Hi KayT,
Thanks for sharing your comments and feedback about your Jacksonville research. I appreciate it. Thanks for the heads up about Sleep City as well and I’ve added a note to their listing in the Jacksonville list for others in the area.
It sounds like you have already decided on your adjustable bed purchase but if you wish to expand your research then there is more information about choosing an adjustable bed in post #3 here and the main adjustable bed topic that it links to that can help you choose an adjustable bed based on price vs features comparisons and also includes some retailers that you can use as good sources of information about the features of the adjustable beds they carry and as pricing references as well (in post #6 in the main adjustable bed topic). Of course there are many other sources as well and prices can change on a regular basis so I would also include some internet searching in your research and I would also keep in mind that online advertised prices are often price controlled so make sure you contact the stores you are considering to find out their best prices rather than just looking at websites.
If you are referring to having two separate mattresses (such as two twin XL mattresses to make up a king size) then there are some comments in post #8 here and in this topic about the pros and cons of a split king mattress.
There are also component latex mattresses available which have a side to side split layering inside a single cover which have a different firmness level on each side of the mattress that can accommodate a couple that have different needs and preferences in a mattress although with a single mattress you would give up the ability to raise and lower each side of the mattress independently if that’s an important consideration for you. There are some comments about the pros and cons of a side to side split layered mattress in post #2 here.
The foam layers in the Sleep Number mattresses are fairly low quality and aren’t particularly durable so it’s possible or even likely that after 5 - 8 years they have softened or broken down to a point that you are outside the comfort/support range that is suitable for you. Of course if you have changed your sleeping positions then it’s also possible that your needs and preferences have changed as well and that could also change the firmness of a mattress that is suitable for you. Since stomach sleepers tend to need firmer mattresses than back or especially side sleepers … if your mattress is still in good condition and there are no soft spots or sagging in the mattress then it’s possible that adding a suitable topper would provide any additional “comfort” and pressure relief that you may need (although again after 5 - 8 years I would guess that the top foam layers in your Sleep Number may no longer be in good condition and may need to be replaced as well).
While there is no way to quantify how long any mattress will last for a specific person or predict exactly when you will decide to replace it because it is no longer suitable or comfortable for you (because this is the only real measure of durability or the useful life of a mattress that really matters) because there are too many unknowns and variables involved that are unique to each person … if a mattress is well inside a suitable comfort/support range and isn’t close to the edge of being too soft when it is new (see post #2 here) and you have confirmed that it meets the minimum quality/durability specs that are suggested in the guidelines here then it would be reasonable to expect a useful lifetime in the range of 7 - 10 years and with higher quality and more durable materials like latex or higher density memory foam or polyfoam (in the comfort layers especially) it would likely be in the higher end of the range or even longer and the chances that you would have additional “bonus time” would be higher as well.
This would depend on the specifics of the foam layers in the mattress, on how close together you sleep, and on the amount of differences in your body types (someone that is much heavier can compress the layers more deeply and create a valley that the other person can roll into if they are close together. If the comfort layers are soft enough to provide good pressure relief in all your sleeping positions and the transition (middle) layers and support (deeper) layers are firm enough for both of you then “roll together” in the middle of the mattress shouldn’t be a significant issue (although it’s a little bit more likely with a split mattress because the edge of a mattress without edge support will generally “act” a little bit softer than the rest of the mattress because of the “edge effect”.
Most foam mattresses don’t have or really need edge support for most people if it has a suitable design but there are always exceptions to every rule based on the individual factors that I just mentioned. There is more about edge support with foam mattresses in post #33 here and post #3 here but the only way to know for certain whether you will experience “roll together” in the middle of a mattress or “roll off” at the edge of a mattress will be based on your own careful testing (with both of you on the mattress in the sleeping positions that you normally sleep in) or your own personal experience.
Most foam mattresses that have foam edge support and most pocket coil mattresses that have foam edge support or that use firmer coils in the outer edges would be suitable for an adjustable bed but it’s always best to check with the manufacturer to make sure that any specific mattress would be suitable for an adjustable bed and that using the mattress on an adjustable bed doesn’t void the warranty.
The Pure Latex Bliss mattresses certainly use good quality and durable materials and there are no lower quality materials or “weak links” in any of their mattresses that would compromise the durability or useful life of their mattresses.
There is also more information about the 3 most important parts of “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
Outside of any other local latex mattresses that are available to you … the mattress shopping tutorial also includes a link to a list of the members here that sell mattresses online and many of them (including Brooklyn Bedding) also sell latex and latex hybrid mattresses that use different types and blends of latex that have a wide range of different designs, options, features, return and exchange policies, and prices that that would be well worth considering as well and that would work well on an adjustable bed.
Phoenix