Hi marcusinct,
I can sympathize with the plight of having to give up your waterbed. While there is an ongoing controversy about how well a waterbed supports good alignment and back health … in some cases they are a great choice and for those where they work well … there is nothing quite like them. There is an article here which helps to explain why there is such a controversy about them even among “professionals” and why there is truth in both sides of the “waterbeds are good and waterbeds are bad” controversy.
In any case … on to the point of your post.
I think you are wise to test latex because of all the “non water” materials that are available it probably has the best chance of working well for you, although buckling column gel and microcoils in the comfort layers may also be options worth considering.
There are also some much better and some much worse memory foams in terms of outgassing and if you ever do decide to go in this direction …memory foams that are more breathable, have a faster recovery time, and are certified by Oeko-Tex or CertiPur have less of an issue with chemicals and offgassing than those which aren’t. Also in my experience … memory foams that are made in North America or Europe rather than China seem to have less issues with this. Memory foams that are made with MDI rather than TDI (forms of isocyanate which is one of the two main chemicals used to make polyfoam and memory foam) also seem to have less offgassing issues and have a “cleaner” feeling about them IMO. The so called “green” memory foams use a small percentage of plant based oils to replace some of the petrochemical polyols (the other main chemical in polyfoam and memory foam) but they are anything but green. Polyols are about 2/3 of the chemical composition and isocyanates are about 1/3 of the composition of polyfoam and memory foam (and there are many more that are used in smaller amounts) so replacing a small part of the petrochemical polyols (typically about 20% or so) still doesn’t make any polyfoam or memory foam truly “green” and you are right that it is mostly marketing hype … although its a small step in the right direction.
You are a lighter weight so softer latex (probably 19 ILD or less) may work well for you and a typical side sleeper comfort layer thickness which is a good place to start your testing would be about 3". The support layers as you mentioned should be firmer which would typically mean in the range of about 32 to 36 ILD although softer or firmer may work well for some individuals (softer would be closer to a waterbed feeling). Again personal testing is the most accurate way to know this.
It would help me if I knew the city in CT that you lived in because it saves me a lot of time in looking at my own database and on the internet for the best sources around you (I manually check the distance for each possibility after I look to see if what they offer is worth looking at). In the meantime here are some factory direct manufacturers in Connecticut that I know of and which offer latex.
Some factory direct manufacturers or retailers in CT that may offer some better quality / value include …
https://www.comfortss.com/ Branford, CT. I have had some good conversations with David the owner and they are doing things right. They may not be the lowest cost but the quality and value is certainly there. Very much focused on latex (talalay primarily) and has a long history with Latex International in his family. Knows his stuff and has good value. Discourages memory foam but carries it in various densities and will tend towards 1.8 lb and higher polyfoam up to 2.6 lb (which he also likes). Mostly offset coils listed on the site but has pocket coils as well (site is not completely up to date). the Interchange system is a premium mattress for those who want to customize their mattress with a side to side split construction or custom zoning. They are also a member of this site which means I believe they compete well with the best in the industry. Post #17 here also has more about them and some of Nissanman’s posts includes more feedback about their mattresses and their service.
http://restopedicmattress.com/index.html Bethany, CT. Well worth calling as they have some very good value in latex and other mattresses. They are discussed in this thread
http://www.columbiamattressuph.com/index.html Hamden, CT. They make a range of mattresses using different grades of polyfoam (depending on budget range) and also latex and innersprings. They also make their own boxsprings. I haven’t talked with them but they certainly appear to make high quality mattresses and would be worth including in your research.
http://www.norwalkmattress.com/ Norwalk, CT They make a full range of high quality mattresses of all types. They use quality materials and construction and are also well regarded by other manufacturers in the industry.
http://www.mattressgreenwich.com/
http://www.organic-mattress-ct.com/index.php
Mattress Brands Norwalk, Stamford, CT. Carries their own house brand called Terrabed which includes some high quality latex mattresses as well as some alternative brands including Englander, Natural Sleep (Classic Brands), and Symbol, along with some major brands (which I would ignore) and some ultra premium brands as well (such as Carpe Diem). They are knowledgeable about mattresses, service oriented, and open about the materials in their mattress (to the degree that their manufacturers provide them with information). Make sure you make good value comparisons here because some of their mattresses may not be in the “best value” range for most people compared to other choices that may be available but well worth a visit.
http://www.thecleanbedroom.com/ Greenwich, CT. Retail store that carries a number of high quality latex and latex/innerspring hybrid mattresses including Savvy Rest component latex mattresses, Coco-mat, Naturepedic, Naturally Organic, Royal-Pedic, and OMI. Many options available for some premium mattresses but they are also in a more premium price range. (NOTE ADDED June, 2016 … The Clean Bedroom is now closed)
http://www.hcmattress.com/ Westport, Danbury, CT., Mt Kisco, NY., Ridgewood, NJ. Carries their own line of latex mattresses made by Restopedic that are well designed and high quality but also have a premium price. See post #21 here.
http://discountbeddingfurniture.com/index.html Norwalk, CT. Galaxy Bedding, Restopedic.
Shop Affordable Home Furnishings & Home Goods - IKEA New Haven, CT. See post #3 here for more information about their mattresses
NOTE: post #4 in this same thread (just scroll down 2 posts) has three other options in the Springfield, MA general area which is closer to northern CT.
Post #4 here also has some of the better options I’m aware of in the general Coventry/Hartford, CT area
A search on “Connecticut” will also bring up other threads with feedback from other members with some of these outlets.
Hope this helps.
Phoenix