jpinpb – we purchased ours at a Navy Exchange, so our only choices were the Classic and the one we purchased (guess I should go take off the corner of my sheets and figure out exactly which one it is!) Ours was slightly more expensive, a little thicker, and we both thought it was more comfortable. We went on the advice of a friend that has a degenerative back disorder, and she also loves hers.
It took a few weeks to adjust to it, but now we both adore it. The thing that bugged me most at first was how it takes a short time to readjust to your body when you move around! Now I don’t even notice that. We have owned it for almost two years. In terms of sinking in, neither one of us is a petite person–I’m not large, but definitely average.
I don’t know what to tell you except that a good night’s sleep is worth it’s weight in gold. Mattresses are not one size fits all. Just because others love it doesn’t mean that you should. I feel for you–as you say, they are definitely not cheap, and if it isn’t going to work for you, it is an expensive “mistake”.
I think I read somewhere once that back pain is one of the most common complaints that people go to a doctor for, but also one of the most mysterious things to accurately assess. Frustrating, eh?
btw, when my hubbie slept on the Sleep Number bed, he cranked it up to 100. Good luck figuring out your mattress situation!
