I’m close to making a decision to purchase a new mattress! I’ve done a lot of researching on this forum and have read through the buying guide topic. Going into this, I’ve decided to go 100% natural. Fortunately for me, I’m in Edmonton where there’s a TMSC. The guys there have been absolutely great in helping me out! I’ve been a few times already. After trying a bunch of different innerspring and latex mattresses, I’ve got it narrowed down to the Sleeptek Euro II, or the Berkeley Oslo. I know both are very good mattresses.
So about me… I’m almost 6 ft, 150lbs, broad shoulders, slender build, and the mattress would be just for me. I’m a majority side sleeper, but do sleep a little on my back as well. I’m on a 10 year old run-of-the mill pocket coil mattress. Think it was deemed a “soft” mattress. When looking at these two mattresses, what I’m having trouble with is having confidence that when I wake up in the morning, I won’t be sore. Especially with the Euro II since that’s a totally different type of mattress. Both the Euro II and Oslo feel pretty good when I tested them. The Oslo feels a bit more comfy on the initial feel. The Euro II feels like it has less softness initially, but still feels comfortable for me. The guys as TMSC took a look at my alignment, and it’s good on both.
With the Oslo, my concern is that it may be a touch soft in support (which I don’t think I can really tell testing in the store), although the adjustable ergo suspension foundation could be used to firm areas up. My initial gut feel was this one.
With the Euro II, my concern is that it’s a huge shift for me to go to rubber from an innerspring and I’m not sure how well I’ll adjust to it. I’m pretty sure I have some bad “learned alignment”. However, the core is interchangeable, and within 90 days at TMSC it’s half the cost to do so. The bed in store only had medium and firm to test with the Euro II. If I went with the Euro II, I could always try the medium and switch out the core to soft if I had to. Plus, I could consider using Berkeley’s adjustable ergo suspension foundation instead of the slatted foundation that comes with the Euro II for even more adjustability.
I’d really appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on how to narrow down between the two. This is a sizeable purchase, which I’m willing to make. But I just want to make sure I make the right one since there isn’t really any going back.
While I can’t tell you what to choose … there is more about the most important parts of the value of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that may be helpful with how to choose between them.
As you can see … the most important part of the “value” of a mattress purchase is which one is the best match for you in terms of PPP. Unfortunately nobody else can feel what you feel or see you on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and preferences involved for anyone to make suggestions about which mattress may be best for you using specs (either yours or a mattress) or theory at a distance that can possibly be more effective than your own personal testing along with the guidance of the staff at TMASC who are very good at what they do. In this case … you are looking at two different types of mattresses because one is all latex and the other is an innerspring/microcoil/latex hybrid so it would really come down to which one you prefer or feel more confident about.
After PPP then the next most important part of the value of a purchase is durability and making sure that a mattress uses good quality materials and that there are no weak links in the mattress. As you know both of the mattresses you are considering use high quality materials and neither one has any weak links in their construction so durability wouldn’t be an issue for either one of them.
After this the choice between them would really be based on all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you including price of course and the options you have after a purchase if your sleeping experience indicates that in spite of your “best efforts” that the choice you made was less than ideal.
When you are down to finalists that are between “good and good” (which you are) and if at this point there are no clear winners between them, then your final choice (see post #2 here) will really come down to best judgement based on all the objective, subjective, and intangible criteria that are most important to you.
I really don’t think that either one of them would be a mistake but you are in a position where preferences will play the biggest role. Sometimes if you have confirmed everything else then “gut feel” can end up being the best way to decide
Thanks for the blazing fast response Phoenix! Quite helpful. I’m planning another visit to TMASC tomorrow. Hoping to make a decision soon. Will let you know how things go!
After having grown up on Latex, sleeping on springs the next 40 years and now switching back to latex, they have totally different feels.
The only spring bed I ever got used to had latex in the upper layers over the springs. I can still sleep on that bed, but not as well as a all latex mattress. I just LIKE the feel that latex gives me.
So I did some more testing at TMASC today. I spent most of my time testing the Oslo. However, I noticed some back discomfort / mild pain that started maybe 10 min after I finished testing, primarily lower back, but some up to mid back as well. I didn’t think too much of it, but 4h later it hasn’t got any better. I seem to recall a little bit of this from prior times, but not nearly as noticeable and didn’t stick around. Given that most of my time was spent on the Oslo today, I’m concerned that it may actually not give me the support that is necessary, which is a bit odd given my size and that my alignment is okay on it. I tested majority side sleeping position, with some back sleeping as well. I find I sink into the Oslo more, which makes sense given it’s micro coil + soft latex comfort layer. In my testing of the Euro II today, I found even though the initial feel is a touch firmer, but it was still quite comfortable. So now I’m just confused and unsure :unsure:
When lying on my back, I did the test of putting my hand under my lower back. From what I understand, there should be some resistance in sliding my hand under, but not a lot or too little. The Oslo had a bit more resistance than the Euro II, but I don’t think it was too much.
In reading some of the posts here about back pain, there’s two points that I gather -
Lower back is usually due to a mattress that’s not supportive enough - though not sure if it makes sense in my case after 2h testing.
It’s easier to make a firm mattress a bit softer, than a soft mattress a bit firmer.
I’m really close to buying the Oslo. In fact I bought it today, but then because of my uncertainty around the lower back pain I was feeling several hours later, I’ve put it on hold and am going to do some more testing in store. I’m going to try testing only one mattress a day to help narrow down which one (if any) might be causing the lower back pain.
I know it all comes down to what I feel, but if you have any thoughts on how to approach this, would be appreciated!
While I can’t make any specific suggestions about your choices that would help you more than your own personal testing and the expert guidance you already have … there are a couple of things I can add that may be useful.
[quote]However, I noticed some back discomfort / mild pain that started maybe 10 min after I finished testing, primarily lower back, but some up to mid back as well. I didn’t think too much of it, but 4h later it hasn’t got any better. I seem to recall a little bit of this from prior times, but not nearly as noticeable and didn’t stick around. Given that most of my time was spent on the Oslo today, I’m concerned that it may actually not give me the support that is necessary, which is a bit odd given my size and that my alignment is okay on it.
I’m really close to buying the Oslo. In fact I bought it today, but then because of my uncertainty around the lower back pain I was feeling several hours later, I’ve put it on hold and am going to do some more testing in store. I’m going to try testing only one mattress a day to help narrow down which one (if any) might be causing the lower back pain.[/quote]
This can sometimes happen when you have done a lot of testing on different mattresses which can affect your back to some degree (you certainly wouldn’t be the first for this to happen). I would suggest giving your back a couple of days to rest and recover and then testing again one mattress a day as you suggested to see if your “symptoms” repeat. In most cases … alignment issues that come from a mattress go away once you are up and stretch a bit so this may be connected to “testing fatigue”.
Both of the mattresses you are considering have fine tuning options available after a purchase so this wouldn’t apply as much but in general terms if you are considering two mattresses that are otherwise “equal” and you don’t have good fine tuning options after a purchase then it’s usually a good idea to choose the one that is a little firmer because as you said you can add a topper to add softness and pressure relief but firming up a mattress that is too soft generally requires removing and replacing the materials or layers that are either too soft or too thick rather than adding toppers on top of them.
I’m not sure of the options available at TMASC but several of the forum members had mentioned softer and firmer versions (or a side to side split) when they were testing the Oslo. In looking back though it may have been a different version of the Oslo sold at Scott Jordan here that doesn’t have the microcoils so you would probably be better off checking with TMASC about the options they have because the BE mattresses can have different names at different stores and theirs may not have the option for fine tuning.
As you know … the SleepTex Euro II has firm layer on the bottom, soft on top, and a choice of a soft, medium, or firm 4" latex layer in the middle which can be changed or split from side to side.
I’m looking forward to your feedback after you’ve given your back a chance to rest and recover
So I tested just the Oslo yesterday evening mostly lying on my side, but also on my back. I noticed a bit of lower back discomfort creep in soon after I started, at which time I was lying on my side. After a half hour, it was very noticeable. I figure it’s probably not the best sign that I experience some lower back pain during the initial feel period of lying on the mattress; may not bode too well for getting to sleep, let alone what I feel like when I wake up. It’s possible I may need a bit more support. Either that, or my body’s not used to a new and likely proper type of support despite the softer feel. To complicate things, I’ve noticed my back hasn’t been it’s usual self lately and is sometimes just a bit sore both mid and upper. I think it may be partly due to the old mattress I’m on now, which is what prompted me to start this search. So whatever mattress I get, my goal is to not make it worse. I also realize there will likely be an adjustment period as well where my body may need to adjust to the new mattress where I may experience some back pain. I just want to ensure that if this does happen, that it’s a short period, and not ongoing.
So I’m going to go back tomorrow and try the Euro II and see if I notice something similar or not.
Their aren’t many options to customize the Oslo outside of adding a topper of some sort. TMASC does cary the BE Malmo, which has a bit of a firmer comfort layer I think. I think I had ruled that one out early on, but can’t remember why.
Deep Sleep… you are falling into my syndrome! Old mattress (3 years old Simmons!) started making my back hurt… I’m on 5 month of looking for the perfect one! Each one we brought home threw my back out more and then as my hubby said, it was almost impossible for me to figure out what was best for me! My chiropractor helped a bunch.
The PLB mattress was the only one I felt right on (at least it worked for me). You may have to decide on one or the other, get it delivered and see what happens. Hopefully the mattress company allows exchanges… it may be the only way to narrow it down.
If you are experiencing pain or discomfort when you test a mattress I would pay attention to what your body is telling you. While it’s always possible that this may not “translate” into your actual sleeping experience … the odds say that it may not be the best choice.
If after testing a mattress you are still uncertain about how your testing will “translate” into your actual sleeping experience then I would also pay much more attention to the options you have after a purchase to make changes to the mattress in terms of PPP and for me this would become a much more important part of my personal value equation and the value of a mattress purchase.
