Purple

In 1996, brothers Tony and Terry Pearce created a hyper-elastic polymer. This was used in wheelchair cushions, footwear, and knee pads. In 2015, the Pearce brothers founded Purple and began producing mattresses with their GelFlex® grid. In 2017, they merged with Global Partner Acquisition Corp.

In 2020, Sleep County acquired exclusive Purple distribution rights in Canada. However, at the time of writing, only one Purple mattress is available on the Sleep Country website in twin XL size. This limited availability doesn’t make it easy for Canadians to access the brand.

Purple has significant name recognition, especially in the US. But more recently, Canadian brands like Octave and Douglas have begun manufacturing foam mattresses with technological innovations and luxury features normally seen in higher-end mattresses—at a significantly lower cost.

Octave

Launched in 2023, Octave is the next step in the evolution of the Novosbed mattress. The Vista, Mirage, and Horizon models are designed to enhance the Canadian sleep experience and provide greater cooling, motion isolation, and pressure relief than the popular Novosbed.

The Octave brand is owned by GoodMorning.com. This direct-to-customer mattress company has sold over 350,000 mattresses across the United States and Canada in the last 10 years. GoodMorning.com maintains an “A+” rating on Better Business Bureau and an “Excellent” rating on Trustpilot.

Today’s online mattress companies make it easier and more convenient than ever to order online and receive your next mattress to your front door in a matter of days. You don’t have to be home to accept it, and the bed-in-a-box concept makes it easy to try out a mattress in the comfort of your own home to make sure it’s right for you.

Purple

In the continental US, Purple offers free ground shipping with FedEx. Customers in Hawaii and Alaska will pay more, with costs calculated at checkout. Although Purple’s website says it’s associated with Sleep Country, we had to order directly from Purple’s US website to get the mattress type and size we wanted. Purple doesn’t offer international shipping, so we also had to ship to a US address and arrange for our own international shipping to Canada. This isn’t an option for most Canadians.

It may take up to five business days for your order to ship within the continental US, and a further 3–10 days to arrive. If you ship internationally, the length of your shipping time will be dictated by the international courier you choose to use. It took several weeks for our order to arrive and the original mattress was lost in transit, although Purple replaced it free of charge. 

Purple offers a 100-night sleep trial to US customers and will arrange for return pickups and a full refund. It’s not clear what sort of a sleep trial or refund, if any, is available in Canada. Mattresses bought through Sleep Country have a 100-night sleep trial. Sleep Country doesn’t offer refunds, only a one-time exchange minus a $65 exchange fee. 

Octave

Octave uses FedEx to deliver mattresses directly to customers’ doors throughout most parts of Canada. Octave shipping times are 3–10 days for most of Canada. If you live in a remote location, the shipper may transfer your package to a local courier for delivery. It may take longer for your mattress to arrive, and additional shipping costs may apply. 

Octave’s in-home sleep trial is more than three times as long as Purple’s. With Octave, you’ll receive a full 365 nights vs only 100 nights for Purple. If a customer decides to return their Octave mattress within the sleep trial period, the company will arrange to pick up the mattresses and issue a full refund. There are no additional return or restocking fees for the Octave mattress.

The Octave mattress was delivered within the expected time frame. Our Purple mattress order took several weeks to arrive, but it was coming from the US, and we had to arrange our own international shipping.

Packaging

Both mattresses were well protected by heavy-duty plastic layers to protect the mattresses during shipping. The Octave mattress was shipped in a white cardboard box, while the Purple mattress was shipped in a large plastic-and-canvas bag with carry handles. It’s worth noting that the Purple mattress is very heavy and difficult for two people to move. At 114 pounds for the queen size, this was one of the heaviest mattresses we have ever reviewed.

The Octave mattress box was sealed with heavy-duty tape. Customers will definitely need scissors or a knife to open the packaging. To prevent potential harm to yourself or your new mattress, remember to be extra careful when using sharp objects to open the box.

Unboxing

Once opened, the Octave compressed mattress is easy to remove from the box. We recommend a “tip-and-pull” motion to slowly slide the mattress out of its cardboard packaging. Simply tip the box from a vertical position down onto its side, and then pull the lightweight box away from the bundled mattress. For Purple, you can lay down the mattress, then unzip the bag and slide it off the mattress.

It’s most practical to complete this process in the room where you intend to use the mattress.

Both the Octave and Purple mattresses were protected with two layers of heavy-duty plastic: an inner layer to compress it in a vacuum seal, and an exterior layer to keep it tightly bound in its cylinder shape. Instructions are included for easier unpacking.

Keep the information you received with your shipment, like the sleep trial and return policy. Hang onto the Purple plastic bag the mattress was shipped in, just in case you want to return it. It’s OK to recycle the Octave box, as the expanded mattress would not fit back into it.

Setup

For setup, we recommend placing the rolled-up mattress onto the designated bed frame. Next, like the end of a roll of tape, find where the outer layer of plastic begins and start peeling it back. You can use the momentum of unrolling the compressed mattress along the bed frame to help remove the rest of this layer, which could be up to a few metres long. After completing this process, the mattress will rest unrolled before you.

Next, cut and remove the final layer of plastic. The vacuum seal is now broken, and your new mattress will begin to decompress. A bed-in-a-box mattress should expand to its full height within a few minutes to a few days.

For the Purple mattress, check the law label to see whether the bed requires a foundation for support. Ours specified that Purple Restore Hybrid is designed to be used without a foundation. In fact, it may be too heavy to be compatible with many foundations currently on the market.

Both the Octave and Purple mattresses expanded to their full height within a few minutes.

Octave and Purple are both three-layer mattresses. Octave is a memory foam mattress that features multiple advanced cooling features. Purple is a hybrid mattress with limited cooling features.

Purple vs Octave Mattress Layers

Purple Mattress Layers

The Purple Restore Hybrid mattress is 11.5″ tall and contains three layers—two top foam layers and a support layer of coils:

• First Layer: 2” of hyper-elastic polymer—the GelFlex® Grid. It’s surrounded by a 2” border of polyurethane foam. Purple says the grid dissipates heat and adapts to provide responsive pressure relief and cooling, along with an antimicrobial finish.
• Second Layer: 1” of comfort foam that the company says will provide added pressure relief.
• Third Layer: 8” individually pocketed coils. This layer provides airflow and structure for the mattress, and helps to give it an above-average edge support rating.

Octave Mattress Layers

The 12” Octave Vista is a three-layer memory foam mattress that delivers an exceptional blend of cool, cushioned support. Its numerous cooling features include a nanofibre cover, CopperGel™ memory foam infused with phase-change material, and multi-zone support foam with built-in air channels.

• First Layer: 2” of CopperGel™ memory foam, paired with moisture-wicking PolarMAX® phase-change material. This high-performance layer pulls heat and sweat away from your body for a cooler, more comfortable sleep. As an antimicrobial metal, copper can also help reduce bacteria and maintain the cleanliness of your mattress.
• Second Layer: 2” of premium Elastex® foam. This responsive, body-contouring middle layer feels and responds like natural latex. It adds a little extra bounce to your sleep so you can shift positions more easily.
• Third Layer: 8” of high-density, ultra-durable motion isolation support foam to help you stay asleep, even with a restless partner. This layer also contains air channels to let warm air escape and fresh air flow through.

Purple vs Octave Mattress Cover

Purple Mattress Cover

The Purple mattress has a two-tone cover that is slightly cool to the touch. Most of the mattress is a mauve colour, and the top cover is a very light grey, with sweeping, alternating curves. The material in the sidewalls is quilted with a horizontally aligned diamond pattern. 

The top part of the cover is not machine washable. It’s made primarily of polyester, with a small amount of elastic. Polyester can sleep hot, and there are no cooling materials in the top cover—unlike Octave, which has cooling nanofibres. Purple says its side fabric is 100% polyester. The bottom cover is a combination of rayon, polyester, and a sheath/core of an unidentified material.

The company says it does not use fibreglass as a fire retardant material. However, Purple doesn’t specify what it does use, other than saying it’s an approved material. The Purple website only says it’s a “Knit Flame Barrier with no added chemicals.” It’s both CertiPUR-US certified and Greenguard Gold Certified. Unlike other mattresses on the market, such as Douglas and Octave, Purple does not highlight having eco-conscious fabric.

Although the Purple mattress cover has a zipper, the company cautions you not to unzip or try to remove the mattress cover. Doing so can void the mattress warranty. The cover also has its own warranty, which does not appear to be available on the website at the time of publication.

Octave Mattress Cover

Octave Vista is refreshingly cool to the touch, thanks to CryoFusion™ nanofibres in the top cover. The upgraded models—Mirage and Horizon—contain a higher number of nanofibres, making them even cooler. These nanofibre-infused fabrics have excellent breathability and moisture-wicking properties.

Octave’s mattress cover features a swirling, blue-grey pattern that is unique to each mattress. The removable, machine-washable cover connects to the navy-blue base with a sturdy yet stylish zipper.

Feel & Firmness

According to the testing conducted by third-party engineers (commissioned by us), the Purple mattress vs Octave are similar in firmness:

• Octave is a medium-firm mattress, and is rated at 6.8 / 10 on the firmness scale. That means it will be slightly on the firmer side, while striking a good balance of comfort and support. Medium-firm mattresses are a great choice for most Canadian sleepers, as they tend to suit the widest range of body types and sleep styles.
• Despite being marketed as a firm mattress, the Purple mattress scored a 6.4 / 10 on the firmness scale. This places the mattress in the medium-firm range. The Purple Restore Hybrid does not have excessive “sink”, but you may notice the grid shape of the comfort layer while you’re lying down. If you’re looking for a slightly firmer mattress, Octave would be a better choice.

Edge Support

• Hybrid mattresses typically provide good edge support. The Purple Restore Hybrid mattress exceeded expectations with a rating of 9.5 / 10 on the edge support scale. Sleepers can expect supportive sidewalls with minimal sinking when weight is applied.
• Foam mattresses can provide less edge support than hybrids, but the Octave mattress performed well above average with a rating of 7.5 /10 on the edge support scale. This is very good for a foam mattress and should provide sufficient edge support for many sleepers.

Motion Isolation

Motion isolation and pressure-point relief in foam mattresses are usually very good. This is often one of the main reasons couples switch from innerspring to memory foam. According to the testing conducted by third-party engineers (commissioned by us), the Purple vs Octave mattress motion isolation ratings are both above average:

• The Purple mattress has above-average motion isolation, at 7.5 / 10 on the motion isolation scale.
• The Octave mattress has above-average motion isolation, at 7.3 / 10 on the motion isolation scale.

Bounce

Bounce is a matter of preference. Generally, a lower bounce score is better for more undisturbed sleep. However, you also want the mattress to have enough responsiveness to make it easier to shift positions, get out of bed, and generally not feel “stuck” in the mattress.

A high motion isolation score usually translates to a low bounce score, which is why foam mattresses generally have very low bounce ratings. Hybrid mattresses tend to have higher bounce ratings than their foam counterparts due to the layer of coils: 

• The Purple is rated at a surprisingly high 7.8 /10 on the bounce scale—well above average. This high bounce score could be attributed to the mattress’s coil and polymer layers.
• The Octave mattress is rated at a below-average 3.7 / 10 on the bounce scale. This can be attributed to its high motion isolation and foam composition. Despite this lower score, Octave’s layer of premium Elastex® foam will prevent you from feeling “stuck” in the mattress, thanks to its springiness and responsiveness. This makes it easier to shift positions or get out of bed.

*Purple’s CAD prices are accurate as of the date of publication. Price may vary based on currency exchange rates.

* Octave was named Canada’s Best Cooling Mattress by Best Health Magazine, which has an existing business relationship with GoodMorning.com.