The Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress Review
Disclaimer: This is my personal honest review of my Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress. The mattress was supplied to me for free. All opinions expressed are my personal honest opinions. Simba have allowed me an affiliate link which means if you buy via my link I get small commission and you pay no extra. So win win!
The Company – Simba Sleep Ltd
The Simba mattress is sold by simba sleep. The company was co-founded by James Cox and Andrew McClements in 2015, and they started selling in 2016. They were based in London but are now based in Bristol. It is Andrew McClements family who have been in the mattress industry since 1979 and this is why the website talks about their many years of past mattress history. The mattress is manufactured in Derby, UK. The UK mattress is manufactured in the UK and all manufacturing partners are located in the UK. Simba is named after the pet name for James Cox partner.
The Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress Headlines:
Bamboo and Wool top layer, up to 6000 Aerocoil™ springs, Bed-in-a-box, 200 night trial, CertiPur, 10 year warranty, free pickup if you dont want to keep your mattress, Simba-Pure foam
Stores
You can try and buy the Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress from John Lewis, several local Associated Independent Stores and Bensons for Beds. You can also buy Simba on Amazon, eBay and Argos.
The Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress – Overview
The Simba Hybrid Luxe will come vacuum packed in a large box. This type of mattress has become known as a bed-in-a-box. While the Simba Hybrid Pro shares some headline features with many other online mattress offerings such as 200 nights trial and 10 year warranty it does bring some unique features to the online world. Most notable for me is the bamboo wool top layer. It is a common complaint with foam mattresses, especially the softer ones where you sink in and even more so for memory foam that they sleep hot. Wool is quite a unique material for a top layer on a mattress since wool is a natural temperature regulator. This means it not only helps keep you cool but in the winter will help you keep warm. The Hybrid Luxe uses a Bamboo wool blend. Bamboo has a nice soft feel and also has temperature regulating properties.
Then we have the micro pocket springs which sit under the Simba Pure polyurethane foam layer and add durability and spring to the top layers. There are two layers of these pocket springs. Allowing for more air circulation and combined with the graphite in the Simba Pure foam layers and the bamboo wool top layer make for a mattress that promises to help you sleep cool. All of the foams used in the mattress are CertiPur certified which means it has stricter guidelines as to what chemicals and the amounts of those biochemicals that are used over standard foam mattresses.
The Simba Hybrid Luxe adds a third layer of mini springs below the micro springs support layer for an interesting and unique configuration. Simba are able to minimise the use of fire retardant chemicals thanks to the natural fire retarder properties of the wool and graphite used in the mattress.
The Simba Mattress Versions
At the time of writing Simba have three mattress versions. The Simba Hybrid Luxe which is the review on this page, the Simba Hybrid and the Simba Hybrid Pro.
Differences:
Simba Hybrid Luxe Layers:
It should be noted that all the polyurethane foams contained within the Simba mattress are CertiPUR certified. CertiPur lays down strict criteria on what can be used within the foam and the levels of those chemicals. This helps minimise VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress Cover:
Off-white on the top to one third of the way down the side with a fabric style grey base and bottom two thirds on the side with a light blue stripe separating the top and bottom portions of the cover. The cover is quite unusual. It is made up of two distinct pieces. One piece is a simply covering the top surface of the mattress. This piece can be fully removed via the top zip and when removed there is another cover below and thus not part of the inner mattress is actually exposed. There is another zip on the bottom of the mattress which is for removing the cover in its entirety. The top cover can be machine washed at 30 degrees.
The top cover is 99% polyester and 1% Elastane, the border is 100% polyester and the bottom is 55% polyester and 45% polypropylene. The top cover is patterned with micro diamond quilts and is slightly stretchy to the touch.
A nice feature is the handles on the side. 4 on my single and 8 handles on larger versions of the Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress. This makes maneuvering a mattress so much easier especially when rotating the mattress.
Polyester is often used for mattress covers since it is strong and durable, resistant to stretching and shrinking and is wicking without absorbing moisture.
Top Layer:
The top layer is 0.5cm of bamboo and wool batting, a blend of two popular materials for temperature regulation properties. Wool for a top layer is quite unusual for an online mattress and comes with the major benefit of being temperature regulating. Often a big downside of a foam mattress will be heat build up but wool is a great material for combating this. As your body temperature rises wool has the ability to transfer heat and moisture along every fibre and release it into the cooler, drier areas of the mattress and when its cold it keeps the heat in. It will even regulate the temperatures of two different people in the same bed. Wool is the worlds most breathable fibre and can absorb 30% of its own weight in moisture before it transfers that moisture and heat. Wool is naturally hypoallergenic, resistant to mould growth and it inhibits dust mites. Wool is also naturally fire resistant and is also one of the most breathable fibres. Although the layer here is only 0.5 cm when in thicker layers wool has a very different feel to foam. Wool does not have the point elastic properties of foam so will not feel as molding. For some people this is exactly what they want. Wool can also help even out uneven areas in the foam layer below it. Wool does compress over time at which point it becomes a little more springy. However as this layer is just 0.5cm you will probably not notice any change.
Bamboo is a soft and desirable fabric with good moisture-wicking qualities transferring sweat away quickly and then drying out so that your sweat doesn’t soak through the fabric. Bamboo also has antibacterial properties helping to reduce odors. Temperature regulating to work with the wool to help keep you cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Second Layer:
Simba-Pure is the proprietary name Simba give to their polyurethane foam. The main points to note are that Simba-Pure foam has added graphite and is CertiPur certified. Use of forms carbon such as graphite can add durability to a mattress but even better it helps with heat build-up to reduce the chances of sleeping hot as it has heat regulating properties. Graphite is also naturally flame retardant and can reduce the need for chemical flame retardants. CertiPur means the polyurethane foam layers meet strict criteria for levels of VOCs and harmful chemicals (which are not allowed at all).
Simba do state that this is an open cell foam but the reality is all mattresses use open cell foam for their polyurethane foam layers.
Third Layer:
This is the layer with 4000 (based on king size) Aerocoil™ micro pocket springs (2 separate layers of 2000 pocket springs). With 10 cm of polyurethane foam around all edges to give edge support these are boxed in or encapsulated springs and they are made from high carbon steel with titanium alloy. Enclosed in a 100% polyester pocket the springs are both 2.5 cm high and 2.5 cm in diameter. The job of this type of spring is to give some spring to the layer above and also to add some strength and durability to that layer. They are not meant to provide support which is the job of the layers below. If you was to squeeze one in your hand it would fully collapse, some people think this is a fault but actually this is how they meant to work. Having a double layer of these springs means it is like having a single 5 cm spring and more of a hybrid between comfort springs and support springs. You will get more spring and also more deflection or compression. Although they are 5 cm high when free the actual foam encasing them is 4 cm high changing slightly the amount of compression you will get. Squeezing a single spring and squeezing two of these springs in series is noticeably different. These double layer springs add to the response of the layer above.
The springs are all conical meaning each layer can sink side the layer below and thus the spring can fully collapse to the height of a single turn.
Made from Titanium:
The 25mm pocket springs are made with high carbon steel titanium alloy. Titanium has advantages over steel as it is stronger and lighter and can stand up to repeated compression better than steel. Titanium has a lower modulus of elasticity which makes it more responsive then an all steel spring
Fourth Layer:
This layer provides stability to the pocket springs above and separates out the top 5cm of springs from the 4cm springs below. CertiPur foam.
Fifth Layer:
These mini pocket springs are like the 2.5cm micro springs as in conical but are larger as 4cm high and 4cm across. They also have 10cm of foam around the edges to help with edge support. I am calling these mini pocket springs as they are larger than micro pocket springs but smaller than I would consider a full size pocket spring. Together with the layers above it all adds up to 9cm of pocket springs. Used in this way is quite unique. Full sized pocket springs would be used for support only in a standard hybrid mattress. Smaller pocket springs such as used by Simba are more about aiding stability and conforming to the comfort layers all though they do add to a fair amount of spring given they are nearer to the sleep surface than might be the case in a mattress using full sized pocket springs. A big benefit of having springs this close to the upper layers is the amount of extra air flow they allow for. This has the potential to help with keeping the top surfaces of the mattress cooler than they would be in a normal hybrid mattress or indeed an all foam mattress. The 40mm pocket springs are made from carbon steel.
Sixth Layer:
This layer provides stability to the pocket springs above and is thicker than the stability layer for the top 2.5cm springs possibly to add more stability to the larger springs. CertiPur foam.
Seventh Layer:
The firm base layer. Having an integrated base layer such as on the Simba Hybrid Luxe means it is a non-turn mattress but it is still very important to rotate it regularly. This base layer is zoned at the shoulder and hip areas to help with give in these important areas. Indeed the warranty states “rotating your mattress regularly is one of the very few conditions of your ten year warranty. Take it for a 180 degree spin on the base once a month for the first 3 months, then every 3-6 months for the rest of its life.” Cutting channels to help with zoning in this way is known as castellated foam.
Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress Overall:
Total height 31 cm (12 inches)
Average density: 47 kg/m3
Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress weights:
Based on weighing my own Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress (with cover) the weights would be:
| UK single | 25 kg |
| UK double | 37 kg |
| UK king | 43 kg |
| UK super king | 52 kg |
Tests and Analysis:
Firmness (how far it sinks for a given weight):
Goldilocks zone firmness level. The true medium firm feel which will be most crowd pleasing. Of course this will still be relative to your weight, heavy individuals will describe the Simba Luxe as softer and lighter individuals as firmer. This is an average score taken at the middle and shoulder area. I found the shoulder area a tad firmer than the hip area.
Alternatives: Firmer Mattress: Emma Original, Medium Mattress: Nectar, Soft Mattress: Emma Hybrid
Edge support:
You might not be expecting great things around the edges on the Simba Hybrid Luxe given the small pocket springs it uses. However they are boxed in with firm foam around the edges and this means the edge support on the Simba Hybrid Luxe is actually excellent. Actually slight better than the already good Simba Hybrid Pro.
Other Good mattresses for edge support: Simba Hybrid Pro, Ergoflex 5G
Cooling:
The are some standout reasons why the Simba Hybrid Luxe is a great choice for those wanting something with the potential to sleep cooler than other foam or hybrid mattresses. The first layer while being very thin at 0.5cm does aid a cool nights sleep. It is a bamboo wool blend and will certainly be more body heat friendly than a pure polyurethane or memory foam layer. Then the polyurethane foam layer beneath contains graphite which is a form of carbon that helps absorb excessive heat. Below that we have two separate layers of small pocket springs which will aid airflow and again aid keeping the mattress cool.
Also good for sleeping cool: Una Organic Mattress, Simba Hybrid Pro
Spot Relief (point elasticity):
I rate this by scoring the amount of foam effected outside the point of pressure and making a small weighted adjustment according to its firmness. This is due to the high correlation between firmness and point elasticity. Without doing this a concrete floor would be rated as good for point elasticity when clearly it is not great for sleeping on! I found the Simba Luxe to be slightly behind what I would expect for its firmness level. This means more foam is depressed outside the area of pressure than a similar mattress. This may be due to the use of wool as the top layer as wool does not have good conforming properties. However some people may find this as a positive thing. If you don’t like the sinking conforming feel of say a memory foam mattress you will find the feel of the Simba Hybrid Luxe as quite different.
Good mattress for point elasticity: Ergoflex 5G, Nectar, Tweak Mattress
Bounce:
Definitely a bouncy mattress. Even more bouncy than the Simba Hybrid Pro. My theory here is that this is due to the 9cm of springs, although smaller than found on full size hybrid mattresses they are nearer the surface as they are more for comfort than support.
Other Bouncy Options: Tweak Mattress, Emma Original
Motion Transfer:
A springy bouncy mattress such as the Simba Hybrid Luxe is then rarely good for motion transfer. That is not to say you will feel every movement of your partner but that it simply cant compete with the non-bouncy mattresses such as memory foam mattresses.
Good for motion transfer: Ergoflex, Hugge
Mattress for Sex:
The firmness level is certainly in the right zone for something most people would deem comfortable along with good bounce for feedback. I would personally rate the Simba Luxe as a decent option for a good mattress for sex.
Other options for a good mattress for sex: Simba Hybrid Pro, Otty Pure
Weight Capacity:
18 stone or 114 kg per person.
Type of sleepers this mattress suits:
A decent all round mattress. The Simba Hybrid Luxe with its medium firm feel will suit most sleepers at average weight. Heavy individuals may find the firmness level a tad soft for tummy sleeping while lighter people may find not quite enough give for side sleeping.
Price:
I simply average out the retail price for the each size mattress. Of course substantial discounts are always advertised on the website and can make quite a difference to how expensive the mattress is. On retail prices the Simba Hybrid Luxe is certainly one of the more expensive online options.
Cheap online Mattress: Vesgantti Luxe, Premium mattress: Una Organic Mattress, Good value: Emma Original
Materials/Design:
The Simba Luxe is a lot of mattress. 31cm high and weighing in at 43kg for a King size. You get CertiPur certified polyurethane foam with graphite for better cool sleeping. Top bamboo wool layer for again better heat regulation in both summer and winter. Up to 6000 micro and mini Aerocoil pocket springs for better airflow and to aid the comfort layers. Up to 8 handles to aid moving the mattress once in place. The top portion of the cover can be easily removed via a top located zip and can be machine washed at 30 degrees.
Softening:
I measure sinkage before and after my sleep testing phase. Most mattresses will show sings of softening or breaking in during this period. Frequent rotating helps to even out softening so it is not an issue. I found the Simba Luxe to be one of the better mattresses I have tried for minimal softening during my limited sleep testing of normally about 3-4 weeks.
Alternative mattress for minimal softening: Ergoflex 5G
Off-gassing/Smell:
There was a reasonably strong smell for the first week, this slowly dissipated to the point where at week 4 there was no longer any smell. This reinforces the importance of an initial 3 day airing period where the mattress is left in a well ventilated room before sleeping on it. This will help longevity and is the period in which most off-gassing occurs.
Low smell mattress: Hugge, Una
Comfort:
The Simba Hybrid Luxe is very much a lay on top kind of feeling mattress as oppose to the sinking in type feel I normally enjoy from a memory foam mattress. It also a very bouncy mattress. Despite being outside of my normal preferences I did find the Simba Hybrid Luxe to be a comfortable sleep. I would just say that the bounce back didn’t suit me so much when I was side sleeping but front sleeping and back sleeping was fine. Comfort in a mattress is a very subjective and personal thing and will depend on your own preferences and body sensitivities. I can only relate my own experience and that was a positive one for a mattress that on paper isn’t within my normal comfort preference. Just bear in mind the Simba Luxe isn’t a molding around you type of feel and more of an on top of kind of feel which will help with any heat issues.
Feel: Lay on top, medium firm, bouncy, supportive.
Zoning:
There is extra cut outs on the base layer to soften the shoulder and hip area for more give.
Summary:
| Item | out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Firmness | 7.3/10 (medium firm) |
| Edge Support | 9/10 |
| Cooling | 9/10 |
| Spot Relief | 5/10 |
| Bounce | 8.5/10 |
| Motion Transfer | 6/10 |
| Sex | 8.5/10 |
| Back Sleepers | 8/10 |
| Side Sleepers | 7.5/10 |
| Stomach Sleepers | 7.5/10 |
| Price | av: £1200 |
| Materials/Design | 8.5/10 |
| Smell/off-gassing | 7.5/10 |
| Zoning: | yes |
Prices:
| Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Single | £813 |
| Double | £1183 |
| King | £1331 |
| Super King | £1479 |
General Mattress Notes:
The Simba Hybrid Luxe is one of the more expensive options available in the UK as an online bed-in-a-box mattress. What you get is a very deep mattress at 31cm high and quite heavy as a result at 43kg for a king size. The size and weight are made easier thanks to handles all around the Simba mattress and a removable top cover with a top zip. A goldilocks zone area for firmness level making this a true medium form feel mattress. However note this is not the whole story and the feel is quite different to other foam mattresses I have tried. You wont get the sinking and conforming you would get from memory foam and this will be good or bad depending on your personal preference. Wool does not conform like a foam layer does and wool toppers are often used to fill out a mattresses that have become uneven. However this is certainly a mattresses that will suit someone who often finds a foam mattress simply sleep too hot for them. Bamboo wool on top with a polyurethane foam foam layer with added graphite below and 3 seperate levels of springs giving a total of 9cm of pocket springs all help keep the mattress cool. Indeed not sinking into the mattress in the way you would on a foam mattress with better point elasticity means more air around you which again is good for sleeping cooler. Peace of mind knowing the polyurethane foam layers are all CertiPur certified for low VOCs. If you like a lot of bounce from your mattress then for sure the Simba Hybrid Luxe will be in your ballpark. However motion transfer is not on the same level as a pure memory foam mattress would be so some motion will travel further across the mattress. Edge support is a strong point of this mattress and if being able to sit on the edge of the bed without sinking too much or indeed you are on the heavy side and often experience the roll-off effect as you move to the edge of the bed than the Simba could be a decent option.
Benefits of a Deep Mattress
Does your mattress height matter? Absolutely. Finding the right mattress is not just about the firmness level and other specific mattress properties but also about how it fits into your actual life. It may be that you like to sit on the edge of your bed to say put your shoes on or you having physical difficulty getting up from your bed. Matching your total mattress and bed base height is fundamental. You want to make sure your knee makes a 90 degree angle with your thing and lower legs while your feet are flat on the floor. So measuring what height your bottom needs to be at becomes very important for both a comfortable seated position and for getting off the bed. So a deeper mattress such as the Simba Luxe may be the right height especially for taller people. Also heavy people interact far more with the deeper layers of a mattress. If you are on the heavy side a deeper mattress will help keep you from hitting the firm integrated base in these non-flip mattresses.
What base for the Simba mattress?
According to Simba all their mattresses are designed to work on any supportive and dedicated mattress platform including adjustable bases. However it is best on a sprung or rigid slatted bed frame, or a divan/box-spring.
If you choose to use a slatted bed frame the slats should be no greater than 3 inches apart.
Warranty:
You should note the 10 year warranty for the Simba Hybrid Luxe stipulates the amount of visible dip that the mattress must have before it is considered a warranty issue. This changes according to how long you have had the mattress.
0-6 months: 25mm, 6-12 months: 30mm, 12-24 months: 35mm, 24-36 months: 40mm, 36-60 months: 45mm.
Rotating your mattress regularly is one of the conditions of the warranty. Rotate once a month for the first 3 months, then every 3-6 months for the rest of its life.
Simba Hybrid Luxe vs Dreamcloud
Both have springs but Simba Hybrid Luxe has micro springs and mini springs (3 layers) for comfort while Dreamcloud has full size springs for deep down support. Both are similar for motion transfer while Simba Hybrid Luxe has more bounce. Dreamcloud and Simba Luxe both have a medium to firm feel. Simba Luxe has better edge support and potentially will sleep cooler with a top wool layer while Dreamcloud has memory foam on top. Both are CertiPur certified.
Simba Hybrid Luxe vs Emma Hybrid
Both have micro springs but Emma has 1500 micro springs while Simba Hybrid Luxe has 6000. Emma Hybrid is better for motion transfer while Simba Hybrid Luxe has more bounce. Emma is a soft mattress while Simba Luxe is firmer with a medium to firm feel. Simba is a bigger heavier mattress with a bamboo wool top layer. Simba is CertiPur certified.
Simba Hybrid Luxe vs Emma Original
The Simba Luxe is a hybrid mattress while Emma is an all foam mattress. Emma original is slightly firmer than the Simba Hybrid Luxe. Emma original more motion from the mattress while Simba has more bounce. Emma Original has memory as the second layer down while Simba has no memory foam. Simba Hybrid Luxe is a much taller and heavier mattress and has a bamboo wool top layer and graphite for cooling in its CertiPur certified top foam layer.
Simba Hybrid Luxe vs Ergoflex 5G
Both have a similar firmness level. The Ergoflex has much better motion transfer while Simba Hybrid Luxe has much more bounce. Ergoflex 5G has 9 cm of high density memory foam while Simba Luxe has no memory foam but does have graphite for cooling in its top polyurethane foam layer. Dreamcloud adds phase change materials to it’s cover to aid cooling. Simba Hybrid Luxe has up to 6000 micro and mini pocket springs while Ergoflex is an all foam mattress. Simba is CertiPur certified but Ergoflex goes further and is Oeko-Tex 100 certified.
Simba Hybrid Luxe vs Nectar
Nectar is a memory foam mattress while Simba Luxe has no memory foam but 6000 mini pocket springs. Nectar has better motion transfer and point elasticity but Simba has much more bounce. Both have CertiPur certified foam. Simba will sleep cooler and has better edge support. Simba Luxe is much taller and heavier.
Simba Hybrid Luxe vs Otty Pure Hybrid
Otty has full sized pocket springs while Simba has a triple layer of mini pocket springs. Otty Pure has memory foam on top while Simba has a top bamboo and wool layer. Both are medium firm feel mattresses. Both are CertiPur certified. Simba Hybrid Luxe has better edge support and similar bounce. Otty has better motion transfer.
Simba Hybrid Luxe vs Tweak Hybrid
The Simba Hybrid Luxe has a medium firm feel while the Tweak can be configured for multiple firmness levels. Tweak Mattress has full height pocket springs while Simba Luxe has up to 6000 mini pocket springs over 3 layers. Simba has a little more bounce while they both have similar motion transfer. Simba is CertiPur certified for low VOCs. Tweak has better point elasticity.
Simba Hybrid Luxe vs Simba Hybrid Pro
Both have mini pocket springs but the Simba Hybrid Luxe has an extra layer of mini pocket springs. Simba Hybrid Luxe is 31cm tall which is 3cm taller than the Simba Hybrid Pro. Both have similar firmness levels. Simba Hybrid Luxe has slightly better edge support and more bounce. Simba Hybrid Pro has slightly better point elasticity and, motion transfer