Tempur-Pedic has been a popular name in the mattress industry for a quarter of a century for good reason. With their introduction of their patented memory foam material they created an entirely new way to view sleep comfort. Previously, innerspring mattresses had made up the majority of available choices; a construction that is geared more towards holding up your weight as a surface support. Memory foam is created to enclose your weight and allow you to sink into the surface of the bed.
This became a very popular way to view sleep as it helped alleviate pressure points and distribute weight in an entirely new manner unseen before in the industry. Over the years Tempur-Pedic has grown, applied new technologies, and addressed the needs of their customers to include new comforts and products. But some of their original bedding models still serve as a basis of comfort today, with the Contour Series being one of their original releases.
The Contour line of comfort addresses the needs of the consumer looking for a more firm sleeping surface. The combination of memory foam and layered construction helps define and support your body, while providing a firm sleeping surface often sought after by back or stomach sleepers, or heavier weighted bodies.
The Contour Elite and Contour Supreme are the two firmer choices found in this line of bedding. On first glance it seems there is not much difference between the two, but certain aspects are worth taking a closer look at.
TEMPUR-Contour Elite
Of the three comfort levels offered within the Contour Series, the Contour Elite is a medium firm surface and falls between the firmest option (the Supreme, reviewed below) and the Rhapsody Luxe. It is also offered as a Contour Elite Breeze, the only version of the Contour line to offer the Tempur-pedic Breeze cooling construction.
TEMPUR-Contour Elite: The Pros and Cons
Pros
- Good for combination sleepers of heavier weights
- Excellent motion isolation
- Available in a cooling Tempur-Breeze version
Cons
- Heavier weights may bottom out memory foam layer
- Lighter weight side-sleepers may experience pressure points
- Foam takes time to react to body heat for contouring
Construction
Like most of Tempur-Pedic mattresses, the Contour Elite has a four layer foam construction covered by a washable, SmartClimate cooling cover that uses moisture wicking fabrics to help protect the mattress underneath and keep you cool.
The total depth of this mattress is 12.5 inches, which is topped by a 1.2 inch comfort layer made from the 7.1lb/cu.ft. Tempur HD (or high density) foam choice. Besides being a denser foam that requires a bit more time for body contouring to occur in comparison to the lighter choices, it is also a more firm foam and compresses a bit less.
2.4 inches of Tempur 5.3 lb/cu.ft foam helps support this top layer and distribute weight to create the weightless feel so many people like about memory foam. The foundation of all this are two more layers of a 2.0 lb/cu.ft general poly foam totalling 8.9 inches. This provides both mattress shape and air flow through the layers.
Comfort
As with any mattress, spinal support should be a main priority and this medium firm design is focused towards back or stomach sleepers. These positions allow the back to take on natural curvature, and firmer surfaces are needed to hold up the heavier parts of your body to keep from putting strain upon the spine.
Firmer surfaces are also a good choice for heavier bodies as they are better able to distribute weight, but still provide the contouring without too much of a sink. Because of this the Contour Elite is also a decent choice for side sleepers due to the more medium firm comfort surface that provides a bit more give and pressure point distribution.
Many positive reviews surround this particular model praising it for pressure point reduction and firm support for back pain alleviation. Those who have had trouble with hip pain due to a softer sleeping surface consider this bed well worth the cost due to the better night’s sleep they have experienced. Complaints surround the time it takes for the foam to contour to the body, and an increase in pressure points for side sleepers. Others do not like how the foam settles after a few months; a break-in period Tempur-pedic does disclose will occur.
Heat Retention
Unfortunately, memory foam products on a whole are known for their heat retentive properties simply because of how they envelope you in materials making it more difficult for your body heat to escape. With the Contour Series using a more dense, and firm foam, the deep sink often found in softer surfaces doesn’t occur the same degree making these beds sleep much cooler.
The Elite model has very few heat complaints. Those that are mentioned do not list it as a deciding factor in their overall purchase. If heat is a problem with this model, as mentioned it does come in a Breeze version that incorporates further cooling technology into the construction of the mattress for an even cooler sleep. This is especially popular for heavier bodies.
Concerns
The biggest concern surrounding the Contour Elite has to do with personal preference. If you are already familiar with the feel of memory foam and how it contours to your body than you most likely know if this is what works best for you. Those who are new to the material often do not like how the contouring of the foam takes time to occur, and does not shift with body movement through the night.
The most complained about feature surrounding the Contour Elite has more to do with the Breeze version which cost more, but seems to not sleep as soft as the original Elite. Concerns that the comfort layer take longer to contour and feel more firm than the original have been noted. This is most likely due to the gel infusion Tempur uses within the foam to create the cooling feel that requires heat from your body to achieve the full contouring effect.
TEMPUR-Contour Supreme
The Tempur-Contour Supreme is the most firm of the three options found within the Contour series. Considered a firm mattress, and the most firm offered by the company, this mattress is popular with heavier bodies due to the overall support it lends to weight distribution.
TEMPUR-Contour Supreme: The Pros and Cons
Pros
- Focused for back and stomach sleepers
- Good Weight support and distribution
- Memory foam contouring with very little sink
Cons
- May create pressure points
- Thin memory foam comfort layer
- Firmness may change with room temperature
Construction
Like the Elite, the Supreme also is constructed using 4 layers and a SmartClimate cooling cover. This is a bit of a less deep mattress at only 11.5 inches thick in all, but still has the 1.2 inch comfort layer made from the 7.1lb/cu.ft. Tempur HD foam, the most dense offered by the company.
However the second 5.3 lb/cu.ft Tempur layer is 2.8 inches thick, making it a more firm support than a thinner foam layer would to help create the comfort difference found between the Elite and Supreme. Two more layers of 2.0lb/cu.ft poly foam complete the foundational base support beneath.
Comfort
Firm support is important to hip and shoulder support to help keep spinal alignment through the night for back and stomach sleepers. It also better distributes weight for heavier bodies without causing pressure points. The Supreme most likely is too firma surface for side sleepers however, no matter what their weight is due to the layers focused more on weight distribution that overall contouring.
Contouring does occur due to the memory foam, but it is not as deep as the other choices offered in this series. Rather it serves as a surface that responds to your body shape to provide comfort without sacrificing the more uplifting support.
Lack of motion transfer is also worth noting. Reviews claim that partner movement is nonexistent to keep your night’s rest from being interrupted. Positives surround this mattress as an excellent choice for heavier body support as many other memory foam choices fail to provide the support needed, or the longevity of support without material breakdown. Complaints focused on it being too firm, and the memory foam not contouring as much as they would like.
Heat Retention
There are literally no complaints about heat retention surrounding this particular mattress to date. As far as memory foams go that is a pretty good selling point if you prefer a more firm surface. Similar to the Elite, the Supreme does not envelop the body in anyway, so heat is able to disperse not only through the layers, but has more access to the surrounding environment.
Concerns
There have been concerns over the compression of materials over time which seems to be more noticeable in the firmer surfaces. Memory foam will compress naturally over time. This does not equal a breakdown in material, but is part of the conforming process. This is why it is important to rotate your mattress every few months in order to distribute this more evenly.
The biggest complaint surrounding the Supreme is concerning comfort. This is a mattress that is very specific to a certain type of sleep position or body weight, and it most likely will not be comfortable to a partner who sleeps differently.
Another concern has to due with quality and price comparisons amongst the sleep industry. Foam quality is related to density, and the foams used in the Contour Series are considered some of the best in the industry. However, many other companies are quickly matching this through their innovative use of technological advances in the industry. Savvy consumers find they may be able to match quality, or nearly so, for much less expense.
TEMPUR Contour Elite vs. Contour Supreme Comparison Table
| Attributes | TEMPUR-Contour Elite | TEMPUR-Contour Supreme |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort: | Medium-Firm | Extra Firm |
| Density of Comfort Layer: | 7.1lb/cu.ft | 7.1lb/cu.ft |
| Thickness of Support Layer: | 2.4 inches | 2.8 inches |
| Cooling Options: | yes | no |
| Sleep Position: | Back and Stomach, heavier side sleepers | back and stomach |
| Warranty: | 10 years limited | 10 years limited |
Your Best Choice Explained
Firm mattress choices truly are focused on a specific group of consumers, and both the Elite and Supreme have a very similar construction to meet those needs. The differences lie in your own unique body and weight distribution, as well as your sleeping preferences. Your best choice surrounds what your particular needs are to get a good night’s rest.
The Contour Elite is a medium firm choice that heavier side sleepers and back and stomach sleeper of all weights have found comfort in. Whereas the Contour Supreme seems to be a preference of heavier bodied sleepers due to the extra firmness of the comfort layers that provides the memory foam sink and support combination they are looking for that other surfaces are unable to provide.