Hi drm870,
[quote]This, combined with his manual spine-alignment checking, makes me wonder if a cushion-firm firmness isn’t really what I need in terms of support, even though it is what I subjectively leaned toward in terms of comfort during initial testing.
Don’t get me wrong, I know that the BedMATCH system is more of a marketing tool than anything. One thing that makes me wonder if there’s any validity to it, though: when I asked Mario at Brooklyn Bedding which #BME firmness he’d recommend for me (given my stats), he said “Firm”. Given that they allegedly recommend “Medium” for an estimated 95% of their buyers, it does again make me wonder if I actually need a firmer mattress than I had previously realized. Any thoughts, Phoenix? [/quote]
There are no “standard” definitions or consensus of opinions for firmness ratings and different manufacturers can rate their mattresses very differently than others so a mattress that one manufacturer rates as being a specific firmness could be rated very differently by another manufacturer. Different people can also have very different perceptions of firmness and softness compared to others as well and a mattress that feels firm for one person can feel like “medium” for someone else or even “soft” for someone else (or vice versa) depending on their body type, sleeping style, physiology, their frame of reference based on what they are used to, and their individual sensitivity and perceptions. There are also different types of firmness and softness that different people may be sensitive to that can affect how they “rate” a mattress as well (see post #15 here) so different people can also have very different opinions on how two mattresses compare in terms of firmness and some people may rate one mattress as being firmer than another and someone else may rate them the other way around. This is all relative and very subjective and is as much an art as a science. In other words … “cushion firm” or “firm” don’t have any specific or “standardized” meaning.
Having said that … there is also some information in post #3 here and the posts it links to that would be helpful for those that are in higher weight ranges. While the process of how to choose a mattress would be the same … most people in higher weight ranges will generally need or prefer firmer mattresses (firmer materials will feel softer because you will sink into them more because of your higher weight) and materials and components that are higher quality and more durable (the materials and components in a mattress will soften and break down faster for those in higher weight ranges than they will for someone that is in a lower weight range that doesn’t compress the mattress as much) so I would reduce or minimize the use of lower density materials that would be suitable for people that are in more “average” weight ranges and focus more on higher quality/density and more durable materials (5 lb or higher memory foam, latex, or 2 lb or higher polyfoam) … especially in the comfort layers of a mattress which are more likely to soften or break down before the deeper layers or components in a mattress.
There is also more about primary or “deep” support and secondary or “surface” support and their relationship to firmness and pressure relief and the “roles” of different layers in a mattress in post #2 here and in post #4 here that may also be helpful in clarifying the difference between “support” and “pressure relief” and “feel”.
While it’s not possible to predict which specific mattress will be the best “match” for any specific person in terms of comfort and PPP because of all the many variables involved … in very general terms and based on “averages” I would agree that those that are in your weight range would generally do better on firmer mattresses (both in the comfort and support layers or components) than the large majority of people that are in more average weight ranges.
Phoenix