Saatva Contour5 vs. Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid (2024)

Memory foam is one of the most-loved mattress materials—and for good reason. It contours to your body and hugs your pressure points for joint pain relief, making it an excellent option for anyone with back pain. Plus, most memory foam mattresses on the market today contain cooling technology to ensure a cool, comfortable night’s sleep.

But how do you determine which memory foam mattress is right for you? Ahead, we explore the differences between our

and

mattresses.

The following information is up-to-date as of August 22, 2024.

Contour5 vs. Memory Foam Hybrid: What’s the difference?

We have two memory foam mattresses in our product lineup: the Contour5 and Memory Foam Hybrid. Both mattresses are made with high-quality materials that could never be stuffed into a box.

While these two mattresses share some similarities, they have a few differences you should know about before deciding which one is right for you.

Here’s an at-a-glance look at how these two mattresses compare:

Comparison	Contour5	Memory Foam Hybrid
Mattress type	Ultra-premium memory foam	Memory foam hybrid
Height	12.5”	11.5”
Firmness options	Medium: Ideal for side, back, and combination sleepers and couples with different firmness preferences Firm: Ideal for stomach sleepers, those who prefer a very firm mattress, or those who love memory foam but move around a lot	Medium-Firm: Ideal for side, back, and combination sleepers and couples with different firmness preferences
Feel	Medium is body-contouring; Firm has more “push back” and responsiveness	Body-contouring & responsive
Cooling features	CoolVent™ System absorbs and disperses excess body heat Gel-infused 4-lb memory foam has airflow channels for breathability	Cooling gel-infused foam helps disperse body heat AirCradle® memory foam circulates airflow Individually wrapped coils allow for greater airflow
Lumbar support	Lumbar Zone® PCM Matrix helps keep lumbar region several degrees cooler for optimal support where you need it most	Patented Lumbar Zone® Quilting & gel-infused memory foam for added back support
Mattress cover	Organic cotton	Organic cotton
Flame retardant	Nontoxic cellulose fibers derived from tree byproducts	Natural thistle and wool blend
Warranty	Lifetime	Lifetime
Home trial	365 nights	365 nights
Delivery	Free white glove delivery	Free white glove delivery
Price (queen)	$2,995	$1,845

Below is a deeper dive into the top five differences between our Contour5 and Memory Foam Hybrid mattresses.

1. Mattress type

Contour5 and Memory Foam Hybrid are two different types of memory foam mattresses.

Contour5 is a traditional memory foam mattress. It contains multiple layers of different types of foam and clocks in at 12.5 inches tall. Starting from the top, Contour5’s layers include:

Organic cotton cover that’s naturally breathable, hypoallergenic, and treated with our exclusive Guardin™ antimicrobial treatment
2-inch CoolVent™ System with Lumbar Zone® PCM Matrix to provide a cooler sleep surface and optimal support in the center third of the mattress
1.5-inch gel-infused high-density 4-lb memory foam to provide body-contouring support, pressure relief, and cooling comfort
3-inch ultra-premium 5-lb memory foam core to give the mattress its luxe body-cradling feel and superb pressure relief
2-inch loft layer to transition pressure between comfort layers and denser support foam below
6-inch high-density foam to support the top layers of the mattress and provide optimal edge support

Memory Foam Hybrid is, you may have guessed, a hybrid memory foam mattress. A hybrid mattress is a combination of an innerspring mattress and another material (in this case, memory foam).

Memory Foam Hybrid features an innerspring base topped with memory foam comfort layers, clocking in at 11.5 inches tall. Starting from the top, Memory Foam Hybrid’s layers include:

Organic cotton cover that’s naturally breathable, hypoallergenic, and treated with our exclusive Guardin™ antimicrobial treatment
.5-inch gel-infused memory foam lumbar crown to actively draw heat away from sleep surface
1.5-inch AirCradle® 4-lb memory foam to help circulate internal airflow through “air pockets” under the foam and provide a body-contouring feel and pressure-relieving support
8-inch individually wrapped comfort coils made of individually wrapped recycled steel coils to dynamically respond to your body’s movements to reduce motion transfer and allow for greater airflow for cool sleep
High-density foam rails to create stable, firmer edge support
1-inch premium support core foam to create a highly resilient and durable base

Neither type of mattress is better than the other. The choice ultimately depends on your personal preference.

If you’re used to sleeping on an innerspring mattress (and like the feel of it), then you may prefer our Memory Foam Hybrid. However, if you know you enjoy the deep, body-hugging feel of memory foam, then our Contour5 may be right for you.

2. Firmness options

Saatva uses a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest) to describe how each of our firmness options feels.

Contour5 comes in two firmnesses: Medium and Firm. Medium (a 5-7 on our firmness scale) hugs the body without allowing the hips to sink too far in. It’s a true medium firmness—it’s cushioned but not too soft. Medium is ideal for side, back, and combination sleepers and couples who can’t agree on a firmness level.

Firm (an 8 on our firmness scale) has more “push back” and responsiveness than Medium. It’s a true firm but never hard on the back and joints. Firm is ideal for stomach sleepers, those who prefer or need a firm mattress, or those who love memory foam but move around a lot.

Memory Foam Hybrid comes in one firmness: Medium-Firm. A 5-7 on our firmness scale, Medium-Firm has a body-contouring yet responsive feel. It’s ideal for side, back, and combination sleepers and couples who can’t agree on a firmness level.

Watch this video for tips on choosing the best mattress firmness for you:

3. Cooling features

One common complaint about traditional memory foam is that it traps heat and therefore sleeps hot. But newer memory foam models—including our Contour5 and Memory Foam Hybrid—typically have cooling features so that isn’t an issue.

Contour5 combines a CoolVent™ System with our Lumbar Zone® PCM Matrix, a phase change material that absorbs and dissipates excess body heat to keep you comfortable all night long.

This next-generation cooling technology helps keep the sleep surface cooler while regulating the temperature at the center third of the mattress. The lumbar region stays several degrees cooler to allow optimal support where most of your body weight lies.

Underneath this layer is a gel-infused 4-lb memory foam that offers additional cooling comfort. Plus, the mattress is wrapped in a breathable cover made from organic cotton.

Memory Foam Hybrid has an innovative cooling system that prevents overheating common with regular memory foam. This includes a gel-infused memory foam lumbar crown that actively draws heat away from the sleep surface.

It also includes AirCradle® memory foam with a unique wave design to help circulate internal airflow through “air pockets” under the foam. Like Contour5, Memory Foam Hybrid also has a breathable cover made from organic cotton.

4. Lumbar support

Another feature to consider in a memory foam mattress is lumbar support. This refers to anything that provides extra support in the center third of the mattress, where most of your body weight lies, to help protect your back while you sleep.

Contour5’s Lumbar Zone® PCM Matrix is strategically positioned at the center third of the mattress, where most of your body weight is focused, to regulate temperature, absorb and disperse excess body heat, and deliver enhanced lower back support.

Memory Foam Hybrid, meanwhile, contains our patented Lumbar Zone® Quilting, which gives you more support in the center third of the mattress to ensure healthy spinal alignment.

It also has a gel-infused memory foam lumbar crown that works with the Lumbar Zone® Quilting to give you extra support and durability in the center third of the mattress.

5. Price

Mattresses made with high-density 5-lb memory foam (the most premium memory foam you can find) are more expensive than hybrid mattresses. That’s why Contour5 comes with a higher price tag than the Memory Foam Hybrid.

Here’s the breakdown of our pricing for comparison:

Contour5: $2,995 (queen)
Memory Foam Hybrid: $1,845 (queen)

What you get with every Saatva mattress

While Contour5 and Memory Foam Hybrid have some key differences, they both come with the same signature Saatva service standards. These include:

Free white glove delivery
365-night home trial
Lifetime warranty
24/7 customer support

So, the right choice between these two mattresses comes down to personal preference.

Choose the best memory foam mattress at Saatva

Contour5 Mattress

Luxurious body-hugging feel and pressure relief with 3” of ultra-premium, high-density 5-lb memory foam.

Shop Now

Choose the best memory foam mattress at Saatva

Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress

This memory foam hybrid mattress features the perfect balance of body-contouring and responsive feel. Enjoy the innovative cooling system, which prevents overheating.

shop now

FAQs

What’s the difference between a hybrid mattress and a memory foam mattress?

A hybrid mattress is a mattress that features a responsive innerspring base topped with a body-contouring memory foam layer. A memory foam mattress, meanwhile, consists solely of different types of foam layered on top of each other.

Which lasts longer: memory foam or hybrid?

It really depends on the overall quality of the materials in the mattress. A premium memory foam mattress made with high-density memory foam and a high-quality hybrid mattress made with strong, durable coils and a high-density memory foam comfort layer should each last you for at least 10 years. Your body weight, sleep position, and how you care for your mattress can also affect its lifespan.

Is a hybrid or foam mattress better for back pain?

Both hybrid and memory foam mattresses are good options for back pain. Memory foam contours to your body, provides excellent pressure relief, and promotes healthy spinal alignment.

A hybrid mattress combines the cushioning of memory foam with the support of innerspring for the best of both worlds. Regardless of which mattress type you choose, look for added lumbar support in the center third to protect your back while you sleep.

Is memory foam or hybrid better for heavy people?

Memory foam isn’t the best choice for heavy people because its signature characteristic—its ability to compress and contour easily to your shape—can make a heavier person feel “stuck” in the mattress.

Hybrid mattresses, on the other hand, are an excellent choice for heavy people. The innerspring base provides solid support, while airflow between coils prevents heat retention. A memory foam comfort layer adds contouring pressure relief and also helps with motion transfer, so you and your partner won’t feel each other moving.