Hi iamdan.
Welcome to our Mattress Forum! 
Generally speaking latex is the most durable of all the foam materials (polyfoam, memory foam, latex foam) and in all its versions will be a high quality material so it would be more a question of finding which type of latex you prefer and the level of comfort and support that is suitable for you.
As a comfort layer, latex in its softer versions has as many benefits as it does when used as a core material in its firmer versions. It can be purchased in ILD’s from as low as 14, (similar to memory foam) and it has comparable pressure relieving qualities to memory foam as well due to its ability to form itself to the exact shape of your body profile while you are sleeping, and to do this instantly as you change positions. Its only disadvantage is in the fact that it carries a higher price than other materials however as you already discovered on this website and forum, that latex and all latex mattresses can be available for much less through alternative sources than the larger and dominant manufacturers and retail outlets would like you to believe. These smaller manufacturers who sell locally, regionally and online, and smaller, more service oriented and specialized retail outlets, exist in the hundreds across the USA and Canada and are just waiting to be “discovered”.
Buying a product based upon someone else’s opinion, satisfaction, or “review”, no matter how well intentioned, is the least reliable way to determine the quality and potential appropriateness of a product for your particular needs. And while other people’s comments about the knowledge and service of a particular business can certainly be very helpful, I would always keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and I would be cautious about using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress (either positive or negative) or review sites in general as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you. In many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words, reviews or other people’s experiences in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here).
[quote] my two leading contenders are:
OMI mattresses OrganicPedic Flora Nouveau medium-fim ($3750 @ Sleep Haven)
OMI mattresses OrganicPedic Duo ($3400 @ Sleep Haven)[/quote]
While OMI certainly uses higher quality materials, they are also in much higher budget ranges (as you mentioned) than many other manufacturers that use the same materials in their mattresses (including organic latex, organic wool and organic cotton) that use the same amount of the same type and blend of latex and have a similar wool quilted cover that are in lower budget ranges that may be just as comfortable and just as suitable in terms of PPP and would be just as durable.
There is more information in post #9 here about the different ways that one mattress can “match” or “approximate” another one. Every layer and component in a mattress (including the cover and any quilting materials) will affect the feel and performance of every other layer and component and the mattress “as a whole” so unless you are able to find another mattress that uses exactly the same type of materials, components, cover and quilting, layer thicknesses, layer firmnesses, and overall design (which would be very unlikely) then there really isn’t a reliable way to match one mattress to another one in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) based on the specifications of the mattresses (even assuming that you can find out all the specifications you would need for both mattresses you are comparing in the first place).
[quote]I found SleepEZ offers what seems to be a similar bed to OMI, but at half the price. And they have a 90-day return policy! Both of these factors have me leaning towards SleepEZ even though they don’t have a showroom where I can try their product. Is there a brand I missed that offers better durability, back support, and return policy? Is SleepEZ a better value than OMI?
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SleepEZ is a very good alternative as they offer similar very good options at a much lower price point and as you probably are aware they are one of our trusted members here who is using high quality and durable materials, which means that I think very highly of them and that I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry. They are extremely knowledgeable about latex and different configurations, and I would not hesitate to recommend them for your consideration. Shawn at SleepEz is one of the most helpful, and hardworking people that I know of and I would not hesitate to contact him for guidance… SleepEZ has showrooms in Tempe, AZ but it may be a little too far of a drive for you.
There are a wide range of latex options and if you’re considering other online latex options which may be more affordable for your particular application, I just added a filtering category on the page that is listing our trusted members here and you could do a search by clicking on the "Latex & All Latex I wouldn’t hesitate to their experience and expertise who are all very knowledgeable and specialize in providing the type of help and guidance on the phone that can help you make good choices in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency.
I tend to agree that for most people organic/natural may not be important at all as organic certifications don’t necessarily equate to “safety” or test for harmful substances. Certain certifications certainly are valid, but they don’t necessarily always equate to what one person might consider a “safe product.” If the materials in a mattress or the mattress itself has a reliable “safety” certification, then for most people they would certainly be “safe enough” … regardless of the type of material or the name of the manufacturer on the label or whether the materials are natural or synthetic or have an organic certification.
I’m looking forward to learning about your progress and if there are other questions that you may have.
Phoenix