Hi Pegabo,
Thanks for the update … I appreciate it.
Every layer and component of a mattress will affect the feel and performance of every other layer and component both above and below it but since so much of this is subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual perceptions the only way to really know how any combination of materials will feel to you (regardless of how the same combination will feel to anyone else) will be based on your own careful testing or personal experience. The properties and “feel” of layers or components that are closer to the surface will have a bigger effect on what you feel than layers that are deeper in the mattress and thicker layers of the same materials or components will contribute more of their specific properties to what you feel and have a bigger effect on modifying the feel of the layers below them than thinner layers.
Slow response materials (such as memory foam or gel memory foam) and softer layers of natural fibers can have less resilience and more of an “in the mattress” feel than layers of more resilient foam materials (such as some types of polyfoam or latex) which can have more of an “on the mattress” feel although the firmness or softness and the thickness of each of them will also play a role in how deeply you sink into them and how much you feel “in the mattress” vs “on the mattress”.
The process of choosing a mattress for those who have back injuries or back pain would be the same as choosing a mattress for those who don’t in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) but neutral spinal alignment and making sure that a mattress isn’t too soft for you would become an even more important priority if there is a predisposition for back pain that can be aggravated by sleeping out of alignment. Once again your own personal testing for PPP (using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) will always be the most reliable way to decide which specific mattress is best for you. If you are uncertain whether a specific mattress is a good “match” for you then the return or exchange policies would also become a more important part of the “value” of a purchase so that you still have good options available if you end up making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.
In some cases a suitable zoning system can also be helpful for those whose circumstances are more challenging than the norm (see post #11 here).
In the end though … only you can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for anyone to be able to make specific recommendations or suggest a specific mattress or combination of layers or materials based on specs (either yours or a mattress), health conditions, individual circumstances, or “theory at a distance” (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here) that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing or personal experience.
Phoenix