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Mattress Types Explained

Memory foam, pocket sprung, hybrid or orthopaedic?

The jargon makes buying a mattress harder than it needs to be. Here’s what each type actually is, how it feels, and who it suits — in plain English, from the Yorkshire workshop that makes them by hand.

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Our guide to Mattress Types

Memory foam

Cradling · slow to respond

A temperature-sensitive foam that softens with your body heat and moulds to your shape, then slowly springs back when you move. It gives that distinctive “hugged” feel and deep pressure relief.

Pros

  • Excellent pressure relief for hips and shoulders
  • Absorbs movement — good for couples
  • Moulds closely to your body

Watch-outs

  • Can trap heat and sleep warm
  • Slower to turn on — a “stuck” feeling for some
  • Cheaper foams can soften and dip over time

Best for: Side sleepers and anyone who wants a cushioned, pressure-relieving feel.

The C&L version

Our Memory Plus puts pressure-relieving memory foam over reflex foam and orthopaedic springs, so it gives the hug of foam without sleeping like a solid foam block. Memory Collection is the best-value way in.

Pocket sprung

Supportive · breathable · responsive

Rows of individual springs, each sewn into its own fabric pocket, so every spring moves on its own and supports exactly the part of you resting on it. The classic quality construction — the higher the spring count, the finer the support.

Pros

  • Targeted support that follows your body
  • Very breathable — sleeps cool
  • Isolates movement between partners
  • Long-lasting when well made

Watch-outs

  • Higher spring counts cost more
  • Heavier than an all-foam mattress

Best for: Almost everyone — the most versatile, breathable support.

The C&L version

Most of our range is pocket sprung — from Clayton with British lamb’s wool to the 1,500-spring Diamond and Cashmere, hand-tufted with natural fillings.

Hybrid

Support + cushioning combined

A pocket-spring support core topped with comfort layers such as memory foam or Gravity Cell, to give you the best of both: springy support underneath, cushioned pressure relief on top.

Pros

  • Support and pressure relief in one bed
  • More breathable than all-foam
  • Suits the widest range of sleepers

Watch-outs

  • Only as good as both layers are made
  • Usually a mid-to-premium price

Best for: Sleepers who want spring support with a softer surface, and combination sleepers.

The C&L version

Our Memory Plus Pocket and Ernest put memory foam over pocket springs; Sleep Adaptive pairs pocket springs with Gravity Cell for an easy medium feel.

Orthopaedic

Firm · flat · maximum support

Not a separate material but a firmer, more supportive build — usually a stronger, more structured spring unit — designed to hold the spine level. You sleep “on” it rather than “in” it.

Pros

  • Strong, level support
  • Keeps the spine aligned
  • Good for heavier builds and front sleepers

Watch-outs

  • Can feel too hard for lighter side sleepers
  • “Orthopaedic” isn’t a regulated term — quality varies

Best for: Back and front sleepers, heavier builds, and anyone who wants firmer support.

The C&L version

Our Hycare Ortho and Memory Ortho combine orthopaedic Bonnell springs with Gravity Cell for firm support that doesn’t feel unforgiving; The Rock is the extra-firm option.

At a glance

How the types compare

A quick benchmark of what each construction does best. More dots = stronger.

Type Support Pressure relief Cooling Motion isolation Durability Typical price
Memory foam £ – ££
Pocket sprung ££ – £££
Hybrid ££ – £££
Orthopaedic ££ – £££

Open coil vs pocket springs: open-coil and Bonnell units link their springs together, so they move as one. They give firm, even support and suit our firmer orthopaedic models; if you share a bed or want the springs to follow your shape, choose pocket sprung.

Know the types — now find your match

Answer three quick questions and we’ll match the right construction and feel to how you sleep, in about 60 seconds.

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The Carter & Lewis way

Handmade in Yorkshire, not built in a box

Hand-tuftedLayers hand-stitched in place

Natural fillingsBritish wool, cotton & cashmere

Liversedge workshopMade by Yorkshire artisans

Edge-to-edge supportMore usable sleep space

Good to know

Mattress type questions

What’s the difference between memory foam and pocket sprung?

Memory foam moulds slowly to your shape and relieves pressure; pocket springs respond instantly, support each part of you separately and let air flow. Foam feels like sinking in, springs feel like being lifted. Many of our mattresses combine both.

What is a hybrid mattress?

A hybrid has a pocket-spring core with a substantial comfort layer on top, usually memory foam. You get the support and breathability of springs with the pressure relief of foam.

What does “orthopaedic” actually mean?

It describes a firmer, more supportive build designed to keep the spine level. It isn’t a medical or regulated term, so check what’s inside: the spring unit, its firmness rating and the comfort layers.

Which mattress type is the most durable?

Well-made pocket-sprung and orthopaedic mattresses with natural fillings tend to last longest, because springs keep their shape and hand-tufting stops fillings shifting. Rotating the mattress regularly helps any type last.

Do Carter & Lewis mattresses use foam?

Some do. Our memory-foam and hybrid models use memory foam or reflex foam as comfort layers, and The Rock is high-density reflex foam throughout. Most of the range is pocket sprung with natural fillings such as wool, cotton and cashmere.