Are Innerspring Futon Mattresses the Best?

The innerspring futon mattress has been around for a decade or longer, and there are clear benefits to owning a futon mattress created this way. All too often, we hear of retailers who order innerspring futon mattresses on the belief that a spring based futon mattress must be the most comfortable, because everyone sleeps on a traditional spring mattress. What many futon companies wish you knew is that innerspring is only one of the options available, and it might not be the best fit for you.

How does an Innerspring Futon Mattress Feel?

Innerspring mattress come in two basic designs:

• Pocketed coil futon mattresses
• Embedded coil futon mattresses

Pocketed coil futon mattresses are of a much higher quality construction than a embedded coil futon mattress. An embedded coil futon mattress depends on partial interaction with a foam layer, and the use of a metal “skeleton” to keep the coils in place. The skeleton helps the futon mattress bend into a sofa shape, while the foam layer helps disperse the force of the compressed springs across the mattresses. Unfortunately, this centralized pressure makes it easy to feel the springs location, and the use of cotton tends to make this mattress uneven and lumpy.

To solve this issue, futon artists invented the pocketed coil futon mattress. The pocketed coil futon mattress envelops each spring in a cotton pouch that prevents it from interfering with other nearby springs. In addition, this type of mattress typically incorporates a much larger amount of foam and little to no cotton, making a smoother, softer mattress. Because of this, the mattress actually feels less bouncy and more like a premium foam mattress.

Alternatives to Innerspring Futon Mattresses

Because the best innerspring mattresses includes a high foam content, many people opt to skip the springs altogether. The resulting mattress gives you a more progressive support than a foam/spring combination. Without getting into too many technical terms, this translates to more support for heavier sleepers and a lighter touch for smaller people and children. This responsive support also comes in a lighter package that is easier to convert from futon to bed.

There is one major downside to all-foam mattresses. Mattress foam is a petroleum product, meaning that it is likely to increase in cost over the next decade and likely match or exceed the price of premium innerspring futon mattresses. Soy foam mattresses, while a clever idea, only offset a tiny percentage of petroleum in current formulations. In the end, it will be your personal decision on which futon mattress makes you feel the best.