As odd as it may seem, some people take months in choosing their next mattress. It may seem exaggerated to some, but the number of people that don’t sleep well because of their mattresses is actually higher than you think. It happens very often for people to wake up with limb and muscle pain, and few of them suspect that their mattress is the guilty party.
Let’s Dive In
If you’re on the market looking for a new mattress, we have two recommendations that are pretty awesome. The first one if the Loom and Leaf model, available in two different firmness options. From top to bottom,+ this mattress combines different types of foam to create a comfortable and supporting bed. The organic cotton cover is soft and pleasant to the touch, leaving people with the sense that they’ve made a really good investment.
The second one is the Helix, a brand that has really stepped up the mattress game. They have implemented a sleep quiz, with an algorithm that takes your sleep info and turns it into a personalized mattress recommendation. There are six standard models to choose from, six more upgraded versions of these mattresses, plus three specialty mattresses, for very specific sleeping situations.
A Breakdown of the Loom and Leaf Mattress
Construction
Top Cover – Soft Organic Cotton
There’s something very appealing about the cover of the Loom and Leaf mattress. It could be the organic cotton that feels very soft and smooth to the touch. It’s also naturally sourced because organic materials don’t use any chemicals during their growth or their production process. This means that there are no harmful dyes, toxins, pesticides, insecticides, or pretty much anything that could be dangerous when inhaling or rubbing against your skin.
Or, it could be the quilting pattern, which is tight and compact, with a dense middle and stretched top and bottom. Aside from cotton, the Loom and Leaf mattress also includes Saatva’s signature flame-retardant thistle. Overall, we’re dealing with a very pleasant and durable cover, but one that should be protected by a fitted sheet, nevertheless.
First Layer – Conforming Gel Foam
The first layer of the Loom and Leaf mattress is made with memory foam that integrated gel-swirl construction. This means that the gel infusion is spread out through the entire surface of the top layer, providing a cooling sensation no matter where you rest. When you lie on your back, the lumbar region typically needs additional support. Loom and Leaf are looking to solve that problem though it’s cooling gel spinal panel, a nice addition which is laminated on the upper layer of the mattress. This high-quality gel is one of hospital use, a common item used to treat burnt patients.
Second Layer – High-Density Visco Elastic Memory Foam
Moving on, we find another layer of memory foam, but one with higher density. When you’re shopping for a memory foam mattress, you want to look at the density of each layer, which will indicate its durability. A solid block of memory foam should have about four or five pounds in density. This particular layer has a density of five, which is a pretty big statement regarding the lifespan of the mattress. The role of this layer is to contour the body and provide superior pressure relief depending on your favorite sleeping position
Third Layer – Support Memory Foam
Next, we have the transition layer of the mattress, which is made with polyfoam. Its main purpose is to transition between the comfort and support layers of the mattress, and its base layer.
Fourth Layer – High-Density Polyfoam Base
Last, but not least, we have the base of the mattress, a block of foam measuring no less than 5.5 inches. Base layers are responsible for keeping the mattress together, but also provide greater durability and give the mattress its shape.
Firmness
The Loom and Leaf mattress is available in two different levels of firmness. For those of you who aren’t sure about what a mattress firmness is: it’s a rating that’s given to a mattress, to determine how soft or hard it feels. It’s typically measured on a scale from 1 to 10, one being the softest kind of mattress available, while 10 is an indicator of a very firm mattress. We’d like to underline the fact that mattress firmness ratings are quite subjective because individually will feel a firmness differently. The most honest mattress manufacturers will avoid giving a specific rating for this firmness level, but rather indicate the firmness range.
For example, the Relaxed Firm version of the Loom and Leaf mattress is advertised as having a firmness level that ranges between 5 and 7. This means that some people when lying down on the mattress, will feel like it’s softer (closer to 5) or firmer (closer to 7). That’s because the sleeper’s weight plays a very important part in how the mattress feels, but also because some sleeping positions create more accentuated pressure points than others.
There is also the Firm version of this mattress, which is typically recommended for people who have a lot of weight. When you have a few extra pounds and you sleep on a very soft mattress, your body tends to sink into its surface more. This makes it hard for you to switch sleeping positions, but also to get the right amount of body support you need. In other words, you need a firmer mattress. The Firm Loom and Leaf mattress have a rating between 7 and 9.
Feel
As we always like to remind our readers, the feel of a mattress is a very subjective issue. Despite the fact that manufacturers tend to make solid affirmations that their mattresses have a specific firmness rating, you might feel the mattress softer or firmer than how they claim it to be. Since the Relaxed Firm is the flagship model delivered by Loom and Leaf, let’s talk about how it performs when tested in different sleeping positions.
The upper layers of the Relaxed Firm Loom and Leaf mattress do a really good job in providing support for back sleepers. Depending on your weight, you could have a slight feeling of sinkage, but will still be able to switch positions with ease. Side sleepers will feel a little bit of pressure, especially in the hips area, as these push deep inside the surface of the mattress. However, the comfort properties of memory foam are quickly triggered, and pressure points are alleviated the more you sleep in this position.
The Relaxed Firm mattress may not be the best options for stomach sleepers, though. Even if the mattress does elevate the hips, the spine could still be forced to bend in an unnatural position, indicating that the Firm mattress might be a better choice if you like sleeping on your stomach.
Unique Features
Motion Transfer
When you share your bed with a partner, it’s very important to opt for a mattress that absorbs one’s movements. This way, a partner can’t disrupt the sleep of their better half with movements. Because the Loom and Leaf is an all-foam mattress, expectations regarding minimizing motion transfer are pretty high. The memory foam seems to do quite a good job in isolating motion, especially since the fabric doesn’t allow a ripple effect. However, the motion transfer is not as good as with other memory foam mattresses, and that’s because the gel coating on top of the first layer isn’t as absorbent.
Read our full review of Loom and Leaf Mattress
A Breakdown of the Helix Mattress
Construction
Top Cover – Breathable Polyester Fabric
A very interesting thing about the Helix mattress is that instead of a single cover, each model has two. The first one is made from polyester, and it stretches on the surface of the mattress. This cover can be unzipped and removed from the bed, and thrown in the washing machine for cleaning. The second cover is made from jersey knit fabric, and it’s meant to make the mattress more breathable. That means that instead of trapping body heat, it allows it to circulate, keeping you cool throughout the night.
However, there is also an additional cover available for sale. Helix considers this their specialty cover, dedicated to people who tend to sleep really hot. This cover features phase change technology, making the product adapt to your body temperature and keep it stabilized.
First Layer – Contouring Memory Foam
Hiding underneath the top cover, lies a layer made with memory foam. Named Helix Dynamic Foam, this layer has a little bit of bounce to it, which allows to be very comfortable, but also allows the sleeper to transition between positions with ease. Because it’s so similar to latex, the layer offers a natural cooling sensation.
Second Layer – Transitional Polyfoam
The transition layer of the Helix mattress is made from polyfoam. Because it’s meant to act as a bridge between the comfort and the support layers of the mattress, Helix has created this layer with a higher density foam on one side, and a lower density on the other.
Third Layer – Tiny Pocketed Coil System
The core of any Helix mattress is based on a system made from pocketed micro-coils. By now, you already know the many benefits of a mattress relying on pocketed coils. First off, it naturally allows air to pass through the layer, because of the individual wrapping system. Then, since the coils are not directly connected to one another, there is no ripple effect, which means the mattress will bend under pressure only where the pressure is applied. Even more, it provides excellent body support.
Fourth Layer – High-Grade Polyfoam Base
Of course, Helix has added another foam layer to protect not just the coil system above it, but also all the other layers in the construction of the mattress. This layer is made with DuraDense foam and will give the bed durability and shape.
Firmness
When you first browse their official website, you can’t help but see that sleep quiz popping up all over the place. What’s this all about? The sleep quiz is a series of questions developed by Helix to help them understand more about the way you sleep. You will have to give them information about your body, your sleeping habits, but also information about your sleeping partner. Based on this information, the algorithm can determine which is the available models is the best one for you.
That’s because every person needs a different firmness, and this is typically calculated while taking into consideration a series of factors that differ from one person to another.
We absolutely love this sleep quiz idea, because the manufacturer often makes no false promises, but rather give subjective advice on the firmness ratings of their own models. That precisely why, when someone asks me about mattress recommendations, I reply with a series of questions about their sleeping habits. This helps me understand what type of mattress firmness that person needs.
Feel
We generally avoid talking about the feel of a Helix mattress. That’s because you have nine different models to choose from, which basically opens up a world of possibilities. Six of these mattresses are available in both a standard and a luxe version. The latter models are basically an upgrade of their standard counterparts, providing additional support in some area, an additional quilted pillow top, plus a new and improved cover.
Unique Features
Mattress Customization
If you are a sleeper that has yet to discover exactly what type of mattress you want, Helix will guide you through the process. Because of their sleep quiz, you can get guided customization and discover the firmness levels that best suits you.
Which to Choose?
The Loom and Leaf Mattress
This is most certainly a choice for people who love the feel of a memory foam mattress. It’s pretty good for couples that have a different sleeping habit because it can support both back and side sleepers with little to no effort. It’s is also a good product for people who are fans of memory foam mattresses, beds known for their superior abilities to contour the body and provide great pressure relief.
Because of the density of the block of foam used to create the different layers, the Loom and Leaf mattress is most certainly a durable product. Remember to always look for layers with a density between four and five pounds, if you want a durable product.
The Helix Mattress
The Helix mattress is perfect for those of you who know it’s time to change that old mattress but have no clue on where to start. Because of their sleep quiz, you will receive more personalized shopping advice, rather than focusing on brands that give subjective advice. Since they also sell a couple of mattresses that have a different firmness level on each side of the bed, it also makes a great product for partners that sleep differently.
It happens very often for one of the partners to prefer a different sleeping position or sport a different body weight. With Helix, none of these sleeping partners have to compromise or meet halfway, because there’s actually a product that both of them can take advantage of to the max.
Loom and Leaf vs Helix Mattress Comparison
| Loom and Leaf | The Helix Mattress | |
|---|---|---|
| Layers Used |
|
|
| Height | 12 inches | 10 inches |
| Firmness | Two firmness options: relaxed firm & firm | Available in firm, medium & soft |
| Motion Transfer | Good | Good |
| Breathability | Good | Good (especially with the Ultra Cool cover) |
| Trial Period | 120 nights | 100 Night Sleep Trial |
| Warranty | 15 years | 10 Year Warranty |
| Pricing (Queen) | $1,299 | $920 |
| Shipping | Free in the contiguous United States | Free shipping for the USA. $250 shipping fees for Canada. |
Bottom Line
As you can tell, these mattresses are pretty different from one another. One is an all-foam product, which the other one is a hybrid model, based on a combination between innerspring and different types of memory foam. While both of these products are great at what they do, there will obviously be some preferences for one brand on the other, and that’s only natural.
It’s important to discover which of these mattresses can do a better job in providing support for your specific needs, and never let the reviews fool you: what works for a person, might not work for another one. That doesn’t make any of these models less qualitative than the other.