What is a Hybrid Mattress: Should You Buy It?

The word hybrid is being constantly used whether it is cars, golf clubs, lights or even mattresses. Here, we will be discussing the hybrid mattress; basically, it is a combination of two or more than two different elements. The things that remain constant in a hybrid mattress are the inner spring and the specialty foam.

A hybrid mattress consists of two main components whose benefits can be combined in a single mattress. This is much better than getting two different foams with one main component. You will be able to find multiple brands selling hybrid foams but all of them have different main components. If you want memory foam that provides the exact pressure point relief but don’t want to be stuck in the memory foam and want to have the buoyancy of latex than the combination of memory foam and latex will give you exactly what you want.

It is not necessary that you buy already constructed hybrid foams; rather you can also go for companies that customize your bed for you. This way you can have a sound sleep without having problems due to misfit mattresses.

Construction of a hybrid mattress

The quality of construction material used in the underneath layers depends a lot on the company. It varies from company to company. The kind of foam used varies from extremely low non-bedding grade to high-quality premium foam. Some of the components that are common in all mattresses are:

Base

The base of the hybrid mattress is made of foam. Usually, it is polyurethane foam that gives the hybrid foam its stability and padding required to support the material on the top. It is usually only one inch thick.

Coil

This part of the hybrid construction is what gives the product its height. The coils are about 6 to 7 inches high and small packet rolls that contain the coils. The individual coil packets give the product its buoyancy and firm structure.

Comfort layer

This layer consists of the foam that provides the required comfort as the name suggests. It can be simply memory foam or latex or a combination of both. The ratio in which both are combined depends on the company. You can also get a customized combination ratio.

Pillow top layer

This layer is not common in all the hybrid mattresses but is used in most of them. It is a thin layer above the comfort layer, there is a slight gap between the comfort layer and pillow layer which gives it a pillow like an appearance, this why the pillow top layer has its name. It can be made of memory foam, cotton, latex, wool etc.

Important factors

Apart from the different layers that play an important role in the quality and comfort of a hybrid foam, there are some other factors that are also important to consider while looking into hybrid foams. These are:

Density

The density of the foam is the amount of compression it can handle before losing its support and shape. The unit for measuring the threshold of density that foam can handle is pounded per cubic foot. There is a certain ratio that needs to be achieved between high-grade premium foam and foam that can regain its shape.

If the only high-grade foam is used, it provides the ideal contour and support but takes a lot of time to regain its shape. So for a balance between regaining the shape and providing the ideal contour and isolation medium grade foam is used.

Indentation load deflection

The short form of indentation load deflection is ILD; it is a measure of how firm the mattress is. The larger the measure of ILD the less contour you will experience. Similar to the density of the foam, the ILD is also different for different types. The ILD of memory foam is between 8 and 12. Whereas ILD of latex is between 15 and 40 which is why usually a combination of these two is used.

Also read: Types of mattresses

Gauge

This is the measure of the thickness of the pocket of the coils used, the thinner the pocket, the thicker the coils and the firmer the foam. For a thick gauge, the measure is 12 while a thin gauge has a measure 18.

Number of coils

This part, although ignored, can also affect the lifespan of the mattress. If a small amount of coils is used, the product tends to fade away quickly as compared to when the amount of coils is more. The limit to the number of coils is 1000 after this number is passed, the coils don’t have any effect on the lifespan rather they only increase the cost.

Cost

It is seen that in hybrid mattresses a minimalist approach is followed. You get a great sleeping experience with a great warranty at a reasonable price. Of course, the prices are a little higher than normal foams but if you look at the pros, the price is totally worth it.

A queen-sized hybrid can be bought under 1,000 but if you want to invest in a luxury hybrid bedding that has unique components then prices can go up to as much as 5,000 dollars. The price range you invest in completely depends on how much you are willing to spend.

Lifespan

The average lifespan of a hybrid mattress has been recorded to be between 6 to 10 years, this is less than some the foams but the comfort of this mattress cannot be met by any other foam. The lifetime of hybrid foam depends on the quality of the products used, especially polyurethane foam used in the base.

The pocketed coils tend to decrease the lifetime of the foam because they are less durable. Keeping these factors in mind it is extremely important that you keep the warranty in mind before investing your money in a hybrid mattress. You will even find with 15-20 years or a lifetime warranty. These will be a little expensive but will stay with you for a longer time.

Pros of Hybrid mattress

Cons of Hybrid mattress

Conclusion

Looking at the pros and cons of a hybrid mattress and the amount of comfort it provides to the sleepers with, giving a verdict that, “it is ok to spend a few hundred dollars more on a hybrid mattress as compared to a simple mattress” is not wrong.

Hybrid mattresses have brought a revolution to the world of mattresses and given the people a chance to actually experience what “sleeping soundly” means. They are by far the best innovation in the world of mattresses.