Sleep is important for everyday living; it replenishes us with energy, helps de-stress, and reduces the chance of getting ailments such as diabetes or heart disease. It is a well-known fact that we spend about a third of our lives asleep, and for some, even more in our beds.
Mattresses range in all styles and sizes making it hard to decide which one to choose. A mattress will affect one’s ability to fall and stay asleep, so making the right mattress decision is important.
The pocket sprung mattress goes by a variety of names: pocket coil, wrapped coil, encased springs, or the Marshall coil. Pocket coil mattresses are one of the top innerspring mattresses available.
What is a Pocket Spring Mattress?
The pocket coil mattress is a mattress where springs are wrapped individually in their own personal fabric pocket. This style of spring guarantees that every coil is working independently from each other. Each spring reacts to the pressure placed on that specific area.
Benefits of a Pocket Sprung Mattress
Pocket coil mattresses are popular for this reason as it results in better comfort for every individual resting on the mattress. There is a more personalized feeling of support and response with a pocket spring mattress making it great for partners of different sizes and sleeping habits.
The pocket spring mattress doesn’t move together as a whole object. Unlike its counterpart, the traditional open coil mattress, movement is spread out amongst the individual coils within the mattress. There is a greater level of comfort with bodyweight being dispersed more throughout the mattress. Pocket spring mattresses have been proven to show a reduction in pressure building up in certain parts of the body.
Pocket Spring Contents
Pocket spring mattresses can have as little as 600 coils and up to 3000 coils. The general rule of pocket mattresses is to get those with over 1000 springs or more. People consider any mattress below 1000 springs to be a lower quality mattress.
Spring counts normally come in: (coils per unit)
● 600
● 800
● 1000
● 1200
● 1400
● 1500
● 2000
● 3000
The lower number of sprung coils means that there will be a larger diameter in the spring. Naturally, this means that the higher spring counted mattresses will have coils with a smaller diameter.
The more coils there are, the more responsive and controlled the mattress will be when placed under multiple pressure points of weight. Most pocket spring mattresses include a layer of memory foam or in some cases, latex foam, located above the springs themselves.
The purpose of the foam is to add a flexible layer that contours to match the shape of the body, while the springs work to stabilize and add support.
Coil Preferences
For easy comparisons, it will be better to analyze the 1000, 2000, and 3000 coil mattresses. A good deal of mattress stores will sell a mattress with a higher amount of coils depending on the heights and weights of the person(s) sleeping on the mattress.
A smaller person or pair will most likely feel more satisfied with a mattress containing only
1000 or so coils. It will be firm enough to support the two, as their weight will be able to be held evenly amongst the coils located inside.
A larger person may prefer to have a mattress with only 2000 or so coils. The springs will be compressed more evenly as the weight is distributed all across the mattress, instead of more pressure being built upon the existing number of coiled springs. The springs will be able to move with the person, and not be compacted together in one space.
Although mattresses are available with 3000 coils, the amount of springs does not mean there is more comfort to the mattress. Mattresses are stuffed with all different kinds of fillings. They can be filled with more natural products such as wool, cotton, or silk, to more synthetic materials like latex or memory foam beads.
Comfort comes more from the fillings used to stuff the mattress. A misconception of the pocket sprung mattress is buying for the coil count over the comfort and quality. There are a ton of mattresses on the market with the same amounts of pocket springs but have a very different look and feel. A few examples of what may alter tension are:
● What type of filling is in the mattress
● If the base has springs, slats, or has a platform top
● The thickness of the wire used to make the spring
● How many turns are in the coil of the spring
Types of Pocket Springs
The highest qualities of pocket springs are normally encased in a calico fabric pouch and have a vanadium plate around the spring itself. The spring will be able to breathe freely and prevents heat from building up at night, resulting in a cooler sleep.
There are 2 main types of pocket spring:
1. Synthetic spun bond springs
2. Calico encased pocket springs
Synthetic spun-bond springs are generally seen as less breathable and responsive. They are the entry-level spring unit as they are glued together with a polyester style of material.
Calico is natural, breathable, and the coils in these pockets are stitched together instead of glued. They are more responsive and are often far more breathable than polyester.
How Long Will it Last?
If the lifetime of your mattress is a deciding factor in what type of mattress to buy, the pocket spring mattress isn’t always the top choice.
Due to the number of coils inside and the variation of how it will be treated, there is a chance of indentation and sagging of the mattress occurring after a certain period of time.
Depending on the coil gauge: a scale of how thick the coils are within the mattress, there can be estimates made for what to expect in the future.
It is recommended by most sleepwear manufacturers that the pocket spring mattress should be changed after about 8 years of use. As time passes, with years of being rolled around on, jumped on, etc. the coils are more likely to come loose and potentially poke into your body
as you try to sleep. When this happens, it is definitely time to invest in a new mattress.
The Coil Gauge
The coil gauge is a way to measure the thickness of the wire that is used to create a mattress coil. Mattress coil gauges range from 12 to 15. Contrary to what we typically think, a higher gauge value means a thinner coiled wire, and a lower number yields a thicker gauge.
A thicker wire will have a lower coil gauge which results in a firmer spring. A thinner wire with a higher coil gauge will have a more gentle spring and bounce to it.
For those looking for a mattress with a firmer level of comfort, it is recommended to get a pocket mattress with a lower gauge value. Typically firm mattresses have coils with a gauge of 13 or lower. A more forgiving mattress will have a coil gauge above 14.
Coil strength also helps gauge mattress durability. Logically this makes sense as a thicker wire (with a lower gauge value) will be able to handle a higher amount of stress.
Bodyweight Spring Tension
Up to 8 stone/ 50 kg Soft
8-16 stone/ 50-101 kg Medium
16 stone/ 101+ kg Firm
How Much do Pocket Sprung Mattresses Cost?
The cost of a pocket sprung mattress varies a lot depending on the brand or the size of the mattress. For example, a twin-sized pocket spring mattress can start at around £150, whereas the most expensive king mattress can be sold for over £2,999.
Buying Tips for Pocket Spring Mattresses
- Choose a mattress designed and made by a reputable manufacturer or sleepwear company
Small bed companies are looking for a way to scam their customers into thinking that they need that higher coil count for the best sleep possible. This is never the case. Your body knows what it needs in order to have a comfortable night of rest more than the salesperson available. They are only there to assist and guide you on what type of mattress or brand to look for based on personal preference and after knowing what style and sleeping patterns you have.
2. You often get what you pay for
Mattresses are known to be a fairly pricey purchase, especially for the newer homeowners looking to furnish their new home. Pocket spring mattresses are typically, but manufacturers will bump up the price of a mattress with lower quality springs or fillers that will weaken under pressure after a shorter period of time.
3. Stay over the 1000 spring count
Although coil count shouldn’t be the number one priority, mattresses with over 1000 coils often are more comfortable than a mattress with fewer than 1000 pocket springs. Coils, when placed inside a mattress in large quantities, end up being stacked in layers and then separated by more filling or fibers.
Mattress Size Dimensions (Imperial) Dimensions (Metric)
Small single 2’6″×6’3″ 75×190 cm Single 3’0″×6’3″ 90×190 cm Small Double (Queen) 4’0″×6’3″ 120×190
Double 4’6″×6’3″ 135×190 cm King Size 5’0″×6’6″ 150×200 cm Super King Size 6’0″×6’6″ 180×200 cm