Hi parker25,
I switched your post to a new topic of its own so your questions wouldn’t get mixed in with the questions from other forum members in a more general topic.
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” or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more accurate than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or if you can’t test a mattress in person then your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
The best place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that you will need to make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
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 (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for when you sleep on it in “real life” 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 and PPP (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).
As you can also see in the guidelines here … I would avoid the major brands such as Serta, Sealy, and Simmons and the chain stores that tend to focus on them along with any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the information you need about the type and quality of the materials inside it to make an informed choice (see this article) or any mattress that uses lower quality materials than the suggestions in the quality/durability guidelines here so you can avoid buying a mattress that will soften or break down and need to be replaced much too quickly relative to the price you paid.
I would be very cautious about financing a mattress where the financing may last for longer than the mattress.
If you have never slept on memory foam or latex then I would make sure that you test out both types of mattresses in some local stores to get a general sense of what they feel like. Latex is very different from memory foam and there is more information about how they compare in post #2 here.
While it’s not possible to quantify the sleeping temperature of a mattress for any particular person with any real accuracy because there are so many variables involved including the type of mattress protector and the sheets and bedding that you use (which in many cases can have just as significant an effect on temperature as the type of foam in a mattress) and on where you are in the “oven to iceberg” range and because there is no standardized testing for temperature regulation with different combinations of materials … there is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range.
I’m not sure where you read that latex “holds heat” because latex in general is the most breathable and temperature neutral of all the foam materials (latex foam, polyfoam, memory foam) so it would be much less likely that someone would have any temperature regulation issues with a mattress that has latex comfort layers than with other types of foam.
If you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know about any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.
If you are also considering an online purchase then the tutorial post also includes several links to lists of the better online options I’m aware of as well (in the optional online step).
Phoenix