How to choose the correct mattress spring tension

Knowing how to choose the right mattress spring tension is key when looking to buy a new mattress. John Ryan By Design is the UK's premier independent hand made mattress company. Ryan their founder explains exactly why you need to choose the correct spring tension before looking at any other part of a mattress.
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[@musiknymph]

I've been studying the John Ryan web site and find it very informative and easy to understand. Big thumbs up here! : ) It's always nice to see a UK company so passionate to manufacture an excellent quality class product that is also in keeping with very good value for money. I'm on a very steep learning curve but beginning to understand the fundamentals of pocket spring mattress design. Recently i've had a very disappointing experience with a brand new Harrison Spinks mattress; Egyptian Cotton 5900. The problem is the middle part of my single size mattress, the area where one's posterior lay doth sink down too deep, and try not to laugh, no i don't have a fat behind honestly, i'm 5' 8" tall 10 stone skinny. But when my butt sinks down into the depths of the middle it leaves me lying in the banana curve, with head shoulders & feet higher than my middle region, and as a side sleeper this can not be good for the spine : ( I note that the John Ryan have a very different philosophical approach with mattress design, two of these are a revelation to read; a one way up mattress is not going to last like a turnable mattress, and the spring count with a fewer better quality springs will trump a mattress stuffed full of cheap micro-springs. Yes, i may of learnt the hard way but this now seems to ring very true, the Harrison Spinks single size mattress i purchased is a one way up mattress and has 3600 springs, and yet the middle area of mattress offers no support : / Okay i know it's quite possible the HS mattress i have maybe faulty, and i'm 99% sure it needs the return trip to the manufacturer, but i have lost confidence in the design. Fortunately i purchased it from a good retailer who is happy to collect the faulty mattress and refund my money. So now back in the market for a new mattress and presently admiring the construction quality of the Artisan Luxury...

[@JohnRyanbyDesignLtdWythenshawe]

musiknymph thanks so much for the comment and our delay in replying! We’re so glad you’ve found our huge mattress advice website so helpful. There’s plenty of murky and false information out there in the bed retail world which we aim to dispel! We hope you decided on the Artisan Luxury mattress. It’s a great model. Sleep well! John & Ryan.

[@musiknymph]

@@JohnRyanbyDesignLtdWythenshawe Hi Ryan, yes i did indeed purchase an Artisan Luxury mattress last October, and after over 3 months of reposeful beauty sleep experience i can confirm that it is by far the best mattress i've ever owned, should have bought one of these years ago!, superb comfort with excellent support. Fantastic build quality, very natural materials with well proven traditional design, nothing not to like. Before it arrived i fashioned a piece of hardboard to fit over the wood slatted bed for a base for the mattress, as recommend somewhere on your extensive web site, but to my delight i find this makes it very easy to slide and turn the heavy mattress over once a month. I always recommend JR by Design to my friends who are in the market for a good mattress! Thank you for a great product!

[@JohnRyanbyDesignLtdWythenshawe]

musiknymph absolutely delightful to hear you’re so made up with one of our hand made mattresses! Great tip about the hardboard and sliding. We may steal that to update our site to recommend it as a bed hack. Here’s to many more perfect nights sleep. Sleep tight. John & Ryan.

[@dorisgalligan6043]

Do you sell on line to the Republic of Ireland?

[@dorisgalligan6043]

I’m What way are they delivered eg. are they delivered in the whole form?

[@JohnRyanbyDesignLtdWythenshawe]

Yes, we deliver our beds to a room of your choice! Not boxed or rolled but 'whole form' as you say. Sleep tight. John & Ryan

[@tawAAkul]

What is best for someone with a bad back? I am looking to buy for my mother.

[@JohnRyanbyDesignLtdWythenshawe]

Hi AA Salaam it depends on W few factors such as her sleeping position and body weightlifting. Drop us an email on [e-mail] and we can assist you with the most suitable suggestion. John & Ryan.

[@tawAAkul]

@@JohnRyanbyDesignLtdWythenshawe thanks very much. I'll get in touch. Have been reading your site and there's alot of info that is helpful. I'll get in touch for some advice as we will want to ensure we make the right decision. Thanks!

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

Sorry but I disagree with the statement that “a person of medium weight and height will always require a medium tension”. I am 5’ 11” and 11 stone 8 lb. I have a medium tension Harrison Spinks Emerald mattress in medium tension. There is no support at all, and I cannot sleep. My core sinks horribly. Getting to sleep takes hours. If I place a 1” futon mattress on top to make it firmer, I can sleep. The matrress cost nearly £1,000 and it is worse than the cheap memory foam mattress I had before. Oh, and just as hot thanks to layers of wool. Please don’t spread false statements that may cost people a lot of money. This mattress is going on ebay, fortunately I use a waterproof protector so it looks like new.

[@JohnRyanbyDesignLtdWythenshawe]

Hi Lief, Many thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear you're struggling with your current Harrison Spinks Emerald mattress. The reason you may be finding your Harrison Spinks mattress too soft is the construction method they use with their springs. If you've watched our detailed guide about pocket springs you will have seen how micro springs are now being used to up the spring count in mattresses. Most single layer traditional pocket spring mattresses have between 600-2000 individual pocket springs in a single layer. More than this and it's a dual-layered mattress. The more spring layers you put in, especially with tiny micro springs, the less stability the mattress has and fewer comfort laters to give the mattress its overall feel. The Harrison Emerald is a soft feel mattress. If you look its upholstery is primarily wool and cotton. Which are both soft unless paired with a firmer fibre like horsehair or horsetail. A medium spring tension is correct at you bodyweight it is not 'false statement'. Springs are manufactured with weight tolerances in mind. If you choose the wrong spring its either going to be too soft or far too supportive. The core spring in your model is probably correct. However, all the other softer components are negating this support. We believe the reason you're sinking too much is the combination of too many small micro springs, soft upholstery and no real firmer bridging layer. Maybe next time ask specifically about a firmer upholstery layer such as Coir, Horsehair or rebound polycotton if on a budget. Sleep well. John & Ryan. johnryanbydesign.co.uk/understanding-beds/what-are-hd-or-micro-springs

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

John Ryan by Design Ltd Yes exactly, you’ve just contradicted yourself and explained why spring tension is not a reliable guide to the support provided by a mattress. Other factors can be equally important.

[@JohnRyanbyDesignLtdWythenshawe]

@Leif Goodwin You raise a fair point, I can see our last comment may not have been clear enough surrounding spring tension. Let us explain further. When we referred to _ 'The reason you may be finding your Harrison Spinks mattress too soft is the construction method they use with their springs'_ we were referring to the way in which they construct layer upon layer of small springs, this is different to the standard construction used by us and most other manufacturers (single or dual layer). In these video guides, we try to cover the most common methods of construction. We cannot cover every nuance of varying construction methods. I can only suggest you should raise your issues with Harrisons Spinks? I'm assuming you bought on their recommendation and not ours? Maybe if they are getting their tension recommendation wrong you should let them know? The reason we mentioned fillings is that they do play a roll in the overall firmness of the mattress. In a single or dual layer of spring construction (the most common form) the above guide is in fact true! We are sorry that you feel let down by Harrison Spinks and the mattress that you have. Let us know how you get on with them?

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

John Ryan by Design Ltd Yes exactly, they use layers of small springs above and below the main ones. I’ve seen samples (retailers have them on display) and they offer almost no resistance to compression. Without doubt these small springs and the layers of soft fibres change the behaviour of the mattress. I emailed HS two weeks ago, as did the retailer, no response yet. Reviews on Trust Pilot suggest my experience is not unique.

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

FYI Harrison Spinks inspected the mattress and decided that there was more sag than expected. He had a table of maximum allowed sag against age. They agreed to replace it, and they agreed to replace it with a firm tension one. They confirmed that the tension rating is determined by the main pocket springs alone. I tried a £3000 HS mattress in firm, and it was like a soft mattress. The more you pay for a HS mattress, the greater the amount of micro springs and fibre layers, which makes it softer. Pay more, get less support. And on their web site they say that for my weight a medium is optimal. Another point I might not have made earlier, the mattress is so heavy that one person would struggle to turn it, an elderly person probably could not do it.