Hi whitesox20.
Even though your journey still continues, hopefully, with the insights you’ve gained from the “wrong” choices, you are a step closer to finding a mattress that conforms to all your needs and preferences. I agree with you that individuals with multiple sensitivities and/or complex medical issues may need to explore “other venues” and perhaps keep the expectations of success reasonable because there may be no “perfect” mattress and “best possible” may be the best outcome, but again only you would be able to tell if you are one of those people that may need to settle for the “best possible”.
I am glad that Ken has been so supportive and helped you through, especially when you’ve had so many moving parts as you did.
Even though it is great to hear accounts of what worked for someone else, this would be of little value to you as it’s not possible for anyone else to assess how ether of these two mattresses would feel for you 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 that 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 only way to know for certain whether a mattress you end up choosing will be a “good enough” match for you to keep (even if it isn’t the “best match” out of all the mattresses that you “could have tried” instead) will be based on careful testing your own personal experience when you sleep on it for a while.
The most reliable source of guidance would always be a detailed phone conversation with both “finalists” 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, including your history and experience with the other mattresses you’ve tried. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences or to other mattresses that they are familiar with than anyone else. A good online retailer or manufacturer will generally make suggestions that they honestly believe have the best chance of success based on the information you provide them when you talk to them on the phone because this is in both your own and their best interests but again.
All the layers and materials aren’t the same and the design is different for each mattress, every difference between two mattresses can either have a cumulative effect or an offsetting effect that is very difficult for even a knowledgeable and experienced online manufacturer or retailer to predict how will play out for each individual. It can be surprising to many people how different two seemingly “similar” mattresses can feel. Most people only pay attention only to the density numbers of the foam layers and not to all the other specs or components that can make a significant difference in how a mattress feels and performs. This is especially true for sleepers such as you that are more sensitive and have a narrower “range” for a mattress that will work well for them.
I would also be cautious about considering any “extras” that one company may offer over the other and I would make a choice based on suitability. 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”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own 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 (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
I hope this brings some more info to help find the “perfect” rather than the “best possible” mattress.
Phoenix