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- Breathable and temperature regulating
- Stratos cover feels soft
- Feels cool to the touch
- Expensive
- Combined 10.5 tog duvet may not be warm enough for some sleepers in winter
Like quite a few of the duvets I’ve tested recently, the Simba Hybrid 3-in-1 combines two duvets with different tog ratings that can either be used separately or clipped together for a heavier weight option. The duvets also use the brand’s patented Stratos technology, which Simba say is up to 3°C cooler than non-treated fabric.
With its innovative design and thoughtfully chosen materials, I was impressed with the Simba duvet, finding it comfortable to sleep under. Read on to find out whether it’s the perfect fit for you…
Simba Hybrid 3-in-1 duvet: What do you get for the money?
Available in four sizes, the Simba 3-in-1 isn’t a cheap option, with prices starting at £249 for a single. This rises to £349 for a double, £399 for a king and £449 for a super king. These are comparable to the Woolroom Deluxe Washable 3-in-1 Wool duvet I tested last month, which I think is one of the best duvets you can buy,, but the difference here is that the Simba 3-in-1 is made with synthetic materials as opposed to the Woolroom’s natural wool contents. Of course, there are cheaper 3-in-1 synthetic options available, such as the Emma All Seasons Customisable duvet at £140 for a double or the Soak & Sleep Soft As Down All Seasons duvet at £119, also for a double. But neither of these options contain specialist materials to help with overheating, so this is presumably where the upcharge comes from.
You’ll get two duvets in the Simba 3-in-1, with a lightweight 3.5 tog for summer and a 7 tog for cooler nights. These can also be combined together to create one 10.5 tog duvet with simple poppers at each corner. The duvets are also helpfully colour coded, with blue binding on the edge for the 3.5 tog option and grey binding for the 7 tog. I thought this was a nice little touch to quickly find which duvet you’re looking for. The duvets also arrive in a smart bag that’s ideal for storing one of the duvets when it’s not in use.
Composition wise, the duvet’s filling is 80% Simba Renew polyester and 20% modal. The Simba Renew filler is made from recycled PET bottle fibres and Simba say that the modal is there to encourage airflow. The top casing is made from cotton with the Stratos finish, and the bottom casing is 55% modal and 45% cotton. The whole thing is machine washable at 40°C and can be tumble dried on a low heat, although Simba recommends using a commercial tumble drier.
What did we like?
When you think of comfortable duvet fabrics, recycled PET bottles probably don’t spring to mind. But I found the duvet soft and comfortable, particularly with the addition of the lovely cotton casing. The composition also means it’s suitable for those with allergies and I also like the fact it can be both machine washed and tumble dried.
I appreciated the lighter feel of the duvet as I don’t enjoy feeling weighed down in bed and it was easy to clip the two duvets together and fit them into a duvet cover when needed.
Now, to the all-important Stratos finish – does it actually keep sleepers cooler at night? Just out of interest, I took a temperature probe reading from both sides of the duvet in a room with a temperature of 20.6°C and the cooling side was a degree cooler. Sleeping under it, my husband did feel that the duvet warmed up with his body heat, but he still remained comfortable overnight and felt that the duvet was nicely breathable.
What could be improved?
There’s no avoiding the price of the Simba, which is considerably more expensive than some of its competitors. However, when you consider that you are essentially getting three duvets for the price of one, I think it’s fairly priced overall.
The other slight issue I had was that even with the duvets combined, you’ve only got a 10.5 tog duvet to sleep under in the colder months. And, as the duvets feel pretty lightweight, the cold sleepers amongst us may well want a thicker duvet with a higher tog rating when the temperatures drop.
Should you buy the Simba Hybrid 3-in-1 duvet?
I really liked the innovative design of the Simba duvet and it’s easy to see why the brand is a registered B-Corp. It puts a lot of effort into using eco-friendly and sustainable materials, which is fantastic to see. And the duvet also performs really well, offering a comfortable, cosy and soft surface to curl up under overnight.
Yes, the initial outlay for the duvet is high but, unless you’re a real reptile, you’ll have options to cover you whatever the overnight temperature. There’s a lot to recommend the Simba duvet and I think most sleepers will really enjoy using it.
