First - thanks to Phoenix for this site and all the detailed guidance provided on this site. I know way more about mattresses than I ever thought possible. With that said, I am having a tough time finding a mattress that fits me and have come up with an idea to build my own mattress. Before I start buying components though I wanted to get some guidance.
About me: I vary between 200 to 210 lbs, athletic build, and have about a 4 to 5" drop from my shoulder to my armpit and a little more to my waist. I am a side sleeper 95% of the time and shoulder pain has been the biggest issue I have with mattresses.
I recently tried the tempurpedic cloud luxe and it hurt my shoulders as well - plus it slept hot. I have zero interest in memory foam since they sleep hot. In the retail stores, I have enjoyed the feel of the sterns and foster euro-plush mattresses, but I realize they are inferior in material and will break down, but the feel they have in the comfort layer is nice to me. I like the soft feel and the way it somewhat wraps around me. I don’t necessarily care about the support layer (i.e. - coils vs foam) I just like the way the comfort layer feels on these mattresses (in the store).
What I am considering: I am seeking a thick comfort layer and pressure relief for my shoulder - maybe 5 to 6 inches plus. I do not want to go so thick that I lose support for my spine though. Here’s a solution that I think may work for me and give me options:
Buy a 12" zipper cover from www.nestbedding.com. (I’m open to any other covers, but I haven’t seen any other zipper covers for sale.)
Add a 6" Dunlop latex layer in 36 +/- ILD range for support.
Add a 2" Layer in the 28 +/- ILD range
Add a 2" intelli-gel (buckling gel) layer. (I can buy their topper and remove the intell-gel layer)
Add a 2" Talalay Latex Layer in the 18-21 ILD range.
Add either a 2" or 4" all wool topper from www.surroundewe.com.
My hope is this will give me plenty of pressure relief, good breathability (not sleep hot), the feeling I like from the sterns and foster of softness and wrapping around me, and still provide plenty of support. The downside is I don’t have a warranty, but the upside is I can replace components. Also, I can take off the wool topper and or swap out the order and material of the comfort layers as I choose.
I don’t want to spend a ton on a mattress, but this solution looks like it would be in the 2000 to 2200 range. This is fine if it gives me a quality mattress that I can tweak and use for years. I am also open to ANY recommendations for a pre-built mattress that already meets my needs for less - I have not found one yet.
As stated, I’m open to input and ideas. Thanks for reading if you made it this far.