Gel vs. High Resilience Foam

Gel

Gel is a recent newcomer to the mattress space. It is being used as both a standalone layer and an infusion into foam. Gel benefits mattresses by retaining less heat than memory foam. Also, newer gels compete against memory foam by being more responsive and less toxic.

Gel is similar to foam because it is a polymer made by blending plastics and other chemicals.

Because of gel's heat diffusing properties, it is generally found in the top layer of the mattress under the cover.

Pros: Cooler sleeping surface vs memory foam. More responsive feel when not combined with foam.

Cons: Similar to foam, it is a synthetic blend of chemicals.

High Resilience Foam

High resilience is a polyurethane foam that has a much higher responsiveness than memory foam, which has a slower response. Because of this, those that enjoy more of a bounce in their mattress will gravitate towards this type of foam.

High resilience foams are much less popular than memory foam, but they make up important layers of many popular mattresses. Oftentimes the transitional layer or base layer of memory foam mattresses will contain high resilience foam at high densities. This provides a more even feel across the mattress, and less of a sinking feeling that memory foam alone would have.

Like all polyurethane foam, high resilience foam is made of a blend of polyurethane and has a tendency to off-gas. If you are susceptible to lung issues, please do additional research on the quality of foams before purchasing.

Pros: Quicker response than memory foam provides many mattresses with an even supportive feel.

Cons: Sagging and off-gassing problems with lower quality foams.

Learn More About Gel

Learn More About High Resilience Foam

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Material Scores

Overall Score:
Gel: 8.6/10
High Resilience Foam: 8.9/10

Comfort:
Gel: 8.7/10
High Resilience Foam: 8.8/10

Softness:
Gel: 8/10
High Resilience Foam: 8.7/10

Cooling:
Gel: 8.1/10
High Resilience Foam: 8/10

Hypoallergenic:
Gel: 8.1/10
High Resilience Foam: 8.1/10

No Odor:
Gel: 8.9/10
High Resilience Foam: 8.4/10

General Support:
Gel: 9.5/10
High Resilience Foam: 9.4/10

Eco-Conscious:
Gel: 8/10
High Resilience Foam: 8.5/10

Price Value:
Gel: 9.2/10
High Resilience Foam: 9.4/10