Not All Springs Are Made Equal

The difference between a foam and pocket spring mattress is pretty easy to grasp- one is made from foam, the other is made from pocket springs. But when talking about pocket spring mattresses, things start to get a bit more complex, as not all springs are the same.

Spring count

When you’re comparing mattresses, you’ll more than likely come face to face with a spring count. It’s pretty tricky trying to picture 1,850 springs in a mattress from a computer screen, but this count is a good way to understand what level of support you’ll be getting – or it should be!

We developed the high spring count (more than twice the spring numbers of a standard) High Definition pocket spring core quite simply because more springs mean better support, more durability and less partner disturbance- it’s like watching HD TV compared to standard definition. The smallest mattress we sell has 1081 core springs!

The great thing about a pocket spring system is that the springs function independently from one another, drastically reducing partner disturbance and increasing the level of support.

So more springs are good right?

More pocket springs in the support core are definitely better than less, BUT, just adding thousands of micro springs in the upper layers of the mattress may boost the spring numbers in advertising but can actually undo the whole benefit of your pocket spring mattress.

Think of it in cooking terms, a bit of salt in the recipe is great for flavour but too much undoes it all.

Why does it matter?

Support springs are used in the core of the mattress and therefore provide the support foundation of the mattress. They are engineered to deliver different support zones for the body depending on weight and shape. These springs are the important ones, they will be holding your weight every night and making sure every part of you is being properly supported.

Smaller springs added in the top layer of a mattress, in the same way you see different types of foams in a pillow top, simply add layers but they can act to undermine the support of the pocket spring core and the support zoning.

How can some springs reduce the effectiveness of pocket spring cores?

The comfort layer of a mattress must be engineered precisely to complement the support layer to ensure you receive the full benefit of the core springs. Poor design will leave you feeling the springs underneath or alternatively you can be wallowing in a thick slab. There’s no point in putting important support pocket springs five layers down – that’s like eating your cake wrapped in cellophane!

A layer of springs in the pillow top add another undifferentiated layer between you and the support pocket springs, reducing the benefits you should be getting from zoned support in the mattress.

So what should you look for?

When you see claims for spring numbers in a mattress, always ask how many of those springs are in the important support core. It’s all very well to have 3000 springs, but if only 700 are doing all the support work, that’s not so good!

With your Sleep Republic mattress, you get a high spring count where it counts!

Number of individual tempered pure steel springs in the Sleep Republic mattress core:

King: 2,250

Queen: 1,850

Double: 1,496

King Single: 1,250

Single: 1,081

Learn more about the Sleep Republic Mattress