Venus, I had tried those same combi coil springs you linked to above on mine with the hope it would provide more support than the Simmons BeautyRest ones I had been using. I found they didn’t give me what I was looking for in terms of more support and may have even made things worse (I needed more support in the lumbar area not the hips) so I finally decided to try an air bed base layer (and I pump it up very firm) which I’m using currently. If I were sticking with a coil base I would want something relatively uniform as a base layer (I would suggest QE Bolsa over Combi Zone) because zoning on the coil layer (except for edge support) only causes more complications to tailor the mattress for your liking IMHO. That said I’m not sure how different it would be versus what you have with your current bed. I would try lying directly on the coil layer and then have someone take a photo from the side with you in a side sleeping position, this is your baseline. Then you can compare the tow photos with any number of methods: printing (use ruler or straight edge to mark a midline), photoshop, PowerPoint (make one photo semi-transparent and overlay), etc. If you are a back sleeper you would obviously need to compare the side photo with that of you standing straight up (again any deviations should be noted as being not part of your neutral position). Some of those deviations can be made up with using comfort layers like latex, cotton batting, wool, etc but if those deviations are too large (ie you are a curvy person or have a large spinal curve in the case of a back sleeper) then it will exceed the ability of the material to provide the elasticity support you need. So in that case you need to begin to think about using some sort of multi zoning layer to get the alignment you need to relax and be completely comfortable. If you don’t get that right (this is why you try just lying on the bare springs first to check before adding layers) then no amount of comfort layers (microcoils are for comfort not support) will be able to correct the issue. Then with each new layer you add you should compare that to your baseline photo to see if support is improving/worsening. That sagging you describe sounds like a classic lack of support issue but you will be able to confirm that by looking at the photos. You will also find the discomfort from lack of support will likely increase the longer the situation persists. Lots of these natural materials are great for things like furniture but keep in mind they may compress down much faster than other more elastic materials like latex, HQ polyfoam or gel type materials when used in the comfort layer (remember we spend about 1/4 to 1/3 of our life sleeping in bed, it gets alot of use). Also make sure any testing you do is on a level stable surface such as the floor or ensure that any platforms/box springs don’t allow sagging of any kind or it will make it very difficult to troubleshoot your issue. Designing your own mattress does have some very complicated aspects to navigate through but considering the number of hours we stay in bed getting something that works perfectly for you is usually more that worth the time invested to solve it.
it was a mistake in their production, so not something they could have foreseen to warn me about. their covers have an indicator stripe that they had on backwards, so i installed according to their instructions… brown stripe on the outer perimeter. because the cover was on backwards, my correct install ultimately has the springs in backwards.
the reason i mention this is that base layer transmits “feel” to the comfort layer. so if the comfort layer feels uneven and sinking, it couuuld (as it was in mine) because of the springs in backwards transmitted a sinking feeling in my sleep area because there was a stiff area in the middle from the backwards springs.
Thanks Mattrebuild!
Really appreciate hearing your experience with the different coils and getting your recommendations.
How is the air bed base? are you finding that works better than coils?
I’m currently sleeping with a cotton futon on top of my naturepedic pocket coils. They are very comfortable and are not causing sagging but about $800 to keep them which is nearly triple the price of the QE Bolsa springs. The rest of their bed comfort wise. isn’t working for me.
Hard to know if I’m currently very comfortable and feel supported on the naturepedic coils if it’s just best to keep what works than try out new coils like the QE Bolsa.
I have both the qe 8" bolsa and the naturepedic firm & extra firm support coils. I can tell you the qe bolsa is a higher gauge than the naturepedic and you can feel it. Its definitely softer but maybe thats what your looking for. It’s hard to explain but when I squeeze the firm naturepedic coil & I compress the extra firm naturepedic coil I can feel that the firm is softer than the extra firm but they both feel very sturdy, well made & you feel like it will be a very durable long lasting coil. When I squeeze the qe bolsa it is softer than both the naturepedic coils but also feels more flimsy/ not as well made, like it would be less durable. I like the qe bolsa though and I still think it will be a very long lasting/ durable coil unit even if it’s not as durable as the naturepedic coils. Just my opinion/ personal experience on these coil units your considering 
My goals and yours may not be the same but let me at least explain where I was coming from as a consumer fed up with the traditional mattress buying experience. I bought a very expensive ($2500) brand name bed from a big box store thinking the price should at least indicate I should have received a quality mattress that would serve me for years. What I got was exactly the opposite. The bed lasted only a few months and then being so mad about the experience I decided I would use my technical skills to build my own mattress (I mean how hard could this be?!) I soon found out it was actually quite challenging (made more difficult because I’m larger and more curvy than most people). So determined to get something for the money I spent I started by cutting open the mattress and slowly I replacing each section of the mattress until now there is absolutely nothing left from the original Beautyrest mattress. Since then my sleep has greatly improved but it’s still not ideal for me and I won’t rest (no pun intended) until I reach that goal. Many of these higher end mattresses run in the thousands of dollars and who knows how long they will actually last anymore. So I decided early on the solution to the problem was more valuable than worrying constantly about how much I spent to solve it. I also wanted as part of my goal to create something that not only works for me but that I can continue to source parts for as needed to rebuild it later on down the line (a Frankenstein bed that works amazing isn’t helpful if you can’t rebuild it later when it eventually stops working for you).
I originally started on springs as a base (because I slept on them for years) but have since moved to trying an air base (same as what Sleep Number uses) because when you lower the pressure it does a great job of eliminating pressure points (which as a heavy guy I like). The main issue with a single air bladder type bed is that if you are heavy you end up with hammocking (sagging in the middle) which can create alignment problems. Now my wife says she absolutely loves her side as is (she has an air core base and two 3" soft dunlop latex layers), says it feels better than a hotel. Mine is comfortable when I lower the pressure (to get better pressure relief) but then I run into support issues so now I’m working on creating zoning in the bed to bring back support where I need it. Spring bases provide a more consistent support across the entire surface but here too you can run into alignment problems if they are not stiff enough for your body type. Springs can also have similar support issues since the force pushing back on you is equal across the bed (assuming the springs aren’t zoned) but your weight is not distributed evenly across your body. This poses even more problems when you and your spouse are very different BMIs (she needs softer coils where I need more a much more firm base to receive any adequate support at all). This is also why I like the air base because I can alter the support firmness and you can then have two sections side-by-side with very different firmness levels inside a single mattress. I can also change the firmness if I’m sore from cutting wood all weekend or had a heavy duty workout.
Getting back to your situation I would suggest returning the Naturepedic and trying the QE bolsa springs. Then if they work you saved yourself a bunch of money and you know where to buy them again if need be in the future (vs buying a whole bed from Naturepedic to get the spring layer again). You’re not going to be able to return the Bolsa coils (impossible to repackage, so there is some risk) but the money you’d be out isn’t much relative to a good quality bed. You could also try the air base like I have, you may love it right away like my wife does. All you need is just 2 air chambers (assuming King/Queen, buy the SN air chambers that zip together with an air port at the head of the bed, not on the side), the air pump and a remote (usually comes with the pump). If you need more specifics on what to buy just ask. You can get it all off eBay for around $300 and it if doesn’t work out you can unload it right back on eBay again and likely be out shipping costs at worst. If you do decide to keep the air base then I also suggest getting the 6" foam edge rails from here to complete the bed and provide good edge support. If you finally decide the best feel really was the Naturpedic you can always rebuy it again and use the parts you need to create what your looking for in terms of support and feel/comfort. That’s just my $0.02 on how I would tackle it.
Mattrebuild:
Hoping to get your advice here!
I ended up moving across the country and decided to return my Naturepedic til I was settled again.
So I’m at it again… debating what to do about a mattress and was re-reading your helpful post from our last exchange.
I would love some more clarification about what you’re suggesting since it feels pretty nutty to build my own bed with no experience doing so but I might be willing if it’s well thought out! lol
1)Tell me a bit more about the layers and the order you have them in / what you think I can set up in my situation ( or if you want to post pics), What is the UNDER your air chamber layer if anything ? are they resting on a slatted wood frame? on the floor? I have some concerns about air flow and making sure my mattress (whatever it ends up being made of) has adequate air flow so that no mold develops.
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I think you are then suggesting first the air chamber layer, then the QE bolsa and then what? I would need an encasement of some sort with some support (eg naturepedic has an organic one that contains some cotton/ wool batting I believe) which can protect the entire mattress and offer some cushioning over the coils. Do you have one of these and if so where did you get it and does it ALSO cover the air chamber layer?
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what are the “foam edge rails” for? I’m not able to picture this/ get what this is and where it would go/ be needed?
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Does the air chamber help adjust the comfort of the springs above it?
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Lastly, I have really hated the feel of latex after two high end mattresses I tried bc I feel like I’m floating/ drowining somehow and don’t feel comfortable on it … but I wonder if in your extensive journey (!) you have come across any hybrid situations that use less latex and have more of comfy feel than a floaty feel (hard to describe). Or if anyone else reading has found some balance where you have a modified latex experience… bc other than Naturepedic or build your own mattress - if you want organic but you don’t want memory foam or polyfoam or super super firm (my green mattress) or lower quality brands or latex - you’re kind of stuck.
Thank you 