Hey there Cgilly47!
Welcome to the Mattress UnderGround.
First off, mattress shopping can be a real rabbit hole. It’s easy to get stuck in analysis paralysis once you start diving into all the details. It’s great that you’re in a trial period; hopefully the terms are on your side. I’ll be upfront: when it comes to Purple, I’ve got a bit of a bias. Not because I found it wildly uncomfortable, but the whole marketing shtick and the actual quality of the grid leave me a little skeptical. It was originally designed more for short-term medical use, like burn or trauma patients who needed soft, pressure-relieving surfaces to prevent bed sores, and it’s since been pushed into the mattress market like it’s built for the long haul. I’m not entirely sold on that transition.
If you liked the Purple Original’s cooling and motion isolation, that makes sense. Those are two of the strongest points of the grid material. That hyper-elastic polymer definitely stays cool and does well with motion dampening, especially compared to something like latex, which can bounce more.
Here is one of many videos of industry pro’s diving into the purple mattress and it’s components. Remember, the grid is supposed to be the star of the show, what you will see in this video is not uncommon at all for this material.
However, since you’re already noticing that your shoulder isn’t sinking in quite enough, especially as a 120 lb side sleeper, it’s worth being cautious. Lighter-weight folks often don’t activate the grid enough for it to fully contour. You might find that the Purple continues to feel a little “held up” rather than “cradled” even after the break-in period. The material does soften a bit, but it’s more of a stretch than a compress over time, so if it’s not sinking in now, it may not get significantly better later.
Also worth noting, you mentioned concerns about sagging, and that’s definitely something that’s come up frequently with Purple, especially for couples with a big weight difference. The grid can compress unevenly over time, leading to body impressions or a “hammocking” feel. That could become more noticeable over the next year or two (or less), especially with your partner being 200 lbs. This isn’t a universal issue, but it’s one of the more common complaints in long-term reviews.
The other issue you will run into when the shoulder is not sinking enough, may be that it should not be. Side sleepers, depending on the firmness of the mattress, need a loftier pillow. One that offers support, structure, and comfort. Kind of like a mattress for your head, neck and shoulders. A loftier structured pillow, say, like the Oxygen Pillow, will keep your head and neck supported and keep your shoulder from sinking into the mattress, reducing that should pain issue.
Given all that and your interest in something super soft and contouring for your shoulder, I think you’re on the right track looking into something like the Nest Sparrow Plush, especially with the internal split configuration. It’s one of the several beds that really allows lightweight side sleepers to get deep pressure relief without sacrificing too much motion isolation. The quilted top will sleep a bit warmer than Purple, but you have two things going for you. They construct this mattress with escape routes for the heat to dissipate out the sides of the mattress and with the right cotton percale sheets or adding a breathable topper, you might be able to balance that out. Plus, Nest’s trial and lifetime renewal program is a pretty good safety net if you’re ordering sight-unseen. If the plush for your side seems to be too plush, you can always swap it out for the medium, which would be my recommendation to start.
As for the Quail, you’re right to be unsure. It tends to feel firmer than expected for light sleepers, so you might end up in the same shoulder discomfort dilemma and I dont think it offers an internal split.
If you really love the Purple and don’t feel pain, you could ride out the trial period and see how it feels at week four or five, but go in with eyes open about long-term durability. If your shoulder already feels like it’s rolling under you, that’s usually not a great sign, especially for someone trying to sleep more on their side. And if you’re already second guessing during the honeymoon phase, that’s a clue to pay attention to. You can opt for a body pillow to keep you from rolling too much, but it just aids the problem, it doesn’t solve it.
I know you stated the hubby can sleep on anything, but that is true until it isn’t. Mattresses like the Helix Elite Series offers similar internal split options. You would need to purchase it through and authorized dealer like @yawnder to order a split internal king. They have a wide variety of insert levels to choose from.
As always, I can not stress enough to check your foundation to ensure it is robust enough to handle your mattress.
Hopefully, this gives you some food for thought. I should mention that any of the latex hybrid manufacturers can craft a split internal mattress too. @Sleep_EZ and @Arizona_Premium are just a couple.
All the best,
Maverick.