Male 72 yo, 190 lbs, 6’ 1" Mostly side sleeper, trying to convert to back. Twenty year history of back pain due to a T5 compression fracture (Mid-upper back) caused by a fall.
Had a 27 year old Serta premium pillow top that was still comfortable though the seams were splitting so I decided it was time for a change.
I tried a LMF Luxerian Latex and it gave me terrible hip and lower back pain no matter how I configured the layers, so I’m back to considering either an innerspring or a hybrid coil/foam/latex mattress. (BTW the service, support and return process from LMF was excellent, the mattress just didn’t work for me.)
Most of the innerspring and some of the hybrid mattresses from major manufacturers seem to employ 3 or more thin 1/2 to 1 inch or so layers, and possibly a pillow top on top of the springs. In contrast, many of the hybrid customizable and DIY vendors seem to offer single 3" or more foam/latex layers on top of the coils.
I’ve tried several of the major brands in stores that have these thinner layers, and they seem okay - and it’s also how my old Serta was built.
Does anyone have experience or thoughts on the difference in feel and support between these two comfort layer approaches?
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Hey Feather.
Welcome to our Mattress Forum. 
When you look at why your old Serta felt so good compared to that Luxerion, it really comes down to how those layers are engineered to compress.
Major brands slice their comfort layers into thin 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces for a very specific reason. By stacking different thin sheets of foam (and often quilting them right into a pillow top) they create what’s called progressive resistance. You get immediate, gentle contouring right at the surface, but your body quickly meets the firmer support underneath. For someone with a T5 injury who side-sleeps, this is ideal. It lets your shoulder sink in just enough to relieve pressure, but immediately catches your torso so your mid-back doesn’t sag.
The DIY and customizable route takes a totally different approach by throwing a single, solid 3-inch slab of latex right on top of the coils. The problem with a thick 3-inch block of Dunlop latex is that it is incredibly resilient. It has a high “support factor,” meaning the harder you push into it, the more aggressively it pushes back. At 190 lbs, side-sleeping on a solid 3-inch block often creates a “trampoline” effect. The latex pushes back too hard against your hips and shoulders before your weight can even reach the springs underneath. This ends up throwing your lower back into an unnatural arch, which is exactly why your hips and lumbar started screaming at you.
Since your body clearly prefers that progressive, traditional feel but you still want a high-spec, durable build, you don’t have to choose between the two extremes. Look for a high-quality pocket spring hybrid that uses a multi-layered comfort assembly or a quilted pillow top instead of a single thick block of rubber. That gives you the shallow, immediate pressure relief your shoulders need while keeping your spine perfectly aligned when you try to roll onto your back.
NikkiTMU
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Thank you, NikkiTMU, that’s very helpful for explaining how the two different comfort layer types work. I’ll start searching again for that type of configuration. I think Spindle was one brand that had the multilayered comfort layer, but I’m sure there are others.
I really do want to find something with the combined thinner comfort layers, but with the zippered casing so I can adjust as needed, or replace layers as they (and I) age.
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