Hi, Gali, "Somewhat Firm" translates, to me, great support with some forgiveness. Not something like the floor. The Keetsa mattress brand has a 9 gauge steel individually pocketed coil with a layer of dense memory foam for the comfort layer. A couple of their beds come to mind... a value-conscious model, the Keetsa Plus , is great firm support. If you can upgrade to a more premium bed, the Keetsa Tea Leaf Classic has the same heavy duty coil, with more dense foam for more comfort, support and longevity. Most mattress manufacturers use a 12 3/4 to 16 gauge coil . The lower the number, the heavier the gauge. A 9 gauge coil is designed to last longer and maintain it's integrity with better long-term support. In addition to value, comfort and support, these mattresses are compressed for easy shipping and a low-carbon footprint! We can ship Keetsa mattresses for free in the contiguous US! Investing in your sleep is a great gift for yourselves...

Hey Gail,

It is hard to prescribe a mattress for back pain online. There's really only one way to tell and that's by physically trying them out. I definitely agree with Karen that you should look towards a firm coil with a little forgiveness to conform to your curves. Also, pocketed coils are great because they are independent of one another. Conforming to your body more efficiently as well as lowering motion transfer. If you do shop around, be critical when it comes to the materials used. Make sure you know exactly what your getting. Good Luck! Nick

Actually. There is a mattees type that is nornally forgotten. Try a waterbed.. waterbeds now have foam and fiber that make them a lot less wavy then what you are probably thinking of. In some cases theey can be as firm as a regular mattress. The diference is, a waterbed will displace water when you lay down and will take the shape of your back. Between that and the heat, you have your best chance of releaving back pain. I k.ow there are a lot of similar claims out there like tempurpedic and select comfort. But think of it this way... you dont get the warmth from a select compurt, and you cant turn over on a temperpedic (ok slight exadurated) but you get the point. Also i have never heard of someone getting seasick. That is strictly irban legend. Hope this helps.

Dear Gail, At Get-A-Mattress we have had much luck selling the "Comfort Solutions XL" collection for those who need a bed with support and "No Sag!" We found the XL200 to be a best in category. The XL400 is wonderful and supportive with a nice cushion of latex just under the surface. The XL 400 is fairly expensive because it has Latex. The XL200 seemed to feel very nice for less money. It is less money because it has Memory foam not Latex as your cushion layer above the coils. Personally I would always choose Latex over Memory Foam! The best way for me to describe it to you is that it does not feel like a rock as many firm beds do, but rather a firm only slightly giving surface with a lot of support from thick steel coils. Purchasing a firm mattress can be the most difficult of all mattress purchases. You must plan to spend several hours at your local Multi brand mattress store. Spend at least 30 minutes on each firm mattress you think might work. Remember Gail as the partner of someone that needs a firm mattress you can always soften your side of the bed with a latex pad or wool mattress topper. As a bed partner, if you are a side sleeper, you may not be happy in a firm bed. Spend that 30 minutes on that mattress you are testing ON YOUR SIDE. If the mattress is really firm you can end up with sore hips (usually hips for a woman, sore shoulder for a man.) Take a Latex mattress pad home for your side of the mattress!

Gali, find a mattress shop that offers many different sleep surfaces in one place. Take your time, Your first impressions are often your best. Don't buy it the first trip. Any store that tells you one type of mattress is completely bad and another completely good should be avoided. What works for one person may not work for another..

If you get as good nights sleep in a firm mattress that is all that matters. Keep in mind everyones needs are different in regards to what environment they need to sleep in. Never BUY a mattress without atleast spend 1/2 an hour on it.