At a ripe 30-something years of age, I’ve slept on my fair share of mattresses. In fact, no less than three in the last five years in an attempt to relieve my lower back pain.
Nolah Natural 11" Mattress At A Glance
Firmness: Medium
Type: Hybrid Foam
Sleep Position: great for side and back sleepers
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King, Split King
Height: 11-inch
MSRP: $1,499-$2,099
With that being said, I had never tried a bed in a box…until Nolah. With more and more brands popping up and joining the many best mattress options out there, Nolah is a standout. Yes, they follow the general bed in a box formula: these mattresses are compressed to fit in a small box, and delivered right to your door. They’re easy to lift thanks to their size, and expand fairly quickly, but that's not all that sets them apart.
For the last two weeks, I’ve slept on the Nolah Natural mattress, gearing up to share my results with all of you. If you’re wondering what I think about this brand and its new organic mattress – perhaps one of the best organic mattresses – keep reading!
Who will the Nolah Natural 11" Mattress suit?
- Side sleepers: This is for you. I’d also be willing to bet it’s a solid choice for back sleepers, too. Filled with cushy latex layers, bones and joints are supported more effectively than with memory foam – which most sink into.
- Those who seek pressure relief: Cushions pressure points, while supporting your body so you can wake up pain-free.
- Anyone out there suffering from allergies: This may be your miracle mattress, too. Thanks to its hypoallergenic material, it’s not a breeding ground for dust mites, pet dander, and mildew.
Nolah Natural 11" Mattress design and construction
Nolah left no detail behind in designing the Natural mattress, handcrafted with materials you can feel good about, including Talalay latex, a variety offering up to 33% more pressure relief than alternatives.
The entire Nolah Natural mattress is constructed in 7 layers, all made of premium materials. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Organic cotton cover is the protective layer of the mattress and also cooling.
- Organic wool is a natural fire retardant and provides cooling and breathability.
- 2” Talalay latex layer for pressure relief.
- 1” Talalay latex transition layer for comfortable body support.
- Nolah’s proprietary coil system is made up of three zones, each offering added support and extra cushion.
- Cotton and wool foundation supports stability and increases durability.
- Certified organic cotton at the base of the Nolah Natural, known to be long-lasting and durable.
Talalay latex expands naturally, which increases airflow, but It is also known to be a more responsive type of latex, meaning that while it provides awesome pressure relief… it’s also not quite as stiff as alternative materials. Quick translation: great pick for side and back sleepers, who don’t need quite as much support as stomach sleepers.
Specially zoned coils located throughout the mattress lend additional support to high-pressure areas, which is a nice touch for those of us (cough, cough, me) who struggle with aches and pains. I’m a total side sleeper who moves around a lot, and the coils lent the perfect amount of spring to the Nolah Natural.
Setting up the Nolah Natural 11”
If my four-year-olds could carry a 68 lb box, they could have unboxed and set up the Nolah Natural themselves. So simple and seamlessly packaged, the Nolah was easy to remove from the box and unravel.
Most beds that arrive in boxes take time to expand and are recommended to “breathe” for up to a week. Within two hours of unboxing, the mattress had expanded to its promised 11”. The Nolah can be slept on immediately, which I find to be a great selling point and super convenient. For someone in need of a mattress right away, being able to use it upon arrival is ideal, especially when it’s constructed with organic, safe materials.
The instructions were straightforward, and I opted to let it air out for a few days. A faint smell did linger that reminded me of fresh paint, but it was mild and didn’t bother me whatsoever. Thanks to the two convenient handles on the mattress, it was easy to carry up the stairs to the bed!
The Nolah Natural can be placed on any surface: slats, platform, boxspring, floor– you name it. I used a slatted base, and it works perfectly. Just a note: skip this mattress for bunk and loft beds. These mattresses should be less than eight inches.
What's the Nolah Natural 11" Mattress like to sleep on?
The Nolah was just as comfortable on night one as it was two weeks later. Laying down, I felt ample support but just enough cushion to sink in the perfect amount, feeling cozy and snug.
Comfort and firmness:
On a firmness scale of 1-10, Nolah considers this a 6, which is considered medium-firmness. After sleeping on the Natural mattress for weeks, I have to disagree here, and would rate this a 5. It’s extremely comfortable and feels like my childhood pillowtop mattress, but definitely lends support where I need it.
Breathability and Cooling
I’m a hot sleeper, even in the dead of winter. Our thermostat is set at 68 degrees year-round, and you bet my ceiling fan is always on. I was prepared to sweat but…I was comfortable all night long. It wasn’t a fluke, either. For two whole weeks, my comforter survived on the bed the entire night.
The organic cotton cover is dreamy and so soft on the skin. If it was socially acceptable to sleep directly on the mattress itself, I’d do so on this Nolah! I can confirm the organic wool and Talalay latex definitely keep the bed cool throughout the night, and the coils, while not directly felt, do offer noticeable support.
Pressure Relief and Spinal Alignment
As a side sleeper, the mattress you sleep on makes a huge impact, either positive or negative, on back pain and spinal alignment. As you can see in the photo above, my spine is almost perfectly aligned. I’d put money on this looking a lot different on a memory foam or pillow top alternative! Waking up refreshed with no aches and pains is something I could get used to, and I’m certain it’s not a coincidence. It’s thanks to just the right amount of support, hugging my spine’s natural curve.
Motion isolation
I’m going to go out on a limb here, and assume you aren’t testing the stability of a glass of water on your new mattress. If, however, you are, I suggest you buy a waterproof mattress protector.
The Nolah is made of latex, so it does have more of a bounce than its memory foam competitors. Although it doesn't completely isolate motion transfer, I was shocked to get a good night's sleep next to my (small but mighty) four-year-old, who is notorious for tossing and turning. This led me close to the edge of the bed, where the edge support was just okay, but for heavier folks this may be a concern.
I used two heavy dumbbells to simulate how much the mattress moved with added weight. I was admittedly surprised at how little the mattress sank. It retained its shape and the weights left no indents once I removed them!
Verdict: minimal motion isolation while still offering a bit of a bounce. For a side sleeper, this is a perfect balance.
Logistics
Nolah offers a straightforward ordering process, complete with a no-contact, painless delivery (and FedEx tracking info). Prior to checkout, they offer the unique options to save $100 and forgo the mattress trial, meaning your purchase is a final sale. They also offer in-house mattress removal and/or setup starting at $150.
A reasonably sized box appeared on my front porch within a week and was impressively easy to unbox and set up. 5/5 satisfaction rating for the entire process from start to finish.
Nolah truly stands behind their products, offering a 120-night trial, going so far as to provide a lifetime warranty. Though, for oops like spills, tears and scratches, Nolah offers a 10-year protection plan for a nominal fee, which most warranties don't cover anyway. Latex is ultra-resistant to wear and tear/sagging, so I’d imagine this mattress really will last a long time!
Hoes does the Nolah Natural 11” rate online?
With a 4.7/5 star rating on Nolah’s website, it appears all sleepers are extremely happy with their purchase. Customers rave about not only the mattress but the company as a whole. I noticed on several occasions, people compared sleeping on the mattress as, “sleeping on a cloud.” Other common themes amongst the reviews were a decrease in back and neck pain and a noticeably cooler mattress. The only complaint I saw was that the mattress was “too soft”.
Is the Nolah Natural 11” Mattress worth it?
I love this mattress and would shout it from the rooftops if you asked me to. I’ve slept like a baby for the last two weeks, better than the last five years combined.
I can honestly say I would purchase this mattress over and over again. In fact, I’m even considering another for our guest room. I fall asleep comfortably and wake up refreshed, it’s hands down the best mattress I’ve slept on. Not to mention, the quality is top-notch, and they’ve done a great job sourcing ethical materials and providing a safe, hypoallergenic product. I have no concerns with myself or my children sleeping on any of the components found in the Nolah Natural mattress.
Spinal alignment was spot-on, the balance of support to pillow-y softness was perfect, and Nolah’s customer support team was unmatched. Delivery went smoothly, unboxing was a breeze, and sleeping on this mattress has been just like other customers said – like sleeping on a cloud.
Hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly are just two additional benefits of the Nolah Natural mattress, making it even more appealing. If you’re looking for a supportive yet comfortable mattress, I highly recommend you give this one a try.
Where to buy the Nolah natural mattress
About our reviewer and the review
Courtney's sleep stats:
- Sleep position: I'm a ninja sleeper, always on my side with one knee hiked up, arms up above my head.
- Insomnia: No trouble falling asleep, but once I'm up, I'm up.
- Sleep problems: Sweaty-Betty and tossing and turning.
- Average sleep time: 6-8 hours.
All our reviews, as in the case of the Nolah Natural Mattress, are based on the real-life experience of using these products at home. Courtney slept on this mattress for two weeks before beginning this review. The products are given to us free of charge and we test them for as long as possible before sending them back to the brand unless we are able to keep them as we are with this mattress. This means that we can continue to use the product which gives us the opportunity to return to our reviews for updating, so you can keep up-to-date with how it's fared over a period of time.