Mattress Forum

Have read this forum for several months and have learned a lot. Recently took the plunge and bought a 3 layer zip cover 100% natural talalay configuration on a wood platform with slats about 2 1/2 inches apart. Have invested more than 2K so far in this setup.

The problem is that I can't find a layer arrangement that works. I've learned that I need a soft layer up top or I wake with muscle pain, but then it gives me back pain. The firmer configurations also cause back pain. I do not ordinarily suffer from back pain, so it is definitely from the mattress. I did not buy from flo beds so cannot try their zoned approach.  I weigh less than 120 lbs.

My last best bed was an old spring air back supporter. I believe they were made with extra springs in the middle, or a different spring configuration to support the middle of the body, lower back and hips. It was a wonderful bed and they just don't make them like that anymore, as you all know. I researched an enormous amount to find a modern equivalent to the old spring air but couldn't find anything that was the same or even similar.  Supposedly some of the innersprings now put extra reinforcement in the middle with extra foam instead of wiring, but I couldn't really confirm that.  Also, with the new innersprings, there are a lot of offgassing issues, in fact I bought an S brand and had to return it due to the horrible odor that it had, and I have spoken with others who had the same problems. I also tried a cotton innerspring which was very uncomfortable, my husband said it felt like sleeping on the ground outside.

So, I turned to latex, as they felt great in the mattress stores, but am not having much luck here with them at home.

So what I am wondering is, perhaps the problem with latex is that each slab is the same consistency throughout, in other words, there is no extra reinforcement in the back area. So,

1) For those of you that switched to a ZONED latex, did it greatly improve the comfort and support in the back area?

2) Or has anyone found the right combination of softness on top-firmness for the back that they would recommend in latex or other combinations?

3) Or has anyone been happy recently with a comfortable yet supportive innerspring?

thanks!