My husband and I bought a Sterns and Foster mattress from Mattressfirm 6 years ago.  The past 2 years have been horrible sleeping on this mattress.  It sags and gives us horible back pain.  My husband wants something firm and something that is 2 sided.  I have fallen in love with this one:

 

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/simmons-beautyrest-king-mattress-set-world-class-elderberry-visco-tight-top-firm?ID=453887&swatchColor=No%20Color&selectedType=%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%0A

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/simmons-beautyrest-mattress-sets-world-class-elderberry-visco-tight-top-firm?ID=453883&CategoryID=44624#fn=sp%3D1%26spc%3D16%26ruleId%3D52%26slotId%3D15

 

So my questions are, is it really better to have a 2 sided mattress and what are your thoughts or opinions on the simmons Elderberry Visco I linked above.

 

Thanks

Here's my take on the 2-sided mattress:

If you have a "sag" or dip in your bed and you flip it to get away from it... you have to ask yourself, "Where did the sag go?" Unfortunately, it has been sent to the bottom where there is potentially a space (previously a sag) and the simple laws of physics require that the weigth and gravity on the top push down to fill in the space and create a sag or dip on the top of your mattress.

Think of it like a flat tire... if you have a flat, the entire tire is incapacitated... even though it only LOOKS flat on the bottom where it touches the ground.

Simmons, from what I understand, was the first major manufacturer to go to a one-sided mattress (I used to sell them) and the reasoning they told us retailers was that if there was a defect in the bed (more than 1-1/2") but yuo keep flipping the mattress instead of switching it out then you are prolonging the problem instead of solving it.

Hope this has helped a bit...

 

Sleep well "maggsfinn"

...by the way, I still have my World Class plush model (the name is exclusive to your retailer but the inside is pretty consistent accross the country) and it does have 980 coil density and visco... still feels (and looks) like new almost 3 years later and I have had it on an adjustable base for almost 2 years.

The issue with two-sided mattresses is that when you are laying on the bed, the foam on the underside is still being crushed and sandwiched between the mattress and the boxspring.  Therefore, when you flip it over the foam is no better than the other side.  Also, when you have all of that foam on the underside of the mattress, the coil system will start to sink and settle into them causing some support issues.

Have you tried to contact Mattress Firm about the warranty on the mattress?  They may be able to replace the old one for you instead of having to buy a new one.