The short answer: Casper Original Hybrid for lower back pain and side-back sleepers, thanks to its zoning. Tuft & Needle Original for back sleepers who want a simple, bouncy, medium-firm foam bed and dislike the sinking feel of memory foam.
Casper Original Hybrid
A medium hybrid whose main idea is zoning: softer at the shoulders, firmer under the waist and lower back.
Open the Amazon listing
Tuft & Needle Original (10 in foam)
A plain, bouncy medium-firm foam bed that does not have memory foam's slow sink.
Open the Amazon listing| Casper Original Hybrid | Tuft & Needle Original (10 in foam) | |
|---|---|---|
| Build | Hybrid, 11 in, zoned foam + coils | All-foam, 10 in |
| Firmness | Medium | Medium Firm |
| Zoning | Yes (hips, waist, lower back) | No |
| Feel | Contouring, zoned | Bouncy, even |
| Trial | 100 nights | 100 nights |
| Warranty | 10 years (limited) | 10 years |
| Sold by | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
The short version
The Casper costs more and does more: coils, plus foam zoned to be firmer under the lower back. The Tuft & Needle is one foam, evenly medium-firm, with a responsive feel rather than memory foam's slow sink. If your back pain sits low and you sleep on your side, the zoning is worth paying for. If you sleep on your back and simply want a decent, firm-ish bed, the T&N does the job for less.
Pick Casper if
- Lower back pain is the main complaint.
- You sleep on your side, or switch between side and back.
- You want coils for airflow and edges.
Pick Tuft & Needle if
- You sleep mostly on your back.
- You dislike feeling stuck in foam.
- You want the cheaper bed of the two.
Tuft & Needle also sells an Original Hybrid with coils, labelled medium, if you like T&N's foam but want coils.
Casper Original Hybrid review · lower back pain picks
Still choosing? Reader questions
Is Casper or Tuft & Needle better for back pain?
Casper's zoned Original Hybrid is better for lower back pain and side sleepers. Tuft & Needle's Original suits back sleepers who want a simple medium-firm foam.
Neutral Spine is not a medical provider. A mattress can make sleep more comfortable; it does not treat a spinal condition. Pain that follows an injury, spreads down a leg, or comes with numbness, weakness or fever needs a doctor first. Full disclaimer.