Simba Simbatex Foam Mattress Review
A great-value comfortable foam mattress
Verdict
An improvement on the original, the new Simba Simbatex Foam Mattress adds in an extra layer. Excellent support and comfort, combined with a washable top cover and quality heat dissipation, make this a solid midrange choice, whether you’re after a new mattress for yourself or for the spare room.
Pros
- Washable cover
- Supportive and comfortable
- Good value
Cons
- A little soft right at the edge
Availability
- UKRRP: £799
Key Features
- TrialSimba offers a 200-night trial period.
- DeliveryThis mattress comes shrink-wrapped in a box.
- TemperatureSimbatex foam helps dissipate heat quickly.
Introduction
One of the original mattress-in-a-box companies, Simba has revisited its standard foam offering, revamping it to provide better cooling and more comfort – all now with a washable cover.
It’s a touch soft at the edges, but once in bed, this mattress is supremely comfortable and supportive, making it a good choice for anyone who wants a nice balance between price and comfort.
Sizes and Trial Period
- All major mattress sizes
- 200-night trial period
Simba sells the Simbatex Foam Mattress in almost every size you could want: single, small double, king and super king. That range alone will cover the vast majority of UK beds. Like all Simba mattresses, this one has a 200-night trial.
If you decide you don’t like the mattress during this period, Simba will send out a two-man team to collect it, and there’s no expectation that you’ll have the mattress covered. All returned mattresses are recycled or refurbished.
Design and Layers
- Four layers
- Washable cover
- Handles for turning
As with Simba’s other mattresses, the Simbatex Foam Mattress comes shrink-wrapped in a cardboard box. Once the plastic has been cut open, the mattress will naturally inflate. It will take up to six hours to reach its full depth of 25cm. It can look a little soft and misshapen while expanding, but it soon squares off.
Fortunately, there are handles at the side, which make it easy to move into position. I found that I could put this mattress in place by myself, although it never hurts to have someone else to help.
Handles also come in handy when it’s time to rotate the mattress. Simba recommends rotating once a month for the first three months and then every three to six months after that. This helps to even out the pressure on the foam and avoid any dips.
The old Simba Simbatex Foam Mattress had only three layers inside, but this model has four layers. As it’s the order of the layers that creates the comfort, this mattress can only be placed one way up and should not be flipped over.
At the top, you’ll find the anti-allergenic knitted cover, which has a soft and comforting feel to it.
This cover can be unzipped and machine-washed, which is a feature not available on all Simba mattresses. The Simba Hybrid Pro, for example, doesn’t have a machine-washable cover. Simba recommends using a mattress protector, too, to extend the life of your new purchase.
Next is the Simbatex comfort layer, which the company says delivers 30 times more airflow than standard memory foam. It’s also infused with graphite to absorb heat. It’s a combination that Simba says makes this mattress cooler than much of the competition.
Next comes the Simba-Response foam layer, which uses open cell foam for support while retaining airflow.
At the bottom of the pile is the high-density foam base, which the company says gives the mattress zoned pressure relief. This also provides the mattress with its structure and depth.
Comfort and Support
- Good movement insulation
- Brilliant support in all sleeping positions
- A firm mattress
When testing mattresses, I take measurements while in different positions to best gauge the level of support. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, I measured a drop of 6cm, which is a little more than on the Simba Hybrid Pro and the same as on the Emma mattress. Sitting on the bed, I could feel myself sink into the mattress, although this isn’t a regular position to be in anyway.
Sitting up, I measured a drop of 3cm. That’s a brilliant result, as the mattress could support my body, keeping me from sinking too deeply into the foam.
Next, I tested the mattress while in different sleeping positions. On my side, I measured a drop of 3.5cm at my hips and 3cm at my shoulders. That’s a firm level of support, helping to keep my spine aligned, although the Simba Hybrid Pro did deliver a slightly better result here.
On my back, I measured a drop of 3.5cm at my hips and 2cm at my shoulders. Again, that’s a good level of support.
On my front, the Simbatex only gave 2.5cm at my chest. Once again, the layers of foam provided a stable base that stopped me from sinking too far down.
Not only is the support good, but this mattress feels comfortable and inviting. While it could be classed as a firm mattress, the soft top and level of support make it feel a little softer in a good way.
The above figures compare well with other mattresses, but the Simba Hybrid Pro is slightly better: I measured slightly deeper yet even drops when lying on my back and side, helping it contour better against my body.
To see how well the Simbatex insulated against movement, I used an accelerometer to measure how movement was transferred. Placing the accelerometer on the opposite side of the bed, where a second sleeper would be, I measured motion as I climbed into bed. Aside from a spike when I sat down, movement was largely contained to one side of the bed.
Once in bed, I used the accelerometer to test movement from turning over. This time, with better support away from the edge, motion was better contained. Having two sleepers will prove comfortable, even if one moves around more.
You have to spend a lot more, such as on the Simba Hybrid Pro, to get better motion insulation.
Heat
- Wicks heat away quickly
- Comfortable to sleep on
Foam mattresses have been accused of retaining heat, but the Simbatex fights against this idea. Thanks to its layer construction, this mattress does a good job of removing heat.
To test, I lay on my back on the mattress for 10mins before standing up and taking an image with a thermal camera. I then took images every minute to see how well the heat dissipated.
The images below run in time from left to right. From the initial shot, you can see that I’ve left a burning outline. After 1min, my outline has started to blur around the edges; after 2mins, my outline is turning into a blob; after 3mins, my heat has mostly gone and the mattress is close to ambient temperature; and after 4mins, my outline is barely there.
This is a better result than I had with the Emma Original, although the Simba Hybrid Pro dissipated heat even more quickly.
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Should you buy it?
If you’re looking for a great combination of comfort, heat dissipation and price, this is an excellent choice.
If you want the best in motion insulation, check out a hybrid mattress instead.
Final Thoughts
A true improvement on the original, the Simba Simbatex Foam Mattress hits the right spot between price and quality. It’s a semi-firm mattress, but the level of support in all sleeping positions is excellent. I found that its heat dissipation was great for a foam-only mattress, with only more expensive hybrid mattresses doing better. With its machine-washable cover, the Simbatex is a practical choice, whether you want a primary mattress for yourself or a comfortable one for a spare bed.
How we test
Unlike other sites, we test every mattress we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Used as our main mattress for the review period
We use a thermal camera to see how quickly the mattress can dissipate heat for a comfortable night’s sleep
We measure how far we sink into the mattress in various positions to gauge support levels
We use an accelerometer to measure how movement from one person is transferred to the other side of the bed
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FAQs
Yes, it does, although you should still use a mattress protector.
You can try it for up to 200 nights and claim a full refund if you don’t like it.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
