Bowles Innate Sleep

Mattress Talk General Mattresses Questions
1

Hello,

I am looking for some feedback on the quality of the Bowles Innate Sleep mattress. My partner and I are side sleepers (150 / 115lbs) no back pain but we sleep hot. Currently have a Leesa Original that we like except for the heat issue. Tried the Bowles Innate Sleep and liked it but want to make sure that it will hold up over the long term. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Product specs:

  • 2" 7-Zoned 3.3 Density Soft Latex
  • 2" 2.5 lb. Serene® Foam
  • .25" Cross Link Polyethylene Foam
  • 2" 1.8 Density SuperSoft Polyurethane Foam
  • .25" Insulator Pad
  • 4" 1.8 Density Foam Core
2

Hi Hoosiers,
Welcome to the Mattress UnderGround and joined a new MUGster.

The Bowles Mattress company is a family operated, and build quality focused mattresses. They have a great legacy and are TMU worthy.

The Bowles Innate Sleep mattress is designed with comfort and support in mind, which is great for side sleepers like you and your partner. The combination of soft latex, Serene foam, and polyurethane foam layers should provide a good balance of cushioning and pressure relief, which is crucial for side sleepers to avoid discomfort and promote spinal alignment.

You mentioned sleeping hot as an issue with your current mattress, it’s worth noting that latex tends to sleep cooler than memory foam, which is a common material in many mattresses, including your Leesa Original. Additionally, the Serene foam in the Bowles Innate Sleep mattress is engineered to offer better temperature regulation compared to traditional memory foam, which could potentially address your heat concerns.

In terms of long-term durability, the quality of materials and construction is key. The density of the foam layers in the Bowles mattress appears to be appropriate for providing both comfort and longevity. The 7-zoned latex layer also suggests that the mattress is designed to provide targeted support and maintain its shape over time.

As you know any mattress selection is an individual and a subjective proposition. Bowles has a very good maintenance and buying guide which is applicable to virtually any mattress.

They have a fine reputation, but as with any mattress purchase, it would be prudent to discuss their return, restocking, refund, and exchange policies in advance to avoid any confusion down the road. This would be suggested with any mattress company you might make a purchase with.

Hopefully this helps, good luck and sleep well.

Maverick

1 Like
3

@Maverick could you explain the roles of the cross-linked foam and insulator layers in this build (if you know)? It seems to me like both these layers, despite being 0.25" thick, would trap heat in the upper portions of the mattress.

1 Like
4

Hi adityaxbiswas,

While I am not an expert on Bowles Mattresses specifically, my best guess as the design and layout likely flows like this.

The Bowles Innate Sleep mattress, (much like our TM @BackScience Back Science Series Mattresses) designed my a Chiropractor, features a specific build designed to offer comfort, support, and temperature regulation, and the roles of the cross-linked foam and insulator layers are an integral part in this design.

Chemically cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) foam is a durable closed-cell material featuring a smooth, yet tough and resilient moisture-resistant skin surface. It’s produced in continuous rolls or sheets, with a density range of 2-30 lbs—available with flame retardants, UL ratings, and FDA compliance*
(*random web definition)

Cross-linked foam is generally used for its durability, resilience, and structure. In a mattress, it often serves as a supportive layer that prevents the collapse of softer layers above it. The cross-linking process involves chemically bonding the foam’s cells, making it more resistant to pressure and offering a firmer feel.

Regarding heat retention, Cross linked foam is generally very dense and as most denser foams can retain heat. and despite being only 0.25" thick, it could still play a role in heat retention, though its impact would likely be minimal due to its thinness.

An insulator layer typically serves two purposes: it prevents the bottom layers of the mattress (like springs or support foams) from poking through the softer comfort layers, and it helps distribute the body’s weight evenly across the mattress. In the case of the Bowles Innate Sleep, this layer might also contribute to regulating temperature by providing a slight barrier between the body and the denser, potentially heat-retaining base layers.

Despite being thin (0.25"), an insulator layer made from materials like felt or foam could trap a small amount of heat in the upper portion of the mattress. The role of the insulator layer is primarily to act as a buffer for the comfort layers and to manage pressure distribution.

You’re correct in thinking that both layers, despite their thinness, could trap heat to some extent as most closed cell foams might. The fact of their minimal thickness (0.25”), their ability to retain heat, and be a significant factor, should be limited compared to thicker layers. Heat build-up in the upper layers might happen more significantly in materials like memory foam, which has a higher tendency to retain body heat, as opposed to the cross-linked foam and insulator layers, which generally offer better air circulation.

So while these layers may trap some heat in the upper portions of the mattress, their thinness and material characteristics make it likely that this effect is minimal compared to thicker, denser layers.

Hopefully, this helps. I know the folks at Bowles are very friendly, open and transparent. I am quite certain they would be happy to answer very specific questions that you might have.

All the best,

Maverick

5

Thanks @Maverick, this is very helpful. I may incorporate something similar in my own build to help protect against feeling some of the pocketed coils. Do you think something like an inch of medium-firm latex could fulfill the same role? Or should it be something very firm and thin like what’s used in this design?

6

As long as you dont bottom out the latex as it is not as dense.

The primary thing here is that the firmer, thinner cross-linked foam used in a mattress is more focused on durability, structure, and a firmer feel.

It works well to prevent the coils from poking through without adding significant plushness, whereas latex, being naturally more resilient, could add more comfort in so far as the overall feel of the mattress, but may also affect the overall firmness of the mattress.

If your goal is to keep the mattress on the firmer side and primarily want to prevent the pocketed coils from being felt, a thin, firmer insulator layer (like the cross-linked foam) would likely be a better match. But if you’re looking for more cushioning, a medium-firm latex layer could work as an option, but remember it will change the feel of the mattress and provide a plush feel.

As naive as it might sound, I usually trust the manufacturers and their engineers who design the mattress a certain way. Of course, that doesn’t mean they’re always right—sometimes their designs are driven more by marketing than by comfort.

For example, some big-name brands stack layers of foam over their support coils to give the mattress a plush, taller look, which can be very enticing, but that can actually undermine the support provided by the coils that are buried 8" beneath the surface.

In contrast, smaller regional or independent manufacturers, who often deal with their customers face-to-face, tend to be more focused on creating a mattress that’s a perfect fit for the client. They do this to avoid any negative feedback or awkward encounters in the showroom as returns and exchanges are quite costly to a smaller provider. Unfortunately, with larger mass-market retailers, despite their claims of being consumer-friendly, you often feel like they are reading from the just reading from the proverbial script when you have an issue, and it’s easy to feel like just another number instead of a valued customer.

I would bet that the folks at Bowles would gladly offer some advice too, if queried.

Maverick

7

This is great - I think I understand much better now; and thank you again for taking the time to explain I’ve always been curious about the effect of thin layers in professional builds I see online.

I have one final question if I could bother you for a moment longer. In your opinion, how much would such a thin but firm layer “link together” the pocketed coils below (aka the pseudohelical effect). I really like point elasticity in a mattress, which pocketed coils are great with. My only concern is such a firm, dense layer creating too much linkage effecting defeating the purpose of the pocketed coils. On the other hand, mobility on the bed (hands and knees) tends to be quite poor with too much point elasticity, so I’m thinking some amount of linkage could be beneficial for me here.

1 Like
8

I am not quite certain on this one. With only .25" of either an insulator pad or the cross-link (firmer), it will be thin enough to permit the contouring and allow the mattress to perform as expected and the support layer to function without noticing any major comfort differential, albeit with a slightly firmer feel to it, which you may or may not actually notice. The latex layer will certainly have a bit more elasticity and contouring, plus a bit more pressure relief, but at the end of the day, the .25" will add the longevity and durability you might be happier with down the road when you have completely adjusted and have been comfortable in the mattress. You can always add a latex topper later, which is replaceable/swappable should you want or need more plushness at the surface. But you will already have 4" of foam, latex and serene for the comfort layer, which will offer a nice surface for side sleeping and supportive enough for the occasional back sleeping if necessary.

9

This is great to hear. I think I’ll be able to modify a previous build where I want a little more support/firmness in the lower layers using this then!

It is very interesting that the transition layer is pretty much these firm, thin layers sandwiching very soft polyfoam. I guess they’re enough to add the structure needed to distribute the force more laterally across the polyfoam and coils below. Though I don’t think I could deal with a 4" comfort layer above! I seem to only be able to handle 2-3 inches without falling out of alignment. Regardless, thanks for your insights!

1 Like