Hello I read the mattress shopping tutorial and found that on line the Charles P Rogers Estate is very well build, but I don’t know which one to choose the powercore 9000 or 7000 or even the nano. I am 5"3" 150 lbs with back and shoulder issues my husband is 5"10" 220lbs with sciatic nerve issues. I did try locally the Denver Mattress telluride and I like the feel but it was too soft, I understand the powercore 9000 is a little firmer. Please give me your expert opinion and also can you tell me if they are any reputable mattress vendors in Kalamazoo Michigan. Thank You for your help.
Hi Mimibabe,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum! 
The website for Charles P. Rodgers doesn’t provide enough meaningful information to make a true assessment or commentary about the mattresses you mentioned (the only thing they say is that it has an innerspring (pocket coil) and some Talalay latex), so I’m not sure upon what information you’re using to base your comments about their build quality (which would refer to their manner of construction, which is different from componentry). In order to truly assess any mattress, what you would need to find out is the thickness of all the layers or components from top to bottom, the type of material in each layer, the density of any polyfoam or memory foam, and the type and blend of any latex. If the mattress has an innerspring (which this one does) then it would also be helpful to know the type of innerspring (in this case it’s a pocket coil), along with the number and gauge of the coils. I would also want to know the density of the foam encasement that was surrounding the innerspring. They should be able to provide this for you and if you can post this on the forum I’d be happy to help you identify any potential weak links in the mattress or to make more comments about it.
If you like, you can read more about Charles P Rogers in post #34 here (and the rest of the topic) and in this topic and this topic as well and a forum search on Charles P Rogers (you can just click the link) will bring up more comments and feedback about them as well. There have been some “bits and pieces” of specifications provided to site members before on their mattresses (and some have had some good quality materials), but some of it has been conflicting and some of it is a few years old, so just to be safe you’d want to confirm the specifications of any model you were considering before considering a purchase.
The only way that you would be able to tell if one item was “firmer” than another would be through your own careful personal testing, preferably in a side by side environment. 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 feels firm for one person 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. 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) so different people can also have very different opinions on how two mattresses compare in terms of firmness and some people may rate one mattress as being firmer than another and someone else may rate them the other way around. This is all relative and very subjective and is as much an art as a science.
In other words, spending time testing major brand mattresses or any mattress where you can’t find out the specifics of the materials and components inside it and then attempting to apply this information to another item that isn’t using the same componentry would be too risky to purchase and it can’t be used as a reliable reference point to purchase another mattress that is “similar”.
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here ).
While you said you already read it, my best suggestion would be to again read the mattress shopping tutorial here and follow more closely the steps that can help you make the best possible choice.
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
The next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out the information listed here (like for the Charles P. Rogers) so you can compare the materials and components to the quality/durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.
When you can’t test a mattress in person (if you decide to order online) then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone 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 properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc.) 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 or other mattresses you are considering 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 and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
I would also make sure that when you are buying a mattress online that you haven’t tested in person that you are comfortable with the options you have to exchange or return a mattress and any costs involved just in case your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for because the only way to know for certain whether any mattress will be a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own personal experience.
Subject to first confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list you wish to deal with is completely transparent ( see this article ) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets your specific criteria and the quality/value guidelines here … the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Portage/Kalamazoo area in post #2 here .
I’ll be happy to provide more comments on any updated specifications you might be able to find regarding the Charles P. Rogers items, or any specifications from the other stores you might visit locally.
Phoenix