Oh dear.

At Sears.com I purchased a Sterns & Foster queen-size Hearthstone mattress, ‘Luxury Firm’, at a terrific price for about $760 delivered (w/10% Sears discount; $127 BING cashback, 18 months 0% financing). It is the lowest priced Sterns & Foster model, the ‘Level H’ mattress and it felt great when I tested it in the store. I also demo’d this same Stearns and Foster ‘Level H’ in Luxury Firm at Sleepies and Macys. I was sure I found the right mattress at the right price. Firm, supportive, and comfortable.

I took delivery and I’ve had the mattress for 28 days. I have only two days left to decide what the heck to do. Help!!

I’m a slender 47 yr old male, 5’11’, 135lbs. I have a curvature in my lumbar region and also a herniated disc and get frequent lower back pain. I've had back issue since I was a teenager.

The mattress feels much softer and squishy on top than I recall the floor models being, and it’s just a little too plush for me. It’s just bearable if I sleep on my side, for now. If it softens up even just a little, it will be way too soft and a big problem. As is, it’s too soft for stomach sleeping. I need something a step or two up in firmness.  The problem is the next step up in firmness in the Stearns & Foster line is their ‘ultra firm’ and from my memory it was as hard as a board.

With Sears restocking fee and pickup fee on returns (I’d lose $200 returning it!), I decided to try exchange it for the S&F ‘Firm’ mattress and if it ends up being too firm, I’d get a topper when finances allow. Unfortunately, S&F only offer two firmness levels in this mattress, a Luxury Plush and Luxury Firm. Period.

I’m reading the mattress surgery threads, I’m a handy guy but it seems like a drastic measure to slice open a brand new expensive mattress. Plus, if I did that, how would I make this mattress slightly firmer? 

Stearns & Foster does have an ultra firm mattress but only at a more expensive level at least $100 more. And that would be for a stiff as a board mattress that was very uncomfortable to me in the store. I’d likely have to spend another $200 for a topper and no guarantee that would make it soft enough.

As for other brands, I didn’t like mattresses with the springs tied together as the entire surface moved like trampolines. I like the pocketed coils.

Any suggestions?