A guide to memory foam

Memory foam mattresses are typically compatible with the vast majority of bed bases, and it's likely that the ERGOFLEX^® will work perfectly on your existing base. The ERGOFLEX™ doesn’t require any sort of additional support or suspension from the bed base, so a divan or traditional slatted frame or platform bed base are all ideal foundations for the mattress. If you've got a wooden slatted base we recommend that the gaps should be no wider than 3" apart, and we would never recommend placing your mattress directly on the floor - anything you may have read to the contrary shows a lack of real world experience on the part of the retailer.

When purchasing a new mattress, it is common sense to compare a few different mattress types before making a decision (e.g. a memory foam mattress vs a regular mattress), particularly when it comes to something as closely linked to your health and daily wellbeing as a mattress.

Unfortunately, it seems that what should be a simple process is somewhat complicated when it comes to mattresses, thanks to the approach of certain brands. In many cases, many brands seem to prioritise a glossy, superficial marketing approach above informing the customer what they're actually selling.

It could be perceived that it suits many retailers to make it almost impossible to make a basic consumer comparison between different memory foam mattresses, their specifications, and what you are getting for your money because their products possibly don’t stand up to close scrutiny.

At Ergoflex^®, we have tried to be as transparent and informative as possible in this regard. We believe our mattresses offer the best performance, quality, and value for money.

We feel if you have something to shout about, it's important to shout loudly — not make it difficult to make comparisons. This is why we have put our memory foam mattress head to head with the TEMPUR® mattress, recognised by all as the pioneer and market leader in the manufacturing of memory foam mattresses.

It's important not to confuse the overall depth of the memory foam mattress with the depth of the memory foam layer itself - as it's this, and only this, which will make it feel comfortable, supportive, and overall, deliver the pressure relieving qualities you would expect from a high quality memory foam mattress.

As well as depth of the memory foam layer it's vital to know the depths of the other layers that make up the whole composition of the mattress, as well as how they'll work together. Every ERGOFLEX™ includes 9cms of 5G High-Density visco-elastic memory foam, a depth that has been meticulously researched to provide an optimum level of pressure-relieving body support and work perfectly with the other layers of the mattress.

The density rating of any foam mattress generally refers to the density of the top layer of visco-elastic memory foam, not the entire mattress - as the supporting base foam layer of a true memory foam mattress uses a 'high resilience' or 'impact resistant' polyurethane foam. This should never be confused with visco-elastic memory foam. It's important to understand that the top layer of visco-elastic memory foam is the most-costly to manufacture, and ultimately the most important component in any memory foam mattress composition.

The density rating is a measurement of how much visco-elastic memory foam actually resides within the foam layer of the mattress. The lesser the density, the lesser the raw material content actually making up the memory foam layer, and ultimately the bigger the cells or 'air cavities' as a result. The higher the density of the memory foam layer, the heavier the memory foam will be. And most importantly, the cells or 'air cavities' in the memory foam will be smaller, more tightly packed, and present in greater numbers. This makes them both harder to break down and ultimately indicates the muscular / skeletal support and 'life expectancy' you can expect from the mattress. It is clinically recognised that the higher the density of the memory foam layer, the better support the memory foam will provide.

A high-density memory foam mattress will feel more full-bodied and sumptuous in comparison with lower quality imitations. It is a common misconception that this dictates the firmness of the memory foam. Advanced manufacturers of true high-density visco-elastic foam are able to manipulate firmness ratings regardless of density. Many manufacturers producing low-density variants will often make their memory foam feel firmer in an attempt to pass it off as high density. Inevitably the cell structure of mattresses with lower densities will break down much quicker and ultimately cause the memory foam to sag over a shorter period of ownership and use.

The density rating is calculated by weighing a cubic meter of the memory foam, which is why you see ratings expressed by weight.

The Ergoflex^® memory foam mattress uses a luxury 9cm deep 5G high-density memory foam layer.

The best way to understand this is to go by the manufacturer's rating. For example, the Ergoflex^® memory foam mattress is rated as medium/firm.

However, the difficulty with this is that no independent firmness tests or guides currently exist in Australia for manufacturers to adhere to and benchmark their mattresses against others. This makes understanding comparisons between different memory foam manufacturer's products difficult.

How soft or firm the foam feels to each of us is very subjective. Each of us has different personal preferences when it comes to comfort, which makes this interpretation or rating guide difficult to use in isolation. This is why we recommend you understand the 'ILD' mattress rating to gauge its firmness. The ILD rating of a mattress is explained below.

The density and ILD (sometimes referred to as IFD) rating of a memory foam mattress provides the best indication as to the quality and firmness level you should expect from the mattress.

'ILD' stands for 'indentation load deflection'. Put simply, it indicates how hard or soft the memory foam will be.

This is calculated by measuring how many pounds of pressure are required to indent a 4" layer of memory foam by 25%. The test is performed by applying equal pressure over an area of 50 square inches to indent the memory foam by 25%. The amount of pressure required to indent the foam by 25% of its total depth is calculated in weight.

To make sense of this, and better understand the ILD rating of a memory foam mattress, take this example;

It may take 8lbs of pressure to indent a very soft memory foam by 25%, or 20lbs of pressure to indent a very firm sample of memory foam.

You will often see the ILD rating expressed in a range, i.e. 10 - 12, as opposed to a single number. This is because the ILD rating can vary slightly depending on how the memory foam has been conditioned or the environment it has been stored in prior to testing. Moisture and humidity are two factors that can influence the slight variation in measurement, which is why many retailers display the ILD rating in a range format.

Ergoflex^® memory foam mattresses have an ILD rating of 13 - 15, or more accurately, 13lbs - 15lbs - putting them in the category of medium to firm.