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- Grippy base and straps help it stay in place on your mattress
- Does a good job of relieving pressure points
- Decent temperature regulation for most…
- …but not quite cool enough for the hottest of sleepers
- A little lacking in lumbar support
The best mattress toppers can make a real difference, helping to add a layer of comfort and softness to an overly firm mattress or a little support to a lumpy old thing nearing the end of its lifespan. The Simba Cool Foam mattress topper is, as the name suggests, designed to keep sleepers cool, while adding a layer of comfort to your existing mattress, but how well does it do the job?
While myself and my co-tester/husband agreed that the Simba Cool Foam topper offered decent temperature regulation, we found out that not everyone will have the same experience. Read on to find out more.
What do you get for the money?
With a fairly simple design, the Simba Cool Foam topper is made up of three layers. At the top there’s a removable cover made from a soft knitted polyester, which can be machine washed at up to 40°C. This is followed by a layer of “Simbatex” graphite-infused foam. With an open-cell design, this offers five times the airflow compared to traditional memory foam, or so claims Simba. Finally, a foam base layer, made from CertiPUR certified foam, is designed to respond to the body while aiding airflow with its “peaked” shape.
The Simba Cool Foam mattress topper might be the brand’s entry-level option, but this is still a premium product with a price tag to match. It starts at £149 for a single, rising to £199 for a small double/double, £249 for a king and £299 for a super king. This is comparable with other memory foam toppers at the upper end of the market, such as the REM-Fit Halo at £189 (double) and the Origin Contour mattress topper at £195. On the other hand, more affordable options include the Panda Bamboo mattress topper, which will cost you £140 (double). Like many bed-in-a-box brands, Simba also frequently offers discounts on its website, particularly during Black Friday and other deals events.
Making that price a little easier to swallow is free next-day delivery, a 10-year guarantee and a 200-night trial.
What did we like?
The topper arrived rolled up and vacuum packed in a box. But, unlike many similarly packaged bed-in-a-box mattresses, there was no noticeable off-gassing smell. You’ll need to give the topper time to inflate fully: it was ready to use after around four hours but did take 24 hours to expand. Once fully inflated, the topper is a decent 6.5cm deep, which is more than enough to make a substantial difference to your mattress. Do note, however, that you may need an extra deep fitted sheet as a result – particularly if your mattress is already quite deep.
Comfort wise, the Simba Cool Foam topper is a real winner. It’s highly responsive in a way that slow-moving memory foam isn’t, with the foam springing back into shape the minute you move off it. Thanks to its contoured base, the topper really helps with pressure relief, and motion transfer is non-existent thanks to its foam construction. It also feels much firmer than most memory foam toppers (much like the Dorma Full Forever topper in this respect).
Like most foam toppers, though, edge support isn’t the best. This isn’t ideal for those who like to sit on the edge of the bed, though it’s supportive enough that I didn’t feel as if I was going to slide off in the middle of the night. This is also helped by the non-slip base and corner straps that help keep the topper securely in place.
Before I move on, I should add that the 200-night trial is a massively impressive perk, especially for a mattress topper, giving those who might be on the fence more than enough time to decide whether or not it’s right for them. Where mattress toppers are concerned, this trial is longer than that of any other brand I’ve come across.
Does it live up to its “cooling” claims?
Of course, the headline claim for the Simba topper is in its name, but does the ‘Cool Foam’ actually live up to its billing? To begin with, I felt how cool the topper was to the touch: the surface of its knitted cover did feel slightly cooler compared to the base of the topper. When it came to how it performed overnight, the resident hot-sleeping husband found it comfortably cool, which is particularly impressive for a foam topper. This could be down to the slightly firmer foam: you don’t sink into it quite as much as some foams, and so you don’t get that smothering feeling.
To get a better impression of Simba’s “cooling” credentials, I loaned the Cool Foam topper out to a friend who is prone to breaking out in a muck sweat overnight Unfortunately, although he found the topper quite comfortable initially, it didn’t keep him cool as the night progressed, and offered no discernible improvement in temperature regulation over his regular setup. With this said, while myself and my husband found Simba’s foams comfortable, I’m hesitant to recommend it to those who are notably prone to overheating.
How else can it be improved?
I also felt that, like most foam toppers I’ve tested, the Simba Cool Foam mattress topper was a little lacking in lumbar support.
Despite its firmer feel and the pressure point relief that I mentioned earlier, it’s perhaps not the best option for those who suffer from back pain.
Should you buy the Simba Cool Foam mattress topper?
I think the Simba topper is a good pick for many people. It’s comfortable, with less sinkage and a faster response time than you’ll find in most foam toppers but also offers enough contouring to soothe and relieve pressure points. It feels very well made and I can see it lasting a lot longer than some cheaper foam rivals. And while it’s an investment, its price is in line with many of its all-foam rivals. In short, if you’re a fan of memory foam mattress toppers, this is a great pick.
However, when it comes to the hottest of sleepers, temperature regulation was disappointing – particularly considering how much emphasis Simba puts on this. While many will find that it keeps their temperature regulated overnight, it’s not quite good enough for those at the extreme, who are prone to breaking out in sweats overnight. Instead, I’d recommend trying the Slumberdown Sleep Soundly Extra Deep Climate Control mattress topper.
