Hi,
I am looking at either purchasing an Emma Diamond Hybrid or a Koala Calm as mattress.
Does anyone know which one would be better suited to a side sleeper (maybe occasionally sleep on stomach too) who sometimes sleep on his shoulder/arm in weird positions and usually turns a number of times in the night?
I like the idea of sleeping cool, but that alone isn’t a deciding factor for me.
Cheers,
Anton
Hi @Anton, it can come down to personal taste, but generally a softer mattress is better for side sleepers (and other contortions). While we haven’t tested those models, our previous testing indicated Emma was softer than the Koala, but be aware this could have changed. There’s some info in this article that might help, and if there are any other side sleepers that see this post, please leave a comment and share your experience.
I ended up buying a Onebed mattress, which to me seems to be of medium softness, but I need that because of back issues. However, I start my sleep on my side and I find that its very comfy and my hips don’t ache as they used to with a sprung mattress with zones… zones are HORRIBLE (a pox on the inventor!!) and assume everyone will have the same need for firmer/softer in exactly the same place. GAHHH!. The layers in the Onebed are memory foam on top, latex next and a really dense foam as the base. However the layers aren’t glued together, and can be exchanged one for another. I’m happy with them as they are but YMMV.
With regard to heat when sleeping… foam is always hotter than sprung, and I still don’t believe in any advertised “cooling” product injected/inserted into the foam layer. A benefit though is that in winter, hottie bottles etc become unnecessary. In summer I use a personal portable a/c (Cool Comfort) which cools me and the bed, but not the room, so it doesn’t matter.
About the mattresses being asked about, I have no experience with either, but rejected Emma because of the springs, and Koala because of the cost. I’m on a pension with no other income so that mattered… a lot.
Whatever you decide… make sure you have a lengthy trial period, and wait for a sale, they come round quite regularly, sometimes up to 50% off.
I don’t know about those. Is it like an electric blanket in reverse? Do you have refrigerant coils under the bottom sheet?
LOL!! No, its a refrigerated a/c but it has a vent which you point at yourself, Its height is about mattress height. Refrigerated coils under the bottom sheet sounds brilliant. Why don’t you invent and market it!
Water bed mark 2 plumbed via a heat exchanger to a heat pump. Dial up your perfect summer cool or toasty winter warmer. Unlike an electric blanket no risk of electric shock. Blissful perfect cool or warmth.
I wonder if it’s also environmentally friendly as you are heating or cooling just the mattress area rather than the whole room? I can see some issues in summer in a humid environment with condensation. Possibly why it is not a HN exclusive offer. 
Shark Tank bait?
There is a refrigerated pad they use to keep cadavers cool for open coffin displays. Something like that could be used in a bed to keep a person cool, it would need to be a little warmer than the ones used for open coffins but it would cool the user directly rather than being a unit that blows cool air onto the person.
Thanks Brendan. I will have a browse through that article to see if there might be any further tips. I have tried the Koala calm for nearly a week, and I have found it to be that comfortable yet. Maybe my body needs more time to adjust, I don’t know. It is also hotter than I expected (but this could be due to having a mattress protector on it). I am tempted to try the Emma Diamon Hybrid as I sometimes sleep a bit on my stomach too, but not fully (and apparently this has some zone designed for shoulders when sleeping on side).
Missed this, before. The a/c I use also is only a personal cooler. a lot of people who bought it and subsequently complained that it wasn’t good enough, had an expectation that it was a room cooler in spite of everything saying it is not. It only draws 300w IIRC.
Have you bought a mattress yet? If you are in Sydney, Rockdale mattress factory (in Padstow) make their own mattresses. They are not just salesmen reading off a brochure. Many are ventilated to keep you cool. I bought an extra firm mattress 1 year ago. It’s great. I side sleep most of the time and I love the mattress, but most might be better with a medium or firm.
Hi Paul,
Yeah, I have. But it has a return policy. If it doesn’t work out, I will check out the Rockdale matress factory (though I live in Victoria). Thanks for the recommendation 
I am also interested in the Emma Diamond Hybrid. Has anyone in the community have experience with this mattress ?
