This is what I'm afraid of, and why I posted my own thread about mattresses a ways back. But what I really need is a way to test one of those mattresses out first. It seems crazy to me to buy a mattress - especially a type I've never slept on before - without trying it for even one night, when you're going to be stuck with it for a third of your day for the next 10-20 years! It's the most absurd shopping experience I can think of!

It really makes me appreciate that racket the hotels have going where they'll sell you a mattress like the one you slept on during your stay. I'm sure you're paying a heck of a markup, but at least you know what it's going to feel like.

I tried calling around to see if any hotels in my area had Tempurpedic or even just foam mattresses, and none of them did (though that didn't surprise me).

I'm just having a really difficult time with this whole "buying the most important furniture in your home without properly testing it out first."