Mattress Makers offers all-natural latex mattresses in Houston in a hybrid form where the comfort layer features the all-natural latex and the support layer is made with either individually-wrapped coils or our ultra-supportive Quantum™ Coil technology.

If you would rather get a feel for a mattress before making a purchase, visit any of our Houston locations and speak with the Mattress Experts™ at Texas Mattress Makers. There, our Mattress Experts™ can help you find the best latex mattress for you.