Mattresses have come a long way in the last 30 years. Innerspring mattresses had been around for decades before memory-foam mattresses were introduced in the early 1990s, and hybrid mattresses are much more recent, having come out only within the last ten years or so. Which type is best for you comes down to how each one is built, but the appeal of a hybrid is simple enough: These mattresses typically advertise a “best of both worlds” mix that combines the sturdy support and cooling airflow of a traditional innerspring mattress with the body-cradling, pressure-relieving comfort of a foam mattress.
What is a hybrid mattress exactly?
Traditional innerspring mattresses have a core structure of interlocking springs that are topped with a thin layer of foam or padding and packaged within a tufted or quilted cover.
All-foam mattresses don’t contain any springs at all. They’re built from various layers of foam and wrapped in a stretchy knit cover.
The obvious definition of a hybrid mattress, then, would be one that contains some combination of springs and foam. But according to Mike Magnuson, the chief mattress expert at the independent mattress-research website GoodBed, there’s no official definition of what a hybrid mattress actually is, so any combination of both foam and springs can technically qualify, and the feel and type of foam can vary greatly from mattress to mattress.
What typically differentiates a hybrid mattress comes down to the “comfort layer,” or how much cushioning or padding there is on top the springs or coils. Where the cushioning on a traditional innerspring mattress could be a thin foam, or even just a padded and tufted mattress cover, a hybrid mattress will have a thicker, more cushioning comfort layer.
How the springs are constructed can also set hybrids apart. Every mattress on the market has a supportive base layer made of interlocking innersprings, individually fabric-wrapped steel coils (also called pocketed coils), or foam. Mattresses sold under the “hybrid” label typically have pocketed coils that provide sturdy support and a bit of bounce, but not as much bounce as traditional mattress.
Who should buy a hybrid mattress?
Some people still really like a traditional innerspring mattress: Because of the way their springs interlock, innerspring mattresses offer sturdy support all the way to the edges of the mattress and generally feel springier and more responsive for folks who like to feel on top of their bed without sinking in. They tend to be uniformly more bouncy across the surface of the mattress, and they are typically on the firmer end of the spectrum because they don’t have a very thick comfort layer.
With a hybrid mattress, because each spring is usually wrapped in fabric and can depress independently from the rest, you won’t feel as much bounce across the surface of the bed. This often means hybrid mattresses are better at minimizing the motion you might feel if you share a bed with a partner or pet who does a lot of tossing and turning. And hybrid mattresses aren’t necessarily firmer by default: How soft or firm a hybrid feels will come down to the thickness of the comfort layer and what it’s made of.
The layer of coils in a hybrid mattress allows for more airflow than the foam foundation of an all-foam mattress, so sweaty sleepers or those living in warm climates will often benefit from a hybrid mattress. Hybrids can also be especially great for side sleepers, who often need extra pressure relief around their shoulders and hips. And because there are so many types of hybrid mattress, including some that use memory-foam in their comfort layer and others that use latex, it should be relatively easy to find one that matches your preferences for firmness and feel.
Another advantage that many hybrid mattresses have over all-foam options is stronger edge support. When you sit on the edge of an all-foam mattress, it’s more likely to give way under your body weight. Mattresses with a spring core generally have better support around the perimeter.
The TL;DR is that if you like the enveloping feel of foam but need a mattress that will help keep you cool at night, or if you want the support and bounce of an innerspring but still appreciate the cradling comfort and pressure relief of foam, a hybrid may be just right.
Who shouldn’t buy a hybrid mattress?
If you like to really sink into your mattress and don’t want to feel it bounce back when you move, you may prefer a foam mattress over a hybrid. There is a huge variety of all-foam mattresses, which usually contain multiple layers of memory foam, latex foam, or other specialty foam over a supportive polyurethane foam interior. Sleepers looking for a lot of pressure relief (and who don’t usually overheat when they sleep) tend to do well with all-foam mattresses. Similar to hybrid mattresses, they can run the gamut from very firm to quite soft, depending on the type of foam used.
The industry term “motion isolation” describes how well a mattress prevents movement in one area of the bed from being felt in another, and whether you find a restless partner’s movements disruptive or you just feel more stable on a mattress without “pep,” as Magnuson calls it, foam mattresses generally offer better motion isolation than innersprings or hybrids. But hybrids with individual pocket springs will still get higher marks for motion isolation than mattresses using interconnected innersprings. As long as you choose one with a comfort layer that aligns with your sleep preferences, it’s hard to go wrong with a hybrid mattress.
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