Hi cbear08.
I am glad that you visited CozyPure (twice) because local testing is the most reliable way to gain a reference point for how different specs and combinations feel and perform for you. I personally wouldn’t buy a mattress based on theoretical specs or what I call “theory at a distance” alone without doing some local testing first ….along with collecting some data about the specification of the designs(layering, densities) and the materials that you prefer. I understand your need for more plushness but Hans’s concerns are legitimate as a plusher configuration may compromise both durability and the deeper support you may need for posture and alignment for your BMI.
A plushier surface sometimes can actually feel harder especially with a higher BMI as you would tend to go through the softer comfort layer very quickly and feel the firmness of the next layer underneath. I would also be careful not to sacrifice the deep support needed to keep your spine in neutral alignment for the sake of a plusher feel. 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. 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.
When I replied to you last time I omitted to address your comments about the Sleep Number and their recommendation so I’ll make a few comments now. The job of the salesperson is to “sell” you on a certain mattress, and “being sold” is not what you want. Unless they were providing you information about the actual materials within the mattress and speaking specifically about the density and actual makeup of the materials as they relate to your specific needs and preferences, most of what you were told was more than likely regurgitation of marketing material with little meaningful information provided. Nobody but you can assess if you need and prefer a plusher surface. Your body will tell you what you need if you give it a bit of time and attention. I would not be swayed or rushed but analyze slowly and methodically each of the mattresses you are considering based on the guidelines in the mattress shopping tutorial as related to your BMI.
As for other people’s experiences in general, they 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 ), and I recommend you avoid considering them as any sort of a reliable indicator of the appropriateness of any particular product for your needs.
Larger brands and the stores that offer their products commonly rely upon the lack of information and state of confusion that they find in most consumers, and they exploit this with general marketing clichés. I recommend that you read through the material to which I’ve linked and use it as a reference and not attempt to memorize things, but learn enough to recognize a product using better quality materials or a retailer that is knowledgeable and honest so that you may trust the information you’re presented
As far as air beds go … in general terms I would tend to avoid them unless there is a very compelling reason that an airbed would be a better choice in “real life” (outside of the many “marketing stories” that you will hear about them) than the many other options or types of mattresses that are available to you. You can see some of my general comments about air mattresses here. which you already visited.
The 2" 1.5 lb polyfoam base (28 ILD) is a layer of polyfoam under the pocket coils support layer which is separate from the 4 walls of polyfoam encasement. The encasement/foam surround is much firmer than the poly base and has a wall width of 4.5 " with a density of 1.5 lb (65 ILD) Generally speaking for a normal BMI this mattress is not “bad” although I would still place a slight caution because of the top 2" of 1.5 lb polyfoam which has a bit more thickness than the guidelines I would normally suggest. Higher BMI ranges will need more durable materials and components in a mattress and for a BMI range of 30 or higher I would include any 1.8 lb (or less) polyfoam or 4 lb (or less) memory foam as a “lower quality/density” material (relative to a higher BMI only) and minimize their use to a total of “about an inch or so or less” in the mattress. This would also be a concern for the Foam encasement especially if you are one of those that sleep on the edge or sit on the side of your mattress on a regular basis, then I would use the same minimum polyfoam guidelines above for your BMI for the foam surround as well.
I would also be quite cautious with a pocket coil with your weight. Pocket coils and microcoils can be a great combination but you would need very strong coils and I think that the consensus with most manufacturers I’ve talked with is that pocket coils that would work well for most people may not be the best choice for higher weights. I think that 19 ILD would also be on the soft side. This is certainly a good quality/value choice for normal BMI but I’m not so sure it would be the best choice for you. If you did go in this direction I would want to make sure that the pocket coils were very strong (low gauge steel).
Talalay and Dunlop that are the same thickness and ILD won’t feel the same in terms of their firmness for most people because they have a different response curve and compression modulus (how quickly a material becomes firmer as you sink into it more deeply) with Talalay feeling a little softer. There is more about the difference between Dunlop and Talalay in post #7 here .
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because 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”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable 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).
The choice of materials and components is a personal preference but it’s important to make sure you choose a durable version of whatever materials you prefer. Latex (you can read more about the different types in [url= https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/new-guy-latex-mattress-question]post #6 here[/url] ), 5 lb or higher memory foam, 2 lb or higher polyfoam, and stronger innersprings with more steel or in the case of lower coil counts with lower gauge springs (around 13 gauge or lower) are all among some of the more durable materials and components that can work well for higher weight ranges. I would make sure that any lower quality foams are less than around an inch or so in a quilting layer because more than that can become the weak link in a mattress … especially for someone that is heavier (unless of course the mattress is for shorter term use or for a guest bedroom where durability isn’t as big an issue).
The best guidance I could give you isn’t “specs” at all but to encourage you to spend more time testing mattresses locally and find out what the is the type and feel of mattress you are looking for. It may be that latex is not what you like or perhaps you’ll like the feel of Talalay then spend some time on the phone with the various manufacturers or retailers that offer what you are looking for and after giving them your information see what their suggestions are for their specific designs. Their suggestions will likely be different from each other because their designs and options are different but you will get a good sense of the overall design range that may suit you best and then you could choose between them based on your level of confidence about your final choice and the options that are available after your purchase should you need it.
I hope once you have a chance to go through the few readings I linked to you’ll gain a little more direction in your research.
Phoenix