Hi Napper,
Sorry about your pain on waking up, and the confusion you’ve found from local mattress makers.
First, any mattress you choose will be based on your Stats (height, BMI, sleeping position(s) and any underlying health conditions) and your PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences).
As you can see by comparing the Mattress Specifications You Need To Know to the Mattress Durability Guidelines, latex is one of the most durable mattress materials you can have. While memory foam, if of good construction Ann’s density can last a while, memory foam, especially if insufficient density can ‘break down’ prematurely leaving ‘ridges’ and ‘valleys’ which can cause aches, pains and even alignment issues…We suggest any foam in a potential mattress has no more than an inch or so of lower grade foams (for memory foam no lower than 4 lbs/cuft for normal range weights, and 5lbs/cuft for higher range weights) and if polyfoam is used, with at least 1.8 lbs/cuft density, just to ensure you have support.
I would question any local manufacturer who says they do not have specifications; the Trusted Members of the site, for example, are all smaller manufacturers with proven quality in their mattresses, with transparency in their composition and construction, and great customer service. While you may well prefer memory foam, it would be integral to know the density of the foam, as well as details on the construction; any showroom unable to provide that would certainly not get my business…you may want to review the offerings of our Trusted Members before committing to one of these local mattresses.