Update to Berkeley Ergonomics Oslo

Mattress Talk General Mattresses Questions
1

Hi! My wife and I purchased a King BE Oslo bed in NY in 2013, largely based on the advice in this forum. We have one side soft and other firm, on box springs and basic metal frame. We were very happy!

We recently moved to California, and before moving ditched the box springs. Also without us knowing, the movers folded the mattress for the entire 3k mile trip. So now we have the just the mattress on the same metal frame, and it’s almost unbearable! Firm to the extreme where if I am on my side for a few minutes I feel tingling and numbness. We can’t figure out if it’s the lack of box spring or potential damage from the long distance folding or both.

Any ideas? If not correctable, what are some good new options for us? I am 175lbs 5’7, 50/50 back/side, and she is 125lbs 5’1, probably 25/75 back/side. I’d say I tend towards medium and she tends toward soft.

Thanks!

2

campbellsa:

I you had the flexible slat system foundation, this would dramatically impact the overall comfort of the mattress, and if you eliminated it then this would most likely be the culprit.

If you had the rigid wood foundation, then this would have had no flex and would not differ from placing your mattress upon the floor.

If you have no foundation currently, how are you using the mattress upon a metal bed frame? There wouldn’t be nearly enough surface area to properly support a mattress by itself, and if that is indeed what you’re doing, that could be part of the issue.

The BE Oslo uses flexible pocketed spring units and latex, so chances are you might be OK with the movers having folded your mattress. Without having the product in front of me, I unfortunately can’t analyze the shape of your product. The mattress uses good quality componentry, so it still should have a few years left in it.

3

Thank you! We are using the Amazon Basics foldable metal platform bed frame. Sounds like this (without the box spring) is probably the culprit? Should we just get new box springs?

4

campbellsa:

The metal platform bed base that you’re now using is rigid, so it imparts no comfort to the mattress. If you were indeed using the BE flexible slat system before (you didn’t confirm), then replacing that should bring your mattress back to what it was like before (providing you adjust the slats to the same settings you previously used). But then you’d probably ditch the metal platform bed and use a traditional bed frame.

5

Ah sorry! We were not using the slat system, we were just using the box springs and same metal frame.

6

campbellsa:

BE doesn’t offer a box spring - they either have a flexible slatted system, or a rigid slatted foundation - perhaps the rigid wood foundation is what you had?

If you were using something different than what BE offers, perhaps an older actual coil box spring system or a flexing torsion modular system, then those units would have made the mattress softer feeling.

If it was the rigid BE foundation that you used, then there shouldn’t be any difference in the comfort of the product between using that and the metal platform bed you’re currently using. If that is indeed the case, then I’d guess the large difference in feel would be due to potential damage cause by your movers (also assuming you’re using the same pillows as before), as here really wouldn’t be any other variables that changed.

7

Sorry for the confusion. We were using a traditional wood box spring from another king bed…not either of the BE products.

Sounds like I should pick up a traditional nox spring to try and replicate the same feeling. If it still doesn’t feel right, then likely it was damaged in the move.

8

campbellsa:

I’m not sure that you’re completely understanding what I’m describing, as you keep referring to the bottom part of your mattress set as a “box spring”. A “box spring” is a very specific type of component, and I think you are using that as a general term. The terminology I’m using is very specific, so let me try to me more clear so that you don’t unnecessarily spend more for something that may not be necessary.

The bottom part of the sleep set, between the metal bed frame and the mattress, is often referred to by people as a “box spring”. But with modern mattress sets, this terminology would be incorrect. We more commonly reference this piece as a “foundation”, and there are different types, some which flex and others that don’t flex. The ones that flex will generally impart extra comfort to a mattress.

A box spring technically is a foundation using actual coil springs on the inside. True box springs haven’t been commonly used by major brands for decades, which is why I’m guessing you weren’t using a true coil box spring on your old bed set. A box spring would make a mattress feel softer.

Torsion system foundations replaced box springs and these also had a certain amount of flexibility that would increase the softness of a mattress. These haven’t been quite as common the past 20 years or so, so I’m guessing you probably didn’t use one of these as well.

Semi-flex foundations using a metal grid network have been very popular the past 20 years, and you may have used something like this under your mattress. Despite the name describing them, these foundation do not flex and are rigid. A foundation like this would feel exactly the same under your mattress as the current metal platform base that you are using.

Wood foundations are also popular these days. There are different variations of quality, but these are also rigid and impart no comfort to the mattress. A foundation like this would feel exactly the same under your mattress as the current metal platform base that you are using.

If you were previously using a box spring or torsion system, these would have made your mattress feel softer in the past and not having them would be the reason for your mattress now feeling harder.

If you were previously using a semi-flex or wood foundation, there would be absolutely no difference in the feel using those versus the metal platform bed base that you’re currently using, and the reason your mattress feels different is most likely due to shipping damage.

I hope that’s clearer for you. I don’t want you unnecessarily buying something that won’t alleviate your issue.

9

This is amazingly helpful thank you! Sounds like what we were using is basically just a wood foundation wrapped in a cover. So I will not buy another box spring. If the mattress is indeed damaged then I will start the hunt for a new one. Suggestions?

10

campbellsa:

If you liked what you had, the BE line certainly uses good quality materials.

As far as picking out a mattress for you, that’s not something I could do with any accuracy via a forum. A good place to start would be with the Mattress Shopping Tutorial, just like back in 2013 when you purchased your first mattress.