Hi Kol, and welcome to The Mattress Underground 
glad to have you here.
[quote] So I’m having lower back pain from herniated disc and think changing my mattress might help…
I’m not even sure should I sleep on coil mattress, or should i go for foam/latex.
My perception is coil mattress offer better support (and it’s firmer) than foam and latex[/quote]
Sorry to hear of your back pain from your herniated disc. I know that can be incredibly painful and it can be frustrating trying to get comfortable in bed. As this is a serious health problem, I would certainly check with your healthcare practitioner to see if they have any tips on minimizing the stress on your spine while sleeping. Keep in mind that any mattress you choose will be unique to you, based on your stats (height, BMI, sleeping position(s) and any underlying health conditions) and your PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). Any reviews that you read are, at best, highly subjective, and at worst are merely ads pretending to be reviews.
Without knowing your PPP and Stats, and your mattress history, there’s no way to tell how any mattress will feel for you. If you have not already done so, I would suggest to first start off with some mattress basics and look at Mattress Shopping Tutorial as well as the Mattress Specifications You Need To Know and theMattress Durability Guidelines to get a n overview of mattress shopping, what to look for, but most importantly that the mattress you chose has good/quality componentry and that you’ll not be forced to buy a new one in a year or two due to premature sagging and break off of foams, or mattress integrity in general.
You are correct in that trying out mattresses in person is the best way to see what you might be compatible with; while 15-30 min are, as you say, not sufficient, you can get a feel for what types of mattresses you like and don’t like (foam, latex, hybrid, innerspring etc.) even if you don’t purchase from that retailer you have learned which mattresses you can put on your list of ‘possibles’ (provided that all componentry is within specs mentioned in the Mattress Durability Guidelines ). I am hoping that you tested for alignment first as this is most important for a restful sleep where the muscles don’t have to compensate for postural imbalances. The comfort is the easiest to test as you can determine quite well even after 5 min if you are experiencing any pressure points. Also do you want preffer a mattress that’s firm or plush? Pocketed coils can provide additional support but if you enjoy an extra firm feel a coil later may not be necessary. Again, all up to your personal preferences.
[quote] Thoughts on Beautyrest Unity Granite? (Is it good for ppl with back pain?)
I think this line is all innerspring / pocket coil, and Granite is the firmest model. I’ve given it a try by lying in 15min in store and thinks it’s nice but the trying doesn’t really mean a lot unless I sleep on it overnight.[/quote]
As with most ‘big box’ brands, Beautyrest is not transparent when it comes to the specifications and materials used in their components. It appears to have 3" of various proprietary memory and gel foams with a 8" pocket coil layer with perimeter support. However, memory foam, especially lower grade inexpensive foams, can break down prematurely and cause ‘divots’ or ruts in the mattress which can cause pain in muscles and joints and even cause alignment issues down the road. I would make sure any foam in a potential mattress has no more than an inch or so of lower grades foams (for memory foam no lower than 4 lbs/cuft for normal range weights) and if polyfoam is used, with at least 1.8 lbs/cuft density, just to ensure you have support.
If anything, it is often is a bit of the opposite, but again, you will need to decide what materials you prefer. Generally both an all-foam or hybrid (pocket-coil) mattress can work for you and can “offer better support and be firmer” and this is regardless of your herniated disk condition .- It is purely a matter of selecting quality materials with a correct balance of support/comfort for your sleeping position and unique stats. You can see a little video here made by Pablo, the CEO of Mattress Makers as to All-latex vs hybrid mattresses to help you determine if it is the right mattress for you.
Once you have a list of mattress types you enjoy the feel of, you can take a look at the mattresses offered by theTrusted Membersof the site, many of whom ship to Canada, and if you give them a little info on your Stats, PPP and sleep history they will be able to make recommendations for you.…also, several Trusted Members are located in Canada, like MFC in carries mattresses with many different thicknesses and densities of foam, whileCBH Wood has latex and wood frame sleep systems, with showrooms in Alberta and BC, and Dormiooffers a range of organic mattress products in the Toronto area. GhostBed sells in Canada and you can find them even at Costco Canada. With a little more leg work, you are sure to find a mattress to provide you with many years of pain free sleep.
~ Basilio