Hi redliondog and SleepyAl,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum! 
It sounds like you both are in a similar situation, so to assist you in making a better informed choice in the future, the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that 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 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 he will sleep), durability (how long he 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).
Nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress, so outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.
When you can’t test a mattress in person (you both mentioned online options that you’ve tried) then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and 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, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. 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 … at the end of the day the only way to know for certain whether any specific mattress is a good match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own careful testing and/or your own personal experience so if you can’t test a specific mattress in person then the options you have available after a purchase to either exchange the mattress or individual layers or components or return the mattress for a refund (and any costs involved) would generally become a more important part of your personal value equation just in case a mattress you purchase doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.
Of course if an online retailer or manufacturer only sells one mattress then that’s the only one they can suggest (although some may have different firmness levels that they can help you choose between) so they will generally suggest trying it and then sending it back if it’s not “good enough” for you to keep (assuming that they have a good trial period and return policy).
If you’re still interested in shopping online, this link will direct you to many of the members of this site who offer items online. They are knowledgeable, transparent and offer items using high-quality componentry, and compete well with the best in the industry.
I would be more cautious with Amerisleep because they tend to use some lower quality materials than I would normally suggest in the durability guidelines.
OSO Sleep is another recent launch that has a somewhat unusual design. It contains a 1.5" layer of blended Talalay latex on top of a 1.5" layer of 2.0 lb polyfoam as a transition layer and a 6" 2.0 lb polyfoam base layer. The base layer has a cutout under the shoulders and upper torso that contains 3" Reverie dreamcell cylinders which are made from 70% natural/30% synthetic latex which creates a softer zone under the shoulders and upper torso which can be beneficial for side sleepers especially because the shoulders are generally wider and lighter than the hips and having a softer layer under the shoulders allows the shoulders to sink in more deeply which can improve pressure relief under the shoulders and also can also improve spinal alignment in the upper body. For those that either need or prefer more firmness under the shoulders and upper body then you can also rotate the mattress 180 degrees and then the softer zone would fall underneath the lower legs and calf where it will have no effect on the shoulders or upper body alignment and would be similar to a single zone mattress. These are all good quality and durable materials and there are no weak links in the mattress relative to any weight range. The discount code for the $50 discount that they offer to the members of the forum is “Underground”
As you’re already well aware, while other people’s comments about the knowledge and service of a particular business can certainly be very helpful … I would always keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and I would be cautious about using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress (either positive or negative) or review sites in general as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you. In many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words … reviews or other people’s experiences in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person.
I’ll be interested in learning about the progress you both make.
Phoenix