Hybrid vs All Foam Mattress

Looking for a new mattress can be daunting, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Mattress research can be even more complicated if you aren’t familiar with the terminology. You may have come across the terms “hybrid” and “all foam” during your research. You may even have an understanding of what each term means. But are there any clear advantages to hybrid vs. all foam mattresses?

Please keep reading to discover how hybrid and all-latex mattresses excel in their respective ways. Also, find out whether to choose a hybrid or an all-latex mattress based on your body weight and sleeping position.

Hybrid vs. All Latex – Defining The Terms

Mattresses, whether they are made with natural latex (Dunlop or Talalay) or polyurethane foam (gel foam, memory foam, synthetic latex), can either be hybrid or all foam.

For this article, we will focus on hybrid and all-foam mattresses made with natural latex.

Natural latex is made from the sap of the rubber tree hevea brasiliensis, which is frothed and baked in a mold. Different latex mixture densities and molds are used to achieve the latex foam’s desired thickness and shape.

What Is A Hybrid Mattress?

A hybrid mattress has two main components within the cover; a latex foam comfort layer and a spring coil layer.

Typically, the components of a hybrid latex mattress are assembled as follows. From top to bottom, they are:

• A cotton cover.
• A wool fire barrier is quilted together with the cotton layer.
• One or more layers of natural Talalay or Dunlop latex.
• An individually wrapped spring coil layer.
• One or more layers of natural Talalay or Dunlop latex if the mattress is 2-sided.
• A wool fire barrier
• A cotton cover

What Is An All Foam Latex Mattress?

An all-foam latex mattress does not have a spring coil layer. Instead, the support comes from several layers of latex stacked on top of one another. Typically, all foam latex mattresses are customizable thanks to a zippered cover.

The layers of an all-foam natural latex mattress would be arranged as follows:

• A cotton cover with a zipper enables access to the inner components.
• A wool fire barrier.
• Two or more layers of Dunlop or Talalay natural latex.
• A cotton cover.

What Are The Main Differences Between Hybrid and All Latex Mattresses?

Hybrid Mattress Pros

• More bouncy than all foam. A hybrid is the way to go if you are used to the bounciness of a traditional mattress.
• More breathable. The coil layer contains a lot of air so that this layer can dissipate excess heat more efficiently.
• Hybrid mattresses can bear more weight. If you are above 215 pounds, consider a hybrid mattress. Hybrid mattresses will not bottom out and will maintain breathability under heavier loads.
• Easy to move because it has a rigid innerspring layer that maintains the overall shape of the mattress as you move it.

Hybrid Mattress Cons

• Not customizable. Typically, hybrid mattresses don’t have a zippered cover, enabling you to access the inner components and customize the firmness.
• Slightly more motion transfer when compared to all latex foam mattresses.
• Limited firmness options. Typically, hybrid mattresses are only available in medium or firm.

All latex Mattress Pros

• Super customizable. Take a look at the Sleep EZ Natural mattress builder. Use the online tool to customize each layer’s thickness, size, choice of latex (Dunlop or Talalay), and firmness. Split firmnesses within the same mattress are also available. You can enter your body weight and preferred sleeping position, and the mattress builder will suggest a configuration for you.
• Zippered cover. This feature is available on most all-foam latex mattresses and enables you to open up the cover and reconfigure or replace the latex layers.
• Good motion Isolation. Since there is no coil layer, the bouncy motion is not carried over to the other side of the mattress.
• Truly 100% natural. No metal coils or polyester coil liners exist in an all-foam natural latex mattress.

All Latex Mattress Cons

• Generally heavier than a hybrid mattress of the same thickness. A solid layer of latex is much heavier than a spring coil layer of equal thickness, making all foam latex mattresses heavier than their hybrid counterparts.
• Hard to move. Since an all-foam latex mattress has no internal structure, it will tend to flop and fold over when you move it. The inner layers of the mattress can be moved separately, which might make a moving job easier.

Who Should Choose A Hybrid Natural Latex Mattress?

• Your body weight is above 215 pounds.
• You like the bounce of a traditional mattress.
• You tend to overheat while sleeping.
•  You are a back sleeper or a stomach sleeper. Firm hybrid mattresses offer more support for people that are purely back sleepers or stomach sleepers.

Who Should Choose An All Foam Natural Latex Mattress?

• You are unsure about which firmness to choose, and you want to be able to customize the mattress at home.
• You want to have the option to order a plush mattress. All-foam mattresses are not plusher by design, but they are available in many more firmnesses when compared to hybrid mattresses. Hybrids are typically only available in medium and firm.
• Side sleepers will benefit the most from the pressure-relieving qualities of an all-latex mattress. All latex mattresses have more “give” in comparison to hybrids.

Hybrid vs. All Latex – How to choose the best mattress.

Narrow down your search

When looking to switch to a natural latex mattress, it helps to narrow your search down so that you’re not overwhelmed with endless possibilities. Deciding whether you need a hybrid or an all-foam latex mattress right from the start will make finding the ultimate bed much easier.

By switching to a natural latex mattress, you can’t make a bad choice in terms of quality and durability.

All the mattresses featured in the “full spec” comparison table on NaturalMattressFinder.com are made of high-quality natural materials and are free of petrochemical-based components. So whatever mattress you choose, you will get transformative sleep on a highly durable surface. Your research aims to find the best mattress for your body weight, height, sleeping style, and budget.

Narrow the search down even more

After deciding between hybrid and all-latex, you can narrow your search even more by selecting the appropriate thickness. Some hybrids are thinner than others, and you can determine whether you need an average-thickness or extra-thick mattress based on your body weight. If your weight is above 250 pounds, I suggest choosing a hybrid.

• Average thickness hybrid: The Eco Terra Mattress, Natural Escape, Happsy Organic Mattress, Avocado Green Standard, Avocado Vegan Standard.
• Extra thick hybrid: Luxury Bliss, Avocado Green with pillow top, Vegan Pillowtop by Avocado, Cedar Natural Luxe by Brentwood Home, Select Sleep Hybrid
  by Sleep EZ (2-in-1 flippable mattress), Organic Luxury Hybrid Mattress by Awara, 2- Sided Natural Dunlop Latex Hybrid by Idle Sleep, and The Eco Cloud by Wink Beds.