Hi RipeSmellkngButtArea,
As you’ve discovered … the advantage of a mattress pad is that you sink into the memory foam less because it reduces the amount of heat that reaches it. The disadvantage is that it doesn’t allow the memory foam to contour to your body as well.
Yes … this is normal for any mattress. Lower density foams will soften or impress more than higher density foams (and the Cloud line uses 4 lb memory foam which is less durable than 5 lb memory foam).
All mattresses can benefit from rotating (or flipping if they are two sided) which will even out the wear on the mattress to some degree.
See mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here. I personally wouldn’t consider any of the Tempurpedic mattresses but if you are dead set on choosing one your own testing is the only way to decide on which mattress is the best match for you in terms of PPP and “theory at a distance” provided by someone (me or anyone) that can’t see you on the mattress or feel what you feel isn’t an effective method of choosing a mattress. Given that the Supreme seems to be too soft for you though the Select is a step up in firmness and still has the 4 lb memory foam in the top layer so it would seem to me to be the next logical choice for testing. The Tempur Cloud may also be worth testing as well (it has thinner layers of memory foam which would put you in closer contact to the support layers to help prevent the pelvis from sinking down as far).
Phoenix