Hi SeventhSonofaSeventhSon,
The best place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones including all the major brands such as Simmons, Sealy, and Serta (see the guidelines here).
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you 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 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 first “rule” of mattress shopping is to 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 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 your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
While your own careful testing or personal experience is the most reliable way to know whether a mattress is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort and PPP … when you can’t test a mattress in person 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 (which would include Brooklyn Bedding and Dreamfoam) 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 to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
There is also more information about the new breed of online mattress that I call “simplified choice mattresses” in post #1 here and there is more about the specifics of the BestMattressEver and the Casper mattress and some of the other simplified choice mattresses in post #2 here in the same topic.
While both of these use good quality materials and don’t have any lower quality materials or weak links in their design (although the BestMattressEver uses higher quality and more durable materials than Casper) … the quality and durability of the materials in a mattress has very little to do with whether a mattress will be comfortable or will be a good “match” for you in terms of PPP.
While I can’t speak to how any mattress will “feel” for someone else because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances … outside of PPP the most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability and assuming that the materials in a mattress you are considering are durable enough for your body type and meet the guidelines here … the choice between different types and combinations of materials and components or different types of mattresses (including innersprings) are more of a preference and a budget choice than a “better/worse” choice. I certainly wouldn’t assume that innerspring mattresses that use high quality and durable materials and that don’t have any “weak links” (in the comfort layers especially) are any less durable than any other type of mattress.
I would also keep in mind that there are many different models of mattresses in every mattress category (see this article) so even though you may not like one particular mattress in a specific category … there may be others in the same general category that would be very comfortable and would be a good match for you in terms of PPP.
Once you get to step 3 in the tutorial if you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know about the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area that you can test in person before a purchase.
The tutorial also includes several links to lists of the better online options I’m aware of if you are also considering another online purchase.
If you get “stuck” on any of the steps in the tutorial then you are always welcome to ask any questions you may have along the way that can help get you “unstuck”.
Phoenix