Hi Cyndsm,
Welcome to the Mattress Underground.
I see you have an interesting selection of choices. Given you body profile and sleep positions mattresses such as the Avocado and Helix Twilight would be nice choices.
The Avocado mattress rates around a solid medium firmness of 5/10, while the Helix Twilight is firmer, falling between 7 and 7.5. If you’re a side sleeper, you might want to consider the pillowtop version of the Helix Twilight; it still offers firm support but with a softer feel thanks to the pillowtop. Another comparable option is the Brooklyn Bedding Titan Plus Elite, which features micro coils in the comfort layer for a cooler sleep experience, ideal for warmer sleepers.
At Mattress UnderGround, we emphasize the importance of quality materials and foams. Feedback from consumers and previous buyers indicates that some brands that produce components overseas may source similar layers from various international manufacturers. These are often lower quality foams where consistency is important. It is important for any foam production, but lower quality foams are already falling short quality mark. This can lead to inconsistencies in quality, specifications, and tolerances, resulting in different comfort levels for what should be the same mattress model. For this reason, it might be wise to choose mattresses made in the USA, where manufacturing processes tend to be more consistent and reliable.
Earthfoam, which is dunlop latex is a quality foam that can be found at a variety of manufacturers. Trusted Members such as @Sleep_EZ and @Arizona_Premium have similar quality offerings with customer service teams that will gladly collaborate with you and guide you to the perfect solution.
@My_Green_Mattress is another Trusted Member that will have similar offerings as Avocado, but I would say their mattress may be a bit firmer, which may be closer to your liking.
All of these options still remaining in your price range.
When shopping at Costco for a mattress, it’s essential to compare each option to the offerings from the parent company. Often, Costco sells mattresses specifically made for them with different specifications. This doesn’t mean the Costco version is inferior; it just requires closer examination. Given your budget, consulting with a mattress professional instead of a Costco employee could be a wiser choice. The costs may be similar, but the expert advice you’ll receive can be invaluable. Remember, you’ll spend nearly 3,000 hours a year on your mattress, so it’s worth getting it right. After all, this is about your comfort and well-being, not just a household item like a vacuum cleaner.
When it comes to foam mattresses or foam in a mattress, we recommend using high-density (HD) foam with a density of at least 1.8 pounds. If you opt for memory foam, choose one with a density of 4 to 5 pounds for better support. Latex foams, whether Dunlop or Talalay, typically offer great longevity but have a different feel compared to traditional mattresses.
For innerspring mattresses, the coil gauge can vary; generally, a lower gauge means firmer coils. However, other factors also play a role, such as how the coils are nested, their height, and the number of turns each coil has. These details are best understood with the guidance of a mattress professional.
Although, by definition, a hybrid is coils and some type of foam consisting of 2" or more of that foam, I would not say they are all equal. As described above, there are different qualities of the foam that manufacturer use. It makes a difference.
Hopefully, this gives you a little better insight as to what direction you should lean.
If you have any other questions, feel free to throw them our way.
Maverick