Hi dougbeal,
I’'m sorry to hear that your Casper mattress didn’t turn out as well as you hoped for but the good news is that they have a great return policy so there was little risk in trying it.
There were probably several factors that conspired against you that are the most likely reason for your experience.
First of all with your higher weight and back sleeping the mattress was probably on the edge of being too soft for you so that even the initial foam softening that would be normal during the break in and adjustment period was enough to take you “over the edge” of the comfort support range that is suitable for you (see post #2 here).
In addition to this … I would tend to reduce the use of lower density less durable materials for those that are in higher weight ranges and while 4 lb memory foam and 1.8 lb polyfoam would certainly be durable enough for more average weight ranges … at your higher weight they would also soften more quickly so the effect of any initial foam softening even during the first few months would become apparent more quickly (see the density/durability guidelines here). You can also read some comments about the “one choice fits all” mattresses in post #3 here and some comments about them relative to higher weight ranges in post #3 here.
[quote]I’m leaning towards SleepEZ Natural Latex. Any thoughts on which
configuration would replicate the initial Casper experience? [/quote]
I would keep in mind that there are no “standard” definitions or consensus of opinions for firmness ratings and different manufacturers can rate their mattresses very differently than others so a mattress that one manufacturer rates as being a specific firmness could be rated very differently by another manufacturer. Different people can also have very different perceptions of firmness and softness compared to others as well and a mattress that is firm for one can feel like “medium” for someone else or even “soft” for someone else (or vice versa) depending on their body type, sleeping style, physiology, their frame of reference based on what they are used to, and their individual sensitivity and perceptions. This is all relative and very subjective and is as much an art as a science. There are also different types of firmness and softness that different people may be sensitive to that can affect how they “rate” a mattress as well (see post #15 here).
For example a person that is heavier may sink into the mattress more deeply and feel more of the firmer layers that are deeper in the mattress while others that are lighter may only feel more of the softer layers that are closer to the top of the same mattress. In other words you will need to test a mattress or sleep on it in person for you to assess how firm or soft it feels to you or how it compares to another mattress regardless of whether it feels firm or soft to someone else or how anyone else may “rate” it compared to other mattresses as well.
There is more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” another one in post #9 here. The Casper uses 1.5" of latex on top of 1.5" of 4 lb memory foam on top of a 7" 1.8 lb polyfoam support core which is a very different design from an all latex component mattress so there really isn’t any way to make meaningful comparisons between them even in terms of firmness/softness outside of actual side by side testing because they are so different from each other. The only reliable way to “match” one mattress to another based on “specs” would be to duplicate the type, firmness, and thickness of all the layers and components in a mattress because every layer in a mattress will have some effect on the feel and performance of all the other layers and the mattress as a whole and if you did this you would have the same or at least a very similar mattress which of course wouldn’t be a great idea given your experience.
There is also more about the different ways to choose a mattress (either locally or online) that is the most suitable “match” for your specific needs and preferences and how to identify and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for that are involved in each of them in post #2 here.
When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or even to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
Having said all that … I would tend to be very cautious with “soft” layers of latex (or thicker layers of any soft material for that matter) with your weight and sleeping position.
Phoenix