Feel & Firmness

Mattress firmness is a matter of personal preference. Most people are drawn to medium-firm mattresses because they have a good balance of support and cushioning for all sleep styles. However, some shoppers do prefer a much softer sleep surface.

The feel of these two mattresses is rather different. Shoppers in the market for a softer mattress may prefer the plushness of Silk & Snow, while someone looking for the combined support and pressure relief of a medium-firm mattress should seriously consider Douglas.

• At 4.1 / 10, Silk & Snow is considered a medium-soft mattress. The memory foam sleep surface has a fair amount of hug, giving the feeling that you are resting snuggly in the bed. However, it’s important to note that a softer mattress may not provide enough support for some people. Average or above-average weight sleepers may find that they are sinking too deeply into the Silk & Snow mattress.
• At 6.6/10, Douglas is considered a medium-firm mattress. Sleepers will find that the foam conforms nicely to the body as they settle into bed, but there is minimal sinkage thanks to a thick motion-isolating support layer. Douglas promotes gentle contouring while still maintaining proper spinal alignment for all sleep styles.

Edge Support

Foam mattresses are not known for their edge support; in fact, it is often one of the main issues customers have when moving from innerspring mattresses to foam. A lack of stability at the sidewalls can cause problems for sleepers who struggle to get out of bed. People with limited mobility may want a mattress with better edge support. According to the testing conducted by third-party engineers (commissioned by us), Silk & Snow and Douglas edge support rankings are very different.

• The Silk and Snow mattress has average edge support. It is rated at 5.2 / 10 on the edge support scale.
• Douglas has above-average edge support, especially for an all-foam mattress. It is rated at 7.3 / 10 on the edge support scale. If you require stronger edge support, Douglas would be a great option.

Motion Isolation

Motion isolation in foam mattresses is usually very good and one of the main reasons couples make the switch to foam mattresses. According to the testing conducted by third-party engineers (commissioned by us), Silk & Snow and Douglas motion isolation scores are both above average.

• At 7.6 / 10, Silk & Snow has a comparable motion isolation score to other foam mattresses in its category.
• Douglas has above-average motion isolation. Thanks to a thick support zone and responsive transition layer, sleepers will experience almost zero motion transfer from one side of the bed to the other. Douglas received the highest motion isolation score of any all-foam mattress tested by the third-party engineers (commissioned by us), with a superior score of 8.3 / 10.

Bounce

Because motion isolation for foam mattresses is so good, there is typically minimal bounce. Light sleepers generally prefer mattresses with very little bounce because they feel less movement from their sleep partner shifting or getting out of bed. Silk & Snow and Douglas mattress bounce scores are both below average.

• Silk & Snow scored 2.5 / 10 for bounce, which is standard for a thicker, medium-soft mattress with lots of hug.
• Douglas has below-average bounce. It’s rated at 3.2 / 10, so sleepers should experience almost no bounce from Douglas.

The Silk and Snow and Douglas are both combination foam mattresses. Multiple layers of foam work together to offer comfort and support.

Mattress Layers

Silk and Snow Mattress Layers

• First layer: 2 inches of high-density gel memory foam. This top layer aids in preventing pressure points by letting you sink into the mattress layers.

• Second layer: 2 inches of transition foam. This transition layer serves double duty by reinforcing the motion isolating qualities of the mattress and adding to the layer’s support properties below.

• Third layer: 6 inches of support foam. This bottom layer makes up the mattress’s foundation, providing the overall integrity of the bed and keeping you from sinking in too deep into the lower layers of the mattress.

Douglas Mattress Layers

• First layer: 2” of cooling gel foam. Douglas’ proprietary ecoLight® foam is lighter and less carbon-intensive than conventional memory foams.* The cooling gel won’t retain heat and circulates air freely throughout the mattress.

• Second layer: 2” of Elastex® foam. This transition layer provides spring and support. Many mattresses use latex for similar reasons. The synthetic Elastex® foam is free of the allergy-causing chemicals found in latex.

• Third layer: 6” of motion-Isolation foam. The density of the foam used in this layer almost entirely eliminates motion transfer, so you will sleep soundly, even if your bedmate is tossing and turning.

*The foam used in Douglas’ comfort layer weighs less than traditional high-density memory foam (which starts at 4 to 5 lbs/ft3). It uses 40% less carbon input in its manufacturing as compared to conventional memory foam (tested to ASTM D3574-I3 Procedure C, against 4-lb memory foam). The lighter material has a positive impact on the environment in the form of a lower carbon footprint while still providing the same tactile benefits of denser foam.

Mattress Cover

Silk and Snow Mattress Cover

Douglas Mattress Cover

The plant-derived CoolSense® cover is made from sustainable Tencel® fibres that draw moisture away from the surface. The cover’s natural breathability also helps to improve air circulation throughout the mattress layers. When it comes to care and general upkeep, the machine-washable top cover has a 360° zipper for easy removal.

Silk & Snow

Silk & Snow and Douglas are three-layer, single-firmness foam mattresses. Both can be purchased online and have convenient, boxed delivery throughout Canada. While Douglas is offered exclusively to Canadians, Silk & Snow manufactures and sells within the US.

Silk & Snow entered the bed-in-a-box market after completing a Kickstarter campaign in 2017 for its signature memory foam mattress. Silk & Snow has factories and distribution within the US and Canada, depending on the country of order.

Douglas

Douglas is part of GoodMorning.com, Canada’s largest independent online mattress retailer. Released in 2017, Douglas openly positions itself as an eco-conscious alternative to other direct-to-consumer mattresses. All Douglas mattresses are manufactured in factories in Ontario and Quebec that use primarily sustainable energy sources. The company uses eco-conscious materials and has a less carbon-intensive manufacturing process than many of its competitors.

Despite outward appearances, these two mattresses don’t have much in common aside from their all-foam design and convenient, boxed delivery. As a result, Silk & Snow and Douglas will attract different types of sleepers.

Douglas has mass-market appeal. Its medium-firm feel and well-balanced support and pressure-point relief will serve a broad range of sleep styles and body types. Silk & Snow is more of a niche product and will be best for sleepers looking for a softer mattress that they can really sink into.

Both Silk & Snow and Douglas are above-average in motion isolation and will be suitable for couples. However, when it comes to minimizing motion transfer, Douglas received top marks out of any all-foam mattress tested by Mattress-Reviews.com. Douglas also outperformed Silk & Snow in edge support, which is an important feature for many mattress shoppers.

At $749 CAD for a Canadian-made queen mattress, Douglas provides incredible value at an unbeatable low price. When you include the lengthy 120-night sleep trial and 15-year warranty, it’s no surprise that Douglas ranks so highly on our list of this year’s best mattresses.