Layla Mattress Review: Two Firmness Options in One Mattress

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Here at The Sleep Judge, we cover many aspects of mattresses that contribute to good sleep. One of the most important is firmness. There are many different body types, and each has its own firmness needs. The trouble is that with most mattresses, you only have one option. So if it’s not right, you either have to go through a return process or suffer on a mattress that’s not the best fit. Sound familiar? Keep reading to learn how Layla has provided the solution.

The new and improved Layla mattress is flippable, providing you with two firmness options instead of one.

We took a look at the old Layla mattress about six months ago, and the new model has replaced this older version. Just a few benefits you can take advantage of with the new and improved Layla mattress include:

• More compatible with sleep partners who have varied firmness preferences
• Can be a good option for kids as they grow into their mattress
• You like the sinky feel of traditional memory foam without the excessive heat buildup

Let’s take a look at some of the other changes you can expect and how Layla’s new mattress stacks up against the competition.

Video Review

Don’t want to read the full review? Watch our video review instead.

Same Great Layer Lineup

To give you an idea of how this mattress works, we’ll start by taking a look at what’s inside.

The first thing that stands out is the contrast of the cover. One side is lighter in color than the other, and this is how you distinguish firm from soft. We’ll go into detail here in a moment. I love that it’s now double sided so you don’t have to remove it to switch firmness.

Now, let’s explore each layer of the mattress individually:

3-inches of copper-infused memory foam

• Keeps your mattress clean and cool.
• Offers comforting contour.
• Can help those who don’t carry much weight with lumbar support.

2-inches of convoluted AirFlow foam

• Grooves cool the mattress by allowing for an easier escape for otherwise trapped heat.

• 4-inches of base support foam.

4-inches of base support foam 

• Primary base layer serving both soft and firm settings.
• Keeps motion transfer at bay.

1-inch of copper-infused memory foam

• When we flip the mattress around, we experience the firm option. You still benefit from memory foam, but there is 66% less of it than the plush setting, giving you much more direct contact with the firm base layer.

Layla Mattress Performance

Now that we know what’s inside, let’s take a moment to explore what this layer lineup feels like. I love the softness of the cover. It feels almost almost silky to the touch. This is the result of the unique softening process Layla uses on their fabric.

You may be interested in: Layla Mattress Vs Casper Mattress

Regardless of the firmness you choose, you can feel the structural support provided by the copper in the memory foam. This makes a substantial impact on keeping you aligned. As copper compresses, it strengthens. This adds strong support in areas prone to pressure points, like the hips and shoulders.

When your hips and shoulders are properly supported, this automatically helps keep your spine aligned. Layla calls this Variable Support. As a result, the versatile mattress will keep stomach, back, and side sleepers comfortable.

Firmness and Sinkage Expectations

Now that we’ve pretty clearly established that there are two firmness options, let’s take a look at each option and explore a little more specifically where each one falls on the firmness spectrum.

To get an idea of firmness works, let’s look at the indentation load deflection. This is a measurement that helps us gauge firmness. You can learn more about how it works in our complete ILD guide. Just know that 12 is very soft and 50 is very firm. Going through the layer lineup on the plush setting, we found the following ILD ratings:

• 3-inch Memory Foam Layer- 10
• Convoluted Foam Layer- 30
• Support Base Layer- 36
• 1-inch Memory Foam Layer- 10

To give you a visual, I stood in the middle of the mattress on both the firm and soft settings and measured the sinkage.

A standard medium will typically sink 6 ½-inches. The soft side of the Layla mattress sinks in 7 ¼-inches. This is very typical of a medium soft mattress.

Flipping over to the firm side, we see a sinkage of 5 ½-inches. That’s pretty firm. Layla offers a pretty dramatic range of firmness in a single mattress. That’s not all either. Check out our Layla topper review, to see how it opens up two more firmness options, allowing for a total of four firmness possibilities in a single sleep unit. It truly is remarkable how much effort Layla has put into accommodating a wide array of sleepers.

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Motion Transfer Reduction

A big part of restful sleep involves peace and quiet without disturbance. When you can feel your sleep partner’s every move, this can be hard to achieve. A mattress with strong motion transfer reduction can be the difference between peaceful sleep and a restless nightmare. This aspect is incredibly important for anyone with a sleep partner. So let’s take a look at the Layla mattress’s ability to reduce motion transfer.

This is where the all foam construction works to our advantage. With no springs or internal frame to bounce, you can see in the video above that there is minimal motion transfer when I drop a 20-pound medicine ball next to a resting one.

While motion isolation is very high, this does come at the expense of good bounce to help you transition in and out of bed. So, if you have mobility limitations, this could be an issue. However, if you’re more concerned with having a traditional and conforming memory foam feel than a bouncy bed exit, I think this is an excellent option.

Heat Transfer Performance

Body temperature is quite a bit higher than a comfortable room temperature. So, if your mattress absorbs heat and/or can’t distribute it properly, it can be difficult to enter REM sleep.

To put heat transfer to the test, I lied on the mattress for a half hour and monitored the cooldown process. Here are the results:

• Plush side
  • 13 ½ minutes

• Firm side
  • 13 minutes

Although this is longer than our typical 10-minute average, I think it’s pretty good considering nearly 40 percent of the layers are composed of memory foam. The fact that the soft side with the thicker memory foam took just a little longer further confirms this theory.

Layla took three measures to keep heat buildup minimal. If you don’t typically have issues with hot sleeping, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. However, those who tend to sleep hot and find their sleep is disturbed by that may want to look into a latex mattress.

Here’s what Layla did to ensure their mattress stays cooler than a standard memory foam mattress:

• ThermoGEL is woven into the cover. It’s a cooling agent that helps you from overheating through the night.
• The very tiny copper particles infused in the memory foam work to pull excess body heat away from the mattress surface.
• The convoluted foam has grooves that allow for easy air flow.

So, while Layla’s product did take a little longer to cool off than the average mattress, it’s still cooler than traditional memory foam mattresses without sacrificing any contouring comfort.

Edge Support

Edge support helps keep you supported when you sit or lie on the edge of your mattress and it can also help you get in and out of bed more easily. Edge support tends to be lacking In many foam mattresses, but the Layla mattress did surprisingly well in our tests.

Like most foam mattresses, you do bottom out when sitting on the corners. So you won’t want to sit on this area if you can avoid it. However, given that this design extends your sleep surface so significantly, I think you’ll feel pretty well accommodated (especially those of you with sleep partners).

Will the New Layla Mattress Stand the Test of Time?

Anyone who has ever suffered from mattress indents knows how important durability is in a good mattress, so let’s discuss how long you can expect your Layla mattress to last.

The best indicator to check out is the density of each layer. The memory foam is the most important since most wear and tear takes place in the comfort layer. Ideally, you want this number to be between four and five pounds per cubic foot, but this rating gets pretty expensive. On the other hand, a density of three pcf is pretty low.

Both memory foam layers of this mattress weigh in at 3.5 pcf. This is lower than most elite quality products. But, you would typically have to pay far more than a thousand dollars for a mattress with those ratings.

In the two middle layers, we find excellent densities. In polyfoams, you want a density of between 1.5-1.8. The convoluted foam weighs in at 1.8 while the base layer goes above and beyond at 2.0 pcf.

Unless you have a BMI over 25, the increased density of the two inner layers will make up for the slight compromise in the memory foams. However, if you do have a higher BMI, you may notice indentations forming in the Layla over time.

The Layla mattress is made in the USA. So for the price, you’re going to get some pretty decent value.

You may be interested in: Layla Topper Review 

Maintenance, Protection, Care, & Warranty

To make sure your mattress lasts as long as possible, Layla suggests you dry clean your cover to maintain the softness. Thankfully, replacement covers are available if you ever want to refresh your mattress after a few years. You should also rotate your mattress from head to foot every month.

Firmness options are not the norm when it comes to mattress shopping, and I love that Layla provides the opportunity to explore your preferences. If you think this sounds like a good option for you, check out the FAQ section for some pointers that are good to know once you’re a customer.

Cost

The improvements made to the new Layla increased the price by one hundred dollars, so check out our Layla mattress coupon page to bump that down a bit. We’ll keep that money in your pocket, allowing you access to the new and improved Layla mattress at the same great price. Financing is available for qualified buyers through Affirm.

You might be interested in: My Layla Weighted Blanket

New Layla Mattress Reviews & Feedback

The Layla mattress was rated the best mattress in a box by Good Housekeeping and the best memory foam mattress of 2018 by Forbes. Those accolades came before they made the latest wave of improvements as well. I love the fact that the copper helps keep your mattress clean and I think anyone who likes the more traditional memory foam feel will appreciate the comfort layer. I also love how easy they’ve made it to switch firmness by flipping the mattress.

Who We Recommend the Layla Mattress For

Layla allows you to try their mattress for 120 nights. If you aren’t happy with it, they’ll arrange for you to donate the mattress to a local charity. Once you provide them with the donation receipt, you get a full refund with no hidden fees. You’re also backed with an impressive Lifetime Warranty. I think Layla’s latest mattress might be for you if:

• You have a sleep partner and need to reduce motion transfer.
• You have difficulty finding the right firmness level for you.
• You have allergies.
• You enjoy the sinky and enveloping feel of traditional memory foam.

I like that Layla is branching out and thinking of new ways to keep their customers sleeping well. They have a number of exciting new product ideas on the horizon including:

• A bed sheet line.
• A weighted blanket.
• An adjustable base
• Bedroom furniture
• Perhaps sleepwear or even a Layla Hybrid in 2019

The people have spoken, and Layla listened. I appreciate any company that incorporates consumer feedback so quickly, and I’m excited to see what they come up with next. I think that Layla have created a sleep product that does an impressive job pf accommodating a wide array of customers in a single sleep solution at an affordable price. We’ll be keeping an eye on Layla, so check back for future reviews. Clearly this incredible company is only just getting started.

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You may want to check out: Layla Hybrid Mattress

Cost

Size	Price
TWIN	$599
TWIN XL	$699
FULL	$899
QUEEN	$999
KING	$1099
CAL KING	$1099