GhostBed Flex Hybrid Mattress Review: Responsive Memory Foam Bed for Everyone

8.0

GhostBed Flex Hybrid

Score Breakdown

Performance 8.7Support 7Return Policy 8Pressure Relief 6Features 7

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$1,300 at Amazon

Like

• Neutral memory foam feel that responds well to pressure
• Thick 13-inch hybrid construction suits all body types
• Medium firmness level appeals to all sleeping positions

Don't like

• A little expensive for people with a tight budget
• Not ideal if you want a firm or soft bed

Product details

• Type Memory foam hybrid mattress
• Firmness 5 or medium
• Trial 101 nights
• Warranty 25-year limited warranty
• Price $$

GhostBed offers a unique mattress that nearly everyone will enjoy. Their mattresses are high quality and crafted with multiple types of foam, layered one on top of the other to produce a unique sense of comfort.

The GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress is one of the high-end options from this brand, boasting a thick and supportive mattress construction. Although it has cooling technology inside, I wouldn't necessarily call it a cooling mattress -- I'd check out our list of the best cooling beds if that's what you're looking for. The GhostBed Flex mattress offers a comfortable feel that's hard not to like and a supportive construction suitable for any body type. Here is my GhostBed Flex mattress review and my thoughts on who might want this sucker in their bedroom. 

Read more: How CNET tests mattresses: we do the work so you don't have to

First impressions of the GhostBed Flex Hybrid

The GhostBed Flex bed is a premium-looking mattress, and it looks like it belongs in a luxury hotel or a fancy primary bedroom. It feels expensive, too. It's a bed that I think will appeal to a wide range of people thanks to its burly construction and classic, neutral-foam feel that doesn't suck you into the layers. It's soft without being too soft and provides enough support that my back doesn't sink into the mattress. While everyone experiences a mattress differently, I see the GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress as satisfying for a lot of sleepers.

GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress firmness

The heavier you are, the softer a mattress is going to feel. With that in mind, for a medium-sized person between 150 and 230 pounds, the GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress will feel around a medium or a 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. It's pressure-relieving but also supportive enough to keep my spine and neck in a neutral alignment. This is another reason I find this bed so accommodating; a middle-of-the-road firmness level is suitable for almost all sleeping positions (back, side or stomach).

GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress construction

An average mattress is around 10 to 11 inches thick, but the GhostBed Flex bed is a sizable 13 inches. Trust me, those extra two inches make a difference, not just in comfort but also in support and durability.

Here are the different layers of foam and steel that make up the inside of a Flex mattress. 

• The first layer is a thin slab of foam. It's not for comfort, but to support the steel coils and remaining layers above.
• An 8.5-inch pocketed coil system where each steel coil acts individually from one another to help improve motion isolation. The edges are also made with reinforced "Spirited Edge" coils that are stronger and more sturdy to prevent that falling-off-the-edge feeling.
• The "Ghost Bounce" layer is a unique material to the brand. GhostBed says it's designed to be responsive and bouncy like latex foam, and pressure-relieving like memory foam. 
• The next two layers are made with gel memory foam, which helps regulate temperature better than standard memory foam. 
• On top is a quilted cover woven with cooling fiber. 

GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress feel

Although there are layers and layers of memory foam, you might be happy to hear that the GhostBed Flex Hybrid bed doesn't overwhelmingly feel like memory foam. You know what I mean: that sinkhole feel that makes it feel like you're stuck inside the top layers of your mattress. This mattress is lighter, airier and responds more quickly to pressure like neutral foam. So, while you can feel a trace of the memory foam, it's very comfortable and pressure-relieving without the downsides of the traditional material. 

GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress motion isolation

Hybrid mattresses tend to be on the bouncier side compared to foam mattresses, but beds like the GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress do a pretty good job isolating movement. Memory foam is notoriously good at this -- in fact, it was made by NASA to help absorb the shocks in its craft's seats. Movement shouldn't bother you when it comes to this bed. 

GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress edge support

Thanks to the GhostBed Flex's hybrid design and extra strong steel coils along the edges to improve edge support, this bed passes with flying colors. This might be important to someone who shares a smaller mattress and sleeps near the edge of the bed to make room for their partner (or pup). 

GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress temperature

Although the cover has cooling technology, I wouldn't call this a cooling mattress. GhostBed sells a GhostBed Luxe bed that really walks the walk, so I'd check out that one if you're looking for a bed to relieve your hot-sleeping habits. Otherwise, I'd say this bed sleeps cooler than your typical memory foam bed and is temperature-neutral. 

Who is the GhostBed Flex Hybrid best for?

Not all beds are designed for everyone, but the GhostBed Flex comes pretty close. Here are the types of people I think it suits best based on sleeping position and body type. 

Sleeping position

Side sleepers benefit from a soft, pressure-relieving bed that cradles the hips and shoulders. Back and stomach sleepers, on the other hand, typically need a firmer bed that keeps their spine in a straight alignment to avoid back pain. Conveniently, the GhostBed Flex mattress does both. Unless you're a back or stomach sleeper over 230 pounds (in need of a firmer bed), or a side sleeper under 150 pounds (in need of a softer bed), this bed should accommodate your needs.

Body type

Hybrid mattresses that are made with both foam and coils can accommodate all body types, including heavier people who weigh over 230 pounds. Thanks to its 13-inch construction, the Flex is even more supportive than the average hybrid bed. 

This is definitely one of the downsides to the GhostBed Flex Hybrid. I really like this mattress, but it's going to cost more than your average bed-in-a-box. The good news is that GhostBed offers aggressive discounts on this bed. A queen size retails around $2,205, but I've seen discounts up to $800 to bring it around the $1,500 range.

The bed is still a little pricey, but if you have the money to invest in a new mattress, it might be worth it. 

GhostBed warranty, shipping and trial

GhostBed, like most online brands, offers generous policies to sweeten the sound of buying over the internet:

• Free shipping and returns
• 101-night trial
• 25-year warranty

It's worth noting that your mattress will be delivered rolled up inside of a box. You'll have to take it out of its packaging and into its foundation before testing it out. Don't be put off by the off-gassing smell; it's unpleasant, but it goes away after a day or so, and it's standard among most bed-in-a-box mattresses except those made with natural and organic materials. 

Final verdict on the GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress

GhostBed calls this bed its "luxury hybrid mattress," and I'd have to agree. It screams quality and although I don't think it's a true cooling mattress, it is darn comfortable and accommodating. 

You might like the GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress if:

• You sleep on your back, side, stomach, or combination.
• You want a mattress with a medium firmness level.
• You want a hybrid mattress made with foam and coils.
• You want a blend of neutral foam and memory foam.
• You want a mattress with great edge support.

You might not like the GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress if:

• You're on a budget.
• You want a solid firm or plush soft mattress.
• You want an all-foam mattress to save money.
• You like a true memory foam bed.