Hi cbear08.
You are welcome.
I am glad you went to CozyPure and checked out their mattresses, but they do have more options not only the one bed that you mentioned in different thickness. You may want to check out the 10" Luxury Hotel Collection that can be customized to comfort needs, and also the Organic Latex which has a similar design as the Natural Latex.
CozyPure’s Natural Latex Mattresses, which is what I guess you’ve tried is highly customizable to suit any comfort needs and you can choose not only different thicknesses but varying ILD for different comfort needs and even offers side to side customization. All their mattress have good quality and durable materials that would suit any BMI ranges. I am not sure what comfort combinations you tried but this bed is designed to satisfy most of the comfort needs including higher BMI ranges, but I understand that in having to accommodate combination sleeping (slide, stomach, and back) you might find it uncomfortable for some positions. I would also not make the assumption that a pillowtop is just connected with plushness comfort preferences, there are in fact pillowtops that are as hard as a rock. (“Pillowtop” is just a mattress design that has several inches of extra padding)
If you decide to go in the direction of a pillowtop I would make sure that the materials contained meet the minimum quality/durability specs that are suggested in the durability guidelines here for higher weight ranges. If the material used in a pillowtop or eurotop is a high-quality foam or microcoils, then the only important part of deciding on a thicker layer on top would be its suitability in terms of pressure relief and support. It is a little more difficult to get a thicker comfort layer “right” however if you have the pressure relief and alignment you need, then this too is a matter of preference. Most pillowtops and eurotops sold today unfortunately are made with either synthetic fibers which may compress and soft (and usually lower quality) polyurethane foam which may feel comfortable in the store but will likely soon be the source of body impressions and poor quality sleep so make sure you know what is in your pillowtop if you choose to go in that direction. I would avoid pillowtops and all “thick top” mattresses no matter what names they are given unless you know for sure that they contain high-quality materials that will not be the source of problems in a very short time.
The information they gave you about durability is accurate and I don’t see what can be added to it, latex will maintain its feel better than any other foams or materials, and they are also correct that even for higher BMI thickness is not the determining factor but suitability must be determined based not only on the initial feel when lying on the mattress but also on the way you sleep. I would point out that you have many variables that you must consider such as the 3 different sleeping positions, back pain when sleeping on the back and front along with higher BMI … all of this would point to a firmer configuration needed for neutral spinal alignment. It is possible however that you don’t like the feel of latex as you are quite fond of your old Cloud Nine which most likely contained some Memory Foam on top.
Having a high BMI presents special challenges and generally requires firmer materials (in the support layers especially). This could be firmer latex or innersprings (the type of support component would be a personal preference and in the right design either could be suitable) or even a zoned construction. The same overall guidelines apply with higher weights though that PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) along with using high-quality durable materials that will maintain their feel and performance for longer periods of time are the way to make the best choices. Heavier people, in general, will need firmer and thicker comfort layers and firmer support layers than those who are lighter and because no materials will last as long with much higher weights the quality and durability of the materials and components is even more important than normal. I wouldn’t “rule out” any types of mattress and base your choices on your own personal testing.Post #3 here has more information and suggestions about heavier weights that is worth reading.
I can’t predict what type of mattress or materials you might do best with via an online forum, as there are entirely too many personal variables involved. So I’m always happy to help the forum members here with “how” to choose, to act as a "fact check, or to help them find better manufacturers or retailers that have better quality and value but “what” to choose in terms of either a mattress or the balance between comfort/pressure relief and support/alignment that may be suitable for a specific person is always up to the only person who can feel what they feel on a mattress and best left to personal testing and your own experiences or more detailed discussions with the more knowledgeable people at the retailers or manufacturers that sell a mattress you are considering.
I will also add that in most cases … if you have a roughly equal choice between two firmness levels that it can often be “safer” to go with slightly firmer because you can always soften the upper layers and improve pressure relief and “comfort” by adding a mattress pad or a topper but it’s much more difficult to firm up the support of a mattress that is too soft (unless you can exchange a layer) because this involves removing or replacing layers or components that are too soft (instead of adding to them) which in most cases can be much more difficult to do.
Post #2 here also has more about the different ways to buy a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for your body type, sleeping positions, and preferences that can help you assess and minimize the risks involved in each of them.
Phoenix