This is hugely important. In fact, as I write this I’m lying on a mattress at my dad’s, who I am visiting, knowing my back will hurt tomorrow. It isn’t only about the money, though. The correct firmness for your weight, etc. matter a great deal. Not trivial to pick from a catalogue or even from trying them out for 30sec at the store, though… the one I’m going to be sleeping on tonight might have been more expensive than the one I have at home, but it just wasn’t chosen by me, for my profile.

Having said this: closing in on my 50s, back pain is becoming a recurrent but unwelcome companion (along with its many crappy friends, such as knee aches and poor eyesight)…