The S/F/M with just the stretchy protector worked great for me! I slept really well for the first time on this mattress. It is very cushy and conforming, but also with good support for my lower back. No lower back soreness. It is also seems a bit less “jello” like in this configuration. My husband did not have lower back soreness, but says he has some upper back soreness this morning but isn’t entirely sure it is from the mattress configuration. Phoenix, is that a symptom of a side sleeper’s shoulder not sinking in enough? So this is a promising configuration, and we’ll continue trying it to make sure it works for me, and see if my husbands upper back pain goes away or continues. I also took the time as we were re-organizing the layers to lay on M/F for a bit. The medium dunlop is not conforming enough for me, so I would not want it as the top layer. So that’s good to know.
I also read sleepy1’s thread yesterday with interest. I didn’t realize how much difference there could be between the same layers in one case vs with the top one in a separate case. So that opens up another possible configuration. If my husband’s shoulder does need the M layer in the middle, then we could put S in a stretchy topper case, and the M/F in a wool/cotton case. Sleeping organic makes a 2 layer model, so that would just be a simple case change without the need to send back any layers.
Feeling very positive this morning that we’ll find the right solution for us=)