After reading all the posts, it seems the best thing for comfort and pain free sleep that doesn't require a lot of trial and error is a good box spring mattress with a top layer of latex sown in. I noticed Macy's has a Stearns and Foster Dali with a little PU foam in the surface and a little memory foam under the latex. It sounds like a great combination to me but I don't want to make an expensive mistake. I can get a topper later if I need one. What do you veterans think? Would you recommend a different mattress on the market that I don't have to piece together?  Thanks for your help!

Do you mean a good INNERspring mattress? The box spring or foundation is what's under the mattress.

Sabra wrote:

If you've been reading this forum you know that none of us think very much of any mattress containing PU foam. Mattress companies routinely use the cheapest, lowest density foam available. It rapidly softens and compresses and you lose support and comfort. Take a look at Jimsocal's report on reconstructing his 4-year old Sealy mattress and be sure to click on the slide show. This is what's in most mattresses. The amount of latex in these mattresses is usually minimal. Just an inch or so. As for the memory foam, the quality is questionable. Sure, they feel great in the store and they are marketed to sound luxurious and high quality to justify the inflated price tag, but  will they last any longer than a cheap Sealy? Probably not.

If you can't find a local mom and pop company that makes it's own mattresses to order -- preferably a modular type that zips open and allows you the flexibility to easily change out components, you will probably be better off buying the best standard, double-sided mattress you can find with a heavy duty coil system and adding your own latex and or memory foam toppers to suit. Remember, when the foam is built in you have to cut the mattress open to replace it once it breaks down or your needs change. Toppers are easy to replace without damaging the mattress or incurring the premature expense of buying a new one.

Thanks Beddybye--Yes! I co mean innerspring. What was I thinking? I'd love not to have to reconstruct a mattress down the road when the innards wear out so I thought a good innerspring with a minimal amount of PU and a good amount of latex might be the answer.

Cloud9, we do have an Original Mattress Factory here in town that makes double sided mattresses in their factory here according to order. None of the innersprings have any latex. But that is a very good suggestion because they have some models with hardly any padding. I will look into that.