FOAM MATTRESS TOPPERS - Extra comfort and support

A mattress topper (sometimes called a pad or protector) can be used to provide an additional layer of comfort and support to a bed or mattress. It does this by using a foam or padded layer that sits on top of an existing mattress and supplements its sleeping characteristics.

Most modern foam mattress toppers have a filling of foam, usually visco-elastic memory foam or Latex foam, however other filler materials like organic wool, feathers and down are readily available. You can even buy mattress toppers that incorporate magnetic therapy into their construction.

The index to the left allows you to access pages covering all of the different mattress topper materials enabling you to compare their different features and comfort characteristics.

How a topper works

A mattress topper works as if it were the top-most finishing layer of a composite mattress. These bedding products are designed specifically to be placed in contact with the sleeping body. They are held in place on top of the bed by straps or fittings that overlap the mattress corners and secure the two items together.

Good foam mattress toppers work in conjunction with the existing mattress and it is claimed that they can enhance the quality and life expectancy of any standard spring based mattress. The overall effect of a topper is to give the impression that the mattress has been upgraded or is of a higher quality.

The benefits gained from using a foam topper are determined by a number of factors ranging from the quality and filling of the topper, to the quality and condition of the mattress upon which it is attached.

Good quality memory foam and Latex foam toppers offer the highest levels of "sleeping body" support, but they are also the most expensive.

Different types of foam and other mattress topper fillings

Whilst a foam mattress topper is the most popular topper type, other materials like duck and goose down and even natural wool can be purchased on line and by mail order.

You can find out more about the pros and cons of each type by using the main index to the left and checking out the available products from the adverts found across foammattresstopper.org.

Memory foam and Latex foam

The most popular foam mattress topper materials are memory foam and Latex foam. Both of these materials are comparatively new to the world of bedding and both offer what is considered to be a contouring or body profiling property.

The foam mattress topper was one of the first bedding items to incorporate these new materials.

The contouring feature of the memory or Latex foam topper allows it to accommodate the various shapes and weight variations of the different parts of the human body and, importantly, to contour around them. The significance of this is that, unlike a firm mattress, the foam topper offers a balanced support to the body that removes pressure points.

Both Latex and visco-elastic memory foam toppers offer these important shaping and contouring features and they have many orthopaedic advantages.

Duck and goose down mattress toppers

The main alternative to a foam topper is a feather or down topper, typically filled with duck or goose down.

These toppers are easily compressible and feel warm. They also add an extra layer of padded comfort, but they do not confer any contouring characteristics to the sleeping surface.

The duck and goose down topper has been around for a long time and it can add that extra level of softness to a bed, but unlike memory and Latex foam it does not support the body in an orthopaedic balanced way.

Other foam and non foam toppers

In addition to memory, Latex and feather mattress toppers, there are also standard foam toppers and wool filled toppers.

A foam topper made from a material other than memory foam or Latex foam will offer little in the way of support, but it may provide some additional cushioning. If you want a foam topper, you should select memory foam or Latex foam for their superior performance.

Wool mattress toppers are a final filler material option. Fine wool is warm and soft and offers a similar feel and sleeping experience to feathers or down.

Which foam mattress topper is right for you

The two main materials from which the foam topper is made are Latex foam and memory foam. Although both of these topper materials offer comfort and a degree of contouring, they do so in different ways.

For this reason it is important to find out more about the sleeping characteristics of each of these (and other) mattress topper materials before deciding which one is right for you. You can do this by taking a look at the information that we offer about each mattress type listed in the main index (to the left).

We have also included information about mattresses, pillows and the orthopedic advantages of contouring foams like Latex.