If Gentle Essence & Mellow Haven are both in the Smartstrand Silk line, then they will be comparable products. They will both have amazing wear performance, stain and soil protection, and durability. I would go with your personal style preference RacinRaver. SmartCushion has a moisture barrier film which prevents spills from getting into the pad for easier clean up. If there is no moisture present, SmartCushion will protect against spills & stains that get into the padding. For installations on a slab where moisture might be present, you should prob use a synthetic fiber cushion which will allow it to evaporate.

I've just been shopping for this, and the prices I've seen have been under $5/sf But there are so many lines of this product and they don't make it easy to compre them.

@stir_fryi - If you have pets and are looking for carpet in high traffic areas, then SmartStrand will prove to be the perfect fit. It is more durable and stain resistant than Nylon, and the stain protection is engineered in so that it never wears off! SmartStrand carpets are not experiencing any vacuum issues, but if you select a premium soft carpet such as SmartStrand Silk then you will want to pair the perfect vacuum with it. Dyson vacuums are not Carpet & Rug Institute approved, so I would always recommend purchasing a model that is CRI approved. In the grand scheme of things, you don't want to install a gorgeous carpet and use an ill-suited vacuum to maintain it. If you have a premium soft carpet, you want to find a vacuum that has: -Beater bar with adjustable height -Wide wheels (this will keep the vacuum higher & more flexible) Here are some great models to check out: Standard Upright Vacuum: Hoover UH70120 Hoover UH70205 Hoover U5780-950 Dirt Devil UD70115 Eureka AS5203A Lightweight/No Depth Adjustment: Oreck Magnesium Oreck Magnesium RS Hoover Nano UH20020W Canister Vacuum: Hoover Canister S3865 Oreck Quest Pro

I have wool carpeting with SmartStep pad. My friend has Smart Strand though out her lower level and she is (a designer) pleased with it. It is actually made with corn silk and is solution dyed (meaning each strand is dyed all the way through). That’s important. Do you mean “triexta”? Smart Strand is triexta.