Onsen Air mattress specs breakdown: Quality product or marketing fluff?

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I’m looking at a mattress from a small European producer called Onsen. The company is trying to educate consumers about mattresses and provides detailed specs for its product. I’d like some help determining if their claims hold up or if it’s just marketing fluff.

Here’s a quick rundown of the mattress (sourced from the producer site):

It’s a highly elastic foam mattress with medium firmness (6.5 on the American mattress firmness scale), reinforced with viscoelastic foam. It’s constructed with four layers of high-quality open-cell polyurethane foams (HR and V) and includes an innovative Aero 3D mesh.

Here are the specs provided (I converted the SI units to lb/ft³):

  1. HR30100 is a high-resilience foam with a density of approximately 1.873 lb/ft³ (30 kg/m³) and a firmness of around 100 N according to the ILD method, and about 2.0 kPa according to the CLD method.
  2. V50075 is a memory foam with a density of approximately 3.12 lb/ft³ (50 kg/m³) and a firmness of about 75 N (ILD), and around 1.5 kPa (CLD).
  3. HR35120 is a high-resilience foam with a density of 2.185 lb/ft³ (35 kg/m³) and a firmness of about 120 N (ILD), and 2.4 kPa (CLD).
  4. HR50190 is a high-resilience foam (Richlux® High Resilience HR50038) with a density of around 3.12 lb/ft³ (50 kg/m³) and a firmness of about 190 N (ILD), and 3.8 kPa (CLD).

Additionally, the HR35120 foam layer features transverse ventilation channels and an Aero 3D mesh with microfilaments. Together with the three-dimensional ventilation openings in the mattress cover, this system is designed to remove excess heat and moisture, improving air circulation and sleep comfort.

The mattress is priced around $1150, which is considered relatively expensive (upper-mid range) in my country. How does this product compare to mattresses made by major brands in the USA?

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Hi Tytanuser,

Welcome to our Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

Thank you for sharing the details and density conversions for the Osaka Air Foam Mattress by the Polish manufacturer Onsen. It’s great to see that they provide comprehensive specifications, helping consumers make informed decisions. I also appreciate that they openly address some of the drawbacks of memory foam and explain their strategies to mitigate them.

“How does this product compare to mattresses made by major brands in the USA?”

No amount of “marketing fluff” can compete with factual data and with the quality of materials used. My concerns on the site stem from the fact that many well-known brands often use less durable materials in their mattresses compared to most of their smaller competitors. Also, there are many online companies that use lower quality materials and ship compressed “bed-in-a-box” mattresses, which would compromise the durability and useful life of a mattress. Much of the marketing tends to highlight and latch on specific features while overlooking any trade-offs associated with those benefits.

Osaka’s claim to fame is centered around its breathability and ventilation. Among the three main types of foam—memory foam, polyfoam, and latex—memory foam is typically the most insulating and least breathable, followed by polyfoam, with latex being the most breathable. Variations within each category exist; less dense foams are generally more breathable than denser ones, while firmer foams tend to allow less “sinking in” which can mean there is less insulating foam material against your body.

The Osaka mattress features a lower-density memory foam layer, enhancing breathability. Placing this layer slightly lower in the mattress design further contributes to reduced heat retention. The trade-off is that while lower-density foams can be more breathable and responsive, they will also be less durable than a denser foam of the same type. Although the placement of the memory foam, 1.2" lower in the mattress helps a bit slow the foam breaking over time, it is still too close to the surface and subject to pressure and mechanical stress from body weight. This leads to foam breakdown, especially with a density of 3.1 lbs/cuft. Some manufacturers still prefer a slightly lower memory foam density than the minimum recommended of 4 lbs/cuft for the above-mentioned better temperature performance even though the durability is lower, but I would advise caution especially if you weigh over 200 lbs (90 kg) due to potential durability concerns.

The microfilament mesh, however, is effectively utilized to help reduce heat retention. It prevents the memory foam from collapsing into the transversal channels, allowing for improved airflow, and moisture wicking. However, it’s essential to remember that there are various other interrelated factors—such as body weight, sleeping position, movement on the mattress, etc. —that will also influence heat ventilation.

Depending on your criteria, the durability guidelines here are a good way to help narrow down mattress options. When shopping, I suggest focusing on PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) as key factors in choosing a mattress. No marketing in the world can tell how well a mattress matches your specific needs and preferences. I also wouldn’t assume that the price of a mattress relates to how “comfortable” it will be or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of PPP or how durable it will be compared to many major brand mattresses that don’t disclose the details of what’s in their mattress.

I hope this information helps guide your decision!
Best,
Phoenix