What Is a Hybrid Mattress?

The term ‘hybrid’ means ‘something that combines the features of at least two items’. A hybrid bike, for example, combines the features of a road and a mountain bicycle.

But what is a hybrid mattress?

A hybrid mattress combines two or more independent support technologies. Typically, it’s a coil foundation and different foam layers above it, but you can also find models with two coil systems or different combinations of foam and latex.

So, how does this build impact the mattress performance, and are hybrid mattresses worth the hype? 

Well, let’s find out!

Key takeaways 

• A hybrid mattress combines several support, transition, and comfort layers to provide the ultimate sleep experience with a mixture of different layers’ properties.
• Hybrid mattresses feel responsive and supportive, with great sinkage and breathability. They are great for heavy sleepers, people with back pain, hot sleepers, or sleepers that tend to move a lot, especially the ones who sleep with a partner.

What Is a Hybrid Mattress Made Of?

A typical hybrid mattress is made of a sturdy coil base and a few foam comfort layers. At the very least, this is the most common configuration you’ll get on the market. But we’re here to look into the details, right? So, if you remove the cover, here’s what you may see:

• Base layer. This can be a solid steel unit or individually wrapped coils. The solid block will ensure unbeatable edge support, while the pocketed coils typically offer better motion absorption because they aren’t connected and each acts on its own (1).
• Support and transition layers. These can be made of literally anything, including latex, polyfoam, high-density memory foam, and even other coils! Also, these layers can be zoned to ensure better weight distribution and more precise spine support.
• Comfort layers. These are the first layers under the cover and they’re typically made of cooling materials, such as gel or copper-infused foam, natural latex, or fiberfill.

Speaking of the cover, it often features a pillow-top to add more cushioning and create a breathable layer between your body and the mattress.

How Hybrid Mattresses Feel

Now, let’s see how the construction of a hybrid mattress defines its features and how it feels.

The first thing I want to mention here is that hybrid mattresses typically offer a perfect balance between sinkage and responsiveness. The coil base ensures some bounce, while the top foam layers absorb excessive springiness and conform to your pressure points. So, a good hybrid mattress can give you the same level of cradling as an all-foam one but without making you feel trapped in its layers.

Now, the coil system can allow for better airflow inside the mattress, thus solving the most common problem of memory foam — heat retention. So, if you’re a hot sleeper but you don’t want to invest in an expensive breathable latex mattress or a firm and overly bouncy innerspring bed, opting for a hybrid is a good solution. This mattress will sleep pretty cool and won’t sacrifice comfort for you.

Finally, a hybrid mattress is a surprisingly good choice for couples. It has good motion absorption but still offers a quicker response than foam beds do, which is a plus for romantic activities.

Aside from this, a bit of bounce can be beneficial for those who have mobility issues and have difficulty getting in and out of bed.

No wonder that in 2012 almost 60% of hybrid bed owners marked their sleep experience as ‘excellent’ (3). Today, with the rise of quality and the invention of better mattress materials, we can expect this percentage to be even higher.

In order to make my job easier when trying to deliver a hybrid mattress to my bedroom, I always tell the delivery service beforehand that I would need them to take it to my bedroom for an extra fee.

What Are Hybrid Mattress Downsides?

Now that you know all the great benefits of sleeping on a hybrid mattress, you might consider it a nearly perfect type of bed.

But the reality is a bit different here.

Hybrid beds do have some downsides. Although they aren’t critical, you still need to be informed about them to weigh your choice.

Heavy Build

The average thickness of a hybrid mattress ranges from 12 to 15 inches, which makes it a relatively thick bed and results in a large weight.

In fact, hybrids are the heaviest mattress type in the industry, so if you’re a petite person, you might need a helping hand if you decide to move or rotate your mattress.

I own many hybrid mattresses for testing, and I also choose hybrid mattresses to sleep on myself, because they are supportive and give me just the right amount of sinkage I need as a side sleeper.

Fluctuating Prices

If a mattress industry develops a new groundbreaking material, be sure that you’ll soon see it inside hybrid mattresses of leading mattress brands.

Which means that the price for these mattresses will increase.

Also, since the combinations of materials used in hybrid mattresses can be literally endless, you can see the prices from $300 to $1,400 within the line-up of a single brand.

Misleading Information

Another drawback of hybrid mattresses is… the very definition of the word ‘hybrid’. Since this is a mattress that can have literally anything inside, many mattress brands label their product ‘hybrid’ when, in fact, this can be an innerspring bed or a foam mattress that combines various types of foam. 

Don’t worry, though!

You can easily distinguish a hybrid by checking its construction: 

It should have at least two comfort layers above the coil base and they should be thicker than 3”. Most innersprings can only offer you a thin foam layer or a pillow-top.

Who Will Benefit from a Hybrid?

Finally, let’s find out if a hybrid mattress would be right for you. 

So, here’s who will benefit from this type of bed:

• A heavy sleeper. A rigid support system of a hybrid easily supports large weight while maintaining good comfort levels.
• An individual with back issues. Hybrid mattresses can offer pinpoint support for your spinal curves and relieve pressure points.
• A hot sleeper. The coil system improves air circulation between the layers and prevents you from overheating during sleep.
• An active sleeper (or their partner). A hybrid bed absorbs movements pretty easily and can guard your uninterrupted sleep.

Additionally, a high-profile bed may not work for all sleepers. For instance, it might not go with your current bed frame or headboard. Some users also don’t like “climbing” on their bed at the end of the day, especially those who aren’t very tall.

Potential Motion Transfer

As hybrid mattresses use coils for support, they often allow for some motion transfer. Now, it’s not that noticeable, especially if you pick a model with thick comfort layers. But if you and your partner are significantly different in terms of weight, the smaller one is likely to feel something when there’s movement on the other side of the bed. Therefore, if one of you is a light sleeper and the other one tends to be restless during the night, you need to pay extra attention to the comfort layers (and their thickness) of your future hybrid mattress.

• Couples. If you share your bed with a significant other, I’ve got good news for you: hybrid mattresses usually have strong, reliable edges. Therefore, you and your partner will enjoy extra sleeping space.
  

  

• Those who want bouncy support. Hybrid mattresses are responsive and resilient. You won’t feel stuck while lying on one, which many users appreciate (especially after they ditch their old foam mattresses that are notorious for their quicksand feel).

So, does a hybrid mattress sound like a perfect choice for your bedroom now? Let us know in the comments! 

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